Hakeem Nicks: ‘I still view myself as the best receiver in the league’

Indianapolis Colts’ wide receiver Hakeem Nicks is still a top-tier wide receiver in the NFL, at least according to Hakeem Nicks.

“I still view myself as the best receiver in this league,” Nicks said to NFL.com. “That expectation ain’t never going to change. I’ll get a chance to prove it eventually.” Nicks is still optimistic, despite a slow start. “Just have to be patient; you know it’s going to be a long season,” Nicks said of his supporting role. “Being a receiver we all want the ball every play, but we understand that sacrifice is part of being on a team.”

While it’s always good to have confidence, Nicks’ comments might be a little bit too confident.

More from Indianapolis Colts

• Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
• 5 rookies to target for your Fantasy Football drafts In 2023
• Indianapolis Colts: Jonathan Taylor and Jim Irsay are stuck together
• Another star running back is unhappy with his situation
• Jim Irsay is alienating his best player at the worst possible time

The former North Carolina Tar Heel has been plagued with injuries his entire career, and he has not been an elite playmaker thus far for the Colts. Nicks has been lost in the shuffle in an offense that consists a plethora of pass-catching talent. Nicks might not even be the best wide receiver on the Colts, as Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton are both incredibly talented players.

For all intents and purposes, Nicks hasn’t been regarded as an elite wide receiver since the Giants’ Super Bowl run back in 2011.

Nicks is still a good receiver. He plays bigger than his 6 foot 1 frame, and he has some of the largest hands in the entire NFL. Perhaps his best attribute is elevating for the ball and making tough catches. Nicks is still young at 26, even though he’s very prone to injuries.

However, despite all of those positives, Nicks is far from the best wide receiver.

In fact, there are 118 players in the NFL that have more receiving yards than Nicks, per NFL.com. Nicks does have two touchdowns, two more than he had all of last year, but he hasn’t really ‘wowed’ anyone with his performance. We have yet to see the explosiveness from Nicks that was so common during his stellar 2011 campaign.

Nicks will have to step up his game in a big way if he wants to be mentioned in the same breath as Calvin Johnson, A.J. Green and Dez Bryant, among others. With Andrew Luck throwing him the ball, it’s not impossible to see Nicks have an increase in production. Not likely, but not impossible.