After some offseason movement, the top 10 quarterback-wide receiver duos in the NFL look different than in past seasons.
After the initial wave in NFL free agency, the draft and some surprising trades, we’re looking at several new quarterback-wide receiver duos this coming season. Two new pairings cracked the top 10 list, while two other offseason combinations earned honorable mentions. We’ll see how these new duos mesh during the offseason and whether they translate to regular-season success.
Four notable combinations did not crack the top 10 quarterback-wide receiver duos. In years past, Philip Rivers appeared on this list with Keenan Allen. This year, there’s an argument he should qualify with T.Y. Hilton as his running mate. However, we’ve never seen the duo play together. Plus, both Rivers and Hilton are returning from arguably the worst seasons of their careers.
Last year, Jared Goff also cracked many top ten lists alongside either Brandin Cooks or Robert Woods. Cooks missed a lot of time last season, but Cooper Kupp emerged as the team’s best receiver threat in the veteran’s absence. Either Kupp or Woods could appear alongside Goff if the quarterback played at his 2018 level.
However, in 2019 Goff posted the worst year of his career since his rookie season. He removes the Los Angeles Rams from contention for the top ten. The same thing goes for Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham/Jarvis Landry in Cleveland.
Perhaps the most egregious snubs for this article come from Arizona. Kyler Murray and his newly acquired teammate, DeAndre Hopkins, do not crack the top 10. While Hopkins, a three-time consecutive First-Team All-Pro, is one of the top three wide receivers in football, Murray keeps this duo from breaking into the top 10.
Last season, Hopkins easily made the top 10 alongside Deshaun Watson. However, Murray is a far cry from Houston’s quarterback. While many analysts expect Murray will take a step forward this coming season, he didn’t post impressive numbers as a rookie.
With a less talented team, Gardner Minshew posted a better record as a starter than Murray. The sixth-round pick also topped the first overall selection in passing touchdowns, passing yards per game, and passer rating. Minshew also threw half as many interceptions as Murray. So, Murray isn’t deserving of a spot on this list yet.
Now, let’s jump into the top ten quarterback-wide receiver duos in the league today.