NFL 2023: Ranking the 5 worst wide receiver groups in the league
It’s that time of year when we present the bottom 5 wide receiver groups entering the 2023 NFL season. The NFL Draft has concluded and while free agency is an ongoing process there are always several teams that did not add enough weaponry to their receiver rooms. Let’s take a look at the 5 teams that made the list and explain why they ranked so poorly.
Before we start with the first team, take a look at our rankings from last year;
- Chicago Bears (3-14 record)
- Baltimore Ravens (10-7 record, postseason loss in Wild Card)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8 record, postseason loss in Divisional Round)
- Tennessee Titans (7-10 record)
- Green Bay Packers (8-9 record)
Most of these teams made additions that kept them off the 2023 list or their current receivers played well enough in 2022 to convince us otherwise. Let’s take a look at the newest bottom 5 wide receiver units entering the 2023 NFL Season.
5 worst wide receiver groups in the NFL in 2023
No. 5 Worst receiver group in the NFL: Kansas City Chiefs
player. 124. Scouting Report. Kansas City Chiefs. AFC West. . 5. Pick Analysis
- Kadarius Toney
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- Skyy Moore
- Rashee Rice
- Justin Watson
- Richie James
It might be odd that the first team on this list is the reigning Super Bowl Champions but alas, the receiver room on paper just does not look ideal. This may be the weakest group of receivers quarterback Patrick Mahomes has had thus far in his career. The general consensus is that Mahomes’ best receiver is tight end Travis Kelce and he is still on the roster for 2023.
But as far as strictly wide receivers go, the expectation was that general manager Brett Veach would have traded up to trade one of the top receivers in the draft or secure one through free agency. DeAndre Hopkins to Kansas City would have been an earthshaker in the AFC West if it had come to fruition.
The fact of the matter is that of the four returning wide receivers from 2022 (Toney, Valdes-Scantling, Moore, Watson) accounted for 6 of the 41 receiving touchdowns in that season. Kelce attributed 12 to that list so having him on the field is crucial. The re-signing of running back Jerick McKinnon was also a crucial move as he contributed 9 touchdowns last season as well.
But as far as the wide receiver position goes, the Chiefs are not putting an abundance of talent on the field. Rice is a rookie, James is a smaller receiver on a new team, and the likes of Cornell Powell and Justyn Ross are unknowns at this point.
The benefit the Chiefs have over every other team on this list, and most teams in the league for that matter, is superior coaching. Andy Reid is an elite coach and offensive mind and he is armed with one of the best quarterbacks of this generation. The Chiefs will continue to do a lot with a little but you cannot ignore the fact that the wide receiver room is lacking talent and durability.