With Week 8 of the NFL season underway, we’ll take a look at the top 25 players at the wide receiver position in our updated rankings, attempting to project each WR moving forward. This list is based on several factors, including statistics such as receptions, yards, and touchdowns, but also on our own Pro Football Network Offensive Value Metric (OVM) as well.
The wide receiver position is extremely rich in talent, which makes this list difficult to truly pinpoint. However, these 25 players are the best in the league through the first seven weeks of the season. We’ve already seen a lot of movement from Week 6 to Week 7, and with injuries mounting around the league at the position, including Cleveland’s Odell Beckham Jr., who will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Moving forward, there is plenty of room for new faces in our WR rankings for Week 8.
NFL Wide Receiver Rankings, Week 8 | 25-15
25) Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams (Week 7 ranking: 22)
Cooper Kupp had a productive game against the Bears, catching all six targets that came his way and totaling 43 receiving yards. With a 33.26 OVM score, Kupp has been Jared Goff’s most reliable target through the first seven weeks of the 2020 season. Even though he has stayed productive, Kupp sees a slight drop in the ranks this week.
24) Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions (Week 7 ranking: Not ranked)
Kenny Golladay creeps into the bottom of our rankings after his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game. Week 7 saw him return a line of six catches for 114 yards against the Falcons. Consistency has been key for the Pro Bowl receiver, tallying 10 catches and 219 yards in his last two games. While he has struggled to reach the endzone in those contests, he has been a field stretcher for Matthew Stafford.
23) Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans (Week 7 ranking: 23)
Brandin Cooks didn’t score a touchdown in the Texans’ loss to the Packers but has stayed consistent enough to remain in our top 25 WR rankings for Week 8. With seven catches for 60 receiving yards, Cooks now has nearly 300 yards in his last three games. Cooks is still showing his value on the field for the Texans and has posted a 28.71 OVM score this season.
22) Travis Fulgham, Philadelphia Eagles (Week 7 ranking: Not ranked)
It seems as if the Eagles wouldn’t have a wide receiver ranked inside the top 25, but Travis Fulgham has been Philadelphia’s only consistent pass-catcher. With an OVM score of 26.14 and nearly 150 receiving yards in his last two games, Fulgham has been about as productive as one could wish for. With 21 catches and nearly 300 yards over the last three games, Fulgham breaks into our weekly NFL wide receiver rankings.
21) CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (Week 7 ranking: 9)
After seeing 22 targets in the last two games, rookie wide receiver CeeDee Lamb only saw five targets against the Washington Football Team and didn’t record a catch. He still lands in our top 25 rankings, as he currently ranks 15th in the NFL for receiving yards, even after his poor performance in Week 7. Lamb has a chance to climb back up the rankings this week against the Eagles.
20) A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans (Week 7 ranking: Not ranked)
A.J. Brown has been an extremely reliable target for Ryan Tannehill this season, recording four touchdowns in the Titans’ last three games. Against Pittsburgh, Brown had arguably his best game of the season, nearly doubling his season-long receiving yard total in one game with a six-catch, 153-yard performance.
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With the improved consistency he is starting to demonstrate on the field and an OVM of 33, Brown could see a bigger climb in the rankings in the coming weeks.
19) Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (Week 7 ranking: 14)
Justin Jefferson and the Vikings didn’t play this week, but the rookie will have an opportunity to record his fourth 100-yard game of the season this week against the Packers. In their first meeting of the season, Jefferson struggled, as the rookie only caught two passes for 26 yards in their loss to Green Bay in Week 1. The Packers secondary has been susceptible at times this season, meaning Jefferson should get every opportunity to improve on that Week 1 performance.
18) Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (Week 7 ranking: 20)
After making his debut in our weekly NFL wide receiver rankings last week, Julio Jones sees a slight improvement in his ranking after nearly reaching a back-to-back 100-yard game with an eight-catch, 97-yard performance against Detroit. After only seeing eight targets against Dallas and Green Bay, Jones has seen 19 targets in his last two games. Jones is also 13th among wide receivers in OVM with a score of 35.58. We have already seen Jones have a monster game in Week 8, so look for him to be on the rise again next week.
17) Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (Week 7 ranking: Not ranked)
After once again battling through injuries with a couple of mediocre games against the Lions and Buccaneers, Davante Adams finally makes our weekly NFL wide receiver rankings. Adams had himself a day against the Texans, catching 13 passes for 196 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Adams now has two games this season with 13 or more catches and over 150 receiving yards.
16) Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals (Week 7 ranking: 24)
Tee Higgins continues to be a reliable target for Joe Burrow and has been showing why he should have been considered among the top rookie NFL wide receivers. Higgins caught all five targets against the Browns and scored his third touchdown of the season. With Tyler Boyd and A.J. Green on the field, Higgins has become a reliable third option for Burrow.
15) Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (Week 7 ranking: 25)
Keenan Allen had a great comeback from injury against the Jaguars, catching 10 passes for 125 yards. Allen currently sits at 15th on the NFL’s receiving leaders list and climbs to 15th in our rankings this week. Allen will have a tougher task In Week 8, as he goes up against the Broncos, who have yet to allow over 250 passing yards this season.
Wide receivers | 14 – 6
14) Robby Anderson, Carolina Panthers (Week 7 ranking: 16)
Robby Anderson continues to be a reliable target for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and had six catches for 74 yards in the Panthers’ loss to the Saints. Anderson entered Week 8 second in receiving yards, just behind Deandre Hopkins, but is still struggling to find the endzone. While he hasn’t put up crazy touchdown numbers, his OVM score has remained one of the best in the league at 35.53. Anderson had his worst game of the season in Week 8, so he could be a name we see lower down on this list next week.
13) Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals (Week 7 ranking: 17)
Tyler Boyd makes a big jump in the rankings this week after an impressive 11 catch, 101-yard performance against the Browns. Boyd saw more than 10 targets for just the second time this season, as well as going over 100 yards for the second time. With an OVM score of 37.07, he is 8th among wide receivers.
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Boyd and Burrow appear to have developed good chemistry and should be a staple of this Bengals offense for years to come.
12) D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers (Week 7 ranking: 15)
D.J. Moore has shown that he can be the top receiving option in Carolina. Moore recorded his third straight game with 93 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns against the Saints, including a 74-yard score. Both Moore and fellow Panthers receiver Robby Anderson sit in the top 10 when it comes to receiving yards in the league entering Week 8. Moore failed to make a big impression on Thursday and could be set for a drop in the rankings next week.
11) Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team (Week 7 ranking: 12)
Terry McLaurin continues to be a consistent receiving threat, even with Kyle Allen under center for Washington. His seven catches and 90 receiving yards, along with a 52-yard touchdown, helped Washington defeat the Cowboys for their second win of the season. He’ll look to continue his strong season against the Giants this week, having had seven receptions for 74 yards against them in Week 6.
10) Will Fuller V, Houston Texans (Week 7 ranking: 11)
Even though he didn’t have the most outstanding game against the Packers, Will Fuller V did enough to stay right about where he was last week in our rankings. After an explosive game against the Titans, Fuller only caught three passes for 35 yards against Green Bay but did catch another touchdown. Fuller has now scored a touchdown in five consecutive games.
9) Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys (Week 7 ranking: 10)
Much like Fuller, Amari Cooper didn’t have the biggest Week 7 game, but he did enough to stay in stride and remain in the same region as he was ranked last week. Cooper caught all seven of his targets in the Cowboys’ loss to Washington, recording 80 receiving yards. Dallas’ quarterback struggles may not help Cooper and Lamb when it comes to their wide receiver rankings over the coming weeks.
8) Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills (Week 7 ranking: 7)
Stefon Diggs had his struggles against the New York Jets, but it wasn’t enough for him to drop drastically in our WR rankings for Week 8. Diggs continues to be one of the biggest reasons for the Bills’ offensive success and the growth of Josh Allen. With Stephen Gilmore missing the Week 8 clash, Diggs will have a fantastic opportunity to have a big day and make a case that he should move up in these rankings.
7) Allen Robinson II, Chicago Bears (Week 7 ranking: 8)
Allen Robinson caught all four of his targets against the Rams, but he hasn’t scored a touchdown since the Bears’ win against the Colts. He has topped 50 yards in six of his seven games this season, but that is not enough for a player considered to be among the top 10 at his position. Robinson really needs to have a good game this week against a mediocre Saints secondary in order to avoid a slide in next weeks’ rankings.
6) D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks (Week 7 ranking: 3)
D.K. Metcalf had a quiet game against Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals’ defense. Metcalf was targeted five times but only came away with two catches for 23 yards. Had David Moore not committed a hold on a screen, then Metcalf’s numbers could have looked a significant amount better. However, you could also argue that hold was important in the development of the play itself. Metcalf is a talented receiver, and this was his first game under 50 yards this season, as well as being just the second in which he did not find the end zone. With a bounce back to his usual form, he could easily find himself back in the top five in next week’s rankings.
Top 5 wide receivers in Week 8
5) Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings (Week 7 ranking: 4)
Adam Thielen and the Vikings didn’t play this week, meaning we see him revert back to his Week 6 rank. Thielen will be hoping to have a big game this week, as he had six catches for 110 yards and two scores in the Vikings’ Week 1 loss to the Packers. A repeat performance could see Thielen climbing up the rankings next week.
4) Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (Week 7 ranking: 5)
In a bad weather game, Tyreek Hill did just enough to make the climb one spot in our WR rankings for Week 8. Hill scored his fifth touchdown of the season against the Broncos and continued his career dominance against Denver. A slight concern for Hill is that he is yet to register a 100-yard receiving performance so far this season, having had 12 across his last three seasons. A Week 8 matchup against the New York Jets could provide an opportunity to change that, providing the weather does not hamper the passing game significantly in Kansas City this week.
3) Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons (Week 7 ranking: 2)
Calvin Ridley suffers a slight drop in this week’s wide receiver rankings, despite having a solid game against the Lions. Ridley scored his second touchdown in as many games and now has 11 catches and 130 receiving yards over that time. Somewhat concerningly, Ridley is fourth among the Falcons’ receivers in OVM with a score of 26.84. He struggled to make an impact in Week 8, with just four targets, three receptions, and 42 yards, meaning he could be on his way out of the top five next week.
2) Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks (Week 7 ranking: 6)
After only seeing nine targets against Miami and Minnesota, Tyler Lockett saw 20 targets against the Cardinals, catching 15 passes and totaling 200 receiving yards. Lockett’s burst of production is no surprise, as he is the third-highest rated receiver in OVM with a score of 38.8. While the Seahawks suffered a loss, Lockett did all he could, hauling in three incredible touchdowns against Arizona.
1) DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals (Week 7 ranking: 1)
After a down game against the Cowboys, DeAndre Hopkins bounced right back against Seattle with 10 catches and 103 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Seattle defense. While Lockett’s performance nearly knocked Hopkins off the throne in our WR rankings for Week 8, Hopkins’ own performance was instrumental in the Cardinals’ victory. It is important to remember that Hopkins has been struggling with injuries across the last three weeks, making these big performances arguably even more impressive.