Who are the best WRs in the NFC West?
By: Jeremy Trottier
The NFL has an abundance of talent at pretty much every position across the board, but one of the most notable positions when it comes specifically to the amount of players with above-average talent is wide receiver. The NFC West is a prime example of this, as they have multiple elite receivers and multiple up-and-coming potential Pro Bowl-level ones as well, which is only a microcosm of the NFL as a whole.
With that said, let’s take a look through the division and rank the eight best wide receivers, based on a mix of recent seasons and projections for 2025:
- Puka Nacua – Los Angeles Rams
With Cooper Kupp having moved on from the Los Angeles Rams after many years as their star receiver, the team likely doesn’t feel as bad knowing they have Nacua at the forefront of their offense. Coming off a year where he missed six games due to injury, and still put up 990 receiving yards, he is far and away one of the best receivers in the entire NFL. Having improved on the one critical issue from his 2023 season, drops, he has the chance to really break out in this offense alongside the next player on the list.
- Davante Adams – Los Angeles Rams
Next up is another Rams receiver, this one being an addition during the offseason in Davante Adams. Adams has proven to be one of the best in the NFL over the years, and despite a somewhat down year in 2024, he still put up 1000 yards on the field. Now he moves to a team with a stable quarterback position in Matthew Stafford, and the intent to win one more Super Bowl while he is under contract. Having Nacua alongside him should benefit both sides, as they will draw pressure off of each other and force coverage to make decisions.
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Seattle Seahawks
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has rapidly turned into one of the best young wide receivers in the game, and the odds that he improves in 2025 are pretty high. With Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf out of the picture, he should get the lion’s share of the targets for the Seahawks. While it is yet unforeseen if Sam Darnold will retain his 2024 form as a quality passer, Smith-Njigba should be a reliable target who can hold onto many of the receptions that come his way.
- Brandon Aiyuk – San Francisco 49ers
Brandon Aiyuk is one of the harder wide receivers to grade in the NFL, as 2022 and 2023 were truly outstanding seasons from him, but a torn ACL and MCL are not easy injuries to recover from at the position. With Deebo Samuel no longer in the picture, he should receive quite a few targets, no doubt, but it will take time to see how reliable he is as he comes back from a devastating injury.
- Marvin Harrison Jr. – Arizona Cardinals
Marvin Harrison Jr. is an intriguing receiver. His 2024 season was not as outstanding as many would have expected from such a highly lauded prospect, but at the same time, by no means was it bad either. He put up 62 receptions for 885 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns, but a catch rate of only 53.4% hurt him, as did his 5 drops. While he has the talent to be a truly outstanding receiver, he needs to generate a little more separation from defensive backs to really tap into the potential he has.
- Cooper Kupp – Seattle Seahawks
Cooper Kupp has been one of, if not the best receiver, from the span of 2019-2021; however, injuries have plagued him quite a bit in the time since then. He now teams up with Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Seattle alongside Sam Darnold to try and re-form a cohesive offensive identity, and it is clear that he still has talent to give based on the performances he has had in healthy games. However, the separation numbers don’t jump off the page anymore, and that could be something that holds him back from his previous abilities.
- Jauan Jennings – San Francisco 49ers
Jauan Jennings has solidified himself among the San Francisco 49ers’ offense as a true offensive talent, starting with the 2023 playoffs and carrying over into 2024. With 77 receptions for 975 yards and 6 touchdowns, he has displayed quite a bit of promise in the past year, and given he will have Aiyuk alongside him once again to take some pressure off of him from being WR1 on the team, he should see quite a bit of production once again in 2025.
- Ricky Pearsall – San Francisco 49ers
This is heavily reliant on the projection part of the rankings, as Ricky Pearsall would start four of the 11 games he played in last year, posting 400 receiving yards on 31 receptions and three touchdowns. But he showed a significant amount of talent in the snaps he played, and will be an exceptional complementary piece alongside Aiyuk and Jennings. Utilized in an offense that loves to manage the best parts of players, and he should be in for a potential breakout ahead.
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