Having a good receiver in the NFL will help any team improve offensively. For example, the level of production that Dak Prescott has seen increase can be credited to the addition of Amari Cooper last season. However, having one receiver might not be enough to be a top tier passing offense in the league, so this is a list showing the top five NFL receiving duos.
Top Five NFL Receiving Duos
5. Adam Thielen & Stefon Diggs (Minnesota Vikings)
The Vikings have struggled to pass the ball this season, but that is not because of their star receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. Thielen came into the NFL relatively unknown, signing with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent. He has since become one of the top receivers in the league, breaking the record for most 100-yard receiving games to start a season in 2018 with eight.
A fifth-round pick out of Maryland, Diggs has been one of their more reliable receivers since they drafted him in 2015. He is most remembered for the Minneapolis Miracle, scoring a 61-yard touchdown as time expired against the Saints in the 2018 NFC divisional round.
4. Brandin Cooks & Cooper Kupp (Los Angeles Rams)
A first-round pick in 2014 out of Oregon State, Brandin Cooks has always been considered a deep threat. When the Rams traded for Cooks from the New England Patriots before the 2018 season, he instantly became a key focal point in the Rams’ offense. In his first year with the team, he had 1,204 yards and 10 touchdowns, helping them reach the super bowl.
Cooper Kupp is emerging as a star in this league, lighting up secondaries since coming into the league in 2017. An ACL tear in 2018 set him back from having a big year, but he is healthy again this season. He is in the top five for receiving yards in 2019, looking to keep the Rams in the NFC West race.
3. Odell Beckham Jr. & Jarvis Landry (Cleveland Browns)
Odell Beckham has been one of the NFL’s most recognizable players since entering the league in 2014. The Browns traded with the New York Giants for Beckham this past offseason, instantly making the Browns offense one of the top in the league. He is paired with former LSU teammate Jarvis Landry, who has been a consistent threat catching the ball, breaking the record for most receptions in his first five years in the league. Beckham and Landry form a solid duo for Baker Mayfield in his second season, looking to produce the same level of hype they had going into the season on the field.
2. Mike Evans & Chris Godwin (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The Buccaneers drafted 6’5″ receiver Mike Evans with the seventh pick in the 2014 draft, and have not second-guessed their decision at all. Since coming into the league, Evans has reached 1,000 yards receiving every season and is on pace to do so yet again. He is one of the league’s best deep threats year after year. However, the duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin would not be ranked this high if not for Godwin’s breakout campaign this season. He is top five in receiving yards this season and leads in receiving touchdowns. This level of production from both receivers makes the Buccaneers passing attack under Bruce Arians one of the best in the NFL.
1. Tyreek Hill & Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs)
Even though he has missed almost the entire season so far, the game-changing ability of Tyreek Hill is key to the Chiefs offense. Considered one of the fastest players in the NFL, Hill uses his elite speed to break open games. He is coming off a season that saw him reach over 1,800 all-purpose yards and 14 total touchdowns, looking to replicate that same level of production.
Despite Hill’s attention at wideout, tight end Travis Kelce has been just as spectacular. Arguably the best tight end in the league right now, Kelce has incredible athleticism and size that makes him a matchup nightmare for defenses. With Patrick Mahomes under center, Hill and Kelce are the most explosive receiving duo and should be for a long time.
Wrap-up
Having one good receiver in the NFL can help any team, but having some of the top receiving duos can make an offense elite. It draws attention away from the number one option, creating more space for a quarterback to throw to. Teams necessarily do not need a top receiver to win in this league, but it certainly does not hurt.
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