The best wide receivers of all time are a group of elite athletes inclusive of some of the best athletes of all time. The greatest wide receivers are the ones that make amazing plays every game while simultaneously making the little plays that move the ball down the field. These are the top wide receivers ever to play the game of football.
These elite football players are members of pro-bowl squads, Super Bowl winners, and all-around all-star football players. Some, like WR Jerry Rice, became the stuff of football legend while they were still playing, while others like Wes Welker are just making their marks as the go-to wide receivers on franchise teams. Most of the top wide receivers in the NFL are on this list, and whether they are the best wide receivers currently in the NFL or the best wide receivers in the history of the NFL, they all have a fighting chance to land at #1 on the list of the best wide receivers ever.
Who are the best wide receivers of all time? What are the qualities of the top wide receivers? Who is the greatest wide receiver ever? These are some of the questions this list looks to tackle with its compilation of the best wide receivers of all time. There are scores of famous wide receivers in the history of the NFL, so if you don't see your favorite wide receiver on the list, make sure to add him so other users can vote for him to move up this list of the greatest wide receivers of all time.
If you want a little more football after checking out this list of the best wide receivers in NFL history, check out the best touchdown celebrations of all time to see some of these guys in endzone action.
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Jerry Lee Rice Sr. (born October 13, 1962) is a former American football wide receiver who... more on Wikipedia10,2002,2052
Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977) is a television sports analyst and former American... more on Wikipedia8,2713,0793
Larry Darnell Fitzgerald Jr. (born August 31, 1983) is an American football wide receiver for... more on Wikipedia6,1343,3914
Calvin Johnson Jr. (born September 29, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver. A... more on Wikipedia6,6244,0115
Quintorris Lopez "Julio" Jones (; born February 8, 1989) is an American football wide receiver... more on Wikipedia3,6952,0366
Stephen Michael Largent (born September 28, 1954) is an American former football player,... more on Wikipedia3,6262,4047
Graduel Christopher Darin Carter (born November 25, 1965) is a former American football player... more on Wikipedia4,6233,0568
Sterling Sharpe (born April 6, 1965) is an American former American Football wide receiver and... more on Wikipedia2,3651,5599
Marvin Darnell Harrison (born August 25, 1972) is a former American football wide receiver in... more on Wikipedia4,0442,71110
Stevonne Latrall Smith Sr. (born May 12, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver who... more on Wikipedia2,8051,81011
Frederick S. Biletnikoff (born February 23, 1943) is a former gridiron football player and... more on Wikipedia1,8691,23212
Reginald Wayne (born November 17, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver who spent... more on Wikipedia2,8061,85813
Antonio Tavaris Brown Sr. (born July 10, 1988) is an American football wide receiver who is... more on Wikipedia3,3452,07014
Hines Edward Ward Jr. (born March 8, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver who... more on Wikipedia2,1761,43415
Michael Jerome Irvin (born March 5, 1966) is a retired American football player, actor, and... more on Wikipedia4,6453,25316
DeAndre Rashaun Hopkins (born June 6, 1992) is an American football wide receiver for the... more on Wikipedia1,11732817
Andre Lamont Johnson (born July 11, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver who... more on Wikipedia2,5191,80618
Lynn Curtis Swann (born March 7, 1952) is an American football player, broadcaster,... more on Wikipedia2,3871,64719
Adriel Jeremiah "A.J." Green (born July 31, 1988) is an American football wide receiver for... more on Wikipedia1,8981,25620
Donald Montgomery Hutson (January 31, 1913 – June 26, 1997) was a professional American... more on Wikipedia2,3261,75121
Johnny Lee Stallworth (born July 15, 1952) is a former American football wide receiver who... more on Wikipedia1,364913John Stallworth
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Andre Darnell Reed (born January 29, 1964) is a former professional American football player.... more on Wikipedia2,2741,63923
Timothy Donell Brown (born July 22, 1966) is a former American football wide receiver who... more on Wikipedia3,1842,33324
Terrell Eldorado Owens (; born December 7, 1973), popularly known by his initials, T.O., is a... more on Wikipedia5,0723,82325
James Arthur Monk (born December 5, 1957) is an American former football wide receiver in the... more on Wikipedia1,7281,266