The last decade of the NFL has been largely defined by pass-happy offenses and great quarterback play. Of course, none of that would have been possible if we didn’t have a league full of amazing wide receivers. To be honest, there have been too many great receivers in the last 10 years to count. But I think we can all agree that some have managed to stand out from the rest, which is why we wanted to highlight the five best NFL wide receivers of the 2010s.
5. A.J. Green
Missing the entire 2019 season nearly cost Green the final spot in the top-5. But he did just enough to beat out a lot of great candidates for the honor.
Working in his favor is the fact that Green played nearly the entire decade, went over 1,000 yards receiving six times, and went to seven consecutive Pro Bowls. Green has been a no. 1 receiver since his first season in the league, and that’s not something that should be overlooked.
4. Calvin Johnson
Unfortunately for Megatron, he loses points because he retired early and only played in half of the 2010s. That being said, he was so extraordinary during those years that he still manages to top a lot of wide receivers that played more seasons.
Johnson was a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro, all of which came in 2010 or later. He also led the NFL in both receptions and yards during the 2012 campaign, the year he broke Jerry Rice’s single-season record for receiving yards. More importantly, Johnson stood out on a bad team and made some of the most ridiculous catches you’ll ever see.
3. Antonio Brown
Forget about all of the off-field antics and prima donna behavior and Brown was hands down one of the best wide receivers of the decade. By conventional standards, he was a little undersized. But that didn’t stop him from becoming arguably the NFL’s most dangerous playmaker for a few seasons.
He got off to a slow start early in his career, but during his final six seasons in Pittsburgh, Brown averaged over 1,500 receiving yards per season. That’s some serious productivity and play-making ability.
2. Julio Jones
Outside of the guy at no. 1, it’s hard to think of a more consistent wide receiver over the past decade than Jones. He has all of the measurables of an elite wide receiver and he backs it up with his performance. Over the past decade, Jones has been to seven Pro Bowls and been an All-Pro five times. He led the league in receptions once and receiving yards twice.
Jones also owns the all-time record for receiving yards per game, averaging over 100 yards per game five times. The former Alabama standout is still going strong and dominated the league throughout the 2010s.
1. Larry Fitzgerald
He may not be fast or flashy, but nobody does it better than Fitzgerald. Despite his best seasons coming before the 2010s, he still made seven Pro Bowls in the last 10 years and remains the model of consistency.
As recently as 2016, Fitzgerald led the NFL in receptions, helping to solidify is standing as the best wide receiver of the past decade.
