Atlanta Falcons

Ranking the top 5 wide receivers of 2016

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

After Marvin Jones had a prolific first few weeks, it’s Atlanta’s Julio Jones that has taken the top WR spot. Let’s look at the top 5 receivers.

1. Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons

830 Yards & 4 Touchdowns

Oct 23, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) prepares for a game against the San Diego Chargers at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Julio Jones has taken a clear lead as the number one WR in football. He and Matt Ryan have a chemistry similar to that of Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson in 2012. If anyone can break Johnson’s record of 1,964 yards, I think it’s Jones. Antonio Brown would pose a threat but Ben Roethlisberger seems to miss time every year. Jones has quite the start so far and doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. He’s also by far the most physically dominant receiver in the NFL.

2. A.J. Green

777 Yards & 3 Touchdowns

Dec 13, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) kicks the ball into the stands after scoring a touchdown on a pass from quarterback AJ McCarron (not pictured) against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

A.J. Green lost two former teammates when receivers Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu left in free agency. Despite increased coverage, Green has been as explosive as ever. He and Andy Dalton clicked right when they were drafted and haven’t stopped since. Green is enjoying the best season of his career in terms of yardage. He’s fairly close behind Julio Jones for the best receiver title. Green and Jones were both drafted in the top 10 of the 2011 draft (4th and 6th) and I doubt either team regrets taking them so high.

3. T.Y. Hilton – Indianapolis Colts

689 Yards & 4 Touchdowns

Nov 30, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts receiver TY Hilton (13) celebrates a first half score against the Washington Redskins at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

This one kind of surprised me. Hilton is known for being Andrew Luck’s go-to deep threat, but I didn’t think he would have the numbers to compare, nearly halfway through the season. Hilton doesn’t get the respect of the other guys on this list, but that will change in time if he continues to put up big numbers comparable to Antonio Brown. Andrew Luck likes to throw it deep, open or not, and Hilton is the main benefactor.

4. Marvin Jones – Detroit Lions

623 Yards & 4 Touchdowns

Oct 16, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones (11) celebrates his touchdown head coach Jim Caldwell during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Marvin Jones started the season as the number one receiver in terms of yardage. He slowed down in weeks five and six but had a nice game last week against the Redskins. He’s been Detroit’s top touchdown option as well. Most analysts initially praised the signing of Marvin Jones as a Megatron replacement, but few saw him becoming a top-5 receiver. Matthew Stafford has favored him over Golden Tate, which surprised those who assumed Jones would be the number-two option. He’s shown good all-around route versatility for a guy who was considered a pure deep threat. Jones is on pace for a career year.

5. Antonio Brown – Pittsburgh Steelers

595 Yards & 5 Touchdowns

Oct 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) runs after catch against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Antonio Brown has less yards than Odell Beckham Junior, but more touchdowns than anyone on this list, so I jumped him (sorry ODB). Brown doesn’t always get off to the gaudy statistical starts that Julio Jones seems to every season, yet he’s extremely consistent and usually ends up near the top of the list at the end of the year. Unfortunately, Big Ben is hurt for 4-6 weeks, so Landy Jones will be out there. Jones is a below-average backup and Brown’s numbers are sure to take a hit. If he can still somehow put up elite numbers, it’s a testament to his greatness.