Title of Best NFL Wide Receiver Is A Landslide

It is without question one of the most difficult debates today. Who is the best wide receiver in the NFL? Turns out the experts already know.

Due to the game being very much a pass-first league, it has glamourized the receiver position like never before. Players are putting up numbers at a record pace and many feel the wave hasn’t even come close to cresting yet. At the same time this wealth of production has created a side venture of figuring out who the best of the best is. There are plenty of candidates to choose from. Some big, some small, some fast, some agile but all exceptionally good at driving defenses crazy.

In order to find an answer to this difficult question, NFL.com polled all of its primary experts to hear their thoughts, each one ranking their three best. When the numbers were crunched though, it wasn’t even a close decision.

• #1:  Antonio Brown (60 points)
• #2:  Odell Beckham Jr. (27 points)
• #3:  Julio Jones (24 points)

Of the 21 total panelists who offered their insight, a staggering 18 of them chose the Pittsburgh Steelers star as their first choice. The stats certainly make the case. In the past three seasons Antonio Brown has caught a ridiculous 375 passes for 5,031 yards and 31 touchdowns. The fact he’s doing it to NFL defenses standing a modest 5’10” make it even more impressive. Beckham has only done his thing for two seasons while Jones, great as he is, doesn’t get in the end zone enough (34 TDs in entire career).

Here is what some of the panelists had to say about their decision.

"Nate Burleson:  “Brown’s shiftiness and speed make him the best undersized receiver in this era — and possibly of all time.”Shaun O’Hara:  “Brown is the best athlete on every field he steps onto, and it’s incredible how open he gets, no matter the coverage.”Bucky Brooks:  “Brown has danced around defensive backs for the past three years as the best receiver in the game. He flirted with Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving record in 2015, despite missing Big Ben for a handful of games.”Solomon Wilcots:  “Brown is No. 1 to me because there’s nothing he can’t do on the field. Once he has the ball in his hands, no other receiver compares.”"

There is no doubt Beckham and Jones are clear threats who can’t be ignored, but as long as Brown stays healthy in that offense with Big Ben pulling the trigger, there is no sign that his torrid pace is going to let up anytime soon.