The NFL has hundreds of players, but there are only a couple of positions that are considered marquee in terms of marketing, value, and popularity. Wide receivers tend to get many of the headlines and highlights due to their over-the-top play, bombastic personalities, and need for attention.
Though the diva labels are often generalizations, there are plenty of top play-making wide receivers who fit the mold perfectly. Let's look at 10 of the NFL's best wide receivers and rank them. It will take into account stats, health, consistency, and much more.
10 JuJu Smith-Shuster
The 2019 NFL season will challenge JuJu Smith-Shuster in a way he hasn't seen yet during his time in the league. With Antonio Brown now in Oakland, Smith-Shuster is now the #1 wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This means he'll now be seeing a ton of double-teams and will be a point of focus for opposing defensive schemes. For Smith-Shuster it will be a year where he proves he can be the main receiver on a team or shows that he does need another partner in crime to succeed in a real and meaningful way.
9 Stefon Diggs
During the 2018 season, the entire Minnesota Vikings roster probably expected to play a lot better throughout the year. It was a team considered a good quarterback away from the Super Bowl, and with the signing of Kirk Cousins, it seemed like they were positioned for success.
That wasn't exactly what happened, but both Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen managed to cement their case as a premiere receiving duo in the NFL. Diggs isn't as consistent as Thielen, but 2019 could reset where they stand among one another in terms of receiver 1A and receiver 1B.
8 Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown has the prototypical attitude of an NFL star receiver but traveled the toughest road to make his way to the top. In 2019 he'll be suiting up for the Oakland Raiders and it will be a time where Brown can prove to the world that Ben Roethlisberger didn't make him what he is.
Brown has top NFL talent, but his attitude and the optics surrounding him as a teammate are not great. In 2019 it's as much a prove-it year for the Oakland Raiders, Derek Carr, and Jon Gruden as it is for the receiving phenom that is Antonio Brown.
7 Larry Fitzgerald
The future NFL Hall of Famer is the role model every parent should point to if their kid wants to become an NFL wide receiver. Fitzgerald has never been the type of guy to complain about his contract, demand the ball more, or brag about how good he is. He's simply one of the best all-around receivers in league history and shows that hard work and talent go hand in hand. Over the years Fitzgerald was willing to adapt to various roles and still manage to contribute from the slot position in major ways.
6 Adam Thielen
The Minnesota Vikings have one of the best wide receiver duos in the league, and though Stefon Diggs gets most of the love as the speedy deep threat, Adam Thielen is the real deal. He sports reliable hands and mindset that he wants to contribute in crucial moments and come up big when it matters most.
His legendary argument with Kirk Cousins on the sideline during a 2018 game against the Chicago Bears showed how badly Thielen wants to win. The 2019 NFL season will shed light on how tight Thielen and Cousins became during the offseason.
5 Davante Adams
As a receiver, you hope to play alongside a talented quarterback who can make all the throws and deliver the ball to you with accuracy and confidence. Sometimes that can hurt you as your success can mostly be attributed to the signal-caller and fans across the country overlook you at every turn.
Davante Adams has had the luxury of playing with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, which has led to Adams being underrated and overlooked. Statistically, he's been one of the most productive and reliable targets the last couple of years and he doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon.
4 Odell Beckham Jr.
If this list was based purely on talent and athletic ability it'd be hard not to put Odell Beckham Jr. near or at the top. The problem is that he's dealt with numerous nagging injuries over the years and for some reason, he hasn't made a big impact on his previous team's success in the past. Whether that was Eli Manning's fault or not doesn't matter now, as Beckham Jr. will be suiting up for the Cleveland Browns in 2019 and will look to prove his worth. There's a lot of mouths to feed on that Browns offense, so we'll see if Beckham Jr. gets a solid slice of the pie.
3 Michael Thomas
Despite putting up incredible numbers and being a model of consistency in New Orleans Michael Thomas is often forgotten about due to being on the receiving end of Drew Brees delivered throws. Thomas is an excellent route-runner who excels in man coverage given the opportunity.
He's displayed some diva-like traits often associated with the position, but Sean Payton and company in New Orleans run a tight ship so it's unlikely that will ever result in something detrimental to the Saints and their continued success.
2 DeAndre Hopkins
DeAndre Hopkins has done the impossible and has managed to develop into an elite receiver despite not having an adequate quarterback up until the Houston Texans drafted DeShaun Watson a couple of years ago.
Hopkins is a solid teammate and an even better part of the community. In multiple interviews, he's expressed that he wants to bring Houston a title, and winning is really important to him. With Julio Jones growing older, look for Hopkins to emerge as the league's top pass-catcher in the years to come.
1 Julio Jones
Ever since entering the league Julio Jones has been the Atlanta Falcons best and most consistent player. He's managed to fight through numerous injuries and a rotating chair at offensive coordinator and remain the league's most dominant receiver. Like Larry Fitzgerald, Jones has received tons of praise for not falling into the generalizations his position is known for. He's a team-first guy with absolutely no diva attitude, and would rather show you he's better than you than constantly talk about it.