While Terrell Owens is showing off his ripped but aging body on Sports Center in an attempt to attract NFL teams, I conducted some research on the top NFL wide receivers. T.O is trying to come back from an ACL injury and hit previous levels, but for now he’s forced to sit on the couch and enjoy the best at his position, make headlines. The NFL season is well underway and that means enough statistics have been accumulated, to accurately depict who the top wide outs are in the league. The likes of Calvin Johnson and Wes Welker have impressed throughout the first season but they are not alone.

To clarify what makes a good receiver I will examine four categories;

o Touchdowns – The ability of a wide receiver to get into the end zone is vital to be successful.

o Who is throwing the ball? If John Beck is throwing you the ball 3 TDs are worth more, than Aaron Rodgers 3 TDs passes to you.

o Yards after the catch – This singles out the ability of the wide receiver to gain yards completely on his own.

o Total Receiving yards – It is significant to include how many total receiving yards a player at this position can put together.

o Yards per game – The production of a player per game is vital in evaluating his overall performance.

3. Steve Smith – Carolina Panthers. Steve Smith has done many impressive things this year, but he is not the best out there. He has the most receiving yards in the entire NFL with 818, but only has 3 TDs. What really stands out for Smith is the fact that Cam Newton is his quarterback. Wes Welker has done incredible things this year, but he does have Tom Brady, a future hall of famer, throwing the ball to him every single week. I realize that Cam Newton has indeed played much better than expected, but he is no Tom Brady just yet. Steve Smith also averages 116.9 yards per game, which is the third best in the NFL. He has managed to run 242 yards after catching the ball, second in the NFL to Wes Welker.

2. Calvin Johnson – Detroit Lions. Megatron is an absolute monster, there is no arguing that, but he lacks overall yardage per game, as he only averages 97, fourth best in the league. The 6”5’ receiver has an incredible 10 TD receptions this season, the most of anyone, at any position. Overall he has amassed 679 yards to go with 181 yards after the catch. His yardage may not be as good as Steve Smith or Wes Welker, but what separates Calvin Johnson is his ability to get into the end zone, mainly due to his incredible size.

1. Wes Welker – New England Patriots. The best receiver in the National Football League is Wes Welker. He has 785 yards receiving this year, six touchdowns and averages 130.8 per game, the most of any player in the league. What really makes Welker stand out is that he can gain yards completely on his own; 364 yards after the catch is by far the most in the entire NFL, which solidifies his spot as the number one wide receiver. This matters because you could credit Tom Brady for Welker’s performances, but the yards after catching the ball shows that he can make plays on his own.