Cowboys Country

Ranking the NFC East's top WRs (why CeeDee is clearly the best)

Dallas Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb is the top wide receiver in the NFC East but how do the rest of the wideouts stack up?

Randy Gurzi

CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
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Every position is important in the NFL, but there's something special about an elite wide receiver.

The Dallas Cowboys understand this, with players such as Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin, Dez Bryant, and CeeDee Lamb standing out throughout the years.

When a receiver can take over a game, life becomes easier for everyone else on the offense.

That was the case in 2023 when Lamb had the best season of his young career. It was enough for him to finally stand out amongst his peers, which we see in this NFC East wide receiver ranking.

6. Malik Nabers, New York Giants

Malik Nabers, NY Giants
Malik Nabers, NY Giants / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA

Malik Nabers clearly doesn't lack confidence. The New York Giants rookie wideout was quick to say he wanted to face Trevon Diggs, and the two went back and forth on social media. The mini-beef will be a storyline when the two teams face off and it will be a good way for Nabers to establish himself as a threat in the NFC East.

The Giants hope he can do exactly that because their receiving corps is abysmal outside of the sixth overall pick from LSU.

Nabers has yet to play in the NFL but twice topped 1,000 yards for the Tigers. His final season saw him put up 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns on 89 receptions. He has the size, speed, explosiveness, and leaping ability to be a star. He could climb this list in time, but for now, he comes in at No. 6 behind the established stars in the East.

5. Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys, Brandin Cooks
Cowboys, Brandin Cooks / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Brandin Cooks was recently named one of the most underrated wide receivers in the NFL, and for good reason. He's been in the league since 2014 and has been traded four times. Despite bouncing around the NFL, he's put up 1,000 yards for four teams. Dallas is the only franchise he's played for and has not accomplished this feat.

In 2023, he recorded 657 yards and eight touchdowns on 54 receptions. As he grew more comfortable in the offense, he became more deadly. He even secured a game-winning touchdown over the Detroit Lions and nearly had one over the Miami Dolphins — had the defense not failed them.

Cooks is looking for more this season, but still comes in at No. 5 due to the talent in the NFC East.

4. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles

DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

During the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cowboys dropped from No. 10 to No. 12 in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. The frustrating part of this trade was that it allowed the Eagles to grab Alabama wideout DeVonta Smith.

The good part was that it kept the New York Giants from taking him at No. 11. Oh, and Dallas took Micah Parsons at No. 12, which worked out just fine.

Smith quickly gave the Eagles' aerial attack credibility by recording 916 yards as a rookie. Since then, he's topped 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons. He enters his fourth year in the league with 240 receptions for 3,178 yards with 19 touchdowns. He could be a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver on most teams but is the top WR2 in the NFC East due to the presence of A.J. Brown.

3. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders

Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Terry McLaurin is aptly nicknamed "Scary Terry" and has been a menace since being selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He just completed his fourth-consecutive 1,000-yard season in five years and has 378 receptions for 5,283 yards and 25 touchdowns.

McLaurin is an elite route runner with the speed to score from anywhere on the field. His numbers are impressive on their own, but more so when you see the list of quarterbacks that have been throwing him the ball — Sam Howell, Jacoby Brissett, Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke, Kyle Allen, Dwayne Hasinks, Alex Smith, and Case Keenum.

2. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles

A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

A.J. Brown was ready to get paid after three strong seasons with the Tennessee Titans. His team, however, was not ready.

Tennessee traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2022 NFL Draft, and Brown instantly succeeded in their offense. He had 88 receptions for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first season with the franchise. He followed that up with 1,456 yards and seven touchdowns on 106 receptions in 2023, but that season ended with a dud.

Brown missed their playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he seemed bothered by the direction of the offense. He should be much happier in 2024 with Kellen Moore calling plays now. There's also the three-year, $96 million extension he signed, which should keep him happy, too.

1. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys, CeeDee Lamb
Dallas Cowboys, CeeDee Lamb / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

A case was to be made for A.J. Brown being the top wide receiver in the NFC East, but that ship sailed in 2023 thanks to the explosion from CeeDee Lamb. The fourth-year wideout was already in the conversation after seeing his production increase in each of his first three seasons, but he ended the debate when he led the NFL with 135 receptions and set a franchise record with 12 touchdowns.

Lamb even recorded the longest reception of the season when he broke free from the Detroit secondary and hauled in a 92-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott.

His numbers already top anything Brown has done in his career, but the spread becomes wider when you throw in his rushing numbers. In addition to his work as a receiver, Lamb ran the ball 14 times, totaling 113 yards and another two touchdowns.

To further prove his dominance over the remainder of the NFC East receivers, Lamb didn't have a top-10 rushing attack that backed off the safeties like Philly did. Nor did he have a second wideout with 1,000 yards commanding attention.

The offense in Dallas fell on the shoulders of Lamb more often than not and he routinely rose to the occasion. The Cowboys would be foolish to let his current holdout drag on much longer.

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Randy Gurzi
RANDY GURZI

Arizona State grad

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