5 Best Wide Receivers in Cincinnati Bengals History 

Typically, a rookie recording 26 catches for 326 yards and a touchdown isn’t overly exciting, but Pickens’ 1992 numbers were somehow enough to earn him Offensive Rookie of the Year.

If the voters bought so highly on him because they expected great things from his future, then why couldn’t they have also shared the winning lottery numbers?

Pickens had four 1,000-yard seasons over a five-year stretch from 1994-98, and he made two All-Pro teams in that span.

Arguably his best season came in 1995, when he set career highs in receiving yards (1,234) and touchdowns (17) en route to Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.

4. Cris Collinsworth (1981-1988)

Collinsworth entered the 2026 season ranked No. 7 in catches, No. 6 in receiving yards, and No. 9 in touchdowns, so why’d he crack our list rather than Tyler Boyd or Tee Higgins? In fact, we don’t blame you for wondering why he placed higher than Pickens. 

All are fair questions, but Collinsworth earned second-team All-Pro status in his first three years.

He played in two Super Bowls and had four 1,000-yard campaigns, and if not for his prominence via “Sunday Night Football,” we’d likely remember Collinsworth as one of the more underappreciated players in Bengals history.

• RELATED: Cris Collinsworth’s Salary, Net Worth, and NFL Playing Career

3. Ja’Marr Chase (2021-Present)

Chase enters the 2026 season ranked third in catches (520), fifth in receiving yards (6,837), and fourth in touchdowns (54) on the Bengals’ all-time list.

However, he’s only 12 scores behind Johnson, and we know how successful the Burrow-Chase duo is when both are healthy. Don’t be surprised to see that record fall before the new year ends.

As for catches and receiving yards, Chase still has a way to go. But don’t let any of this fool you into thinking we’re down on the three-time All-Pro, especially not when he’s coming off a 125-catch, 1,412-yard season. Oh, and he’s only 26 years old.

We’d send our support to the rest of the AFC, but they’ve repeatedly shown they can’t stop Chase.

2. A.J. Green (2011-2020)

The No. 4 pick in a loaded 2011 draft, Green is an easy first-ballot inductee into the Hall of Very Good — and no, that’s not an insult. He reached the Pro Bowl in each of his first seven seasons, six of which featured at least 1,000 receiving yards. 

Green earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2012 and 2013, and he ranks second behind Johnson in every major receiving category.

He’s a worthy recipient of the “That Dude Rocked” term of endearment.

1. Chad Johnson (2001-2010)

Between his play and his personality, Johnson would have been a global phenomenon in the social media era. What else can you say about a six-time Pro Bowler who legally changed his name to “Ochocinco” at one point?

(Never mind that “eighty five” in Spanish would have actually been “ochenta y cinco,” but when you make three All-Pro teams, you can get away with it.)

A 2001 second-round pick from Oregon State, Johnson remains the Bengals’ all-time leader in catches (751), receiving yards (10,783), and touchdowns (66).

He averaged 89 catches and 1,339 yards from 2002-07, which on its own would have made him extremely memorable. But once you factored in his smile and his quirks, he became unforgettable.

More Cincinnati Bengals Rankings

• 5 Best Quarterbacks in Bengals History
• 5 Best Running Backs in Bengals History