Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Does Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase have a legit claim as the NFL's best WR?

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 12/14/23

Few would argue that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is one of the five best players at his position.

But if you ask his opinion, Chase believes he’s solely at the top of the mountain with everyone else looking up at him.

“I feel like I'm the best,” Chase said when asked if he and Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson were the two best WRs in the NFL, via Fox19’s Jeremy Rauch. “I don't feel like we're the two best; I feel like I'm the best. [Second-best] is for everybody else to debate.”

This was Ja'Marr Chase's 6th career game with 10 receptions, 100 yards and a receiving touchdown.

In NFL history, that's the most by a player in his first three seasons.pic.twitter.com/jCZu8jMZca
— Moody (@EricNMoody) December 5, 2023

While Miami’s Tyreek Hill likely has a horse in the race as well, the best receiver in the league conversation certainly starts with both Jefferson and Chase. But who has the edge?

Jefferson has played in 14 more games, but he holds a slight edge over Chase in yards per reception (15 to 14), receptions per game (6.5 to 6.1), receiving yards per game (96.8 to 85.5), yards per route run (2.6 to 2.2), passer rating when targeted (113.3 to 111.6), catch percentage (70.4 to 69.1%) and yards per target (10.2 to 9.2), per Pro Football Focus.

117 rec yds and Justin Jefferson takes the record
Will he make history in his return? pic.twitter.com/aNEFGiMtan
— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) December 8, 2023

The fourth-year wideout also hold big leads over Chase in 100-yard games (27 to 14) and contested-catch percentage (51.5% to 40.7%).
However, Chase has a few categories of his own in which he’s bested Jefferson, including touchdowns (29 to 28), multi-touchdown games (six to five), yards after the catch per reception (7.8 to 4.8), missed tackles forced (57 to 38) and 200-yard games (two to one), per PFF.

While Chase certainly has a high opinion of himself — and rightfully so — the numbers seem to side with Jefferson in this one. The Bengals play the Vikings on Saturday, so perhaps the two star WRs will settle this debate on the field.

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