NFC East Receiver Rankings: Giants Steady As Rivals Improve

If there is a gripe to be had with the New York Giants’ offseason, it’s the amount of blame put on the quarterback position for 2024’s 3-14 campaign.

Yes, Daniel Jones struggled through the first half of the season, and his reinforcements were just as futile. But as the Giants close in on a pivotal 2025 season, only one offensive starter will be new – quarterback Russell Wilson.

New York stood to upgrade across the offense, yet it spent the vast majority of its resources on the other side of the ball. As such, the starting receiving corps that struggled to produce with Jones in 2024 will return in full with Wilson under center.

As the rest of the division upgraded at the position, the Giants' pass catchers fell behind in our NFC East rankings.

1. Philadelphia Eagles: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson

The Eagles might have the best receiving duo in the sport, making them an easy selection to top the NFC East. Brown is among the game’s best, although he’s not the only superstar receiver in the division. His combination of above-the-rim success and after-the-catch prowess makes him a force.

Smith is a star in his own right and would be viewed as such if not for Brown. Few receivers are more nuanced, and he plays bigger than his slim frame would suggest. Frankly, it doesn’t matter who else Philadelphia fields, given Jalen Hurts’ preference for the perimeter.

2. Dallas Cowboys: CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert

The Cowboys may have landed last on this list if not for a May trade for Pickens, who is one of the better sidekicks in the NFL. After leading the Pittsburgh Steelers’ receiving corps, he’ll join Lamb as an incredibly stylistic complement on the boundary.

With Lamb dominating in the slot and Pickens optimizing Dak Prescott’s deep ball, the Cowboys have easily their best batch of receivers in the post-Amari Cooper era. Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, and Jonathan Mingo offer plenty of depth, too.

3. New York Giants: Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson

New York could fall behind Washington, but the difference between the two can be encapsulated by Nabers’ upside. With conference-worst quarterback play, he posted 1,204 yards and seven scores.

His explosiveness is unmatched, and his blend of separation and after-the-catch potency makes it just a matter of time before he is considered one of the NFL’s elite receivers.

Slayton and Robinson, meanwhile, are rather average starters. Slayton has drop issues and a fairly limited route tree, while Robinson’s size dictates that he sticks close to the line of scrimmage. Neither stands to be the main beneficiary of the quarterback upgrade, even if they don’t need urgent replacing, either.

4. Washington Commanders: Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, K.J. Osborn

McLaurin deserves his praise as a fringe-top-10 receiver in the NFL, but he was leapfrogged by Nabers after a single season. To Washington’s credit, it was aggressive in upgrading a lackluster receiving corps behind him, trading for receiver Deebo Samuel early in the offseason.

Still, Samuel is coming off an injury-plagued season that generated just 670 yards. Perhaps there’s a rebound in store, but as he enters his age-29 season, it’s clear the Commanders aren’t getting the best version of Samuel. He’s an upgrade, though, and takes Washington a step closer to a championship.