NFC North WR Rankings for 2025

Nov 24, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (83) celebrates his receiving touchdown with wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) against the Chicago Bears during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images.

Wide receiver is the latest position in the NFC North rankings that I will be reviewing, following my previous examinations of QB and RB. The division is absolutely stacked at WR, and this might be the closest position to call.

VikingsTerritory gives you NFC North WR rankings for 2025.

The NFC North boasts some of the league’s best receivers, as well as some top-end WR2s and lots of good depth pieces. I will primarily be looking at each team’s top three receivers, but there’s talent further down that depth chart that also has to be taken into consideration.

Here is how I rank the division’s WR groups.

1. Minnesota Vikings

Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison & Jalen Nailor

For the first time, we have the Vikings topping one of these lists, and it’s all down to that man Justin Jefferson. There is a lot of talent in the division, but there is only one Jefferson. Since he entered the league in 2020, his record has been incredible, with a 17-game average of over 1600 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

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Jan 7, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) catches a pass for a touchdown and celebrates with wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) during second half of the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports.

That elite level of production, along with several records, will see him enter the Hall of Fame when he’s finished. Jefferson has been at OTAs this year, looking to build rapport with JJ McCarthy as he looks to add another great season to his resume.

Behind Jefferson, Minnesota has one of the more underrated players in the league, who I believe has become one of the more underrated players in the league. If Jordan Addison had landed anywhere else in the 2023 draft, there’s a good chance he’d be that team’s WR1. Instead, he’s overshadowed by Jefferson’s greatness and has quietly (on the field at least) gone about putting up 1786 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns from 32 games.

After an injury hit 2023, Jalen Nailor finally came good in 2024 with 414 receiving yards and an impressive six touchdowns. The man nicknamed Speedy gives the Vikings an obvious weapon, but he has competition for the Vikings’ WR3 role this year.

Minnesota signed former second-round pick Rondale Moore, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. While also adding Tai Felton in the third round of this year’s draft. The Vikings have the star power and the depth, which is why they are at number one.

2. Detroit Lions

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, & Tim Patrick

Amon-Ra St. Brown isn’t quite in the top tier of WRs that is saved for Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and maybe AJ Brown, but he is not far behind. He has been the perfect fit in Detroit for them to build their passing offense around, while the speed and deep ball option of Jameson Williams finally came to fruition in 2024. Together, they can keep opposing defenses worried about the whole field when trying to defend them.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) makes a catch against Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (29) during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

They brought in Tim Patrick to be WR3 last season, and he had missed two whole years with a torn ACL and then a torn Achilles. He did a solid job with nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns. If he could return to where he was before the injuries and double those numbers, then the Lions’ offense would become even more dangerous.

Detroit also has Kalif Raymond and a couple of rookies in Isaac TeSlaa (third round) and Dominic Lovett (seventh round) on the depth chart.

3. Chicago Bears

DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, & Luther Burden III

It was a close call between second and third, and the Bears have the potential to go up a spot, but it’s just potential right now. DJ Moore is a proven commodity, having reached or exceeded the 1,000-receiving yards mark in all seven seasons he’s been in the league.

Behind Moore, the Bears have a couple of potential stars in last year’s first-round pick, Rome Odunze, and this year’s second-round pick, Luther Burden III. 

Dec 8, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) celebrates a touchdown during the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images.

Potential is the key word. Odunze had a decent first season with 734 receiving yards and three touchdowns, but he only topped 100 receiving yards in a game twice. Of course, he had a rookie quarterback throwing to him, and both Odunze and Caleb Williams will be hoping for improvement in Year 2. In Burden, Chicago has a player who has drawn comparisons to Deebo Samuel and has bags of talent.

Landing on a team that already has Moore and Odunze, as well as Ben Johnson, newly appointed to run the teams, leads to an exciting prospect. The Bears also have Devin Duvernay, Tyler Scott, and Olamide Zaccheaus on their books.

4. Green Bay Packers

Matthew Golden, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed

The Packers have relied on depth but have lacked the true star WR1, which is why they bring up the rear on this list. They hope to have solved that by drafting Matthew Golden in the first round of this year’s draft. The sheer speed of Golden is easy to notice at first, but he has it all as a receiver with excellent route running and hands.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) slaps hands with fans as he rides a bicycle to the 11th practice of training camp on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. © Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

If Golden pans out, the depth behind him is impressive, with Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Dontayvion Wicks all proven to be capable, if not consistent. Reed led the team last season with 857 receiving yards, while Doubs and Watson were in the 600s, and Wicks in the 400s.

Strength in depth with a star player at the center has the potential to turn this list upside down, but for now, the Packers find themselves at the bottom.