A surprising split for Eagles WR duo in a recent ranking of the NFL's best
Statements like this next one are typically debated when mentioned. Rankings are subjective, but A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are the best wide receiver tandem in the NFL. They might be the best one-two punch at the position that the Philadelphia Eagles have ever seen.
Do you see how quiet it got after you read that?
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This may seem one-sided or the theories of someone looking at the world through Midnight and Kelly Green lenses, but trust and believe. Serious thought was given to the statement before it was written.
Yes, the guys in Miami are doggone good. The same can be said for the talent the Cincinnati Bengals have given Joe Burrow in the Queen City, but be honest with yourselves, Dolphins fans. Would you rather have your starters or A.J. and DeVonta today?
That isn't to state Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are slouches. This doesn't suggest Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins aren't elite. Nothing could be further from the truth.
This is simply a reminder of how good Brown and Smith have been during their run together in the City of Brotherly Love. Three seasons together have helped produce highlight reel plays and another Vince Lombardi Trophy for the Birds. Recently, Swole and Skinny Batman landed on a ranking of elite NFL receivers, but there are a few questions worth answering about how they were slotted.
A.J. Brown lands atop PFF's WR ranking. DeVonta Smith is another story.
Some love Pro Football Focus, others are confused by the rankings sometimes, and others still land in both categories. At times, it can feel like a mathematical genius is needed to understand how they calculate all of the numbers they come up with.
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Here's something we can all digest more quickly. A.J. Brown landed atop PFF's ranking of the NFL's top 32 wideouts ahead of the 2025-26 regular season. Trevor Sikkema, the writer of this one, notates the following as his reason for making that decision.
"Brown dominates defensive backs across the board, but his success against single coverage is especially notable. He earned the highest receiving grade versus single coverage in 2024 (96.6) and leads the league in that category over the past three seasons (2022–24) with a 97.0 grade. He can win in every way, against any defense."
Brown is in tier one with Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase. There's no argument there. DeVonta is in tier four, and that's where the confusion begins.
"Smith is about as reliable a No. 2 wide receiver as there is. He has earned receiving grades between 77.0 and 83.5 in each of his four seasons, with 2024 marking a career high at 83.5. His contested catch rate has consistently hovered around 40% throughout that span."
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No one will find any issues with Sikkema's take. To his credit, he's typically spot on, but challenge flags can be thrown about Smith landing at 17 and some of the names that land in the tiers ahead of him.
DeVonta is the first name mentioned in the fourth tier ahead of Chris Godwin, Brandon Aiyuk, D.J. Moore, Jaylen Waddle, Ladd McConkey, D.K. Metcalf, and Chris Olave. He also lands behind several players he's on the same level with, if not slightly ahead of, in his development.
Here's who he's staring up at. You be the judge: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Puka Nacua, CeeDee Lamb, Nico Collins, Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, Terry McLaurin, Drake London, Malik Nabers, Garrett Wilson, Tee Higgins, Brian Thomas Jr., and Davante Adams.
Evans and McLaurin have Pro Football Hall of Fame arguments. Adams' resume speaks for itself. If they landed ahead of Smith on a ranking fueled by career achievements, no one should have any issue with them overtaking DeVonta, but that isn't what this is.
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This ranks where these players are headed into the coming campaign. Are we sure all of these guys are better than the Slim Reaper? Maybe that PFF ranking system has something to do with it? Maybe there is something else we're missing? Whatever the reason, perhaps it's worth the effort to recalculate the votes.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: A surprising split for the Eagles all-star WR duo in a recent ranking
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