As the NFL has evolved into a faster, more wide-open game, the receivers have probably been the biggest beneficiaries. The quarterbacks have been all in for fame, money and glory for decades, but many of the best wide receivers in the league are somewhat new to this whole "fame and fortune" game.
At times it shows. We've all gotten used to diva behavior from wide receivers, whether it's showboating after catches, inventing new dance moves, or holding out and demanding a new contract when another receiver sets the money bar a little higher.
We're constantly on the lookout for good guy stories, though, so here are some guys who aren't necessarily all about themselves when they make one great catch after another.
Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
As a career Commander--he was actually with the team when they had that other nickname--it must take the patience of Job to stay under control and be professional for a franchise that used to specialize in chaos and creating bad news.
And yet somehow McLaurin has managed to do just that. He's complained a little here and there behind the scenes, but most wideouts would be throwing tantrums about their lack of catches and some of the nonsense going on behind the scenes.
More impressively, the Washington receiver has caught a lot of balls from some of the worst quarterbacks to take the field lately, but now he has a true franchise QB to deliver the goods. He gets to help break in Jayden Daniels, so we're happy for him going forward.
Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
Injuries have slowed Kupp in recent years, but they haven't changed his basic nature much. Kupp has always been the epitome of a selfless team guy, and he's maintained that attitude in the face of adversity.
Kupp has also been an outstanding mentor to fellow wideout Puka Nacua, who has emerged as an LA star with Kupp out due to injury. Here's to hoping he gets back on the field; he's incredibly reliable, and we want to see even more clutch catches from him this year.
Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears
Allen is the old head in this group. There's considerable irony that he's no longer with the team where he established himself as one of the most reliable receivers in recent league history, but new coach Jim Harbaugh has a roster to retool, so he and the LA Chargers decided that Allen was expendable.
The Bears are the big beneficiaries here. They need reliable targets for new QB Caleb Williams, and Allen is just that. Look for him to bail out Williams on multiple occasions this year as the former USC star adjusts to the NFL game.
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
Olave is the might be the ultimate example of the right guy in the right place at exactly the wrong time. He would have made a great target for Drew Brees at the end of Brees's illustrious career, but now Olave has to catch passes from journeyman Derek Carr instead.
Remarkably, Carr actually represents a QB upgrade for the Ohio State product. Olave spent his rookie year trying to figure out how to be productive with passers like Andy Dalton, Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill, and somehow he actually managed to do this. Not only that, he was even better with Carr, so he's established himself as a guy who can deliver production, even with a suspect quarterback.
Honorable mention: Nico Collins and Garrett Wilson are still NFL diva exceptions
Nico Collins is another new kid on the block when it comes to stellar wideouts, and he stepped into an ideal situation given CJ Stroud's laser focus on doing and saying all the right things.
He's already faced some adversity in his young career, as a calf injury took him out last year in Week 14, and now he'll be competing for catches with Stefon Diggs, who has been one of the ultimate diva wideouts. So far Collins seems unfazed about this, but this is an intriguing situation to watch as the season plays out.
Meanwhile, no one has faced more adversity early in his career than Garrett Wilson. He's the Jets leading wideout, which is the ulimate test of patience when it comes to not being a diva. So far Wilson has been a good guy about it, especially given the interest of the New York media, but he's been going at it with Aaron Rodgers in camp every now and then, which is also a situation worth watching.
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