If there’s one thing we learned about the wide receiver market this summer, it’s that the best wide receivers are eventually going to get paid. Doesn’t matter if it’s Justin Jefferson, Ceedee Lamb, Brandon Aiyuk or any of the other top wideouts, when the bills come due they usually cash in.
But there are bargains out there. Some are unexpected, while others represent guys on the verge of getting paid. There are also receivers who just give good value compared to their higher-priced brethren. Here are five of the best ones, along with a breakdown on why they land in this category.
Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers
There was some camp controversy about the Packers not really having a #1 receiver, and it got so extended and obnoxious that it drove coach Matt Lafleur to say he was physically sick of having the conversation about. Which is okay, actually, because one of the best things about having a bevy of good young receivers in this particular instance is that they’re all on their rookie contracts. In Reed’s case, he’s making just over a million dollars, which is couch cushion money in today’s wide receiver market.
Reed hasn’t caught a ton of balls, but he has gotten some serious mileage out of the 17 catches he’s had in four games. He’s found the end zone twice and proved himself to be a genuine playmaker, as his 19.8 yards per catch average attests. That makes him a solid weapon at a bargain price, especially with the QB turmoil caused by Jordan Love’s injury.
Jaunan Jennings of the San Francisco 49ers is among the NFL’s best bargains
Jennings is the latest example of the 49ers “one door closes, another opens” approach to finding NFL talent—i.e., when one player leaves, gets hurt or underperforms, coach Kyle Shanahan simply plugs someone else into his system and gets impressive results.
It doesn’t always work, but Shanahan’s track record is especially impressive on offense. When Brandon Aiyuk held out and clearly wasn’t in game shape early on, Jennings just stepped up and do what Aiyuk usually does, which is get open, catch balls and be reliable.
Jenning’s breakout game came against the Rams, when he rang up 11 catches for 175 yards with 3 TDs. That kind of production is a bit of an outlier for him, but he’s currently the fifth-ranked receiver in the league, and his per catch average of just over 17 is especially impressive given that he’s mostly a possession receiver. He’s currently making $7.5 million a year on a two-year, $15 million a year deal, and given San Francisco’s injury issues he’d been incredibly valuable.
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
In many ways, Williams is a classic case of good things coming to those who wait—not that the Lions had much choice about that. He had an ACL tear coming out of Alabama that required extensive surgery and rehabilitation, and Williams added insult to injury by foolishly adding a six-game gambling suspension to his early NFL resume.
But Williams is still on his rookie contract, and that’s made him a serious value. He represents a big-play threat to go with Amon-Ra St. Brown, and at a current contract number of $4 million, that makes him stick out. He’s only caught 13 balls, but he’s already found the end zone twice, and his 22.2 yards per catch average was the best going into week five.
Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
London’s production is another what happens when you have an impressive array of targets and one guy gets paid while the others have to wait in line. In London’s case, he’s still on his rookie deal, so he’s currently making $2.7 million, although his cap hit is over twice that number at $5.9 million. His yards per catch average isn’t all that high, but he’s finding the end zone regularly, so while Darnell Moody is making $17.5 million this year with a much lower cap hit, Atlanta is reaping the benefits of having them to go with Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts as Kirk Cousins finds his footing after missing last year with an Achilles tear.
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Chase spent the summer angling for a new deal that didn’t happen, so now he’s a temporary bargain at just under $5 million this year. He’s going to get paid soon, of course, but so far he’s given the Bengals 300 yards and 3 TDs to go with a 15.8 yards per catch average.