• Chris Olave shakes up the top: Olave's 86-yard day against the Eagles propels him to the No. 1 spot on the list.
• Hello, Jauan Jennings: With the 49ers down three major pass-catching weapons, the unsung wideout stepped up in a big way in Week 3.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!
Estimated reading time: 15 minutes
A strong receiving corps is the backbone of any successful passing attack and provides quarterbacks with reliable targets and the ability to stretch the field. This season, we'll be breaking down the league's best receivers each week, offering a detailed look at each player's impact.
As we dive into these wide receiver rankings, keep in mind that these early-season receiving grades are fluid and will continue to evolve over the coming weeks. Once we have larger sample sizes, the rankings will stabilize, giving a clearer picture of who the top performers are.
1. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints (90.7)
Olave takes over the No. 1 spot heading into Week 4. He caught all six of his targets against Philadelphia for 86 yards, with three of his catches coming in the first quarter. Olave had four catches of 10-plus yards and five total first downs. He caught his first touchdown pass of the season and generated a perfect passer rating when targeted.
Olave now has 12 catches on the season for 178 yards, with most of his work coming in first halves and early downs. Olave has caught all eight of his first-half targets for 115 yards and six first downs. He has been targeted nine times on early downs, securing eight catches for 133 yards.
Olave also leads all receivers in contested catch grading. He ranks eighth in contested target rate (35.7%) and has secured four of five targets for 57 yards, all first downs.
2. Nico Collins, Houston Texans (90.5)
Collins came down with four catches for 86 yards against Minnesota. He collected three explosive gains in the second half, with two catches of 25-plus yards. Collins forced three missed tackles, averaged 11.5 yards after the catch per reception and moved the chains with each catch.
Collins remains the league leader in receiving yards (338) and explosive gains (12). He ranks top-10 in many statistical categories, including yards after the catch (105), yards after contact (55), missed tackles forced (5), yards per route run (3.02) and first downs gained (16).
3. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (90.3)
Godwin caught six of his eight targets for 53 yards in Tampa Bay’s loss to Denver. He gained five first downs, caught his third touchdown of the season and generated a 131.8 passer rating when targeted.
Godwin ranks fourth in adjusted target rate (35.8%) and passer rating when targeted (150.2) entering Week 4. He leads all receivers with 17 first downs gained and is second in yards after the catch (141).
4. Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs (86.2)
Rice led receivers with 12 catches in Week 3. He moved the chains seven times, forced six missed tackles (first) and caught his second touchdown pass of the year. Rice amassed five catches of 10-plus yards, two explosive gains and averaged 2.97 yards per route run.
Rice now ranks second in receiving yards (288) after three games. He leads all receivers with 24 catches and 185 yards after the catch. Rice has been targeted 29 times at an adjusted rate of 41.4% (second). He ranks second in early-down targets (24), catching 20 passes for 243 yards (first).
5. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers (85.5)
Samuel missed Week 3 with a calf injury.
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