The Skyrocketing NFL Wide Receiver Market: A Look at the Largest Contracts in League History

The NFL wide receiver market has seen a major surge in recent seasons, with several players signing record-breaking contracts. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson recently inked the largest deal by a wide receiver in league history, worth $140 million. Let's explore the top 10 largest NFL wide receiver contracts based on annual average value.

The NFL wide receiver market has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, with several players securing lucrative contracts. The Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson recently became the highest-paid wide receiver in league history with a $140 million deal. Five of the top ten largest wide receiver deals have been inked in 2024 alone, showcasing the growing value of these offensive stars.

Drafted 22nd overall in 2020, Justin Jefferson has emerged as a dominant force, holding the NFL record for most receiving yards through a player's first four seasons with 5,899. His impressive stats include 29 games with 100+ receiving yards, the most in NFL history by a player in that span. Jefferson also boasts the NFL record for most career receiving yards per game at 98.3.

The Skyrocketing NFL Wide Receiver Market: A Look at the Largest Contracts in League History

AJ Brown has established himself as a playmaker, notably breaking the record for the longest streak of six straight games with 125-plus receiving yards. In 2022, he set the Eagles single-season franchise record for receiving yards with 1,436 in 17 games played.

Since entering the league in 2021, Amon-Ra St. Brown has surpassed the Lions record for most games with over 100 receiving yards in a player's first three seasons. He ranks among the top five receivers in that span, alongside Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, CeeDee Lamb, and Stefon Diggs, with over 3,500 receiving yards, 315 receptions, and over 20 receiving touchdowns.

The Skyrocketing NFL Wide Receiver Market: A Look at the Largest Contracts in League History

Tyreek Hill's exceptional speed and elusiveness have earned him a reputation as a game-changer. He became the only player in NFL history to have multiple seasons with over 1,700 receiving yards, achieving the feat in 2022 and 2023. Including the playoffs, Hill boasts 28 touchdown receptions of 50-plus yards, the most among active players and fifth-most all-time.

In 2021, Jaylen Waddle set the NFL single-season record for receptions with 104, which was later surpassed by Puka Nacua in 2023. Despite missing four games in that span, Waddle ranks third in yards (3,385), third in receptions (251), and fourth in touchdown receptions (18) among receivers drafted in 2021.

The Skyrocketing NFL Wide Receiver Market: A Look at the Largest Contracts in League History

Davante Adams' consistent production has earned him recognition as one of the league's top receivers. Since 2021, he has recorded 13 games with 120-plus receiving yards and a touchdown catch, more than any other player in that span. With 95 receiving touchdowns since entering the league in 2014, Adams is tied for fifth most all-time by a player in their first 10 seasons.

Cooper Kupp's remarkable 2021 season saw him come within 18 yards of breaking Calvin Johnson's NFL single-season receiving record with 1,947 yards. That same year, he won the Super Bowl, was named Super Bowl MVP, won NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and completed the triple crown, leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches.

DeVonta Smith, a Heisman Trophy winner in 2020, is among the most promising young receivers in the league. He has the third most touchdown catches (19) among receivers drafted in 2021 and set the Eagles single-season record for receptions by a receiver (95) in 2022, a mark surpassed by A.J. Brown the following year.

Nico Collins emerged as a reliable target in 2023, eclipsing over 1,000 receiving yards, making him only the fourth Texan to achieve that in a single season. He has two games in his career with over 190 receiving yards, becoming the third Texans receiver to have multiple such games, joining Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins.

DK Metcalf established himself as a force in Seattle's offense in 2020, becoming the fastest player in Seahawks history to reach 1,000 receiving yards, doing so in just 11 games. He is the third player in NFL history to reach 50 receptions, 900 yards, and five touchdowns in each of his first five seasons, joining A.J. Green and Randy Moss.