Tag Archives: top wide receivers of the 2000s

H2H 112: Brandon Marshall vs. Reggie Wayne – Who was Better?

With the NFL becoming more and more of a passing league, there has been no shortage of outstanding wide receivers since the turn of the 21st century.  In addition to the no-doubt Hall of Famers like Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald, or Calvin Johnson, the recent group of top-flight pass-catchers has tremendous depth and includes underrated, but highly prolific and consistent receivers like Brandon Marshall and Reggie Wayne.  While Marshall and Wayne were never quite THE best receivers in the league, each one was an annual 1,000-yard pass-catcher and a weekly fixture in fantasy football starting lineups; with their careers largely overlapping in the 2000s and 2010s, it is only natural to line them up side-by-side to compare and wonder: 

Who was better – Brandon Marshall or Reggie Wayne?

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H2H 100: Chad Johnson vs. Keyshawn Johnson – Who was Better?

In the NFL, the wide receiver position is probably most associated with primadonna or diva-type players, i.e. talented pass-catchers who also like to trash talk, run their mouths, and generally make news off the field – think Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Michael Irvin, Antonio Brown, etc.  During the past two decades or so of professional football, two of the brashest and best wide receivers who fit this mold were Chad Johnson and Keyshawn Johnson, who are actually related (Chad is Keyshawn’s cousin).  At their relative peaks, each wide receiver was not only an annual 1,000-yard threat, but also generated weekly headlines unrelated to their in-game performances.  While passing numbers have become increasingly inflated over time, both still have impressive career totals of 750+ receptions, 10,000+ receiving yards, and 60+ receiving touchdowns – given their similar career numbers, personalities, and familial relationship, it seems only natural to ask the question:

Who was better – Chad Johnson or Keyshawn Johnson?

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H2H 90: Anquan Boldin vs. Hines Ward – Who was Better?

Star wide receivers come in many shapes and sizes – some are big and powerful, others are small but speedy, and yet others are a hybrid of those attributes.  Two of the toughest pass-catchers to come around in recent history are Anquan Boldin and Hines Ward – near carbon copies in terms of their build and playing style, each player was not only a sure-handed receiver willing to go over the middle and make the tough catches, but was also among the best blocking wideouts in the league.  With their comparable elite pass-catching production and unmatched physicality, it is only natural to compare these two unique wide receivers and ask the question:

Who was better – Anquan Boldin or Hines Ward?

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H2H 78: Cris Carter vs. Marvin Harrison – Who was Better?

While Jerry Rice is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver in NFL history and holds most of the major career receiving records (receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns, etc.), the title of second-best wide receiver generates significantly more debate.  From a statistical perspective, two wide receivers who have previously held the single-season receptions record and later ranked #2 all-time in career receptions upon retirement were Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Marvin Harrison.  Each player was at one point or another overshadowed by other great receivers (Carter by Rice, Harrison by Randy Moss and Terrell Owens), but was nevertheless an incredibly talented and consistent pass-catcher who retired with 1,000+ career catches, 10,000+ yards, and 100+ touchdowns.  In comparing these two legendary pass-catchers, the question is:

Who was better – Cris Carter or Marvin Harrison?

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H2H 62: Isaac Bruce vs. Torry Holt – Who was Better?

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the St. Louis Rams featured perhaps the most lethal offense the NFL had ever seen up to that point – led by back-to-back MVPs in quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk, “The Greatest Show on Turf” also featured a pair of outstanding wide receivers in Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt.  Both were consistent 1,000-yard receivers and equally dangerous in the passing game; in fact, over the course of their respective careers, each receiver accumulated 900+ receptions, 13,000+ receiving yards, and 70+ receiving touchdowns – given their similarly prolific numbers lining up together in the Rams’ offense, it is only natural to ask the question:

Who was better – Isaac Bruce or Torry Holt?

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H2H 32: Andre Johnson vs. Steve Smith – Who was Better?

Since the early 2000s, the NFL has continued to evolve towards becoming more and more of a passing league, which in turn has led to ever-increasing stats for quarterbacks and wide receivers alike.  While Hall of Fame wide receivers like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens are recognized as among the cream of the crop of this generation, this recent group of pass-catchers is deep and comes in all shapes and sizes.  Standing out among the crowded field are two prolific, yet very different players in the tall and powerful Andre Johnson and the small but shifty Steve Smith. The careers of these two All-Pro and Pro Bowl wide receivers essentially overlapped and in any given season, you could find one or the other (or both) at or near the top of the receiving board – with all of this in mind, let us ask the question:

Who was better – Andre Johnson or Steve Smith?

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