Analysis

6/15/21

7 min read

Which NFL Teams Have the Biggest and Smallest WR Groups?

In the modern NFL, there are a significant variety of team-building methods and philosophies. The way offensive coaches look at the receiver position is no different, as many ideologies exist across the league. While the average height of wide receivers and defensive backs in the NFL has steadily increased over the past 30 years, there is still a wide range between the largest and smallest WR groups in the league.

As teams try to create offensive advantages, having one or more towering outside options has become increasingly appealing for many offensive coordinators. Others prioritize separation rather than size, hoping to give their quarterback as many easy and wide open throws as possible.

One common adage that NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah often champions is that teams want to assemble a basketball team with their receiver groups. In essence, teams employing the basketball team philosophy will look for a few big receivers (power forward and center), a medium-sized receivers (small forward) and two smaller receivers (point guard and shooting guard). The idea behind this strategy is that in collecting a group of players with differing skill sets and sizes, teams can create optimal mismatches.

To take a look at which teams use the basketball philosophy and which teams might be prioritizing specific skill sets with their receiving groups, we projected every NFL team's top six wide receivers for the 2021 season and found the average height of each group.

Below is a list of each team's expected top six receivers, along with the height of each player in inches (for frame of reference, 72 inches = 6 feet).


Atlanta Falcons: 

Calvin Ridley - 72 ½ 

Russell Gage - 72

Olamide Zaccheaus - 68 ½ 

Cordarrelle Patterson - 73 ⅞

Frank Darby - 72 ⅛

Tajae Sharpe - 74

Arizona Cardinals:

A.J. Green - 75 ⅝

DeAndre Hopkins - 73

Andy Isabella - 68 ¾

Christian Kirk - 70 ⅜

Rondale Moore - 69

KeeSean Johnson - 73 ⅛ 

Baltimore Ravens:

Sammy Watkins - 72 ¾

Marquise Brown - 69 ⅜ 

Miles Boykin - 75 ¾ 

Rashod Bateman - 73

Devin Duvernay - 70 ½ 

Tylan Wallace - 71

Buffalo Bills:

Stefon Diggs - 72

Emmanuel Sanders - 70 ⅞

Gabriel Davis - 74

Cole Beasley - 68 ⅛ 

Isaiah McKenzie - 67 ¼ 

Marquez Stevenson - 70

Carolina Panthers:

D.J. Moore - 72

Robby Anderson - 74 ⅝ 

Terrace Marshall Jr. - 75 ⅛ 

David Moore - 72

Shi Smith - 70

Brandon Zylstra - 74

Chicago Bears:

Allen Robinson - 74 ⅝ 

Darnell Mooney - 70 ½ 

Damiere Byrd - 69 ⅛ 

Anthony Miller - 71 ⅛ 

Javon Wims - 74 ⅞ 

Dazz Newsome - 71

Cincinnati Bengals: 

Ja’Marr Chase - 73

Tee Higgins - 75 ⅝ 

Tyler Boyd - 73 ½ 

Auden Tate - 76 ⅞ 

Mike Thomas - 73

Stanley Morgan Jr. - 72

Cleveland Browns:

Odell Beckham Jr. - 71 ¼ 

Jarvis Landry - 71 ½ 

Rashard Higgins - 73 ⅜ 

Donovan Peoples-Jones - 73 ⅝ 

KhaDarel Hodge - 74

Anthony Schwartz - 72

Dallas Cowboys:

Amari Cooper - 72 ⅞ 

Michael Gallup - 72 ¾ 

CeeDee Lamb - 73 ⅝ 

Simi Fehoko - 76

Cedrick Wilson - 74 ¼ 

Noah Brown - 71 ¾ 

Denver Broncos: 

Courtland Sutton - 75 ⅜ 

Jerry Jeudy - 73

Tim Patrick - 77

KJ Hamler - 68 ⅝ 

Tyrie Cleveland - 74 ⅜ 

Seth Williams - 75

Detroit Lions:

Tyrell Williams - 76

Breshad Perriman - 74

Quintez Cephus - 72 ⅞ 

Amon-Ra St. Brown - 71 ½ 

Khalif Raymond - 69

Jonathan Adams - 74

Green Bay Packers:

Davante Adams - 72 ⅞ 

Marquez Valdes-Scantling - 76

Allen Lazard - 76 ⅝ 

Amari Rodgers - 69 ½ 

Equanimeous St. Brown - 76 ¾ 

Devin Funchess - 76 ⅛

Houston Texans:

Brandin Cooks - 69 ¾ 

Randall Cobb - 70 ¼ 

Chris Conley - 71 ⅞ 

Andre Roberts - 70 ⅞ 

Nico Collins - 76 ¼ 

Isaiah Coulter - 73 ⅞ 

Indianapolis Colts:

T.Y. Hilton - 69 ½ 

Michael Pittman - 76

Parris Campbell - 71 ⅞ 

Zach Pascal - 73 ⅝ 

Dezmon Patmon - 75 ¾ 

J.J. Nelson - 70 ⅛

Jacksonville Jaguars: 

D.J. Chark - 74 ⅞ 

Marvin Jones - 73 ⅞ 

Laviska Shenault Jr. - 72 ⅝ 

Jamal Agnew - 69 ⅞ 

Phillip Dorsett - 69 ¾ 

Jalen Camp - 73 ⅞ 

Kansas City Chiefs:

Tyreek Hill - 70

Demarcus Robinson - 73 ⅜ 

Mecole Hardman - 72 ¼ 

Byron Pringle - 73 ⅛ 

Cornell Powell - 72 ⅛ 

Antonio Callaway - 70 ⅝ 

Las Vegas Raiders:

Henry Ruggs III - 71

Bryan Edwards - 74 ¾ 

Hunter Renfrow - 70 ¼ 

Zay Jones - 73 ⅞

Willie Snead IV - 71

John Brown - 70

Los Angeles Chargers:

Keenan Allen - 74

Mike Williams - 75 ⅝ 

Josh Palmer - 73 ¼ 

Tyron Johnson - 73

Jalen Guyton - 73

K.J. Hill - 72

Los Angeles Rams:

Cooper Kupp - 73 ½ 

Robert Woods - 72 ⅜ 

DeSean Jackson - 69 ¾ 

Van Jefferson - 73 ½ 

Tutu Atwell - 69 ⅛ 

Ben Skowronek - 74 ⅞ 

Miami Dolphins:

DeVante Parker - 74 ⅝ 

Will Fuller - 72 ⅛ 

Jaylen Waddle - 70

Preston Williams - 75

Albert Wilson - 69 ⅜ 

Lynn Bowden Jr. - 71 ⅝ 

Minnesota Vikings:

Justin Jefferson - 73 ¼ 

Adam Thielen - 75

Olabisi Johnson - 72 ½ 

Ihmir Smith-Marsette - 73

Dan Chisena - 75

Chad Beebe - 69 ½ 

New England Patriots: 

Nelson Agholor - 72 ⅛ 

Kendrick Bourne - 74

N’Keal Harry - 74 ⅜ 

Jakobi Meyers - 73 ⅝ 

Gunner Olszewski - 72

Marvin Hall - 70

New Orleans Saints:

Michael Thomas - 74 ¾ 

Tre'Quan Smith - 73 ¾ 

Marquez Callaway - 73 ¼ 

Deonte Harris - 66 ¼ 

Lil’Jordan Humphrey - 75 ⅝ 

Kawaan Baker - 72 ⅜ 

New York Giants:

Darius Slayton - 73

Kenny Golladay - 76

John Ross - 71 ¾ 

Kadarius Toney - 71 ⅛ 

Sterling Shepard - 70 ¼ 

Dante Pettis - 72 ½ 

New York Jets:

Corey Davis - 74 ¾ 

Denzel Mims - 74 ⅞ 

Jamison Crowder - 68 ⅜ 

Keelan Cole - 74 

Elijah Moore - 69

Vyncint Smith - 75

Philadelphia Eagles:

DeVonta Smith - 72 ¼ 

Jalen Reagor - 70 ⅝ 

Greg Ward Jr. - 70 ⅜ 

Travis Fulgham - 74 ½ 

Quez Watkins - 72 ⅛ 

John Hightower - 73 ½ 

Pittsburgh Steelers:

Chase Claypool - 76 ⅜ 

Juju Smith-Schuster - 73 ⅜ 

Diontae Johnson - 70 ½ 

James Washington  - 71 

Ray-Ray McCloud - 69 ½ 

Isaiah McKoy - 75

San Francisco 49ers:

Brandon Aiyuk - 71 ⅝ 

Deebo Samuel - 71 ¼ 

Richie James - 70 ⅛ 

Jalen Hurd - 76 ¾ 

Trent Sherfield - 72 

Austin Watkins Jr. - 73 ½ 

Seattle Seahawks:

D.K. Metcalf - 75 ⅜ 

Tyler Lockett - 69 ⅞ 

D’Wayne Eskridge - 69 ⅛ 

Freddie Swain - 72 ¼ 

Cade Johnson - 70 ⅜ 

Penny Hart - 68

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 

Mike Evans - 76 ¾ 

Chris Godwin - 73 

Antonio Brown - 70 ⅛ 

Scott Miller - 69

Tyler Johnson - 73 ⅜ 

Jaelon Darden - 67 ⅝ 

Tennessee Titans:

A.J. Brown - 72 ½ 

Julio Jones - 74 ¾ 

Josh Reynolds - 74 ¾ 

Cameron Batson - 68

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine - 74 ⅝ 

Dez Fitzpatrick - 74 ⅛ 

Washington Football Team:

Terry McLaurin - 72 ⅛ 

Curtis Samuel - 70 ⅝ 

Dyami Brown - 72 ¾ 

Adam Humphries - 71

Cameron Sims - 77 

Steven Sims Jr. - 69 ⅛ 


Based on the information above, the following is a list of the total height accumulated across each team's receiving group, and their average height (in inches):

  1. Green Bay Packers: 447.875 (74.65)
  2. Cincinnati Bengals: 444 (74)
  3. Denver Broncos: 443.375 (73.90)
  4. Dallas Cowboys: 441 (73.50)
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: 440.875 (73.48)
  6. Tennessee Titans: 438.5 (73.08)
  7. Minnesota Vikings: 438.25 (73.04)
  8. Carolina Panthers: 437.75 (72.96)
  9. Detroit Lions: 437.375 (72.90)
  10. Indianapolis Colts: 436.875 (72.81)
  11. New England Patriots: 436.125 (72.69)
  12. New Orleans Saints: 436 (72.67)
  13. Cleveland Browns: 435.75 (72.63)
  14. New York Jets: 435.625 (72.60)
  15. Pittsburgh Steelers: 435.625 (72.60)
  16. San Francisco 49ers: 435.25 (72.54)
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars: 434.875 (72.48)
  18. New York Giants: 434.625 (72.44)
  19. Atlanta Falcons: 433.375 (72.23)
  20. Philadelphia Eagles: 433.375 (72.23)
  21. Los Angeles Rams: 433.125 (72.19)
  22. Miami Dolphins: 432.75 (72.16)
  23. Washington Football Team: 432.625 (72.10)
  24. Baltimore Ravens: 432.375 (72.06)
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: 431.5 (71.92)
  26. Chicago Bears: 431.25 (71.88)
  27. Las Vegas Raiders: 430.875 (71.81)
  28. Arizona Cardinals: 429.875 (71.65)
  29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 429.875 (71.65)
  30. Seattle Seahawks: 425 (70.83)
  31. Houston Texans: 423.875 (70.65)
  32. Buffalo Bills: 422.25 (70.38)

One of the main standouts from this exercise is the Green Bay Packers, whose receiving corps is easily the biggest in the NFL. The Packers receivers' average height is above 6-2 1/2, with four of their projected six receivers standing at 6-4 or taller.

The Packers have been chastised in the past for not putting enough talent around Aaron Rodgers in the receiving corps aside from Davante Adams, but they do clearly have a strategy behind their process here. With the biggest WR group in the league, they have prioritized size and wingspan in their receivers, likely expecting that an accurate quarterback such as Rodgers can capitalize on such traits. The smallest receiver among their group will be rookie third-round pick Amari Rodgers, who will bring a different element to the group.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Buffalo Bills have the shortest receiving corps in the NFL for the second season in a row. They are one of just three teams whose top six receivers have an average height of below 5-11. With Gabriel Davis standing as the lone Bills receiver above 6-foot, the team has clearly prioritized elite route running and separation ability in assembling their unit.

Players such as Stefon Diggs, Emmanuel Sanders and Cole Beasley all create separation with excellent route running ability, perhaps with an understanding that Josh Allen will have an easier time completing passes when his targets are in open space.

One major takeaway that can be gleaned from this exercise is the understanding that 17 of 32 teams' receiving groups averaged somewhere between 6-0 and 6-1. While some teams, like the 49ers, have a lot of like-sized receivers, others really do seem to operate by the basketball team philosophy. The Giants receiving corps truly epitomizes said philosophy, with big man Kenny Golladay, power forward Darius Slayton, a wing in John Ross and two smaller guards in Sterling Shepard and Kadarius Toney.

There is no perfect strategy when it comes to assembling an NFL receiving corps, but depending on the skill set of a team's quarterback, adjusting their philosophy in terms of offensive weaponry can pay dividends.

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