Week 5 brought the kind of mess wide receivers have to live with: weather, game flow, and all the little variables that can make a clean stat line hard to find. Even so, the top of the receiver board is starting to settle into a familiar shape entering Week 6.
At the very top sits Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who looked like himself again in Week 5. He went for five catches, 102 yards, and his seventh touchdown of the season, which was enough to restore order at No.
- The matchup with the Denver Broncos isn’t simple, but he’s earned the trust that comes with being the best receiver in the league.
Right behind him is Puka Nacua, who keeps forcing the conversation with absurd volume. In Week 5, he was targeted 24 times and turned that into 17 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown. That kind of usage is hard to ignore, and now he gets the Arizona Cardinals.
CeeDee Lamb checks in at No. 3 even after a quiet Week 5, when a quadriceps injury limited him to two catches for nine yards. The good news is he appears set to move forward, even if the Green Bay Packers present a tough matchup this week.
No. 4 belongs to Ja’Marr Chase, who heads into Cincinnati’s bye with his season moving in the right direction. Against the Miami Dolphins, he caught six passes for 77 yards and his fourth touchdown of the year. He still hasn’t cracked 100 yards in a game this season, but that feels like a matter of time.
Amon-Ra St. Brown lands at No. 5 despite two straight weeks without a touchdown.
He still drew 22 targets across that stretch and put up 14 catches for 144 yards. For almost any receiver, that’s a strong two-game run.
For St. Brown, it just looks like business as usual before the bye.
Chris Olave comes in at No. 6 after the Saints’ passing game stalled against the Minnesota Vikings. He managed four catches for 46 yards on six targets, a dip from the first four weeks of his season, when he had not gone below 86 yards. The expectation is that he gets back on track in Week 6.
Drake London is sitting on a strange but impressive line: 488 yards over five games, nearly 100 per contest, and 18.1 yards per reception, yet still no touchdown. That could change this week against the Chicago Bears, and the connection between London and Michael Penix keeps building.
Justin Jefferson is next after returning from a missed week and posting six catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. The ankle issue doesn’t appear to be a concern now, and he gets a bye week to reset.
Malik Nabers continues to demand the ball, weather or no weather. In Week 5, he was targeted 20 times, caught 11 passes, and finished with 121 yards and a touchdown for his second straight game over 100 yards. There’s no real turning back from that kind of workload.
Nico Collins sits at No. 10 and gets a strong setup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He only needed five catches for 56 yards last week, but this week looks much more favorable, and the secondary matchup should give him room to do more.
Tetairoa McMillan moves into the top 15 after a monster game before the bye gave him a surge of momentum. The hope is that the Carolina offense comes back even stronger, with the connection between McMillan and Bryce Young continuing to grow.
Zay Flowers remains the clear receiving threat in Baltimore. Even with Lamar Jackson in the lineup, he still caught eight of nine targets last week, and the target share, speed, and production all continue to line up.
Tee Higgins is dealing with some health concerns, but he made it through Sunday without issue and wasn’t needed much in a game where he caught two of four targets for 22 yards. The bye week should help him reset.
Davante Adams is still working through a slow start, but the production is there underneath the surface. He had two touchdown catches in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills and now has four scores and 441 receiving yards on the season. The Arizona Cardinals have already allowed 10 touchdowns to wide receivers, which gives Adams another chance to add to those numbers.
Christian Watson rounds out the group at No. 15 after his best showing since the one game this season where he didn’t score. He answered with six catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets, clearly operating as Green Bay’s main option heading into a meeting with the Dallas Cowboys.
In Other News...
C.J. Stroud Is Already Sending A Clear Message About Marvin Harrison Jr
C.J. Stroud didnt waste time sizing up Marvin Harrison Jr. after the receivers arrival in Houston. Stroud pointed back to their college connection and made it clear he already knows what Harrison brings, praising both his work ethic and the sharp route running that made him such a standout before reaching the Texans. For a team looking to keep building around its young quarterback, that kind of instant comfort between passer and target is a good place to start.
Stroud also seemed intent on cutting through the noise that tends to follow a player like Harrison. Instead of getting caught up in outside perceptions, he voiced confidence that Harrison will produce in Houston and stressed the value of focusing on personal growth. For the Texans, it is another reminder that Stroud is not just talking about chemistry, he is setting a tone for how the offense should think about expectation, development and what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Suddenly Look Healthier Ahead Of A Jaguars Test That Just Got Tougher
The Texans got a noticeable lift in practice this week, with several players who had been sidelined by injuries back on the field in full. Wide receiver Tank Dell, linebacker Henry To'oTo'o and cornerback Ja'Marcus Ingram all returned to full work, giving Houston a healthier look as it prepares for its upcoming meeting with the Jaguars in London.
Offensive tackle Braden Smith was also reinstated and is expected to compete for a starting spot, another sign the roster is trending in the right direction at a useful time. Houston still has work to do before kickoff, but the added depth and flexibility make a tricky trip against Jacksonville look a little less daunting than it did earlier in the week. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Suddenly Face A Tough David Montgomery Decision
The Texans added Marvin Harrison Jr. to lift an offense that has been searching for more punch, but the backfield has become the more immediate question. David Montgomerys season has been slowed by modest rushing production and a groin injury, and the uncertainty around his workload is now part of the bigger conversation in Houston about how to get the offense moving more consistently.
ESPNs Bill Barnwell raised the possibility that the Texans may have to make a difficult change and turn the starting running back job over to Woody Marks. Montgomery could still have a role as a backup, but the idea of a shift at the position is notable for a team that expected its ground game to be a stabilizing piece, not another source of concern. [Read more 🡒]