Garrett Wilson has already put together the kind of résumé that should make him impossible to overlook. Three 1,000-yard seasons ought to buy a receiver plenty of respect, especially in a market like New York. Instead, the Jets wideout keeps showing up as one of the league’s most underappreciated names.
That becomes even harder to explain as training camp approaches and the preseason rankings start rolling out. The NFL’s official Top 100 list, along with the usual national outlets, always brings a fresh round of debate. The Jets were never going to flood those rankings, but Wilson’s absence has stood out in a way that feels glaring, even after an injury-plagued 2025 season.
CBS Sports was among the loudest examples. It left Wilson off its top-100 list entirely and ranked 13 receivers ahead of him. The outlet also floated the idea that Wilson, who signed an extension last year, could eventually grow frustrated and push for a trade.
There’s nothing in the reporting to suggest Wilson has even considered that path. He turns 26 later this month, and for now, he remains firmly in place with the Jets.
The NFL’s own Top 100 list may not offer much relief either. Wilson almost certainly won’t be on it, and that alone says plenty about how his stock is being viewed. Lamar Jackson, for instance, went from No. 2 last summer to No. 69 this year.
It’s a strange shift for a player who has done enough production-wise to force his way into the conversation. For years, being a standout in New York meant national attention came with the territory, even when the team around you was struggling. Wilson hasn’t had the benefit of the same kind of highlight-reel reputation Odell Beckham Jr. built, but the production has been there.
The comparisons get messy from there. Malik Nabers keeps popping up in these rankings while recovering from a torn ACL, and he’s being treated like a borderline top-10 receiver. Drake London gets plenty of love too, despite having topped 1,000 yards only once on a Falcons team that hasn’t been to the postseason in nearly a decade.
Wilson’s supporters can point to the context. He missed 10 games last year, while others have had cleaner stat lines. But if everyone stays healthy, the real answer may not come until January.
If the Jets’ season breaks the right way, Wilson should be looking at a fourth 1,000-yard year in five seasons. Even then, there’s no guarantee the praise catches up to the player.
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