Where NFL coaches, execs ranked Bengals WRs Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins

[ASFN Admin]

On Wednesday, July 15, ESPN continued its series of ranking the top 10 players in the NFL across 11 different positions with wide receivers.

Voted on by league, executives, coaches and scouts, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was ranked No. 4 in the NFL in a list of the top 10 QBs on July 14.

Burrow's top target Ja'Marr Chase was named the top wide receiver in the NFL for the second season in a row.

ESPN revealed that Chase received "around 70%" of first-place votes after a second straight first-team All-Pro season. Chase finished third in the NFL in receptions (125) and fourth in receiving yards (1,412) last season while catching passes from three different quarterbacks after Burrow's two-month absence due to a toe injury.

More: ESPN says Joe Burrow is 1 of the top 5 QBs in the NFL (and he isn't 5)

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From ESPN:

"He's the best I've gone against," an NFL head coach said. "He can break it for 80 (yards) at any time."

"Chase's 6,837 receiving yards are the second-most by any player within his first five seasons in NFL history, trailing only former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson (more on him in a moment). Since debuting in 2021, Chase's 19 touchdowns of 40-plus yards are the most in the NFL -- six more than the next-closest player (Tyreek Hill). And his 29 receptions against press coverage topped the NFL in 2025, highlighting his response when challenged at the line."

Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins did not make the top 10. He was listed among the "also receiving votes" after a six-receiver honorable mention list. Higgins earned his first-ever Pro Bowl nod in 2025 after posting 59 catches for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns.

Chase was one of just three AFC wide receivers to crack the top 10, joining Houston's Nico Collins (No. 8) and New England's A.J. Brown (No. 9).

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Where NFL coaches, execs ranked Bengals WRs Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins

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