Ranking the WRs in the AFC South entering 2023
The AFC South isn’t the first division to come to mind when you think of the elite receivers in the NFL.
As far as what it does offer at the position is the return of a player that was on the trajectory to be one of the best in the league, a group that has the potential to be good-to-great receivers that are in the developmental stages of their career, and players that are looking to prove that they are more than being role players that contribute on special teams.
For the purpose of this list, I took the top three receivers from all four team’s depth charts according to Ourlads so you won’t find rookies like Josh Downs and Tank Dell who will likely end up being contributors for their offenses as rookies.
Be sure to check out our other AFC South rankings entering the new season:
Let’s take a look at how the receivers rank across the AFC South:
Kyle Philips, Tennessee Titans
It looked like Kyle Philips was going to make an impact in his rookie season after leading the Tennessee Titans with six receptions for 66 yards and returning four punts for 64 yards in the 2022 season opener. But unfortunately, shoulder and hamstring injuries ended up limiting him to four appearances in his first year as a pro. Philips is set to take back his role as the starting slot receiver for the Titans.
Isaiah McKenzie, Indianapolis Colts
Isaiah McKenzie has been a special teams contributor as a returner and used as a gadget player in his first six seasons. He is coming off the best season as a pro with 42 receptions for 423 yards and four touchdowns. He also had nine rushes for 55 yards and a touchdown. After spending the last five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, he signed with the Colts this offseason to compete for the starting slot role.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee Titans
After starting his career playing on special teams, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine’s role with the Tennessee Titans offense has steadily grown and he is coming off of starting in 13 games in 2022. In his first three seasons as a pro, he has 66 receptions for 906 yards and seven touchdowns.
John Metchie III, Houston Texans
John Metchie III was considered a possible first-round pick before tearing his ACL in the SEC Championship Game. He ended up being a second-round selection for the Houston Texans last July it came out that he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. He is expected to be ready for training camp later this month. Metchie III finished with 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns in his final season at Alabama.
Nico Collins, Houston Texans
Nico Collins was putting together a solid sophomore year for the Houston Texans before it got derailed in Week 13 due to a season-ending foot injury. In his 24 NFL games, he has collected 70 receptions for 927 yards and three touchdowns. Collins has an opportunity to be the No. 1 receiver for the Texans if he can take a Year 3 jump and stay healthy for all 17 games.
Robert Woods, Houston Texans
Just a few years ago, Robert Woods was a vital piece for the Los Angeles Rams and was considered one of the better receivers in the league. A torn ACL in 2021 caused him to miss out on the Rams’ Super Bowl run and the franchise decided to trade the veteran to the Tennessee Titans following the season. He finished 2022 with 53 receptions for 527 yards and two touchdowns in 2022. The Titans ended up releasing him this offseason but he remained in the AFC South after signing with the Houston Texans.
Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts
Alec Pierce ended up being a solid contributor to the Colts’ offense in his rookie season. He grabbed 41 receptions for 593 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games. Pierce will be looking to take the next step in Year 2 and get to the 1,000 receiving yard mark.
Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans 2022 first-round pick never got an opportunity to find momentum in his first season due to injuries that caused him to miss six games (turf toe and concussion). In 11 games he finished with 33 receptions for 444 yards and a touchdown. The Titans have made an offer to free agent DeAndre Hopkins but for now, Burks is set to be the lead dog in their receiving corps.
Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars
Zay Jones made an immediate impact in his first season with the Jacksonville Jaguars after spending time with the Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders to start his career. He had the best season of his career in 2022 with 82 receptions for 823 yards and five touchdowns. Jones has yet to cross the 1,000 receiving-yard mark, and it might be hard to top with the addition of Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk in the receiver room.
Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars
Christian Kirk is coming off the best season of his career in his first year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2022, he finished with 84 receptions for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns. It was the first time he went over 1,000 receiving yards in his five NFL seasons. Kirk will be seeking to have the first season where he reaches the 100 reception mark.
Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts
2022 was supposed to be a breakout season for Michael Pittman Jr. but due to his poor offensive environment, he finished below 1,000 receiving yards despite having 99 receptions. Pittman Jr. will have his eyes on his first 100 reception season and prove that he has what it takes to be the lead dog in a receiving corps.
Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars
After breaking out in 2020, Calvin Ridley’s career took a sharp turn with only five game appearances in 2021 because he decided to step away from football to handle his mental health. In his time away he decided to gamble on NFL games, which led to his one-year suspension from the league office for the 2022 season.
That didn’t stop the Jacksonville Jaguars from trading for his services to help take Trevor Lawrence’s career to the next level. When he’s on the field he’s one of the best receivers in the game. Since 2020 he has the sixth-highest receiving YPG average (82.8) among all receivers in the league.
