The Dallas Cowboys’ biggest advantage on their roster at the moment is tied to who they have at wide receiver. CeeDee Lamb has been one of the better wideouts in the NFL for a few years now, and this past season George Pickens announced himself as more than just a sidekick.
Together Lamb and Pickens comprise arguably the best wide receiver group in the entire league. According to ESPN’s rankings of wide receivers – these are based on their sourcing of league executives, coaches, and scouts – they
literally do have the best wide receiver group in the entire league.
Here are the top 10 in total.
- Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals
- Justin Jefferson, Vikings
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks
- Puka Nacua, Rams
- Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions
- CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys
- George Pickens, Cowboys
- Nico Collins, Texans
- A.J. Brown, Patriots
- Davante Adams, Rams
For Lamb specifically, this is a bit of a drop from where he placed in the rankings last year.
6. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 27 | Last year’s ranking: 4Lamb is coming off his worst statistical season since he was a rookie in 2020. He dealt with an early-season ankle issue and never quite took off, finishing with 1,077 yards and three touchdowns. Usually an after-the-catch standout, his 322 yards after the catch were down for his standards, too. And his eight drops tied for second in the NFL behind Travis Kelce.
Even so, the goodwill he has built over six seasons helped him in the voting. He’s still a game breaker and appeared on all but one ballot.
“With his ability to separate and make big plays, the attention he demands creates opportunities for others in the offense,” an NFC scout said. “He’s still on the short list of guys who give you problems consistently.”
Lamb’s 571 receptions are the fifth most in the NFL since 2020 and already the third most in Cowboys history, as he passed Dez Bryant last season.
“I expect him to have a bounce-back year,” an NFL coordinator said. “He was never quite the same [last year] off that ankle injury.”
This all feels very fair. 2025 was a bit low for Lamb’s standards, especially on the drops front. Remember the Week 1 game in Philadelphia?
On the other side of the coin, this is clearly the best that Pickens has done in this exercise.
7. George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 25 | Last year’s ranking: UnrankedOne NFL coordinator did not hesitate when asked which Cowboys receiver is No. 1 on opposing game plans.
“It’s Pickens,” the coordinator said. “He has emerged.”
While Lamb still attracts a lot of attention from defenses — and is ranked one spot higher on this list — Pickens broke out in 2025 with 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. His five games with at least 125 receiving yards tied for the most in a single season in franchise history.
“One of the best I’ve ever seen at the contested catch,” a veteran NFL offensive coach said. “There’s such untapped ability there. It’s just a consistency issue and where his head’s at week to week.”
His 10.4 yards per target ranked second in the NFL, and his 2.27 yards after first contact per possession topped all receivers with 100 or more targets. For his career, Pickens averages 16.0 yards per catch.
It is quite something to look at the entire list and think about the bargain, relatively speaking, that Pickens is for the Cowboys given how NFL minds speak about him. Maybe someday we’ll understand how the Cowboys pulled off getting him to sign the franchise tag so smoothly.
This is fantastic news for the Cowboys though as it speaks to their greatest strength. Given that the duo’s quarterback, Dak Prescott, ranked sixth in the quarterback’s rankings, this is clearly the significant strength of the team entering 2026.
