The Denver Broncos traded for Jaylen Waddle earlier this offseason in a major move that did reshape the offense a good bit. It's interesting how one player can make this big a difference, but that is the case here.
Now that Denver has a no. 1 target, everyone's jobs on offense get easier, from the offensive line to the running backs. Quarterback Bo Nix now has a wealth of weapons at his disposal as well, so the sky is truly the limit here.
Let's take a league-wide look at the best wide receiver duos in the NFL. Where do Waddle and Courtland Sutton fall?
Denver Broncos new WR duo makes an appearance among league's best for 2026
10. DK Metcalf/Michael Pittman Jr, Pittsburgh Steelers
One of the new duos on this list, DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr come in at no. 10 in our power rankings. Both Metcalf and Pittman are 6-4, big-bodied targets, but Pittman is less explosive and more of a true posession guy. He's a perfect example of a well-rounded WR2. Metcalf does have WR1 potential but kind of floats in between being a legit no. 1 and a high-end no. 2. Whoever is playing quarterback for the Steelers will be happy nonetheless.
9. Justin Jefferson/Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings
Jordan Addison has actually had declining production since his breakout rookie season, but he's still a very good player and makes for a perfect sidekick next to Justin Jefferson, the league's best receiver and someone who is on a Hall of Fame pace. Jefferson has 8,480 yards across his first six years in the NFL and did break the 1,000-yard mark in 2025 despite dealing with bottom-tier quarterback play.
8. Jaylen Waddle/Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
It's hard to not have the duo of Waddle and Courtland Sutton as one of the best in the league. The two have combined for six 1,000-yard campaigns, including two in a row from Sutton in 2024 and 2025, one in 2019, and Waddle during the 2021-2023 seasons. Not only that, but the two skillsets complement each other nicely.
Waddle is a burner who can win all over the field and offers high-end YAC ability. Sutton is a traditional "X" receiver and has excelled on third and fourth down and on downfield throws. The Broncos new duo is no. 8 in our power rankings.
7. Jaxon Smith-Njigba/Cooper Kupp, Seattle Seahawks
The Offensive Player of the Year led the NFL in receiving yards this past season with 1,793. He also had 10 touchdowns. Jaxon Smith-Njigba's year three breakout is also marked by being sure-handed and reliable. He's not yet missed a game in the NFL and has caught 73 percent of his targets the past two seasons.
Cooper Kupp is a declining wide receiver with upside in a secondary role. He's a crafty route-runner and can capitalize on matchups that JSN gets. Overall, the duo of JSN and Kupp is one of the best in the NFL.
6. Puka Nacua/Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams
Puka Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions in 2025, finishing with 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns. Nacua is one of the more physically-dominant receivers in the NFL and caught a stellar 77.7 percent of his targets in 2025. Paired up with Davante Adams, who led the NFL with 14 touchdowns in 2025, this duo is big, physical, and complementary with each other. Adams is more of a technician with his route-running, which pairs up nicely with Nacua's physicality.
5. Amon-Ra St. Brown/Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams combined for over 2,500 yards in 2025, as both players had at least 1,100 receiving yards. Williams is more of a speedster and averaged over 17 yards per reception. St. Brown, like many on this list, is an elite route-runner and can be a high-volume target. The Detroit Lions offense goes through these two.
Both are also under big-time contracts and are clearly long-term fixtures for this offense.
3. AJ Brown/DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
Both AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith just barely eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in 2025, but it was not due to themselves. The Philadelphia Eagles offense was inefficient and limp. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is also a below-average passer and doesn't necessarily instill confidence in the unit going forward. There also seems to be a chance that Brown still gets traded this offseason.
But like the duo of Waddle and Sutton, this duo fits well together. Brown is an incredibly physical receiver who uses that to win matchups. Smith is a less-physical player and can win with quickness and route-running. They also have a history of production together and are a stable, productive duo.
2. Ja'Marr Chase/Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
Tee Higgins has not hit the 1,000-yard mark since 2022, but he and Ja'Marr Chase make for one of the best duos in the NFL. The Cincinnati Bengals did not have Joe Burrow for much of the 2025 season, but that did not stop Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase from combining for 184 receptions, 2,258 yards, and 19 touchdowns.
Both Chase and Higgins are no. 1 options, and the duo just wrapped up their age-25 and age-26 seasons respectively, so they are still young and right in the middle of their primes.
1. CeeDee Lamb/George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
The best receiver duo in our power rankings belongs to the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys traded for George Pickens last offseason in a move that worked out for them quite nicely. Pickens joined CeeDee Lamb, who was and is a top-5 player at his position.
What sticks out with Lamb and Pickens is that both players are slam-dunk no. 1 options and alphas at the position. Lamb did miss three regular season games in 2025, but he still averaged 76.9 yards per game and broke the 1,000-yard mark yet again.
The Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Pickens, so only time will tell if they'll be able to get a long-term deal done. But as long as this duo is together, they'll continue to put a huge strain on opposing defenses. Both Lamb and Pickens are elite at the catch point and have strong hands, along with top-end speed.
There really isn't much of a weakness with these two.