NFL Power Rankings: Projecting the best receiver groups in the league
By Nick Villano
Wide receiver is having another renaissance. This isn't the first time teams have evaluated how important wide receivers are, but it does seem like one of the first times there are great receivers on almost every team. We can count on one hand how many teams are missing that true number-one wide receiver, and those teams usually have a field of players who can qualify as number two or number three.
As we embark on another regular season, we look at which team is in the best position at the wide receiver position. Just because a team has the best wide receiver doesn't mean the position is in the best shape. Depth might be just as key as superstardom. Potential has a place in this, as well, as we have a group of rookies who can make an impact right away.
NFL Power Rankings: Projecting the best receiver groups in the league
32. Carolina Panthers
Top 3: Adam Thielen, Jonathan Mingo, DJ Chark Jr.
The Carolina Panthers traded up to the first-overall pick to take Bryce Young, but they paid a dear price to do it. They had to send D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears, along with a bunch of other draft picks. The Bears had the worst wide receiver group we've seen in a long time last year, especially after Darnell Mooney went down. Now, they take from the Panthers, who take that bottom spot.
This year's Panthers squad has a few new names at the top, but they are still missing that top guy. Adam Thielen would have been a decent top guy in 2018, but he hasn't hit 1,000 yards in a season since then. DJ Chark has been a good number two for a while, but on this team, he needs to be more than that. They drafted Jonathan Mingo with the 39th-overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, and he might be the top guy quickly.
The Panthers are in a weird spot. They have Young, who needs to gain confidence. Yet, they gave up asset capital to get him, and now they might have a putrid offense. It seems like it's all up to Mingo or the wild outside shot of Terrace Marshall Jr. coming on top of this depth chart if they are going to dig out of the bottom spot on the rankings.