Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase behind surprising name in new rankings

   

Most would likely agree that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase should be in the conversation as the NFL's top overall wideout.

Chase, after all, achieved the rare Triple Crown feat last year, catching 127 passes for 1,708 yards and 17 scores.

Some, it seems, are more comfortable just slotting him into the top three. Over at Pro Football Focus, Trevor Sikkema ranks Chase behind A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles and Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings, writing the following:

"The 2024 triple crown winner — first in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns — excelled in several areas, but his work after the catch stood out most. He gained 800 yards after the catch last season and leads all receivers with 1,788 yards after the catch since 2022."

It's elite company for Chase, but listing him third feels like it almost does a disservice to his growth as a player. He's made a point to improve across the board as the years ago by, picking up the ability to be a threat not just on the boundary, but from the slot and otherwise.

Either way, it's sort of splitting hairs once the rankings get into the top three. No team in the NFL would complain about having any of the top three on a roster and Chase's massive contract extension speaks to how the Bengals and Joe Burrow view him.