Wide receivers play one of the biggest roles in the NFL, not only in changing a team, but the game itself. Although it is a position that many have the ability to play, it’s one that only a rare few exceed greatness in. This list contains the greats of the 2015-2016 season, players who are in line to achieve (or have already achieved) a position as one of the best ever.
1. DeAndre Hopkins- the young receiver has put one of the NFL’s worst offenses on his back and carried them down the field, game after game. He is arguably the only spot of light in the darkening Texan’s offense. Although he is almost always double-covered, has very little help from other receivers (injuries), and seems to have a new quarterback throwing to him every week; Hopkins is right next to Julio Jones (at #1) in yards, receptions, and touchdowns this year.

2. Julio Jones- the simple fact is, Julio is unstoppable. Even with the Falcons focusing on the run, Jones is an elite deep play threat, first down threat, touchdown threat, etc. The main point is that he is basically unstoppable.

3. Odell Beckham Jr.- had the best rookie receiving year possibly ever last year, and has followed it up with an amazing year. He has been limited because he is usually in double coverage, but his skill set is possibly the most diverse, and his hands are considered the best ever by some.

4. Antonio Brown- a similar skill set to his former teammate Emmanuel Sanders, the Steelers’ wide receiver could have been considered the best this year until he showed that he isn’t quite as threatening without QB Ben Roethlisberger.

5. Larry Fitzgerald- not many people expected a comeback season from the aging Fitzgerald. He proved most people wrong (by a lot). Fitzgerald changed up his playing style to a short-pass receiver, and has been nothing short of magnificent.

6. Allen Robinson- Jacksonville’s #1 option has taken over, even with a limited QB (Blake Bortles) at the helm. He is a threat in all areas of the field, and a little too underrated for his ability.

7. Julian Edelman- possibly not the most skilled receiver in comparison to the others in the top 10, but he gets open and he can catch, and a receiver who can get open and catch in the New England offense is basically automatically incredible.

8. Keenan Allen- unfortunately, Allen’s season ended very painfully and abruptly (lacerated kidney). However, he has speed, dedication, awareness, amazing hands, and just about everything else expected from a receiver, his results show.

9. Emmanuel Sanders- not many would list him ahead of D. Thomas, yet the Broncos receiver has an unbelievable amount of talent, but is too often overthrown by Peyton Manning or considered the #2 option.

10. Amari Cooper- the rookie has taken the Raiders offense by storm along with Derek Carr. Possibly the best rookie receiver this season, Cooper looks to have a successful career ahead of him.

11. Steve Smith Sr.- at the age of 36, Smith still looks like a 28 year old version of himself. Although his season was ended in week 8, he proved that he had a lot of gas left in the tank for his age.

12. Demaryius Thomas- a fantastic route runner, the tall Broncos receiver has been surprisingly lazy this year. He is striving because he works hard to get open, but tends to give up on the play after the catch.

13. A.J Green- Andy Dalton’s favorite target by far, he can do just about anything. His season hasn’t quite lived up to its hype, but he has shown what he can do.

14. Brandon Marshall- has carried the Jets into victories and losses, but he is a touchdown threat and always picking up yards.

15. Jeremy Maclin- started the season horribly, and was not expected to flourish in the anti-WR Chief’s offense, but has since been fantastic and the only Chief’s receiver who has weekly (with the exception of injuries) been a vital piece to the team’s success.

16. John Brown- extremely fast, mostly reliant on deep balls, but he gets a lot of targets, and as a result, lots of yards and TDs.

17. Martavis Bryant- came onto the field later than most players because of a suspension, and immediately flew into action. He is a yardage and touchdown monster.

18. Jarvis Landry-puts everything he has into every play, gets open, but his upside is limited due to a struggling offense.

19. T.Y. Hilton- the Colts leading receiver has struggled along with the rest of the Colts offense, but he has totaled a respectable amount of yards and can have big games.

20. Travis Benjamin- the speedy Browns receiver had an incredible start to the season, but has been consistently mediocre for the rest of his games.

21. Calvin Johnson- he still holds an incredible amount of talent, but age and a struggling QB are taking a toll on the 30-year-old.

22. Randall Cobb- after detrimental injuries throughout his career, Cobb hasn’t lived up to his expectations this year. He has the skill and has been incredible in previous years, but he doesn’t have as much upside anymore barring a comeback.

23. Dez Bryant-would be in the top 10, but he has missed most of the season with an injury.

24. Eric Decker- his balance and speed need a lot of work, as he seems to tackle himself more often than the defense tackles him. With that said, he has a decent set of hands and is reliable in short to medium passing situations.

25. Stefon Diggs- the rookie has flashed many exciting moments of greatness, and he has helped shape together an otherwise lost Vikings offense this season.

Notables
26. Allen Hurns
27. Mike Evans
28. Alshon Jeffrey
29. Tavon Austin
30. Rishard Matthews
31. Michael Crabtree
32. Brandon Cooks
33. Willie Snead
34. Sammy Watkins
35. Donte Moncrief

Honorable Mentions
Jordan Matthews
Marvin Jones
Nate Washington
Andre Holmes
Anquan Boldin
Cecil Shorts III
Reuben Randle
Terrance Williams
Harry Douglas

For an alternate list, visit http://espn.go.com/fantasy/football/story/_/id/12872348/wr-rankings-2015