2026 season · Wide receivers, 9+ targets through Week 3, 87 qualifiers

Wide Receiver Receiving Efficiency Leaders

Name: Wide Receiver Receiving Efficiency — 2026 NFL Leaders
Creator: Muffed
License: https://muffed.ai/methodology

Through Week 3 (complete)

Wide Receiver Receiving Efficiency — 2026 NFL leaders, updated Sep 29, 2026. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA) led all wide receivers with 29.0 receiving expected points added across 87 qualifying players. Based on verified 2026 play-by-play data (nflverse); Half-PPR scoring. Through Week 3 of the 2026 season.

The same measurements the running back and tight end boards use, applied to the position they were always going to matter most for. Yards per target is the honest efficiency number because it charges a receiver for the balls he did not catch; receiving expected points added asks whether the catches moved the offense, which yardage on its own never answers. First-down rate is the third leg: a receiver converting half his catches into a new set of downs is doing something a yards-per-catch column cannot see.

Wide Receiver Receiving Efficiency, 2026 NFL season
#	Player	Δ WK	G	Tgt	Rec	Y/Tgt	aDOT	1D%	YAC/Rec	Rec EPA
1	Jaxon Smith-NjigbaSEA	No change	3	36	27	11.3	9.7	81.5%	4.5	29.0
2	CeeDee LambDAL	Up 1 place, from 3	3	25	20	12.4	12.4	85.0%	4.3	28.0
3	Chris OlaveNO	Down 1 place, from 2	3	36	27	10.4	13.1	74.1%	3.0	27.9
4	Mike EvansSF	Up 4 places, from 8	3	16	12	8.6	10.9	100.0%	1.4	22.4
5	Zay FlowersBAL	Up 2 places, from 7	3	12	10	19.5	12.2	100.0%	11.7	19.7
6	Kalif RaymondCHI	Up 5 places, from 11	3	21	19	10.2	6.2	57.9%	5.0	18.7
7	Tee HigginsCIN	Up 14 places, from 21	3	23	14	10.6	13.1	85.7%	4.7	17.7
8	Ladd McConkeyLAC	Up 2 places, from 10	3	15	12	12.2	13.9	83.3%	1.9	16.9
9	Drake LondonATL	Up 26 places, from 35	3	19	15	14.4	7.5	66.7%	10.1	16.3
10	Jakobi MeyersJAX	First appearance on this board	3	11	10	12.0	10.4	80.0%	2.8	16.2
11	Justin JeffersonMIN	Down 5 places, from 6	3	17	13	10.5	11.1	61.5%	4.0	15.7
12	Davante AdamsLAR	Up 4 places, from 16	3	29	18	12.3	17.2	66.7%	5.9	15.1
13	Garrett WilsonNYJ	Up 7 places, from 20	3	27	21	9.0	10.5	61.9%	1.9	14.5
14	Denzel BostonCLE	Down 5 places, from 9	3	15	9	13.0	15.0	77.8%	7.7	13.7
15	Josh DownsIND	Down 3 places, from 12	3	24	14	7.8	11.7	85.7%	4.9	13.1
16	Parker WashingtonJAX	Up 3 places, from 19	3	23	15	9.6	14.3	60.0%	0.9	13.0
17	Jalen CokerCAR	Down 12 places, from 5	3	22	18	10.1	11.4	55.6%	3.6	12.7
18	Ja'Marr ChaseCIN	Up 32 places, from 50	3	25	18	7.4	8.6	55.6%	2.5	10.7
19	Dontayvion WicksPHI	Down 15 places, from 4	3	15	9	11.9	13.5	100.0%	4.0	10.4
20	Devaughn VeleNO	Down 5 places, from 15	3	22	15	7.8	10.3	60.0%	2.9	10.2
21	Amon-Ra St. BrownDET	Down 8 places, from 13	3	35	23	6.5	7.9	56.5%	3.2	10.1
22	Tre TuckerLV	No change	3	15	11	12.6	15.2	63.6%	1.0	9.7
23	Keon ColemanBUF	Up 3 places, from 26	3	9	8	11.2	12.8	62.5%	2.0	9.0
24	Terry McLaurinWAS	Up 13 places, from 37	3	22	10	6.4	13.0	80.0%	4.5	9.0
25	Antonio WilliamsWAS	Down 11 places, from 14	3	11	9	9.4	11.2	55.6%	2.6	8.9
26	Mack HollinsNE	Up 10 places, from 36	3	16	12	9.8	12.1	41.7%	2.8	8.9
27	Adonai MitchellNYJ	Down 9 places, from 18	3	15	9	8.2	15.8	77.8%	2.9	8.6
28	Stefon DiggsWAS	Down 11 places, from 17	3	22	13	6.1	8.6	76.9%	3.4	8.3
29	Isaac TeSlaaDET	Up 22 places, from 51	3	9	5	10.2	12.3	80.0%	8.6	7.5
30	Pat BryantDEN	Up 26 places, from 56	3	9	6	9.6	5.4	83.3%	7.2	7.1
31	Rashod BatemanBAL	No change	3	13	9	9.6	13.5	44.4%	1.6	6.8
32	Matthew GoldenGB	Up 14 places, from 46	3	30	15	8.4	13.9	80.0%	6.5	6.7
33	George PickensDAL	Up 19 places, from 52	3	25	16	6.0	10.7	62.5%	1.9	6.2
34	Konata MumpfieldLAR	First appearance on this board	3	11	5	9.6	16.4	80.0%	5.8	6.1
35	Cooper KuppSEA	Back on this board	3	10	8	10.1	9.8	75.0%	4.3	5.6
36	Chris Godwin Jr.TB	Down 13 places, from 23	3	11	10	10.1	4.7	50.0%	6.8	5.3
37	Jameson WilliamsDET	Up 11 places, from 48	3	17	10	7.5	13.2	60.0%	0.4	5.3
38	Christian WatsonGB	Up 3 places, from 41	3	29	17	9.8	10.5	70.6%	6.1	5.1
39	Deebo Samuel Sr.SF	Down 11 places, from 28	3	11	9	14.4	3.3	44.4%	13.8	5.0
40	DJ MooreBUF	Down 16 places, from 24	3	18	11	9.3	15.8	72.7%	4.3	4.9
41	Nico CollinsHOU	Down 11 places, from 30	3	10	7	7.5	12.0	42.9%	1.1	4.9
42	Kendrick BourneARI	Down 8 places, from 34	3	14	12	7.7	4.0	50.0%	4.9	4.6
43	Wan'Dale RobinsonTEN	Down 11 places, from 32	3	18	13	5.8	5.1	61.5%	3.9	4.4
44	Rome OdunzeCHI	Down 17 places, from 27	3	13	8	10.7	17.2	62.5%	0.6	4.3
45	Jaylin NoelHOU	Down 7 places, from 38	3	9	5	11.2	9.0	80.0%	5.6	4.1
46	Chris BellMIA	First appearance on this board	3	10	5	9.2	18.0	80.0%	7.4	4.0
47	Rashee RiceKC	Down 7 places, from 40	3	17	13	11.2	7.4	46.2%	9.2	3.7
48	Caleb DouglasMIA	Down 9 places, from 39	3	10	7	11.3	11.4	71.4%	5.9	3.5
49	Tre HarrisLAC	Up 8 places, from 57	3	16	10	9.3	10.1	40.0%	7.2	3.5
50	Isaiah WilliamsNYJ	Up 9 places, from 59	3	9	8	6.9	4.1	25.0%	4.0	2.8
51	Michael WilsonARI	Up 20 places, from 71	3	31	18	5.3	9.5	61.1%	2.3	2.8
52	Romeo DoubsNE	Up 8 places, from 60	3	11	6	13.2	18.4	66.7%	6.3	2.7
53	Emeka EgbukaTB	Down 11 places, from 42	3	20	13	7.0	12.5	46.2%	3.1	2.5
54	Brian Thomas Jr.JAX	Down 5 places, from 49	3	12	7	7.3	10.8	85.7%	1.0	2.3
55	Kayshon BoutteHOU	No change	3	9	6	8.8	12.6	50.0%	2.5	2.3
56	Roman WilsonPIT	Up 5 places, from 61	3	18	11	6.3	13.7	54.5%	3.5	1.9
57	Marvin Harrison Jr.ARI	Back on this board	3	9	4	8.1	17.7	100.0%	2.0	1.7
58	Jaylen WaddleDEN	Down 25 places, from 33	3	20	11	7.5	12.3	63.6%	3.5	1.6
59	DeVonta SmithPHI	Down 14 places, from 45	3	27	19	8.7	12.0	52.6%	2.0	1.3
60	Khalil ShakirBUF	Down 7 places, from 53	3	15	8	6.3	8.2	62.5%	5.8	1.0
61	Elic AyomanorTEN	Down 32 places, from 29	3	9	4	10.1	10.8	100.0%	10.3	0.9
62	Jalen NailorLV	No change	3	11	5	4.7	12.3	100.0%	2.8	0.3
63	Ryan FlournoyDAL	Down 20 places, from 43	3	18	9	3.7	6.6	44.4%	3.9	-0.1
64	Xavier HutchinsonHOU	Down 1 place, from 63	3	21	9	5.7	13.8	55.6%	4.0	-0.7
65	Tetairoa McMillanCAR	Down 11 places, from 54	3	23	12	8.4	12.8	75.0%	3.3	-0.8
66	DeMario DouglasNE	Down 8 places, from 58	3	14	7	4.8	10.6	42.9%	4.4	-1.3
67	Carnell TateTEN	Up 5 places, from 72	3	20	13	6.2	10.9	38.5%	2.0	-1.6
68	Ted Hurst IIITB	Up 9 places, from 77	3	13	6	7.9	19.2	66.7%	3.8	-1.6
69	Keenan AllenIND	Up 12 places, from 81	3	20	13	5.0	6.2	30.8%	2.2	-2.3
70	Skyy MooreGB	First appearance on this board	3	11	5	3.4	7.1	40.0%	6.0	-2.3
71	Puka NacuaLAR	Down 1 place, from 70	3	9	5	8.2	12.8	40.0%	7.6	-2.6
72	Germie BernardPIT	Up 2 places, from 74	3	9	5	5.4	9.3	60.0%	2.4	-2.8
73	Makai LemonPHI	Back on this board	3	9	7	4.2	6.6	42.9%	3.0	-3.0
74	Luther Burden IIICHI	Down 6 places, from 68	3	23	15	6.8	7.8	40.0%	4.1	-3.1
75	Quentin JohnstonLAC	Down 2 places, from 73	3	17	6	3.8	10.1	50.0%	6.8	-3.1
76	Jordan AddisonMIN	No change	3	16	7	6.9	13.8	57.1%	2.4	-3.3
77	KC ConcepcionCLE	Down 10 places, from 67	3	20	12	4.0	5.5	33.3%	2.6	-3.5
78	Jared WayneHOU	Down 3 places, from 75	3	12	4	5.4	15.4	100.0%	4.3	-3.6
79	Malachi FieldsNYG	No change	3	12	6	6.2	17.8	66.7%	4.8	-4.1
80	Malik NabersNYG	Down 11 places, from 69	3	19	12	5.0	9.7	41.7%	2.9	-5.0
81	Malik WashingtonMIA	Down 15 places, from 66	3	23	12	6.6	12.0	41.7%	7.3	-5.0
82	DK MetcalfPIT	Up 2 places, from 84	3	24	11	4.1	14.1	54.5%	2.5	-6.2
83	Rashid ShaheedSEA	Down 5 places, from 78	3	12	6	4.4	8.4	16.7%	5.8	-6.4
84	Xavier WorthyKC	Down 1 place, from 83	3	15	10	4.2	6.3	40.0%	4.1	-7.0
85	Dyami BrownWAS	Down 3 places, from 82	3	9	4	2.3	14.9	50.0%	0.8	-8.6
86	Courtland SuttonDEN	Down 6 places, from 80	3	16	8	5.1	9.6	50.0%	2.5	-9.0
87	Jahan DotsonATL	Down 2 places, from 85	3	10	4	4.1	14.4	75.0%	3.3	-15.2

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