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By Victor Williams
Contributing Sports Writer
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Eagles star receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are widely regarded as a top pass-catching duo in the NFL, and Pro Football Focus has echoed the sentiment.
PFF recently ranked their top receiving corps heading into the 2025 season and have Philadelphia's unit ranked No.1:
"The Eagles earned a team 79.1 PFF receiving grade last season and boast the No. 1 (A.J. Brown) and No. 17 (DeVonta Smith) receivers in PFF's top 32 wide receiver rankings, as well as the No. 2 running back (Saquon Barkley) and No. 8 tight end (Dallas Goedert). Throw in Jahan Dotson as an ideal No. 3 receiver, and you've got a group that has a strong case for being the best in the league."
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Don't be misled by last year's statistics — A.J. Brown is still among the NFL's elite.
Despite missing four games in 2024, Brown posted over 1,000 receiving yards for the third consecutive season, averaging 83.0 yards per game (fifth-best in the league). His overall production took a slight dip as the offense leaned heavily on Saquon Barkley, but Brown remained Jalen Hurts' most trusted target in high-leverage moments, particularly on third and fourth down.
Brown's explosiveness didn't go anywhere either. He averaged 16.1 yards per reception last season, ranking second among all wideouts with at least 80 targets, trailing only Detroit's Jameson Williams.
DeVonta Smith's precise route-running and dependable hands allow him to thrive in any alignment. In 2024, the Slim Reaper nearly doubled his slot snaps and still delivered big-time performances, becoming the Eagles' all-time leader in postseason receiving yards (595) before turning 27 years old.
Although he missed four games and played in a passing offense that ranked 29th, Smith still hauled in 68 catches for 833 yards and eight touchdowns. If he can stay healthy, Smith's first Pro Bowl nod should be well within reach.
Pro Football Focus also factored running backs and tight ends into the equation. Saquon Barkley caught 33 passes last season, and Dallas Goedert led the Eagles in receiving yards during the playoffs.
WR3 Jahan Dotson, a former first-round pick in 2022, is expected to have a larger role next season. In totality, it's easy to see why the Eagles were ranked so highly.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Emeka Egbuka), Cincinnati Bengals (Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Chase Brown, Mike Gesicki), Detroit Lions (Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs), and Minnesota Vikings (Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones) rounded out PFF's top five.
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