(Photo: The Ringer)Â
9. Ja’Marr Chase: Who wouldn’t want to be a wide receiver? They get to run all over the field and catch passes. Does it get any better than that? This is the player the quarterback turns to when he needs to make a big-time throw to either move the chains or score six. Oftentimes, you’ll hear the discussion about which university produces the best players at each position. I’ve seen many people label Ohio State as “Wide Receiver U,” but that same title could just as easily belong to LSU with all of the star receivers the program has produced. The next player I’m about to break down is one of them. Welcome back, Ja’Marr! He checks in as my ninth-best player in the league and my third-ranked wide receiver.
Ja’Marr Chase was special in college at LSU, serving as a key contributor to the Tigers’ national championship team in 2019. Since entering the NFL in 2021, he’s developed into one of the league’s premier receivers. Ja’Marr is truly cut from the same cloth as Odell Beckham Jr., and I say that because they possess similar skill sets. This is a receiver who can line up anywhere on the field and be effective in any situation. He’s not the biggest or tallest wide receiver, and we can all see that, but he’s incredibly strong through contact and frequently wins contested-catch situations. That physicality is one of his biggest strengths. Another is his release package off the line of scrimmage. Ja’Marr has quick feet and excellent hand usage, which allows him to consistently beat press coverage. As I mentioned earlier, he’s versatile enough to line up on the outside or in the slot, and he’s effective on screens, slants, deep posts, fades, and crossing routes. Ja’Marr is also a dangerous vertical threat. He consistently wins downfield, tracks the football exceptionally well, and creates separation late in his routes. What has always stood out to me, though, is how explosive he is after the catch. Time and time again, I’ve watched him turn short completions into long gains thanks to his acceleration, balance, and tackle-breaking ability. Lastly, there’s the competitiveness he brings every week. He’s an extremely confident football player who plays with intensity and energy every time he steps on the field.
I’ve been watching Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase since their college days at LSU, and their chemistry has only grown stronger over the years. You can tell Joe has the utmost confidence in Ja’Marr, and I’ve often compared their quarterback-wide receiver connection to Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison—yes, two Hall of Famers. Joe simply knows where Ja’Marr will be, just as Peyton always knew where Marvin would be. The Bengals rewarded Ja’Marr with a contract extension, and he responded with another outstanding season. Even during stretches when Burrow wasn’t in the lineup, No. 1 continued to produce at an elite level, proving just how valuable he is regardless of the circumstances.
