It is well known that NFL receivers like to get paid. Contract holdouts have become the norm in recent years for players at the position group, but the biggest star pass-catchers in the NFL do deserve huge paydays. Currently, Ja'Marr Chase is seeking a new contract. He held out during training camp/the preseason, but he is playing for the Cincinnati Bengals now. Currently, Chase is only making just over $7 million per season.
His importance to the Bengals means that you can expect him to land a new deal sooner rather than later, but the two sides have yet to agree to a new contract because reports indicate that Chase wants to become the highest-paid receiver in the NFL. Outside of Chase, though, there is tons of talent at the receiver position. More and more receivers will need to be paid in the near future because of this depth at the position. For reference, seven receivers were drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, which tied a league record.
Those rookies are a ways away from pay raises, though, so in this article, we are going to look at the highest-paid receivers for the 2024 season. These rankings are based on the average annual value of these player's contracts.
1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings – $35 million
It remains to be seen whether Justin Jefferson will continue to be the highest-paid receiver in the NFL or if Ja'Marr Chase's potential new contract will surpass his. It has been reported that Chase wants one more penny in his contract than Jefferson. The two star receivers, who are among the best players in the NFL, were college teammates at LSU, meaning that they have somewhat of a friendly rivalry as they are both seeking to prove that they are the best receiver in the NFL.
While Jefferson missed a lot of time with injury last year, there were many who gave him the title of best receiver in the league prior to that injury. He led the league with 128 receptions and 1,809 yards in 2022, and he is quickly reminding everyone of his stardom in 2024. Even without a star quarterback, Jefferson already has 192 yards and two touchdown catches through two regular season games this season.
2. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys – $34 million
CeeDee Lamb signed his new deal that made him the second highest-paid receiver in the NFL just days before the start of the 2024 season. His quarterback, Dak Prescott, also signed a new deal. Prescott's contract is the biggest ever in terms of average annual value and total guarantees.
Meanwhile, Lamb is now set to be the second highest-paid non-quarterback in league history. The duo have great chemistry together, and that will now continue well into the future. Just last year, Lamb led the league in receptions (135) en route to Prescott leading the league in touchdown passes (36).
3. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles – $32 million
A.J. Brown's contract pays him $32 million a year. The Eagles star is arguably the best “yards after catch” player in the NFL, so he is always a threat to go to the house when the football is in his hands. Lined up opposite of DeVonta Smith, Brown forms one-half of an elite receiving duo in Philadelphia. Brown and Smith's skill sets complement each other well and help make the Eagles clear Super Bowl contenders this year.
4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions – $30,002,500
Lions fans breathed a sigh of relief when they learned that their $30 million receiver avoided a serious injury in their Week 2 loss. Amon-Ra St. Brown was seen hobbling off of the field, and he left the game early. Luckily, St. Brown only suffered a contusion and cramping, so he shouldn't miss any time.
That is good news for the Lions, as after a slow Week 1, St. Brown got back on track with an 11 catch, 119 yard performance. The former fourth-round pick has established himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL, and he is worth every penny of the massive contract that the Lions are paying him.
T5. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers – $30 million
Brandon Aiyuk is another player who signed a new contract not long before the start of the 2024 season. The 49ers receiver was holding out of training camp, and he even demanded a trade out of San Francisco. The two sides were able to work things out, though, and Aiyuk's presence ensures that the 49ers remain one of the most stacked teams in the NFL.
Despite big-name talents such as Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey thriving on the 49ers roster, it is actually Aiyuk who has led the team in receptions and receiving yards in each of the previous two seasons.
T5. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins – $30 million
Tyreek Hill is not only arguably the best receiver in football, but he is one of the best NFL players regardless of position. Hill's speed is unmatched, making him a premier deep threat. Hill is much more than just a burner, though. The Dolphins star has sure hands and excellent route running.
Hill has been catching passes in Miami from Tua Tagovailoa, but there are a lot of question marks surrounding the quarterback's future. Tagovailoa, who has dealt with scary head injuries in the past, suffered yet another concussion in Week 2. Now, fans are wondering if retirement is a possibility for the quarterback. Skyler Thompson is the backup quarterback in Miami, and while Tagovailoa's injury is unfortunate for everybody involved, it will be helpful for the young backup that he will be able to throw the ball to Hill.
7. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins – $28,250,000
With a contract that pays him an average of $28,250,000 per year, Jaylen Waddle follows his Dolphins teammate as one of the highest-paid receivers in the league. Like Hill, Waddle also thrives with the deep ball, but it remains unknown if he will have to adjust to a new quarterback throwing him the ball long-term. Tagovailoa reportedly has no desire to retire, but the quarterback can't keep getting injured in the manner he has been.
8. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders – $28 million
Davante Adams has been an elite receiver for a very long time. Most of that time came with the Green Bay Packers, but the team paying him $28 million a year now is the Raiders. Last season, there were concerns about Las Vegas' quarterbacks putting the star receiver in dangerous positions. The team's new quarterback, Gardner Minshew, has been much better about that, though.
While Minshew isn't one of the best signal-callers in football, he and Adams were able to carry the Raiders to an impressive Week 2 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Adams' huge catch radius makes life easy on his quarterbacks. He can secure 50/50 balls, and he has never had issues with drops.
9. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears – $27.5 million
The Bears have invested heavily in the receiver position. This offseason, Chicago drafted Rome Odunze in the first round and traded for Keenan Allen. D.J. Moore is the incumbent of that receiving corps, which we ranked as one of the best in the league. The Bears offense has gotten off to a little bit of a slow start with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams leading the way, but the number one overall pick will surely pick things up.
If the Bears reach their potential on offense, Moore will be a big reason why. He went for over 1,00 receiving yards in four of his first six seasons, and he did it largely without great quarterback play. Meanwhile, Williams was viewed as one of the best prospects ever, so don't be surprised if the Bears burst onto the scene sooner rather than later.
10. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams – 26,700,000
Cooper Kupp seems to be back to his old ways. The star receiver had one of the best receiving seasons ever in 2021. That year, he broke the single-season records for scrimmage yards (1,965), postseason receptions (33), yardage including the postseason (2,425), and receptions including the postseason (178).
The following two years, while not bad, were filled with injuries. The first two weeks of the 2024 season have proven that Kupp is back and better than ever, though. He already has 147 yards, a touchdown, and 18 receptions, the latter of which currently leads the league. Puka Nacua, who had one of the best rookie seasons ever last year at the receiver position, will return from the injured reserve in a few weeks. It will be interesting to see if the two elite pass-catchers will be able to put up massive numbers simultaneously or if one of the two's statistics will take a major hit.
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