Favorite Vikings Receiver Duos

I listed my favorite running back duos in Minnesota Vikings history yesterday. Today, it's the receivers. There are a lot of contenders. The Vikings have a tremendous receiver tradition. That tradition includes two of the best pass catchers in NFL history. The cool thing about those two pass catchers is that they played together for four seasons. I start my list of favorite Vikings receiver duos with the best receiving duo in league history.

1. Cris Carter-Randy Moss

Incredible. Cris Carter had the best pass catching hands I've ever seen. Randy Moss is the most physically gifted receiver the league has ever seen. It was an incredible treat to watch each individually. Together, unbelievable.

2. Ahmad Rashad-Sammy White

Ahmad Rashad and Sammy White were my first favorite Vikings receiver duo. For mostly sentimental reasons, that put them at #2. If Rashad had played his entire career with the Vikings and Fran Tarkenton, he'd probably be with Carter and Moss in Canton. Rashad, in a trade, and White, as a 2nd round pick, joined the Vikings in 1976 and the offense was transformed. Before, everything revolved around the versatility of running back Chuck Foreman and Tarkenton's magic. Now, they had legitimate threats on the outside. Receivers have routinely been my favorite Vikings players and that started with Ahmad Rashad and Sammy White.

3. Anthony Carter-Cris Carter

I started praying for a Carter-Carter combo when I saw Cris Carter catch passes at Ohio State. Unfortunately, the union happened in 1990 rather than 1987. As Cris Carter started to emerge in the Vikings offense Anthony Carter started to fade. But there were some beautiful games and years together.

4. Cris Carter-Jake Reed

A snapshot of the receiving production of Cris Carter and Jake Reed from 1994-97 is probably the best way to explain this duo.

Cris Carter

Year	Catches	Yards	TDs
1994	122	1256	7
1995	122	1371	17
1996	96	1163	10
1997	89	1069	13

Jake Reed

Year	Catches	Yards	TDs
1994	85	1175	4
1995	72	1167	9
1996	72	1320	7
1997	68	1138	6

If the Vikings hadn't lucked into Randy Moss in the 1998 NFL Draft, the Carter-Reed pass catching combo might be thought of as the franchise's best. 

5. Stefon Diggs-Adam Thielen

The sad thing about the Stefon Diggs-Adam Thielen duo is that it ended way too soon. They'd been the team's top two receivers since 2016 but it felt like they were just getting started. I loved watching Diggs and Thielen run routes and catch passes.

Honorable Mention Trio
Sidney Rice-Bernard Berrian-Percy Harvin

This trio has to be mentioned even though their time together was brief. Brett Favre and this trio of receivers made the Vikings passing game so damn much fun in 2009. The most fun since the days of Moss. If I were forced to reduce the trio to a duo, the duo would be Sidney Rice-Percy Harvin. Rice's play often reminded me of Rashad and Carter. Harvin was one of the most remarkable football players I've ever seen. Three of my favorite Vikings receivers, and favorite Vikings football players, of the past two decades are Moss, Harvin, and Diggs. The day that each was traded was a very sad day.

I can't dismiss Bernard Berrian. The Vikings forced him into the #1 receiver role when he was signed as a free agent in 2008. He was a very good deep threat. His 99-yard scored against the Bears was a blast. His best statistical season was his 964-yard season in 2008. His 2009 season as a part of this trio was the better season. 

Other Duos Deserving Mention:
Paul Flatley-Jerry Reichow
Gene Washington-John Henderson
John Gilliam-Gene Washington
Anthony Carter-Hassan Jones
Randy Moss-Nate Burleson
Randy Moss-and a Ceasar Salad
Randy Moss-and a bag of chips

Randy Moss-and a paper clip