Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Receivers
1. Cris Carter (1990-2001)
2. Randy Moss (1998-2004, 2010)
3. Justin Jefferson (2020-present)
4. Anthony Carter (1985-93)
5. Ahmad Rashad (1976-82)
6. Adam Thielen (2014-22)
7. Stefon Diggs (2015-19)
8. Jake Reed (1991-2001)
9. Sammy White (1976-85)
10. John Gilliam (1972-75)
Cris Carter and Randy Moss are two of the greatest receivers the league has ever seen. I have Carter at #1 because of his longer career in Minnesota and the simple fact that he has the best hands I’ve ever seen. Moss is arguably the most physically gifted receiver to ever play. Carter and Moss. They were beautiful together.
I never imagined that another receiver could approach Carter and Moss. Then along came Justin Jefferson. What he’s done in about 3.5 seasons is ridiculous. He’s on a Hall of Fame trajectory. Jerry Rice put career receiving numbers in another orbit. At Jefferson’s current pace, those numbers may be within his reach.
After Carter, Moss, and Jefferson, the remaining receivers on this list, and the order, can vary greatly. It’s all a matter of what the viewer values in a receiver.
For most of his nine years in Minnesota, Anthony Carter was one of the best playmaking receivers in the league. He was at his game-breaking best in the 1987 playoffs. In consecutive upsets of the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers, Carter starred. An 84-yard punt return touchdown and scoring catch ignited the 44-10 demolition of the Saints. His 10-catch, 227-yard masterpiece against the 49ers was one of the best receiving games I’ve ever seen. Much like the way he flashed across a football field, Carter’s nine years with the Vikings felt shorter than it was.
Ahmad Rashad arrived in Minnesota when he was 27. I always felt that he’d have a bust in Canton if he played for the Vikings and with Fran Tarkenton longer. From 1976-81, Rashad was one of the best receivers in the league.
A Minnesota original, Adam Thielen will always be a favorite of Vikings fans. His underdog story is great. So was his play. From his early days as a special teams star to his five-year run as one of the league’s most impactful receivers, Thielen was a great and fun receiver for the Vikings.
If only Stefon Diggs wasn’t such a volatile personality. Although, one could make the case that the Vikings wouldn’t have Justin Jefferson if he wasn’t so volatile. On the field, Diggs was a pass-catching treat. He and Thielen formed one of the best and most fun receiving duos in the league.
For a receiver with four consecutive 1000-yard seasons, #8 feels low for Jake Reed. He was an underrated receiver while he played. He’s an underrated receiver in retirement. His widespread recognition and respect wasn’t helped by playing opposite Cris Carter. Reed was the deep-threat to Carter’s toe-tapping, chain-moving magic. Reed’s place in league and team history was handed an ever bigger hit when Randy Moss was added in the 1998 NFL Draft.
As a life-long fan of receivers, Sammy White was my first favorite. He and Ahmad Rashad were my first favorite Vikings receiver tandem. They are still one of my favorites. White exploded as a rookie in 1976. He was voted Rookie of the Year and named to the Pro Bowl. Statistically, his first season was his best season but he was impactful, play-making receiver into the 1980s.
John Gilliam was the Vikings top pass-catcher when I discovered football and fell for the Vikings. His four years in Minnesota are very underrated. Over those four years, he averaged a ridiculous 20 yards/catch. He was one of the league’s best deep threats, perhaps the best deep threat. His departure following the 1975 season was my first experience with the transitory nature of player’s time with a team.
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