sports
Ja'Marr Chase Ranks First in ESPN 2026 NFL Wide Receiver Survey
ESPN's annual poll of league executives, coaches and scouts placed the Cincinnati Bengals receiver at the top of the position. The survey drew more than 70 ballots and forms the seventh edition of the rankings series.
Jul 16, 8:45 AM·1m read1 source
espn.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals received the top spot in ESPN's 2026 wide receiver rankings, which were published July 15. The 26-year-old earned roughly 70 percent of first-place votes from more than 70 league executives, coaches and scouts who submitted ballots. Chase's highest individual ranking was first and his lowest was third.
He finished the 2025 season with 125 catches for 1,412 yards, third and fourth in the league, respectively. The survey is the seventh edition of ESPN's annual position rankings. Voters were asked to rank the top 10 players at each spot based on current performance rather than long-term projections.
Wide receivers drew the broadest support of any position, with 26 players receiving at least one top-10 vote. The position continues to command high salaries. Receivers account for four of the top-12 highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the league.
Last year's survey produced only 15 players with enough votes for top-10 consideration. The 2026 NFL training camps are scheduled to begin in the coming weeks.
Transparency
How sources framed this
Single source — no framing comparison available.
CorroborationModerate · 1 source
