Ranking the top 5 AFC North wide receivers in 2019

Last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers had the best pairing of wide receivers in the AFC North. The combination of Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster was too much for most defenses to handle, and were a big reason why Ben Roethlisberger was able to throw for 5,100 yards in 2018.

However, that probably won’t be the case this season. The Steelers traded Brown to Oakland this offseason, and some young receivers will need to step up in a big way.

Meanwhile, the Browns and Ravens both made big-time investments in wide receivers this offseason. Here are my top 5 wide receivers in the AFC North heading into 2019:

5. Marquise Brown, Ravens

Marquise “Hollywood” Brown was one of the fastest college wide receivers we have seen. Though he wasn’t able to do any athletic testing due to a foot injury, Brown has drawn close comparisons to Desean Jackson.

It’s hard to predict exactly how John Harbaugh and company will elect to use the speedster wide-out. However, if his first round price tag is any indication, the Ravens will attempt to get him involved from day one.

4. Jarvis Landry, Browns

Jarvis Landry might not be a threat down the field, but throughout his productive career he has been one of the NFL’s most reliable safety blankets. Landry has some of the strongest hands in the NFL and seems to catch everything in his direction.

This year, he will no doubt take the back seat to Odell Beckham Jr. in Cleveland, but Landry should be a valuable asset nonetheless.

3. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers

We will get a very good feel for who JuJu Smith-Schuster is in year three, as he has a chance to potentially elevate himself one spot higher on this list. The young wide-out is quickly emerging as a star and a fan favorite in Pittsburgh.

JuJu will take on the responsibilities of the Steelers’ number one wide receiver in 2019. Though his best play may come from the slot, Pittsburgh can line up JuJu all over the field and allow him to make plays.

2. A.J. Green, Bengals

Though he will turn 31 years old this offseason, A.J. Green is no slouch. Prior to last year, Green was a 7-time consecutive Pro Bowl player and has been widely considered one of the best wide receivers in the game since 2011.

Green will stand to make a sizable impact in 2019. Though there will be a time that JuJu (and possibly others) surpass A.J. Green on the list of best AFC North receivers, I don’t think it will be this year.

1. Odell Beckham Jr., Browns

This was a pretty easy one to slot, and I don’t think there is a lot of debate to it. Odell Beckham Jr. is clearly one of the leagues premier receivers – perhaps the best in the game. Though injuries held him back each of the past two seasons, Beckham had one of the best 3-year spans we have seen at the position.

Still at just 26 years old, and now on a team with a more than competent quarterback in Baker Mayfield, the sky is the limit for Odell Beckham. There’s no telling what he might accomplish this year, but with everything the Browns gave up to land him, I expect big things.

It’s hard to tell exactly how the 2019 season is going to play out in terms of how the AFC North receivers will perform. The truth is, this is a rock-solid group of wide-outs. We can only hope JuJu and a group of young receivers in Pittsburgh can do enough to help the Steelers win the AFC North this season.