Ranking the top 25 wide receivers in NFL history…
8. Cris Carter
Drafted in the fourth round of the 1987 supplemental draft by the Philadelphia Eagles out of Ohio State, where he set school records with 168 receptions and 27 touchdowns, Carter overcame early struggles to become a Hall of Fame wide receiver.
With the Eagles (1987-1989), Carter showed flashes, leading the team with 11 touchdowns in 1989 on 45 catches for 605 yards. But his peak came over 12 seasons with the Vikings (1990-2001), where he became a perennial Pro Bowler.
He set an NFL record with 122 receptions in 1994 (1,256 yards, 7 TDs), earning First-Team All-Pro, and topped the league with 17 touchdowns in 1995 on another 122 catches for 1,371 yards.
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Standout years included 1997 (89 receptions, 1,069 yards, 13 TDs) and 1999 (90 receptions, 1,241 yards, 13 TDs, another All-Pro). Carter helped the Vikings to multiple playoffs, including the 1998 NFC Championship, though they fell short of a Super Bowl. He left Minnesota as their all-time leader in receptions (1,004), yards (12,383) and touchdowns (110).
Briefly with the Miami Dolphins in 2002, he added eight catches for 66 yards and one TD in five games before retiring due to health issues.
Carter’s career totals: 1,101 receptions, 13,899 yards and 130 touchdowns, ranking second all-time at retirement behind Jerry Rice. He made eight straight Pro Bowls (1993-2000), earned two All-Pro nods, and was named to the 1990s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.
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Carter’s standout attributes were his legendary hands, body control and leaping ability, allowing acrobatic catches in traffic. His playing style was that of a possession receiver: precise routes, strong after the catch, and reliable in the red zone, excelling at contested balls.
But who ranks ahead of Carter at No. 7 all-time?