The modern NFL revolves around the passing game. And while it doesn’t guarantee a Super Bowl, pairing a superstar quarterback with a dynamic playmaker on the outside is often a recipe for success.
The Bengals remain relevant solely due to the explosive connection between Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. The Rams are contenders once again after fortifying their receiver corps with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. No matter how dysfunctional things get in Dallas, they can still count on Dak Prescott throwing bombs to CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
Teams lacking an elite QB or receiver are in big trouble. But having one isn’t enough, as evidenced by the recent underwhelming performances of the Baltimore Ravens (Lamar Jackson flying solo) and Minnesota Vikings (Justin Jefferson begging for stability).
Some teams are lucky enough to have both spots locked down. These are The 10 Best QB-WR Duos in the NFL.
10.Jalen Hurts & DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles duo brought their chemistry from Alabama to the pros. Smith’s route-running is efficient and precise, and Hurts trusts the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner in a way that’s borderline telepathic. Even as the Eagles’ offense wobbled in 2025, Smith remains a problem for defenses on intermediate routes, which he wins with both finesse and toughness. Smith doesn’t always put up eye-grabbing numbers, but he’s Hurts' favorite target in big moments. If Philly is to repeat as champs, he must play a pivotal role.
9.Justin Herbert & Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
Keenan Allen has a case to be here, but McConkey has the edge because this QB-WR combo represents the Chargers future. McConkey only had one Power Five offer out of high school, and slipped to the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, likely due to his lack of size (6’0”, 186). Yet he runs a sub-4.4 40-yard dash, has an off-the-charts football IQ, and just seems to find a way to get open, especially on third down. The Chargers have been strikingly inconsistent this season, due in part to injuries along the offensive line. Herbert also needs to limit his turnovers, but this connection has the Chargers poised for another postseason appearance.
8.Drake Maye & Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots
Though newly established, this QB-WR duo’s chemistry is undeniable. Diggs has reestablished himself in New England after flaming out in Buffalo and tearing his ACL during his lone season in Houston. Suddenly, he looks like a WR1 again: running sharp routes, catching everything his way, and giving the Patriots an edge they desperately needed.
Maye has made the leap in his second season out of North Carolina. With poise, accuracy, and athleticism, he’s positioned as one of the most promising signal callers in the NFL. The Patriots haven’t had an identity since Tom Brady left town, but this pairing—along with the coaching of Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels—has brought winning back to Foxborough.
7.Baker Mayfield & Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield’s early trust in Emeka Egbuka speaks volumes about the rookie’s future; he immediately leaned on him after starters Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr., went down with injuries in October. Egbuka’s physicality and intentionality have translated immediately to the NFL and he has already become the target Mayfield looks for when the pocket tightens. Now, Egbuka, the 19th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, has emerged as a frontrunner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
6.Patrick Mahomes & Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City’s offense has been searching for a playmaker at wideout since trading Tyreek Hill in March 2022— a need amplified by Travis Kelce’s diminished production. But Rice, who was acquired with draft capital the Chiefs obtained in the Hill trade, has given Mahomes a threat who consistently wins routes and breaks tackles after the catch. The Chiefs have struggled this season, especially on the road (6-6 overall, 1-5 away from Arrowhead), and are flirting with missing the postseason but Mahomes’ growing confidence in Rice is one reason no team wants to see them in the playoffs.
5.Jared Goff & Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
The Lions’ rise has been built on their running game and a precise passing attack fueled by their QB-WR duo. For St. Brown, everything is personal. He’s still salty about getting drafted in the fourth-round and even selected jersey No. 14 because he believed 14 receivers were selected before him in the 2021 NFL Draft. (The correct number is, in fact, 16).
St. Brown is one of the strongest receivers in the league—a quality cemented through his rigorous early-life training with his brothers and father, former bodybuilding champion John Brown. Goff trusts St. Brown completely, to the point where he often throws before St. Brown even turns his head. Detroit’s offense is a finely tuned machine when these two are synced up, and most weeks they are.
4.Dak Prescott & George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
Things looked bleak for the Cowboys when CeeDee Lamb went down with a high ankle sprain in September, but that just opened the door for Prescott to forge a connection with the recently acquired George Pickens. As a result, Dak finally found the big-bodied playmaking receiver he needed opposite Lamb, making the Cowboys passing game nearly unstoppable. Through 12 games, Pickens, a fourth-year pro, has already notched career highs in receptions (73), yards (1142), and touchdowns (8).
3.Sam Darnold & Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
Sam Darnold resurrected his career in 2024 with a shocking, MVP-caliber campaign with the Minnesota Vikings and has backed it up this season in Seattle. Though Darnold struggled mightily recently against the Rams, tossing four picks, the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft is a legit star. It’s clear Smith-Njigba has a lot to do with it. Darnold trusts him as his first read on critical downs and JSN’s ability to create separation and catch-and-run talent make him a premier weapon with the potential to break Calvin Johnson’s all-time single season receiving yards record.
2.Matthew Stafford & Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Nacua was only a fifth-round pick in 2023, yet walked into the league playing like he’d been a WR1 for years. His chemistry with Stafford was apparent immediately, as Nacua posted 752 yards in his first seven games (just 2 yards shy of the all-time record, which belongs to Ja’Marr Chase). The partnership between Nacua and Stafford has grown even stronger since.
Stafford, the former Georgia Bulldog, throws to Nacua with anticipation, and the receiver attacks every ball as if it’s contested, even when open. Both compete with a chip on their shoulder: Stafford, 38. wants to show he’s still got it, while the 24-year-old slot receiver plays every snap like he’s proving everyone wrong for letting him fall to Day 3. With the Rams atop the NFC West, Nacua has emerged as Stafford’s weapon of choice.
1.Joe Burrow & Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Burrow has had trouble staying on the field, yet when he’s healthy, this duo feels inevitable. Their timing and trust are uncanny—the product of years building chemistry starting at LSU, where they turned Saturdays into weekly clinics. Chase is a generational receiver, with game-changing explosiveness, and Burrow, one of the most accurate passers of this generation, throws to him with a confidence that borders on recklessness.
Burrow is one of the league’s best QBs and Chase is 1A or 1B alongside Justin Jefferson as the best receiver in the game. At 4-8 they’ll need to win out to have a chance at the postseason. But when this duo is rolling, there’s no better QB-WR duo in football.