7 QB-WR duos that will light up NFL in 2023 feat. Lamar Jackson & Odell Beckham Jr.
Across the NFL, there are a lot of good wide receiver and quarterback duos. Most teams have figured out by now that a quarterback generally needs a reliable wide receiver to succeed. With a few exceptions, most top quarterbacks have at least one elite wide receiver to throw to.
Some teams have addressed that issue this offseason, while others have had the pieces in place for a while. Which quarterback and wide receiver tandems are poised to set the league on fire? Here are a few examples.
NFL QB and WR duos that are poised to anger the league's defenses
7) Rookie (Bryce Young) and Adam Thielen
Whichever rookie the Carolina Panthers select is set to succeed. Assuming it's Bryce Young, and most reports suggest it will be, the Panthers have given him a legitimate top wide receiver in Adam Thielen.
Hayden Hurst and D.J. Chark will help, but Young and Thielen figure to make sure Young wins Offensive Rookie of the Year. If it's C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson or even Will Levis, the same is still true.
6) Justin Fields and D.J. Moore
Justin Fields was throwing to Cole Kmet, Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool last year. He was also running for his life most of the time. Now, he has a legitimate WR1 in D.J. Moore and the Chicago Bears have plenty of assets to shore up the offensive line. Both of these players were expected to do well, but now that they're together, they'll be an incredible tandem. Defenses won't know what hit them.
5) Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp
Before Cooper Kupp got injured, people might have forgotten that he was having another incredible season. The Los Angeles Rams were bad and their offense was one-dimensional (Kupp was the only player that got the ball) and he was still dominant. With his health and Stafford under center, there is no reason why Kupp can't dominate NFL secondaries once again.
4) AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts
Lost in the excitement over Jalen Hurts' record-setting extension is the fact that NFL defenses have to contend with the duo of Hurts and A.J. Brown. These two were electric in their first year together and developed a strong relationship. In year two, it can reasonably expected that both will have excellent seasons through the air.
3) Lamar Jackson and Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the Baltimore Ravens. If (and this is a massive if) Lamar Jackson returns to the team after publicly asking for a trade, they would form an incredible duo.
Jackson has thrived in a passing game where he could throw to Mark Andrews and a bunch of WR3s. He's never had a receiver on the level of an injured OBJ, so expect the passing game in Baltimore to be firing on all cylinders next season.
2) Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase
Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase dominated the league in Chase's rookie season. They did it again when he was healthy last season. In year three, assuming he has no injuries, Burrow and Chase will be one of the NFL's most dynamic duos once again. Chase could be the best wide receiver in football and Burrow is at least a top five quarterback.
1) Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson
Once Aaron Rodgers gets traded to the New York Jets, Garrett Wilson will be a happy wide receiver. He dominated NFL defenses at times with Zach Wilson and Mike White throwing him the ball, so imagine what he'll do with a future Hall of Famer. Wilson is a major upgrade over Allen Lazard and Christian Watson, the receivers he had in Green Bay.
Rodgers may not be in his prime anymore, but he'll benefit from a strong offensive line and having an elite wide receiver to throw to. Expect a career year from Wilson with Rodgers at the helm.