by Jimmy Patrick

Created on: May 07, 2009   Last Updated: May 09, 2009

In order to answer the question of best wide receiver in the NFL, right now, you can't just look at stats. Stats are a nice way to back up your ideas, but stats can be easily inflated by offensive schemes. Some receivers are on teams that throw a lot more than others, or on teams that have no other talent on the field. To come up with the best receiver, you need to ask which receiver you would put on your team, if you owned a team.

By asking this question, it forces you to take into consideration what kind of person, what kind of teammate they are going to be. Are they the kind of player who will come through in the clutch? Do they block for the running backs? Is their talent at a level that will make all their teammates better? Last but not least, do they pass the all-important eye-ball test? When you watch them play, do they wow you?

The top ten for this competition are as follows: Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith (Carolina), Hines Ward and Reggie Wayne.

The final three on this list are: Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, and Andre Johnson. Please remember, we are talking about the best receiver right now, not best of all time or best in the past ten years. If you had to start a team tomorrow, with the objecting of winning a game tomorrow, who should you take at receiver?

The answer is, in a very close contest, Larry Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald is heading into his sixth season in the NFL, which means he is not even close to being old yet, but has gained plenty of experience. He knows the ins and outs of the NFL. He has proved himself over the past five seasons, which is why he beats out players like Calvin Johnson. If it weren't for Calvin Johnson's youth, he may have been number one on this list.

By all accounts, Fitzgerald is a great teammate, which cannot be said for the likes of Owens or Moss. Fitzgerald is seven years younger than Holt, more consistent than Andre Johnson from a season to season basis, and he has a distinct size advantage over Smith without giving up any speed or catching ability.

In fact, if it were a measurable trait, Fitzgerald may have the best hands, the strongest ability to make the tough catches. He also has that Jerry Rice-like ability to get open against any and all coverages. The opposing defenses know that the Arizona Cardinals game plan will include a lot of passes to Fitzgerald, yet throughout the course of a game, he will be so wide open at times, it looks like the other team forgot all about him.

Fitzgerald's past two seasons have been his best, which shows him to be in his prime right now. He has surpassed 1400 yards and 10 touchdowns in both 2007 and 2008, helping to guide his team to the Super Bowl in 2008. His 2008 stat line reads as follows: 16 games, 96 receptions, 1431 yards, and 12 touchdowns.

There are a lot of amazing receivers in the NFL. As we all know, it is nearly impossible to pick just one as the best one. There are a lot of receivers that would improve their team's chances of winning, but Fitzgerald seems to be at the perfect place in his career. He would have to be the first receiver taken if the NFL held a fantasy draft.

Learn more about this author, Jimmy Patrick.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.