The 20 best wide receivers in the history of the NY Giants

The NY Giants have had a plethora of talented wide receivers come and go during their 100-year history. It may not be their most stacked position of all time, but that doesn't mean they've been devout of serious talent over the years.

These 20 players stand out amongst the rest as the best the Giants have ever seen. Whether they're perennial talents, big-time playoff playmakers, or consistently good targets for quarterbacks over the years, these receivers deserve nothing but respect from the fan base.

Criteria for selection

In most cases, people will rank wide receivers based on statistics, and while that is definitely an important factor in our decisions, it's not quite at the top of the list. If it were based just on stats, everyone would already know who the 20 best receivers are.

The New York Giants have a history of star receivers making some of the biggest plays in NFL history, so those who have accomplished these feats will likely get a nod over others. In addition to this, Pro Bowl, and All-Pro nods help determine the best players around the league at each position, so if a player has made either team, they'll likely be higher than someone who hasn't.

Lastly, we have winning, and impact while on the Giants on our list too. These things are tough to judge, as, unfortunately for New York, some of their best receivers have been wasted on poor teams. But realistically, we know how talented they are. However, pure talent does not define the whole list either, as some of the lowest receivers on the current depth chart are a better pure talent than some of the best from the '50s and '60s.

Here are the 20 best wide receivers in NY Giants history

20: Johnny Perkins

Johnny Perkins is a name likely not known by the casual Giants fan, as he played in the era after their NFL Championships in the '50s, and before their Super Bowl wins in the '80s and '90s. Despite this, he still turned in a very solid career in New York, at least compared to the competition. His best season was in 1981 when he caught 51 passes for 858 yards and six touchdowns, catching passes from Phill Simms on a team that took down the Eagles in the Wild Card Round before falling to the Niners in the Divisional Round.

19: Stephen Baker

The Touchdown Maker himself simply had to make the list. The 5-8 Fresno State product had a productive six-year career with the Giants before retiring in 1992 due to a back injury. Stephen Baker played a vital role in the Giants' 1990 Super Bowl victory, catching a touchdown in what would be a one-point victory. By the time it was all said and done, Baker caught 141 passes for 2,587 yards and 21 touchdowns.

18: Mark Ingram

If this list was based on receivers who consistently put in the most effort, Mark Ingram would be first. He may not have the statistical superiority over Baker, but his absurd play against the Bills in the same Super Bowl is one that is enshrined in NY Giants history. Had he not opted to join the Dolphins after the 1992 season, Ingram very well could have been higher on the list.

17: Earnest Gray

This is one of the times when statistics will reign supreme, especially considering the prime Earnest Gray had with the Giants compared to guys like Baker and Ingram. In the 1983 season, Grey caught 78 passes for 1,139 yards and five touchdowns. While he would call it quits before the Giants' 1986 Super Bowl victory, he played a huge role in setting the team up for future success with his efforts beforehand.

16: Steve Smith

Steve Smith is a hard receiver to judge. While he had probably the best peak out of everyone we've mentioned thus far, it was the only season in which he was an above-average pass-catcher. Alongside this, he wasn't much of a factor in the team's 2007 Super Bowl win, and ditched town for the rival Eagles before their run in 2011. However, we have to respect Smith, as his lone Pro Bowl season was truly incredible and one of the best in team history, it's just unfortunate he couldn't repeat it.

15: Darius Slayton

Since being drafted in the fifth round back in 2019, Darius Slayton has been nothing but consistent for the Giants. Sure, there have been some rough moments, but Slayton has failed to rack up over 700+ yards just one time in five seasons and it doesn't look like he'll be slowing down soon. He's been one of the few consistent players on a bad Giants team for years now. Despite playing with poor coaches and QBs, Slayton is just outside the Top 20 in every Giants receiving stat through just five years, incredibly impressive.

14: Sterling Shepard

Had it not been for injuries, Sterling Shepard would easily be in the Top 10. However, we were only able to witness two fully healthy seasons in eight years. Despite this, he still managed to rack up the fifth most receptions in team history and over 4,000 receiving yards. Through thick and thin, Shepard managed to be a bright spot for the Giants, both on the field, and in the locker room.

13: Mario Manningham

He may not have been around as long as Shepard, but Mario Manningham had arguably a better peak, and his heroics in Super Bowl 46 helped give him the edge. The Michigan man is responsible for one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history on the receiving end of one of the greatest throws in Super Bowl history. This combined with his production when healthy made it easy to put him relatively high on the list.

12: Lionel Manuel

Lionel Manuel may not have been prevalent during the Giants' two Super Bowl runs in the '80s and '90s due to injuries, but he was still a constant part of New York's offense for six years. At his peak, he caught 65 receptions for 1,029 yards and four touchdowns. Just like many receivers on this list, Manuel did not have a super long career due to injuries, but in his prime, he was a beast for Simms and Bill Parcells.

11: Chris Calloway

He may not be a player remembered for his efforts, as he unfortunately joined and left the Giants before and after their Super Bowl appearances in '90 and 2000. However, Chris Calloway was a consistent staple of some rough Giants' offenses, racking up 700+ yards in four consecutive seasons and ended his career in New York ranking Top 10 in almost every receiving stat.

10: Ike Hilliard

The former No. 7 overall pick may not have lived up to the hype during his time with the Giants, but Ike Hillard still managed to put together a long and productive career in the NFL. During his eight seasons with the Giants, he caught 368 passes for 4,630 yards and 27 touchdowns. Alongside this, Hilliard was a big part of New York's offense in their near Super Bowl-winning 2000 season.

9: Bob Schnelker

Bob Schnelker played in a time when receivers were not an incredibly important part of a team's offense. Despite this, he still managed to make two Pro Bowls and even won the NFL Championship with the Giants in 1956. The 377th overall pick of the 1950 draft had a long way to go to make an NFL career, but he made the most out of his opportunities with the Giants and deserves a top spot on our list. His stats won't go to show the impact he had on the team.

8: Hakeem Nicks

In his prime, Hakeem Nicks was up there with some of the best receivers in the NFL and was a vital piece in the Giants' impossible 2011 Super Bowl win. The former Tar Heel managed to catch 318 passes for 4,676 yards and 27 touchdowns in six seasons with the Giants. Had injuries not played a factor in the outcome of his career, Nicks would easily be higher.

7: Plaxico Burress

The Giants truly have a hilarious history of finding an uber-talented pass-catcher, just to lose them to injury, or in Plaxico Burress's case, off-the-field issues. Regardless, this does not take away from the monstrous prime Burress had with the Giants. His 2007 season with the team saw him catch 70 passes for 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns, even catching a game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl that same season.

6: Homer Jones

He may be known as the first player in NFL history to spike a football, but Homer Jones had a very productive career that saw him make two Pro Bowls and an All-Pro second team appearance. Jones led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 1967 in the midst of three consecutive 1,000+ yard seasons. Jones was incredibly ahead of his time as a pass-catcher, both in terms of playstyle, and swagger.

5: Del Shofner

The three-time Pro Bowler had some truly impressive statistical feats for his era, racking up three consecutive 1,000+ yard seasons with the Giants. While Del Shofner unfortunately never won a championship during his NFL career, that doesn't take away from the absurd talent he was as a pass-catcher in the 1960s.

4: Kyle Rote

Shofner may have statistical superiority over a guy like Kyle Rote, but what gives Rote the edge here is the fact that he spent his entire 10-year career with the NY Giants and won a championship with the team in 1956. The former No. 1 overall pick has the second-most receiving touchdowns in team history and is Top 10 in yards as well.

3: Victor Cruz

Victor Cruz is the definition of a career destroyed by injuries. I may have some bias putting him this high, as Cruz was the receiver I grew up idolizing. However, there were few pass-catchers in the NFL more talented than Cruz in his prime. His 2011 season saw him catch 82 passes for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns on his way to a Super Bowl appearance. If not for back-to-back patellar and fascia injuries, Cruz could have had a career worthy of the Hall of Fame.

2. Odell Beckham Jr.

If this list were based purely on talent, Odell Beckham Jr. would be at the top by a landslide. Unfortunately, due to injuries and overblown personality issues, Beckham didn't have a very long career with the Giants. However, in his four seasons in New York, Beckham did things never seen before. If not for Dave Gettleman being a buffoon, we could have enjoyed watching Beckham a bit longer.

1. Amani Toomer

There was never a doubt on who No. 1 would be, as for 13 seasons Toomer embodied what it meant to be a Giant. Alongside this, Toomer won a Super Bowl with the team in 2007 and is first in virtually every receiving stat in Giant history. He truly checks off every box to be first on our list and while he was somehow never selected to a Pro Bowl, true fans of the team know just how talented of a player Toomer was. He finished with 9,497 receiving yards, No. 1 all-time on the Giants list.

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