Charting the Careers of the NFL's Greatest Pass Catchers

In the above graphic, we've charted the cumulative catches for 425 NFL players over the course of their careers. To be included in our dataset, a player must have finished within the top 20 in receptions for at least one season in the Super Bowl era. While the majority of players represented are wide receivers, a number of running backs and tight ends also make our list. 

49ers legend Jerry Rice stands as the most productive pass catcher in league history, with over 1,500 receptions in his 20-year NFL career. His longevity also sets him apart; he played two more full seasons than any other player shown here and is the only non-kicker to top 300 games played. Second on the list is Tony Gonzalez, long-time tight end for the Chiefs and Falcons, who retired back in 2013.

So who among active players is most likely to catch Rice? It could be Larry Fitzgerald, already third all-time in career receptions and the leader among current players. Another strong candidate is Antonio Brown, who's averaging over 6.3 receptions in 111 games so far. That's well ahead of the pace Rice set through the first seven seasons of his career.

Then we come to Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry. And while both are off to hot starts, their career reception totals are still less than one-fourth of Rice's. Even if their trajectories hold, they'll need to play at least 12 more seasons if they want to have a chance at catching the GOAT.