Top Dallas Cowboys wide receivers in history: Ranking the WRs by total yards, receptions, TDs...

Throughout the Cowboys’ 64-year history, they’ve had a long list of Hall of Fame level wide receivers. Ranking the top receivers is a difficult task because many things must be taken into account. The level of quarterback play today, for example, is much higher than it was in the ‘60s and ‘70s, which will obviously change statistics for the receivers of today.

For example, Dez Bryant, who played for the Cowboys from 2010-2018, is the career leader in touchdown receptions with 73, but I wouldn’t rank him as the Cowboys’ best-ever wide receiver. More factors must be taken into account, like talent, accolades, team success, as well as statistics.

Here is our list of the best Dallas Cowboys receivers throughout franchise history.

Top Dallas Cowboys wide receivers

1. Michael Irvin, 1989-1999

Hall of Fame

Dez Bryant may be first in touchdown catches, but Irvin holds the record for most Cowboys’ receiving records at the wide receiver position. He racked up 1,000-yard seasons year after year and was the first Dallas WR to reach the 10,000-yard milestone. He has the most receiving yards by a landslide with 11,904. In addition to making it to five Pro Bowls in his ten-year tenure with the Cowboys, Irvin along with the other triplets, QB Troy Aikman and RB Emmitt Smith, helped take the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s. He wasn’t the original 88, but he perfectly embodied what it means to wear the number.

2. Drew Pearson, 1973-1983

Hall of Fame

Pearson is the reason that wearing number 88 is a privilege for Dallas wide receivers. He started out as an undrafted free agent and ended up being a pioneer for the position. In his ten years with the Cowboys, he earned three All-Pro honors, including in 1977 when he helped take the Cowboys to Super Bowl XII victory. Pearsons is also known for his iconic “Hail Mary” catch in the 1975 playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings. He only had won the Super Bowl once in his time, but he made it to the championship three times and won the conference title seven times.

3. Dez Bryant, 2010-2018

Bryant is third in receptions, fifth in receiving yards, and as we mentioned, first in touchdown catches. His career was cut short by injuries, but still he ended his career with three Pro Bowls and one All-Pro and of course still holds the spot for most touchdown receptions in franchise history. He unfortunately didn’t make it to a Super Bowl with the team, but still left a mark on the Dallas Cowboys as one of the best receivers to play for the franchise.

4. Bob Hayes, 1965-1974

A former Olympic gold medal sprinter, Hayes was one of the fastest NFL players in his era, and for that he was given the nickname “Bullet Bob”. Although he had just 365 receptions, he racked up 7,295 yards and 71 touchdowns, the third-most of all Cowboys receivers (behind Bryant and TE Jason Witten). That’s thanks to averaging 20 yards per reception throughout his career. Hayes also played a significant role in taking the Cowboys to their first-ever Super Bowl in 1971.

5. CeeDee Lamb, 2021-Present

Lamb has quickly made a name for himself in the NFL and in just four years is already regarded as one of the Cowboys’ best wide receivers of all time. He is currently on track to beat every Dallas Cowboys receiving record and in fact beat Michael Irvin’s long-standing record for single receptions in a season (122) last season. Until then, Irvin held the record with 111 from 1995. Lamb had also already become seventh in catches, eighth in yards, and 11th in touchdowns, leads the Cowboys in receiving yards per game (78), and is a three-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro. Considering he’s accomplished all this in just four years, Lamb is on pace to become the best wide receiver in Cowboys history at the end of his career.

6. Tony Hill, 1977-1986

Hill reached the 1,000-yard milestone three times in his nine-year career and made it to three Pro Bowls and one Second-team All-Pro. In fact, he has more receiving yards (7,988) than both Drew Pearson and Dez Bryant and is just fifth in Cowboys history with 51 touchdowns. He played an important role in taking the Cowboys to five conference championships and two Super Bowls, including their Super Bowl XII victory.

7. Amari Cooper, 2018-2021

The Cowboys traded with the Raiders for Cooper in 2018 and that one move alone transformed them into playoff contenders. In just nine games, he put up 725 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Though he was only with the team for three seasons, he left his mark. The two-time Pro Bowler ranks 10th in Cowboys history in receiving yards (3,893), putting up 1,000+ yards in back-to-back seasons.

8. Terrell Owens, 2006-2008

Owens had one of the shortest tenures with the Cowboys but left an indelible mark on the team as well. He was signed as a free agent in 2006 and put up consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. In just three seasons, T.O. put up 38 touchdowns, and helped take the Cowboys to the playoffs twice, though they lost both times. Though he was a controversial figure off the field, T.O. ended up being fourth in receiving yards and first in touchdowns during his tenure, and is second in receiving yards per game (76.3) in franchise history. In 2007, Owens led the league with 13 touchdowns and put up nearly 1,200 yards. He made it to the Pro Bowl once and one First-Team All-Pro.

9. Miles Austin, 2006-2013

Joining the Cowboys at the same time as T.O., Austin had his breakout season in 2009 once Owens had left with 81 receptions for 1,320 yards and a Pro Bowl (his first of two). He has the fifth-most targets of any Cowboys pass-catcher, and is ninth in franchise history in receiving yards (4,481). It was his ability to make clutch plays that really helped boost his name as one of the top 10 Cowboys receivers of all time.

10. Lance Rentzel, 1967-1970

Rentzel is third in Cowboys history to have a 1,000-yard season and is 16th in total receiving yards (3,521). In his first two seasons, he put up 2,965 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns. In 1969, he led the league with 12 touchdowns. By the end of his short time in Dallas, Rentzel had set multiple records, including most receptions in a game (later broken by TE Jason Witten) and most consecutive 100-yard games (later broken by Michael Irvin). Rentzel still ranks fourth in Cowboys history in playoff receiving yards with 242.