Super Bowl 56 Wide Receivers Breakdown

By Carlos Chacon • February 3, 2022

One of the biggest draws of Super Bowl 56 is the potential fireworks on display by both the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams’ respective offenses, particularly the passing game. The two teams are loaded with heavy receiving artillery, and we’re here to dissect each side’s firepower leading up to the big game in Southern California.

NitroBetting is ready to equip its bettors with the latest news, NFL odds, and previews for the entirety of the 2022 NFL Playoffs. This time, let’s break down the wide receiving corps of both the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams, as well as an evaluation of which team has the edge in the aerial assault to come on February 13.

Super Bowl 56 Wide Receivers Breakdown

Joe Cool and the Cool Cats

Joe Burrow’s phenomenal sophomore NFL campaign wouldn’t be where it is without the addition of Burrow’s former LSU teammate, Ja’Marr Chase. The fifth-overall pick in last year’s draft broke several franchise records by finishing with 1,455 receiving yards (fourth-most in the regular season) and 13 receiving touchdowns (third amongst all wide receivers). He hasn’t slowed down in the playoffs either, racking up 20 catches for 279 yards and another trip to the end zone.

Chase isn’t the only viable weapon in the Bengals’ receiving corps, though, as Tee Higgins has proven himself as a solid WR2 option on the team’s offense. Higgins, who was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft by Cincy after Burrow, also finished the regular season with a 1000-yard receiving campaign to go with six TDs. The Clemson product also has over 200 receiving yards this postseason and is averaging 14.9 yards per catch, which is tops in his team.

Tyler Boyd is the third-best option out of the bunch and provides the Bengals with a dependable veteran presence in the slot. Boyd had two 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his six years in Cincy and finished with no fewer than 800 receiving yards in each of the last four years.

A Kupp-le of Heavy Hitters on the Rams’ Staff

It would be a crime if Cooper Kupp doesn’t win the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award at season’s end. The 28-year-old Washington native completed the rare receiving triple crown, leading the NFL in catches (145), receiving yards (1,947, and receiving TDs (16) during the regular season. He even recently set a new league record by being the first wide receiver with over 2,000 receiving yards in the regular season and postseason combined, and he’s undoubtedly the main catalyst to Matthew Stafford’s success as LA’s new gunslinger.

Kupp isn’t the only downfield threat that the Bengals have to worry about, as three-time Pro Bowl selection Odell Beckham Jr. is coming off his best performance in a Rams uniform. In the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers, He finished with season-highs of nine catches and 119 receiving yards. Beckham finding his groove right before the Super Bowl is a huge plus for Los Angeles, especially with OBJ facing fellow LSU alums Burrow and Chase as another Tiger from the Bayou looking to win the big one.

Perhaps the biggest surprise, however, is that second-year wideout Van Jefferson was the one who finished with over 1,000 receiving yards during the regular season alongside Kupp and not Beckham. Unfortunately, Jefferson has been held to just five catches for 79 yards in three playoff games and is dealing with a minor knee issue right now.

Who Has the Advantage in Super Bowl 56?

It’s pretty safe to say that both teams are evenly matched in terms of their respective receiving platoons. Kupp is a one-man army on his own, but the duo of Chase and Higgins have been more consistent in tandem throughout the playoffs. In turn, health may be the determining factor in this matchup, with Cincy having the slight advantage. Then again, Jefferson’s knee injury isn’t a huge concern for the Rams with plenty of time to recover before Super Bowl 56.

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