| Rank | Player | Position | Team by season | | | |
| 1 | Jerry Rice^ | Wide receiver | San Francisco 49ers Oakland Raiders Seattle Seahawks | 1,549 | 22,895 | 14.8 |
| 2 | | Wide receiver | Arizona Cardinals | 1,432 | 17,492 | 12.2 |
| 3 | Terrell Owens^ | Wide receiver | San Francisco 49ers Philadelphia Eagles Dallas Cowboys Buffalo Bills Cincinnati Bengals | 1,078 | 15,934 | 14.8 |
| 4 | ^ | Wide receiver | Minnesota Vikings Oakland Raiders New England Patriots Tennessee Titans San Francisco 49ers | 982 | 15,292 | 15.6 |
| 5 | Isaac Bruce^ | Wide receiver | Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams San Francisco 49ers | 1,024 | 15,208 | 14.9 |
| 6 | Tony Gonzalez^ | Tight end | Kansas City Chiefs Atlanta Falcons | 1,325 | 15,127 | 11.4 |
| 7 | Tim Brown^ | Wide receiver | L.A./Oakland Raiders Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1,094 | 14,934 | 13.7 |
| 8 | Steve Smith Sr. | Wide receiver | Carolina Panthers Baltimore Ravens | 1,031 | 14,731 | 14.3 |
| 9 | Marvin Harrison^ | Wide receiver | Indianapolis Colts | 1,102 | 14,580 | 13.2 |
| 10 | Reggie Wayne | Wide receiver | Indianapolis Colts | 1,070 | 14,345 | 13.5 |
| 11 | Andre Johnson^ | Wide receiver | Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Tennessee Titans | 1,062 | 14,185 | 13.4 |
| 12 | James Lofton^ | Wide receiver | Green Bay Packers Los Angeles Raiders Buffalo Bills Los Angeles Rams Philadelphia Eagles | 764 | 14,004 | 18.3 |
| 13 | Cris Carter^ | Wide receiver | Philadelphia Eagles Minnesota Vikings Miami Dolphins | 1,101 | 13,899 | 12.6 |
| 14 | Anquan Boldin | Wide receiver | Arizona Cardinals Baltimore Ravens San Francisco 49ers Detroit Lions | 1,076 | 13,779 | 12.8 |
| 15 | Henry Ellard | Wide receiver | Los Angeles Rams Washington Redskins New England Patriots | 814 | 13,777 | 16.9 |
| 16 | | Wide receiver | Atlanta Falcons Tennessee Titans Tampa Bay Buccaneers Philadelphia Eagles | 914 | 13,703 | 15.0 |
| 17 | Torry Holt | Wide receiver | St. Louis Rams Jacksonville Jaguars | 920 | 13,382 | 14.5 |
| 18 | * | Wide receiver | Houston Texans Arizona Cardinals Tennessee Titans Kansas City Chiefs Baltimore Ravens | 1,006 | 13,295 | 13.2 |
| 19 | Andre Reed^ | Wide receiver | Buffalo Bills Washington Redskins | 951 | 13,198 | 13.9 |
| 20 | Steve Largent^ | Wide receiver | Seattle Seahawks | 819 | 13,089 | 16.0 |
| 21 | Mike Evans* | Wide receiver | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 866 | 13,052 | 15.1 |
| 22 | | Tight end | Dallas Cowboys Las Vegas Raiders | 1,228 | 13,046 | 10.6 |
| 23 | * | Tight end | Kansas City Chiefs | 1,080 | 13,002 | 12.0 |
| 24 | Irving Fryar | Wide receiver | New England Patriots Miami Dolphins Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins | 851 | 12,785 | 15.0 |
| 25 | ^ | Wide receiver | Washington Redskins New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles | 940 | 12,721 | 13.5 |
| 26 | Davante Adams* | Wide receiver | Green Bay Packers Las Vegas Raiders New York Jets Los Angeles Rams | 1,017 | 12,633 | 12.4 |
| 27 | | Wide receiver | Denver Broncos Miami Dolphins Chicago Bears New York Jets New York Giants Seattle Seahawks/New Orleans Saints | 970 | 12,351 | 12.7 |
| 28 | | Wide receiver | Pittsburgh Steelers New England Patriots Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 928 | 12,291 | 13.2 |
| 29 | | Wide receiver | Dallas Cowboys Jacksonville Jaguars | 862 | 12,287 | 14.3 |
| 30 | Charlie Joiner^ | Wide receiver | Houston Oilers Cincinnati Bengals San Diego Chargers | 750 | 12,146 | 16.2 |
| 31 | Hines Ward | Wide receiver | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1,000 | 12,083 | 12.1 |
| 32 | | Wide receiver | Tennessee Oilers/Titans Baltimore Ravens New York Jets/Houston Texans | 943 | 12,061 | 12.8 |
| 33 | Keenan Allen* | Wide receiver | San Diego/L.A. Chargers Chicago Bears | 1,055 | 12,051 | 11.4 |
| 34 | Michael Irvin^ | Wide receiver | Dallas Cowboys | 750 | 11,904 | 15.9 |
| 35 | Antonio Gates^ | Tight end | San Diego/L.A. Chargers | 955 | 11,841 | 12.4 |
| 36 | ^ | Wide receiver | New York Giants New York Titans/Jets St. Louis Cardinals | 633 | 11,834 | 18.7 |
| 37 | Calvin Johnson^ | Wide receiver | Detroit Lions | 731 | 11,619 | 15.9 |
| 38 | Stefon Diggs* | Wide receiver | Minnesota Vikings Buffalo Bills Houston Texans New England Patriots | 942 | 11,504 | 12.2 |
| 39 | | Wide receiver | Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears | 860 | 11,438 | 13.3 |
| 40 | | Wide receiver | Denver Broncos | 849 | 11,389 | 13.4 |
| 41 | | Wide receiver | Cleveland Browns Jacksonville Jaguars Tampa Bay Buccaneers San Diego Chargers Washington Redskins | 883 | 11,373 | 12.9 |
| 42 | * | Wide receiver | Kansas City Chiefs Miami Dolphins | 819 | 11,363 | 13.9 |
| 43 | | Wide receiver | Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins Tampa Bay Buccaneers Los Angeles Rams Las Vegas Raiders Baltimore Ravens | 641 | 11,263 | 17.6 |
| 44 | | Wide receiver | Cincinnati Bengals New England Patriots | 766 | 11,059 | 14.4 |
| 45 | Joey Galloway | Wide receiver | Seattle Seahawks Dallas Cowboys Tampa Bay Buccaneers New England Patriots/Pittsburgh Steelers Washington Redskins | 701 | 10,950 | 12.6 |
| 46 | Roddy White | Wide receiver | Atlanta Falcons | 808 | 10,863 | 13.4 |
| 47 | Gary Clark | Wide receiver | Washington Redskins Arizona/Phoenix Cardinals Miami Dolphins | 699 | 10,856 | 15.5 |
| 48 | | Wide receiver | New England Patriots Indianapolis Colts | 557 | 10,716 | 19.2 |
| 49 | Keyshawn Johnson | Wide receiver | New York Jets Tampa Bay Buccaneers Dallas Cowboys Carolina Panthers | 814 | 10,571 | 13.0 |
| 50 | | Wide receiver | Cincinnati Bengals Arizona Cardinals | 727 | 10,514 | 14.5 |
| 51 | Harold Jackson | Wide receiver | Los Angeles Rams, –) Philadelphia Eagles New England Patriots Minnesota Vikings Seattle Seahawks | 579 | 10,372 | 17.9 |
| 52 | Santana Moss | Wide receiver | New York Jets Washington Redskins | 733 | 10,283 | 14.0 |
| 53 | Lance Alworth^ | Wide receiver | San Diego Chargers Dallas Cowboys | 542 | 10,266 | 18.9 |
| 54 | Andre Rison | Wide receiver | Indianapolis Colts Atlanta Falcons Cleveland Browns Jacksonville Jaguars Green Bay Packers Kansas City Chiefs Oakland Raiders | 743 | 10,205 | 13.7 |
| 55 | Donald Driver | Wide receiver | Green Bay Packers | 743 | 10,137 | 13.6 |
| 56 | Shannon Sharpe^ | Tight end | Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens | 815 | 10,060 | 12.3 |
| 57 | Amari Cooper | Wide Receiver | Oakland Raiders Dallas Cowboys Cleveland Browns Buffalo Bills | 711 | 10,033 | 14.1 |