Though the NFL is quarterback-centric, wideout has become a premium position, with top pass-catchers banking big-money contracts in recent years. As a result, the QB-WR combination is an important duo for many teams.

Before the league introduces a new crop of quarterbacks and receivers from the 2024 draft, we'll rank the top 10 tandems with proven pro production.

Our rankings are based on joint numbers between the two teammates, which takes the pair's playoff success and recent trends into account, longevity and a projection of how the duo will perform in the upcoming campaign.

Therefore, duos need at least one active season together to qualify for these rankings. Because Aaron Rodgers didn't complete a full game with Garrett Wilson, they aren't listed here.

Let's start with a few honorable mentions and then count down in ascending order from No. 10 to No. 1. All entries are listed as quarterback and wide receiver, respectively.

Honorable Mentions

Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs have signed Marquise Brown to a one-year deal, and he could steal targets from Rashee Rice when Patrick Mahomes doesn't throw to his go-to pass-catcher, Travis Kelce.

Yet Rice showed promise in his rookie year, hauling in 79 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. He led the team in touchdown receptions and finished with a slightly higher catch rate (77.5 percent) than Kelce (76.9).

Even with Brown on the Chiefs roster, Rice could top his numbers from the previous year as he continues to build on an existing connection with Mahomes.

Derek Carr and Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr had an up-and-down first year with the New Orleans Saints in part because he played through injuries, but the 10-year veteran established a strong rapport with Chris Olave, who caught 87 passes for 1,123 yards and five touchdowns as the focal point of the 11th-ranked passing offense.

Perhaps the Saints offense takes a step in the right direction under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. If it does, look out for Carr and Olave to pick up where they left off in 2023.

C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins, Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins barely missed the cut because of their limited track records.

While the former's impressive rookie campaign doesn't seem like a fluke, one has to wonder if the latter will be his top receiver once Tank Dell gets back on the field.

In Week 12, Dell fractured his fibula and underwent season-ending surgery. Before that game, he had more 100-plus-yard receiving performances than Collins in 2023. From Weeks 12 to 18, Collins recorded three of his five 100-plus-yard receiving games.

By this time next offseason, Stroud and Dell may be an elite duo with Collins as the No. 2 option in the Houston Texans' passing game.

10. Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers retained their tandem, signing Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans to extensions before the legal tampering period.

Though the Buccaneers fielded a middling passing attack that ranked 17th in total yards, Mayfield clearly found his go-to target in Evans, who tied Tyreek Hill with a league-leading 13 touchdown receptions.

In his first year with the Bucs, the quarterback had his most productive season while the receiver earned his fifth Pro Bowl nod. The accomplished wideout accumulated the third-highest receiving yards total of his 10-year career.

Yes, wideout Chris Godwin played a big role in last year's offense with 83 receptions for 1,024 yards and two touchdowns, but Evans has been a more consistent pass-catcher and also one of the league's top scoring threats with at least 13 touchdowns in three of the last four seasons.

Mayfield and Evans should continue to mesh well despite the loss of offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who became head coach of the Carolina Panthers in January.

9. Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

Cooper Kupp won the receiving triple crown in 2021, but Puka Nacua is the future. He broke rookie receiving records with Matthew Stafford as his quarterback for 15 games last season.

Furthermore, the 22-year-old led the Los Angeles Rams in most receiving categories in 2023 while Kupp's numbers have trended in the wrong direction in consecutive injury-riddled campaigns.

At 36, Stafford may not have many optimal years left, but he's still a high-volume passer when healthy, ranking 13th in total pass attempts despite missing two contests in the previous season.

As long as Stafford stays healthy, we could see Nacua—a 2023 fifth-rounder out of BYU—continue to exceed expectations and become one of the league's premier wide receivers.

8. Geno Smith and DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks

When you think about top quarterback-receiver tandems, Geno Smith and DK Metcalf may not cross your mind, but look at their numbers together.

Smith won 2022 Comeback Player of the Year with Metcalf as his lead wideout in catches (90) and receiving yards (1,048).

Though Smith's passing numbers dipped last season, he earned a Pro Bowl nod and so did Metcalf, who led Seattle in receiving yards (1,114) and touchdown receptions (eight).

Compared to the 2022 campaign, Metcalf saw a drop-off in efficiency with his catch rate sliding by 8.3 percent, but he averaged a career-high 16.9 yards per catch.

Smith and Metcalf left yards on the field, and the latter expressed his frustration, which is why they're no higher than eighth on this list, but they have posted high-end numbers together in consecutive terms.

7. Brock Purdy and Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers

Because Brock Purdy went last in his draft class, skeptics often overlook the signal-caller's contributions and give head coach and offensive play-caller Kyle Shananhan, running back Christian McCaffrey and the San Francisco 49ers defense most of the credit for their victories instead.

However, the final pick of the 2022 NFL draft has helped lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game and a Super Bowl as a starter, throwing for 6,997 yards, 50 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 31 outings, which includes the postseason.

Last season, the 24-year-old led the league in touchdown pass rate (seven percent), yards gained per pass attempt (9.6), yards per completion (13.9), passer rating (113) and QBR (72.8).

While no one can dispute McCaffrey's 2022 midseason arrival in San Francisco has elevated the 49ers offense, we must acknowledge Brandon Aiyuk's growth with Purdy under center.

San Francisco selected Aiyuk in the first round of the 2020 draft, and he recorded three 100-plus-yard performances before Purdy took over the offense as a starter in Week 14 of the 2022 campaign.

With the Iowa State product as a starter, Aiyuk has topped 100 receiving yards in eight games, seven of which were last year.

Purdy has a top-tier supporting cast, though his connection with the 26-year-old deserves its own praise. They're both ascending players coming off an impressive campaign.

Of course, the 49ers will likely need to reach an agreement on new contract terms with Aiyuk to keep this duo intact, which clouds this tandem's 2024 outlook.

6. Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

Wideouts who see most of their targets out of the slot rarely earn mention as part of a top quarterback-receiver tandem.

Among the few exceptions, Cooper Kupp had an extraordinary 2021, and Keenan Allen was the Los Angeles Chargers' go-to receiver before they traded him to the Chicago Bears.

Amon-Ra St. Brown has established three years of consistency with quarterback Jared Goff, seen an increase in production across multiple receiving categories every year and put together an All-Pro campaign in 2023.

The 2021 fourth-rounder doesn't beat defenders over the top for big plays often, but he's one of the league's most reliable down-to-down receivers inside and outside the red zone.

After five seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, Goff started a new career chapter with the Lions, who essentially swapped out Matthew Stafford for him in a 2021 offseason trade.

In Detroit, Goff, 29, has become a more efficient quarterback, with higher completion rates and lower interception rates than he had in Los Angeles thanks in part to St. Brown's playmaking ability out of the slot and on the boundary.

Even with the development of tight end Sam LaPorta, wideout Jameson Williams and running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the passing game, third-year offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will likely continue to rely heavily on Goff's on-field bond with St. Brown to move the ball through the air.

Goff's longevity with St. Brown pushes them above Brock Purdy and Brandon Aiyuk.

5. Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles

Since the Philadelphia Eagles acquired A.J. Brown, he's racked up 1,456-plus receiving yards in back-to-back seasons, scoring 18 total touchdowns. Jalen Hurts tossed 17 of those touchdown passes to the star wideout.

Over the previous two years, Hurts has spread the ball around with DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert also involved in the passing game, but he's leaned heavily on Brown for most of the last two terms.

Brown had a solid showing in Super Bowl 57 against the Kansas City Chiefs, hauling in six out of eight passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, but he posted pedestrian numbers in his first two playoff games with the Eagles and missed the last one with a knee injury.

If Hurts and Brown hook up for more big moments in the playoffs, this could be a top-three tandem.

4. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills

Among the duos listed thus far, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs have the longest rapport as teammates after playing together for four seasons. They've earned Pro Bowl nods in the same term twice (2020 and 2022), which illustrates their joint production.

As a result, this pairing has a clear edge in consistency over most of the entries.

Allen saw a significant spike in passing production in his third season (2020), the year the Buffalo Bills acquired Diggs from the Minnesota Vikings.

With Allen as his quarterback in every game since 2020, Diggs has led the Bills' aerial attack, racking up at least 103 catches, 1,183 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in each of the previous four years.

So, what keeps Allen and Diggs out of the top three? They may have already reached their peak together, and they didn't look as potent as a pair in the second half of the 2023 campaign.

Last season, Diggs accumulated 100-plus receiving yards in five of the first six weeks, but he didn't reach the century mark in any game for the remainder of the campaign. He also went scoreless in his last seven outings.

Moreover, the 30-year-old had quiet outings in the Bills' last two playoff contests and seems unsure about his future with the team.

If Diggs remains in Buffalo, the tandem could bounce back as they get accustomed to offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who took over play-calling duties in Week 11 of the previous term.

Yet one has to wonder about Allen's chemistry with Diggs after their underwhelming finish to the 2023 season.

3. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

Like Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb have played together for four seasons, though this tandem has been more productive every year.

Prescott missed most of Lamb's rookie season because of an ankle injury, but they looked like a duo that has been on the same page for years in the following campaign.

Despite wideout Amari Cooper's established role with the Dallas Cowboys in 2021, Lamb led the team in catches (79) and receiving yards 1,102 as a first-time Pro Bowler.

Lamb's second-year breakout likely factored into why the Cowboys traded Cooper to the Cleveland Browns in 2022. Thereafter, Prescott and Lamb continued to build on their connection, which has been a major part of Dallas' surging aerial attack.

In 2023, the Cowboys finished third in yards through the air and led the league in passing touchdowns. Lamb logged career highs in catches (135 led the NFL), receiving yards (1,749) and touchdowns (12).

Prescott and Lamb took some time to heat up in the Cowboys' wild-card playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, but the star wideout has accumulated 110-plus receiving yards in back-to-back postseason appearances. They're easily a top-three duo.

2. Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill don't compare to the previous two tandems in terms of consistency because they've only played together for two seasons.

However, in a short period, the Miami Dolphins pair have posted mind-blowing season numbers, leading the league across multiple categories in the last two years, which separates them from the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys duos.

The Dolphins acquired Tyreek Hill during the 2022 offseason and in the ensuing campaign, Tagovailoa led the league in touchdown pass rate (6.3 percent), yards gained per pass attempt (8.9), yards per completion (13.7) and passer rating (105.5). Last year, he led the NFL in passing yards (4,624) and threw for a career-high 29 touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Hill has recorded 119 receptions and eclipsed 1,700 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons. In 2023, he led the NFL in receiving yards per game (112.4) and tied Mike Evans for a league-leading 13 touchdown receptions.

More impressively for Hill, he's posted those numbers while sharing targets with wideout Jaylen Waddle who has racked up 147 receptions for 2,370 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns over the past two years.

Based on season statistics over the previous two campaigns, Hill can claim he's the NFL's most explosive wide receiver while Tagovailoa may be the most improved quarterback in terms of his passing numbers.

They're just missing the high-level playoff production as a pair...which leads us to our top tandem.

1. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase have lit up defenses in the regular season and the playoffs, nearly winning a Super Bowl in their first year together.

Of course, they had college chemistry at LSU, which made it easier for them to click on the pro level, but still, this tandem has been everything one would expect and more.

After an abbreviated 2020 rookie season due to torn ACL and MCL, along with PCL and meniscus damage, Burrow bounced back in a big way with Chase as his primary perimeter playmaker in 2021.

They became instant stars as teammates and at their respective positions.

In their first season as Cincinnati Bengals teammates, Burrow won 2021 Comeback Player of the Year and led the NFL in completion rate (70.4 percent) and yards gained per pass attempt (8.9), while Chase finished within the top four across the league in total receiving yards (1,455), yards per reception (18), and touchdown receptions (13).

Though Burrow's growing injury history may be a concern, defenses don't have many answers for him when he's healthy and targets Chase downfield.

The 24-year-old accumulated 109-plus receiving yards in his first two playoff appearances. With Burrow under center, he's averaging 84 receiving yards per contest in the postseason with three touchdowns in total.

If Cincinnati finds a suitor for wideout Tee Higgins, who has requested a trade, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Chase could see a spike in his receiving numbers, which may put him in a position to win the triple crown for receivers as Cooper Kupp did in 2021.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.