Where does Jeremy Maclin rank among AFC West receivers?

Aug 28, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (19) catches a pass against Tennessee Titans defensive back Perrish Cox (29) in the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Happy Wednesday, Kansas City Chiefs fans! Welcome to another edition of Best of the AFC West as I continue to break down the top players in the division at their respected positions. So far we’ve cover the quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends, outside linebackers, and cornerbacks. Today we’re going to take a look at the best wide receivers of the division. You’ll find these gentleman getting separation from defenders in various ways, whether it’s elite speed or great rout running these receivers often find ways to get open and make plays when in the game when it matters the most.

The AFC West may not be as loaded in the wide receiver department as some other divisions are but there are definitely some good ones. In Denver you have a danger duo with Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. In San Diego, Malcom Floyd has been a consistent reliable target for Philip Rivers. In Kansas City, newcomer Jeremy Maclin instantly becomes its best receiver and one of the top in the division, and then in Oakland you have the rookie Amari Cooper who although he is not ranked this time ( ranking off last year’s performance) could be the best in the division in the near future.

So who are the top four in the West?

#1 Demaryius Thomas

Fans of all teams in the AFC West (if they’re being honest) will acknowledge Thomas was the best receiver in the division last year and therefore holds the crown until someone dethrones him. While it’s very possible we could have a new best receiver in the West we should at least acknowledge the greatness of this particular receiver.

Thomas has been a consistent performer backing all the way to his days of suffering with Tim Tebow throwing curveballs to him. He is every quarterback’s dream of a target with size, speed, and fantastic route-running. In 2014, Thomas caught 111 balls for 1,619 yards (2nd best in the NFL) and 11 touchdowns (4th best in NFL).

Pro Football Focus graded Thomas with a +18.8 grade which was fourth-best among receivers in the league that took at least 75 percent of the snaps. His best performance came against San Diego in Week 15 where he was graded with a +4.0 grade and his worst performance of the year came against the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs where he was graded with a -2.8 grade.

Next: Where is Mr. Maclin?