It’s no secret the NFL is a passing league, thanks to rules changes favoring quarterbacks (don’t hit them too hard), pass blockers (liberalized use of the hands) and receivers (no contact in the first five yards). But where once a quarterback had one or two go-to receivers, his options have multiplied to as many as four or five who are capable of breaking open a game at any time.

Consider how the Green Bay Packers beat Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers completed passes to 10 different receivers, led by Jordy Nelson’s nine catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. The Packers weren’t the only team with so many targets. The New York Jets didn’t have a 1,000-yard receiver, but they had four players with 52 or more receptions.

In fact, 1,000-yard seasons aren’t the best benchmark for receivers’ production anymore. It’s 100-yard games. In 2010, there were just 17 1,000-yard receivers, down from 23 in 2009. But there were 181 100-yard receiving games, up from 163 in 2009 and the most since 2004, when there were 182.

Pittsburgh’s mercurial Mike Wallace had the most 100-yard receiving games with seven, and he tacked on another 89 yards with nine catches in the Steelers’ Super Bowl loss.

It’s little wonder then that two wide receivers were selected in the first six picks of the draft – Georgia’s A.J. Green, taken with the fourth selection by Cincinnati; and Alabama’s Julio Jones, taken by Atlanta, which traded a bundle for the sixth choice. Here’s a look at five teams with the most dangerous fleet of receivers.

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons gave up five draft picks, including their second-round choice this year and next year’s first-round pick, to move up 21 spots to take Jones, who will join one of the league’s most lethal passing attacks. Jones will provide a deep threat to go with Roddy White, who led the NFL with 115 receptions and was second in yards with 1,389, including five 100-yard games. Add Hall of Fame-bound tight end Tony Gonzalez, and quarterback Matt Ryan has plenty of options.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers had five receivers with at least 43 receptions, led by Greg Jennings, who was second in the NFC with 1,265 yards, second in the NFL with 12 TD catches and had five 100-yard games. But Rodgers has so many choices, including veteran Donald Driver, the franchise’s all-time receptions leader, and Super Bowl hero Nelson. In addition to James Jones, the Packers drafted Kentucky’s Randall Cobb, a former quarterback who can play any of the receiver positions, plus fill the wildcat role.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Even with Ben Roethlisberger missing the first four games, Wallace had a breakout season in 2010 with 60 receptions for 1,257 yards – and an AFC-best 21-yard average. Dependable Hines Ward contributed four 100-yard games, while tight end Heath Miller is good in the clutch. Yet it was rookie Antonio Brown who emerged in the playoffs, making a crucial third-and-19 catch for 58 yards late against Baltimore, and a third-and-6 grab of 14 yards that sealed the AFC championship game against the Jets.

New York Jets: Little wonder the Jets ponied up a guaranteed $24 million to retain Santonio Holmes. The Jets also signed the controversial Plaxico Burress to a one-year contract after he served 20 months in prison on a gun charge. Before prison, Burress, at 6-foot-5, had been a great target in the red zone for the Giants, a weakness for the Jets. Last season, Holmes missed the first four games in 2010 because of a suspension and caught only 52 passes, but he scored or set up the winning touchdown in four consecutive Jets’ victories. His signing made it difficult for New York to keep big-play receiver Braylon Edwards, but Mark Sanchez will still have an array of targets, including veteran wideout Jerricho Cotchery, tight end Justin Keller, running backs LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene, and fifth-round pick Jeremy Kerley, a multitalented receiver from Texas Christian University whose abilities as a special-teams player make him a replacement for departed free agent Brad Smith.

Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles’ receiving corps would make a pretty good 4x100 relay team, starting with DeSean Jackson, whose 22.5-yard average per catch for 47 receptions led the NFL. Other members: Jeremy Maclin – who caught 70 passes, 10 for TDs – and Jason Avant, who contributed 51 receptions. But the Eagles’ leading receiver was LeSean McCoy, who led all running backs with 78 receptions as a check-down option for Michael Vick.

Rookies to Watch

QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers: All eyes will be on Newton, the first overall pick of the draft, to see how fast he can adapt to the NFL game without an off-season program. First, he has to beat out Jimmy Clausen. It may be a bit much to expect Newton to match the 50 total TDs he produced as Heisman Trophy winner last year at Auburn, but his arm strength and quick feet will help him make plays.

OLB Von Miller, Denver Broncos: As a pass rusher, Miller will be able to make up for lost time a lot easier than quarterbacks or interior linemen. Just line him up and aim him toward the backfield. Miller, the second overall pick, has recovered from an ankle injury that limited him to 10.5 sacks last year at Texas A&M after leading the nation with 17 in 2009.

DT Nick Fairley, Detroit Lions: The Lombardi Award winner slipped to 13th in the first round of the draft but couldn’t have landed in a better place: Alongside defensive rookie of the year Ndamukong Suh and getting yelled at every day by Gunther Cunningham. Fairley led the nation with 24 tackles for loss – to go with 11 sacks – for the national champion Auburn Tigers.

New Faces in New Places

CB Nnamdi Asomugha, Philadelphia Eagles: The additions of Pro Bowl cornerbacks Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (in trade for Kevin Kolb), Pro Bowl pass rusher Jason Babin (a one-time Chief) and signing of QB Vince Young as backup to Michael Vick, have the folks in Philly calling the Eagles the Dream Team. Asomugha was the cream of the free-agent crop, and he’ll team with Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuel as the best corner combo in the NFL. The Eagles also signed defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins, formerly with the Packers.

QB Kevin Kolb, Arizona Cardinals: The worst-kept secret in the NFL after the Eagles put the franchise tag on Michael Vick. Had it not been for the lockout, Kolb would have been dealt to Arizona before the draft, because the Cardinals lacked a strong quarterback last year following the retirement of Kurt Warner. Kolb, 27, has made only seven uneven career starts in four seasons (11 TDs, 14 INTs), and coach Ken Whisenhunt and general manager Rod Graves are staking their reputation on him.

QB Matt Hasselbeck, Tennessee Titans: There’s little doubt that Hasselbeck, 35, still has game, as evidenced by his impressive performance in Seattle’s upset of New Orleans in the NFC playoffs. But there are questions about his durability and whether he can sustain a high level of play. The Titans’ front office is filled with former Seahawks executives who think Hasselbeck will serve as a bridge to first-round pick Jake Locker, who will need a little time to acclimate to the NFL.

QB Donovan McNabb, Minnesota Vikings: It’s kind of sad to see a once elite player bounce from team to team. But the Vikings seem to specialize in this tactic. (Remember Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon, Brett Favre?) If McNabb couldn’t succeed with a quarterback-friendly coach such as Mike Shanahan, throwing 14 TDs and 15 INTs in 13 games at Washington, there’s not much reason to think he’ll thrive in Minnesota. If new coach Leslie Frazier is smart, he’ll have McNabb hand off to Adrian Peterson until first-round pick Christian Ponder is ready.

WR Chad Ochocinco and DT Albert Haynesworth, New England Patriots: The Patriots have had success with reclamation projects (see Randy Moss and Corey Dillon), but they’ve outdone themselves with Haynesworth, an out-of-shape malcontent during his two years in Washington, and Ochocinco, an egomaniac who doesn’t seem to fit the Patriot Way. Coach Bill Belichick sees Haynesworth as a 6-6, 350-pound man-mountain who can line up alongside Vince Wilfork, and Ochocinco as a needed target for Tom Brady.

Can’t Miss Games

Make sure to mark these must-see match-ups on your calendar:

Saints at Packers, Sept. 8: How often do the past two Super Bowl champions meet on opening night? It’s tough to beat a game featuring the last two Super Bowl MVPs: Saints QB Drew Brees and the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers. This matchup is sure to make fans forget about the tedious off-season labor negotiations. If they haven’t forgotten already.

Eagles at Falcons, Sept. 18: Eagles’ QB Michael Vick will make his first start in the Georgia Dome since 2006, and the sight of No. 7 will either stir the crowd to cheers or jeers. Matt Ryan, the quarterback who replaced Vick three years ago, has done pretty well himself, leading the Falcons to two playoff berths in three years. This game will feature two of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.

Jets at Patriots, Oct. 9: Oh boy, we get Jets coach Rex Ryan rolling into New England again, where he lived up to his boasting by leading his team to the AFC championship game with an upset of the Patriots. New England QB Tom Brady has not hidden his disdain for the Jets and would love nothing better than to replicate the Patriots’ 45-3 win over New York last Dec. 6.