Edgerrin James pisses all over Kevin Faulk! You're likely thinking of Marshall Faulk. And yes, a top tier RB was a massive asset, still is, especially back when RBs were utilized in that era in a much different capacity than today's pass-happy era. Takes quite a bit of pressure off a QB when the opposing defense has to contend with a legitimate running threat.
Moss isn't the second or third best receiver ever for me. He had the talent to be the best but not the mental capacity. Fantastic talent, great player but give me the likes of Rice, Irvin, Harrison, Carter, Calvin, Sterling Sharpe over him any day. Took plays off that didn't include him, was only a deep threat guy, hated going over the middle on short routes, wouldn't block to save his life, not a team guy. Hell, even TO would block for teammates, go over the middle, and not take plays off that didn't include him.
Welker's college stats don't mean shit. He is a total system guy, and Mike Leach's systems at Tech had the QB throw 50+ each game with much less running plays. Leach used a crazy spread offense that had 4-5 receivers every down. Klingsbury attempted 1826 passes from 2000-2002, an average of 49.3 per game, and Harrell attempted 55.3 in 2003 (Welker's final year), clearly inflating all statistics, probably indicative of why Welker went undrafted. Welker is good player IMO, but nowhere near the level of a Rice, Moss, Gronk, Harrison, Wayne, etc. He's the perfect slot/underneath/bailout guy, no doubt, but probably wouldn't produce nearly as much without a great QB and/or system. He's probably not replicating those numbers with the Buccaneers or Vikings in those days.
My debate is Brady vs Manning. I've never compared Rodgers to either and I think he's done ever more with less, up there with Elway (the 80s version not the late 90s when he had talent stacked all around him).