It’s not often that an 80-catch receiver switches teams. It’s happened only 17 times in the last 20 years.
This season, it’s happening twice. Eric Decker signed with the Jets, and the Eagles released DeSean Jackson, freeing him to sign with Washington.
Of the previous 17, only three put better numbers in their first year with their new team. One we’ll call a draw – Laveranues Coles’ numbers were almost identical in 2002 (with the Jets) and 2002 (Washington). That’s using the fantasy scoring system of 6 points for touchdowns and 1 point for every 10 yards.
Overall, these 80-catch receivers in their first seasons with their new teams averaged 71 catches, 935 yards and 6 TDs.
Here are the numbers for those guys. “Points” are the fantasy point totals. “Change” shows for the fantasy production compared to the last season with the old team.
TRANSPLANTED 80-CATCH RECEIVERS | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Team | No | Yards | TD | Points | Change |
1994 | Anthony Miller | Den. | 60 | 1107 | 5 | 140.7 | -11% |
1995 | Andre Rison | Cle. | 47 | 701 | 3 | 88.1 | -44% |
1996 | Jeff Graham | NYJ | 50 | 788 | 6 | 114.8 | -26% |
1996 | Quinn Early | Buf. | 50 | 798 | 4 | 103.8 | -34% |
2000 | Keyshawn Johnson | T.B. | 71 | 874 | 8 | 135.4 | -18% |
2002 | Keenan McCardell | T.B. | 61 | 670 | 6 | 103.0 | -30% |
2003 | Laveranues Coles | Was. | 82 | 1204 | 6 | 156.4 | -- |
2003 | Peerless Price | Atl. | 64 | 838 | 3 | 101.8 | -43% |
2004 | Terrell Owens | Phi. | 77 | 1200 | 14 | 204.0 | +24% |
2005 | Derrick Mason | Blt. | 86 | 1073 | 3 | 125.3 | -21% |
2005 | Laveranues Coles | NYJ | 73 | 845 | 5 | 114.5 | +13% |
2005 | Muhsin Muhammad | Chi. | 64 | 750 | 4 | 99.0 | -58% |
2009 | T.J. Houshmandzadeh | Sea. | 79 | 911 | 3 | 109.1 | -5% |
2010 | Brandon Marshall | Mia. | 86 | 1014 | 3 | 119.4 | -31% |
2010 | Anquan Boldin | Blt. | 64 | 837 | 7 | 125.7 | -5% |
2012 | Brandon Marshall | Chi. | 118 | 1508 | 11 | 216.8 | +38% |
2013 | Wes Welker | Den. | 73 | 778 | 10 | 137.8 | -20% |
2014 | DeSean Jackson | Was. | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
2014 | Eric Decker | NYJ | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
—Ian Allan