I notice that more players are catching a higher percentage of the balls thrown their way. Danny Amendola, Doug Baldwin, Jamison Crowder and Larry Fitzgerald, for example, have all caught at least 75 percent of the passes thrown their way. This didn’t happen in the past.
Over the past 10 years, only 11 other players have passed the 75 percent mark. That is, 8 this year, and 11 from the last nine years combined.
And if you want to expanded it to include all players catching at least 70 percent of balls, we’ve seen 8 in both the 2014 and 2015 seasons. If you go back a few years, you see about 3-4-5 every year.
I think this mostly tied to the emphasis on hitting defenseless receivers. The blowup hits on wide receivers are being legislated out of the game, so now there’s not the same fear about going across the middle.
WIDE RECEIVERS CATCHING OVER 70% OF TARGETS | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Rec | Yards | Trgt | Pct. |
2010 | Austin Collie, Ind. | 58 | 649 | 71 | 81.7 |
2008 | Ike Hilliard, T.B. | 47 | 424 | 58 | 81.0 |
2012 | Brandon Stokley, Den. | 45 | 544 | 58 | 77.6 |
2009 | Mike Thomas, Jac. | 48 | 453 | 62 | 77.4 |
2007 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 112 | 1175 | 145 | 77.2 |
2012 | Randall Cobb, G.B. | 80 | 954 | 104 | 76.9 |
2014 | Wes Welker, Den. | 49 | 464 | 64 | 76.6 |
2015 | Danny Amendola, N.E. | 62 | 628 | 81 | 76.5 |
2015 | Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 61 | 860 | 80 | 76.3 |
2009 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 123 | 1348 | 162 | 75.9 |
2009 | Kevin Walter, Hou. | 53 | 611 | 70 | 75.7 |
2014 | Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 53 | 550 | 70 | 75.7 |
2014 | Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 84 | 758 | 111 | 75.7 |
2015 | Jamison Crowder, Wash. | 49 | 461 | 65 | 75.4 |
2015 | Keenan Allen, S.D. | 67 | 725 | 89 | 75.3 |
2015 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 96 | 1088 | 128 | 75.0 |
2011 | Marques Colston, N.O. | 80 | 1143 | 107 | 74.8 |
2008 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 111 | 1165 | 149 | 74.5 |
2014 | Kenny Stills, N.O. | 63 | 931 | 85 | 74.1 |
2012 | Mario Manningham, S.F. | 42 | 449 | 57 | 73.7 |
2006 | Eric Moulds, Hou. | 57 | 557 | 78 | 73.1 |
2011 | Hines Ward, Pitt. | 46 | 381 | 63 | 73.0 |
2012 | Percy Harvin, Minn. | 62 | 677 | 85 | 72.9 |
2011 | Percy Harvin, Minn. | 87 | 967 | 120 | 72.5 |
2009 | Antwaan RandleEl, Wash. | 50 | 530 | 69 | 72.5 |
2014 | Randall Cobb, G.B. | 91 | 1287 | 126 | 72.2 |
2013 | Nate Burleson, Det. | 39 | 461 | 54 | 72.2 |
2013 | Cole Beasley, Dall. | 39 | 368 | 54 | 72.2 |
2008 | Anthony Gonzalez, Ind. | 57 | 664 | 79 | 72.2 |
2007 | Jabar Gaffney, N.E. | 36 | 449 | 50 | 72.0 |
2008 | Davone Bess, Mia. | 54 | 554 | 75 | 72.0 |
2007 | Anquan Boldin, Ariz. | 71 | 853 | 99 | 71.7 |
2009 | David Anderson, Hou. | 38 | 370 | 53 | 71.7 |
2014 | Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 101 | 1404 | 141 | 71.6 |
2011 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 68 | 1263 | 95 | 71.6 |
2015 | John Brown, Ariz. | 55 | 895 | 77 | 71.4 |
2007 | Ike Hilliard, T.B. | 62 | 722 | 87 | 71.3 |
2011 | Lance Moore, N.O. | 52 | 627 | 73 | 71.2 |
2015 | Cole Beasley, Dall. | 42 | 417 | 59 | 71.2 |
2007 | Anthony Gonzalez, Ind. | 37 | 576 | 52 | 71.2 |
2014 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 129 | 1698 | 182 | 70.9 |
2009 | Jason Avant, Phil. | 41 | 587 | 58 | 70.7 |
2008 | Anquan Boldin, Ariz. | 89 | 1038 | 126 | 70.6 |
2006 | Keenan McCardell, S.D. | 36 | 437 | 51 | 70.6 |
2008 | Eddie Royal, Den. | 91 | 980 | 129 | 70.5 |
2011 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 122 | 1569 | 173 | 70.5 |
2015 | Rishard Matthews, Mia. | 43 | 662 | 61 | 70.5 |
2009 | Greg Camarillo, Mia. | 50 | 552 | 71 | 70.4 |
2009 | Robert Meachem, N.O. | 45 | 722 | 64 | 70.3 |
2010 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 45 | 582 | 64 | 70.3 |
2010 | Jordan Shipley, Cin. | 52 | 600 | 74 | 70.3 |
2006 | Kevin Curtis, St.L. | 40 | 479 | 57 | 70.2 |
2013 | Eddie Royal, S.D. | 47 | 631 | 67 | 70.1 |
2007 | Bobby Engram, Sea. | 94 | 1147 | 134 | 70.1 |
2014 | Stevie Johnson, S.F. | 35 | 435 | 50 | 70.0 |
2008 | Josh Reed, Buff. | 56 | 597 | 80 | 70.0 |
—Ian Allan