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
YearPlayerRecYardsTrgtPct.
2010Austin Collie, Ind.586497181.7
2008Ike Hilliard, T.B.474245881.0
2012Brandon Stokley, Den.455445877.6
2009Mike Thomas, Jac.484536277.4
2007Wes Welker, N.E.112117514577.2
2012Randall Cobb, G.B.8095410476.9
2014Wes Welker, Den.494646476.6
2015Danny Amendola, N.E.626288176.5
2015Doug Baldwin, Sea.618608076.3
2009Wes Welker, N.E.123134816275.9
2009Kevin Walter, Hou.536117075.7
2014Brandin Cooks, N.O.535507075.7
2014Jarvis Landry, Mia.8475811175.7
2015Jamison Crowder, Wash.494616575.4
2015Keenan Allen, S.D.677258975.3
2015Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.96108812875.0
2011Marques Colston, N.O.80114310774.8
2008Wes Welker, N.E.111116514974.5
2014Kenny Stills, N.O.639318574.1
2012Mario Manningham, S.F.424495773.7
2006Eric Moulds, Hou.575577873.1
2011Hines Ward, Pitt.463816373.0
2012Percy Harvin, Minn.626778572.9
2011Percy Harvin, Minn.8796712072.5
2009Antwaan RandleEl, Wash.505306972.5
2014Randall Cobb, G.B.91128712672.2
2013Nate Burleson, Det.394615472.2
2013Cole Beasley, Dall.393685472.2
2008Anthony Gonzalez, Ind.576647972.2
2007Jabar Gaffney, N.E.364495072.0
2008Davone Bess, Mia.545547572.0
2007Anquan Boldin, Ariz.718539971.7
2009David Anderson, Hou.383705371.7
2014Emmanuel Sanders, Den.101140414171.6
2011Jordy Nelson, G.B.6812639571.6
2015John Brown, Ariz.558957771.4
2007Ike Hilliard, T.B.627228771.3
2011Lance Moore, N.O.526277371.2
2015Cole Beasley, Dall.424175971.2
2007Anthony Gonzalez, Ind.375765271.2
2014Antonio Brown, Pitt.129169818270.9
2009Jason Avant, Phil.415875870.7
2008Anquan Boldin, Ariz.89103812670.6
2006Keenan McCardell, S.D.364375170.6
2008Eddie Royal, Den.9198012970.5
2011Wes Welker, N.E.122156917370.5
2015Rishard Matthews, Mia.436626170.5
2009Greg Camarillo, Mia.505527170.4
2009Robert Meachem, N.O.457226470.3
2010Jordy Nelson, G.B.455826470.3
2010Jordan Shipley, Cin.526007470.3
2006Kevin Curtis, St.L.404795770.2
2013Eddie Royal, S.D.476316770.1
2007Bobby Engram, Sea.94114713470.1
2014Stevie Johnson, S.F.354355070.0
2008Josh Reed, Buff.565978070.0

—Ian Allan