If you want to try look under the radar, I kind of like Rishard Matthews. Every year he tends to be lightly regarded as a former seventh-round pick, and every year he effectively does his job.

Matthews has good hands, and he’s got the size to come up with contested catches. He doesn’t drop the ball. He was effective in Miami, and he’s been good in his two years in Tennessee (though he tailed off late last year after a hamstring injury).

Bottom line, quarterbacks (mostly Ryan Tannehill and Marcus Mariota) have thrown him 256 passes in the last three years, and those plays have resulted in 161 catches and 2,402 yards. That’s 9.4 yards per pass play.

Over the last three years, 62 other wide receivers have seen at least 200 pass attempts. Only four of them have been more effective (per play) than Matthews.

The Titans selected Corey Davis with the 5th pick of the draft, and no doubt every effort will be made to get Davis going. He’s talented, and it’s reasonable to make him the first Tennessee pass catcher selected. Davis caught a couple of touchdowns in the playoff loss at Foxborough, and one of them was really impressive – a one-hander, with Malcolm Butler hanging all over him.

But at the end of the year, we might all be wondering why we chose to ignore the considerable data in front of us. Davis was remarkably bad in the regular season last year, averaging only 5.8 yards on his plays. Some chance that Matthews is again Tennessee’s best wide receiver.

WIDE RECEIVERS, YARDS PER TARGET (2015-)
RkPlayerTgtRecYdsAvgTDYd/Tgt
1.Julio Jones, Atl.4803074,72415.4179.8
2.Sammy Watkins, tms2181272,07016.3199.5
3.Adam Thielen, Minn.2521722,38713.999.5
4.Brandin Cooks, tms3602273,39314.9249.4
5.Rishard Matthews, tms2561612,40214.9179.4
6.Doug Baldwin, Sea.3442473,18812.9299.3
7.DeSean Jackson, tms2391362,20116.2119.2
8.Antonio Brown, Pitt.5103434,65113.6319.1
9.Marvin Jones, tms3131812,84715.7179.1
10.Willie Snead, N.O.2211491,97113.278.9
11.A.J. Green, Cin.3752273,33914.7228.9
12.T.Y. Hilton, Ind.3982173,53816.3158.9
13.Michael Thomas, N.O.2701962,38212.2148.8
14.Tyler Lockett, Sea.2061371,81613.398.8
15.Ted Ginn, tms2621512,27815.1188.7
16.Terrance Williams, Dall.2321492,00213.478.6
17.Kenny Britt, tms2261241,93915.6108.6
18.Keenan Allen, LAC2551752,18112.5108.6
19.Stefon Diggs, Minn.2912002,47212.4158.5
20.Odell Beckham, NYG3682223,11914.0268.5
21.Travis Benjamin, tms2621492,21014.8138.4
22.Allen Hurns, Jac.2371381,99214.4158.4
23.DeVante Parker, Mia.2331391,90813.788.2
24.Amari Cooper, Oak.3582032,90314.3188.1
25.Kenny Stills, Mia.2491272,01315.9188.1
26.Robert Woods, tms2411541,94612.698.1
27.Dontrelle Inman, tms2041181,63913.988.0
28.Jamison Crowder, Wash.2801922,24011.7128.0
29.Mike Wallace, tms2801632,23813.7108.0
30.John Brown, Ariz.2291251,81914.6127.9
31.Pierre Garcon, tms2921912,31812.197.9
32.Alshon Jeffery, tms3081632,41714.8157.8
33.Mohamed Sanu, tms2261591,75011.097.7
34.Jermaine Kearse, tms2591552,00512.9117.7
35.Mike Evans, T.B.4572413,52814.6207.7
36.Danny Amendola, N.E.2021491,55010.497.7
37.Allen Robinson, Jac.3031542,30014.9207.6
38.Jeremy Maclin, tms2721712,06412.1137.6
39.Eric Decker, tms2361431,78412.5157.6
40.Golden Tate, Det.3832732,89310.6157.6
41.Marqise Lee, Jac.2331341,74413.077.5
42.Jordan Matthews, tms2791832,08311.4127.5
43.Emmanuel Sanders, Den.3652022,72213.5137.5
44.DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.5172853,85313.5287.5
45.Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.4563253,39410.4217.4
46.Adam Humphries, T.B.2061431,51310.647.3
47.Brandon Marshall, tms3341862,44413.1177.3
48.Julian Edelman, N.E.2471591,79811.3107.3
49.Devin Funchess, Car.2321171,68414.4177.3
50.Jordy Nelson, G.B.2401501,73911.6207.2
51.Demaryius Thomas, Den.4612783,33612.0167.2
52.Jarvis Landry, Mia.4583163,28010.4177.2
53.Cole Beasley, Dall.2361631,68310.3147.1
54.Brandon LaFell, tms2701531,92512.697.1
55.Davante Adams, G.B.3321992,36511.9237.1
56.Donte Moncrief, Ind.2081201,43111.9156.9
57.Randall Cobb, G.B.3052052,09210.2146.9
58.Nelson Agholor, Phil.2081211,41611.7116.8
59.Dez Bryant, Dall.3001502,03513.6176.8
60.Anquan Boldin, tms2061361,37310.1126.7
61.Michael Crabtree, Oak.3922322,54311.0256.5
62.Kamar Aiken, tms2211191,40511.866.4
63.Tavon Austin, LAR2151231,0298.484.8

—Ian Allan