Fantasy Index

Factoid

Percy Harvin

Seattle's receiver averaging only 6.0 yards per catch

We hear a lot about vertical passing games – driving the ball downfield. Up in Seattle, they’ve got a receiver who’s running routes that are unusually horizontal.

A third of the way into the season, Percy Harvin is averaging only 6.0 yards per catch.

Harvin is really fast, but most of the balls they throw him are either receiver screens, or routes where Harvin is running across defenses. They’re trying to get him to run/create after the catch.

Thus far, Harvin is catching plenty of passes (4.4 per game) but doesn’t have any games with 60 receiving yards, and he’s not breaking many long passes.

This is unusual, especially for a receiver of Harvin’s speed and ability.

In the last 20 years, only 17 wide receivers have caught 50-plus passes and averaged under 10 yards per catch. Right now, Harvin is averaging over 2 yards per game less than all of those guys.

RECEIVERS UNDER 10 YARDS PER CATCH
YearPlayerNoYardsAvg
2010Danny Amendola, St.L.856898.1
2009Andre Caldwell, Cin.514328.5
2012Dexter McCluster, K.C.524528.7
1994Ricky Sanders, Atl.675998.9
2005Jabar Gaffney, Hou.554928.9
2002Troy Brown, N.E.978909.2
2011Austin Collie, Ind.545149.5
2013Ace Sanders, Jac.514849.5
2001Peter Warrick, Cin.706679.5
2013Dexter McCluster, K.C.535119.6
2006Eric Moulds, Hou.575579.8
2008T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Cin.929049.8
2012Kendall Wright, Tenn.646269.8
2006Rod Smith, Den.525129.8
2010Wes Welker, N.E.868489.9
2009Davone Bess, Mia.7675810.0
2000Eddie Kennison, Chi.5554910.0

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index