Fantasy Index

Factoid

Rookie Wide Receivers

2015 looks good, but tough to beat 2014

Six wide receivers were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, indicating it's an appealing group of incoming rookies. But even if they exceed typical expectations, it's unlikely they'll be able to touch 2014's group.

Led by Odell Beckham Jr., the 2014 draft class produced five wideouts who were immediate standouts. Each put up at least 850 receiving yards as rookies, and three of them (Beckham, Mike Evans and Kelvin Benjamin) went over 1,000 yards.

In the last 20 years, no other draft has produced more than two wideouts who went over 850 yards as rookies, and none has produced more than one 1,000-yard receiver. There were only eight 1,000-yard rookies, total, in the 19 years from 1995 through 2013.

The top rookie receiving totals over the last 20 years are presented below. Rookies from 2014 are in bold.

TOP ROOKIE RECEIVERS, 1995-2014
YearPlayer Team Rec Yds TD
2003Anquan Boldin ARI 1011,3778
1998Randy Moss MIN 691,31317
2014Odell Beckham Jr. NYG 911,30512
2004Michael Clayton TB 801,1937
1996Terry Glenn NE 901,1326
2011A.J. Green CIN 651,0577
2014Mike Evans TB 681,05112
2013Keenan Allen SD 711,0468
1995Joey Galloway SEA 671,0397
2006Marques Colston NO 701,0388
2014Kelvin Benjamin CAR 731,0089
2007Dwayne Bowe KC 709955
1999Kevin Johnson CLE 669868
2014Sammy Watkins BUF 659826
2008Eddie Royal DEN 919805
2003Andre Johnson HOU 669764
2010Mike Williams TB 6596411
2011Julio Jones ATL 549598
1996Eddie Kennison STL 549249
2008DeSean Jackson PHI 629122
2002Jeremy Shockey NYG 748942
2001Chris Chambers MIA 488837
1995Frank Sanders ARI 528832
2014Jordan Matthews PHI 678728
2012Justin Blackmon JAC 648655
2012T.Y. Hilton IND 508617
1996Keyshawn Johnson NYJ 638448
2004Lee Evans BUF 488439
2011Torrey Smith BAL 508417
1996Marvin Harrison IND 648368
2006Santonio Holmes PIT 498242
1995Chris Sanders HOU 358239
2004Roy Williams DET 548178
2012Josh Gordon CLE 508055
2013DeAndre Hopkins HOU 528022
2009Percy Harvin MIN 607906
2009Hakeem Nicks NYG 477906
2011Doug Baldwin SEA 517884
1999Torry Holt STL 527886
2004Larry Fitzgerald ARI 587808
2009Jeremy Maclin PHI 567734
2014Jarvis Landry MIA 847585
2009Mike Wallace PIT 397566
2007Calvin Johnson DET 487564
2004Keary Colbert CAR 477545

--Andy Richardson

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