Martavis Bryant is back after being suspended all of last season. His return means good things for Pittsburgh's passing game, which likes to funnel things through its wideouts when it's at full strength.
Ben Roethlisberger says Bryant "looks like a stud, as usual." With Bryant in the lineup two years ago, Pittsburgh had the league's most productive wideout corps. Without him in 2016, it was a middle-of-the-pack group.
First table shows team wide receiver production in 2015, when Bryant had his breakout season. Second table shows 2016, with Pittsburgh trying to get by with Sammie Coates and Markus Wheaton. The team had 44 fewer receptions from wide receivers and 53 fewer yards per game. They should be better with Bryant back.
WR TEAM TOTALS, 2015 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | YPG | No | Yards | TD |
Pittsburgh | 230 | 252 | 3673 | 23 |
Arizona | 220 | 249 | 3515 | 25 |
NY Jets | 210 | 259 | 3356 | 29 |
New Orleans | 195 | 232 | 3120 | 18 |
Jacksonville | 193 | 210 | 3083 | 28 |
Atlanta | 192 | 244 | 3068 | 14 |
Denver | 186 | 235 | 2980 | 15 |
Houston | 185 | 231 | 2967 | 20 |
Miami | 185 | 225 | 2961 | 15 |
NY Giants | 179 | 211 | 2858 | 26 |
Indianapolis | 174 | 211 | 2790 | 17 |
Baltimore | 171 | 216 | 2737 | 10 |
Oakland | 168 | 204 | 2681 | 24 |
Seattle | 166 | 193 | 2650 | 26 |
Cincinnati | 161 | 187 | 2581 | 15 |
San Diego | 161 | 204 | 2576 | 14 |
Detroit | 161 | 221 | 2572 | 20 |
Green Bay | 158 | 205 | 2528 | 17 |
Washington | 156 | 203 | 2496 | 15 |
Buffalo | 149 | 168 | 2390 | 16 |
Tampa Bay | 148 | 158 | 2367 | 9 |
Cleveland | 144 | 196 | 2299 | 8 |
New England | 142 | 201 | 2271 | 12 |
Carolina | 141 | 154 | 2263 | 22 |
Chicago | 140 | 173 | 2234 | 8 |
Dallas | 135 | 160 | 2165 | 12 |
Philadelphia | 135 | 172 | 2158 | 15 |
San Francisco | 129 | 152 | 2071 | 10 |
Kansas City | 125 | 171 | 1997 | 12 |
Minnesota | 120 | 148 | 1916 | 6 |
Tennessee | 104 | 130 | 1665 | 11 |
St. Louis | 102 | 137 | 1635 | 9 |
WR TEAM TOTALS, 2016 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | YPG | No | Yards | TD |
New Orleans | 223 | 275 | 3562 | 24 |
Atlanta | 202 | 223 | 3226 | 22 |
Green Bay | 199 | 259 | 3191 | 34 |
Washington | 194 | 222 | 3109 | 14 |
Chicago | 185 | 220 | 2956 | 12 |
Detroit | 180 | 232 | 2872 | 17 |
Arizona | 179 | 236 | 2860 | 21 |
Cincinnati | 175 | 220 | 2806 | 11 |
NY Giants | 175 | 215 | 2796 | 22 |
NY Jets | 175 | 202 | 2794 | 13 |
Tampa Bay | 175 | 211 | 2792 | 17 |
Denver | 174 | 225 | 2777 | 15 |
Pittsburgh | 173 | 208 | 2765 | 23 |
Oakland | 170 | 226 | 2713 | 21 |
Baltimore | 168 | 211 | 2689 | 13 |
Seattle | 166 | 206 | 2663 | 12 |
San Diego | 165 | 184 | 2642 | 15 |
Minnesota | 165 | 237 | 2637 | 11 |
Miami | 165 | 195 | 2635 | 18 |
Jacksonville | 164 | 207 | 2618 | 15 |
Indianapolis | 163 | 177 | 2612 | 15 |
Dallas | 156 | 188 | 2490 | 20 |
New England | 155 | 195 | 2472 | 16 |
Carolina | 149 | 171 | 2376 | 16 |
Los Angeles | 141 | 188 | 2261 | 11 |
Tennessee | 136 | 159 | 2178 | 16 |
Cleveland | 127 | 168 | 2029 | 10 |
Buffalo | 126 | 146 | 2017 | 11 |
Kansas City | 123 | 187 | 1973 | 10 |
Houston | 123 | 168 | 1963 | 7 |
Philadelphia | 115 | 170 | 1839 | 8 |
San Francisco | 111 | 160 | 1777 | 8 |
--Andy Richardson