It was a rough year for T.Y. Hilton in 2017. With Andrew Luck on the shelf, Hilton finished with the worst numbers of his career: just 4 TDs, and his lowest number of receptions (57) and yards (966) since his rookie season. He'd gone over 1,000 yards in four straight years previously.
But he's ready for a bounce-back year. Hilton says he's in the best shape of his life, and while every player seems to say that in April, he's taken steps to get there. He cut all fast food from his diet; says he's feeling great. He's excited about new head coach Frank Reich, who's coming in with a Super Bowl ring.
There's little doubt that Hilton has the talent to put up big numbers. Even last year, with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback and working in one of the league's worst passing offenses, Hilton was one of the best big-play threats in the league. Over 10 percent of his receptions went for 40-plus yards. That ranked 4th among all wideouts with at least 30 receptions.
| RECEPTIONS OF 40-PLUS YARDS, 2017 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lg | TD | 40+ | Pct/40 |
| Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 75 | 1183 | 15.8 | 79t | 7 | 9 | 12.0% |
| Travis Benjamin, LAC | 34 | 567 | 16.7 | 62t | 4 | 4 | 11.8% |
| Brandin Cooks, N.E. | 65 | 1082 | 16.6 | 64t | 7 | 7 | 10.8% |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 57 | 966 | 16.9 | 80t | 4 | 6 | 10.5% |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 58 | 917 | 15.8 | 97t | 7 | 6 | 10.3% |
| Marvin Jones, Det. | 61 | 1101 | 18.0 | 58 | 9 | 6 | 9.8% |
| Keelan Cole, Jac. | 42 | 748 | 17.8 | 75t | 3 | 4 | 9.5% |
| Ted Ginn, N.O. | 53 | 787 | 14.8 | 54t | 4 | 5 | 9.4% |
| Marquise Goodwin, S.F. | 56 | 962 | 17.2 | 83t | 2 | 5 | 8.9% |
| Mike Wallace, Balt. | 52 | 748 | 14.4 | 66 | 4 | 4 | 7.7% |
| Tyrell Williams, LAC | 43 | 728 | 16.9 | 75t | 4 | 3 | 7.0% |
| Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 101 | 1533 | 15.2 | 57 | 9 | 7 | 6.9% |
| Paul Richardson, Sea. | 44 | 703 | 16.0 | 61t | 6 | 3 | 6.8% |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 45 | 555 | 12.3 | 74t | 2 | 3 | 6.7% |
| Cordarrelle Patterson, Oak. | 31 | 309 | 10.0 | 59 | 0 | 2 | 6.5% |
| Amari Cooper, Oak. | 48 | 680 | 14.2 | 87t | 7 | 3 | 6.3% |
| Jermaine Kearse, NYJ | 65 | 810 | 12.5 | 51 | 5 | 4 | 6.2% |
| Taylor Gabriel, Atl. | 33 | 378 | 11.5 | 40t | 1 | 2 | 6.1% |
| Josh Doctson, Wash. | 35 | 502 | 14.3 | 52t | 6 | 2 | 5.7% |
| Torrey Smith, Phil. | 36 | 430 | 11.9 | 59t | 2 | 2 | 5.6% |
| Adam Thielen, Minn. | 91 | 1276 | 14.0 | 65t | 4 | 5 | 5.5% |
| A.J. Green, Cin. | 75 | 1078 | 14.4 | 77t | 8 | 4 | 5.3% |
| Deonte Thompson, Chi-Buf | 38 | 555 | 14.6 | 46 | 2 | 2 | 5.3% |
| Sammy Watkins, LAR | 39 | 593 | 15.2 | 67t | 8 | 2 | 5.1% |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 59 | 731 | 12.4 | 77t | 2 | 3 | 5.1% |
| Nelson Agholor, Phil. | 62 | 768 | 12.4 | 72t | 8 | 3 | 4.8% |
| Robby Anderson, NYJ | 63 | 941 | 14.9 | 69t | 7 | 3 | 4.8% |
| Stefon Diggs, Minn. | 64 | 849 | 13.3 | 59t | 8 | 3 | 4.7% |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 88 | 1444 | 16.4 | 53 | 3 | 4 | 4.5% |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 74 | 885 | 12.0 | 55t | 10 | 3 | 4.1% |
| Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 75 | 991 | 13.2 | 54 | 8 | 3 | 4.0% |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 102 | 1393 | 13.7 | 51 | 6 | 4 | 3.9% |
| Rishard Matthews, Tenn. | 53 | 795 | 15.0 | 75t | 4 | 2 | 3.8% |
| Robert Woods, LAR | 56 | 781 | 13.9 | 94t | 5 | 2 | 3.6% |
| Kenny Stills, Mia. | 58 | 847 | 14.6 | 61t | 6 | 2 | 3.4% |
| Michael Crabtree, Oak. | 58 | 618 | 10.7 | 41t | 8 | 2 | 3.4% |
| Golden Tate, Det. | 92 | 1003 | 10.9 | 71t | 5 | 3 | 3.3% |
| Jaron Brown, Ariz. | 31 | 477 | 15.4 | 52t | 4 | 1 | 3.2% |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 62 | 869 | 14.0 | 64 | 5 | 2 | 3.2% |
| Chris Hogan, N.E. | 34 | 439 | 12.9 | 47t | 5 | 1 | 2.9% |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 34 | 525 | 15.4 | 70 | 1 | 1 | 2.9% |
| Dez Bryant, Dall. | 69 | 838 | 12.1 | 50t | 6 | 2 | 2.9% |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 71 | 1001 | 14.1 | 42t | 5 | 2 | 2.8% |
| Cole Beasley, Dall. | 36 | 314 | 8.7 | 54 | 4 | 1 | 2.8% |
| Allen Hurns, Jac. | 39 | 484 | 12.4 | 50 | 2 | 1 | 2.6% |
| Pierre Garcon, S.F. | 40 | 500 | 12.5 | 59 | 0 | 1 | 2.5% |
| Jeremy Maclin, Balt. | 40 | 440 | 11.0 | 48t | 3 | 1 | 2.5% |
| Albert Wilson, K.C. | 42 | 554 | 13.2 | 63t | 3 | 1 | 2.4% |
| Ryan Grant, Wash. | 45 | 573 | 12.7 | 40t | 4 | 1 | 2.2% |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 96 | 1378 | 14.4 | 72t | 13 | 2 | 2.1% |
| Kelvin Benjamin, Car-Buf | 48 | 692 | 14.4 | 43 | 2 | 1 | 2.1% |
| DeSean Jackson, T.B. | 50 | 668 | 13.4 | 41 | 3 | 1 | 2.0% |
| Martavis Bryant, Pitt. | 50 | 603 | 12.1 | 51 | 3 | 1 | 2.0% |
| Brandon LaFell, Cin. | 52 | 548 | 10.5 | 45 | 3 | 1 | 1.9% |
| Terrance Williams, Dall. | 53 | 568 | 10.7 | 56 | 0 | 1 | 1.9% |
| Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 53 | 482 | 9.1 | 58 | 6 | 1 | 1.9% |
| Marqise Lee, Jac. | 56 | 702 | 12.5 | 45 | 3 | 1 | 1.8% |
| Alshon Jeffery, Phil. | 57 | 789 | 13.8 | 53t | 9 | 1 | 1.8% |
| Adam Humphries, T.B. | 61 | 631 | 10.3 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 1.6% |
| Devin Funchess, Car. | 63 | 840 | 13.3 | 44 | 8 | 1 | 1.6% |
| Jamison Crowder, Wash. | 66 | 789 | 12.0 | 41 | 3 | 1 | 1.5% |
| Randall Cobb, G.B. | 66 | 653 | 9.9 | 46 | 4 | 1 | 1.5% |
| Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 83 | 949 | 11.4 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 1.2% |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 104 | 1245 | 12.0 | 43 | 5 | 1 | 1.0% |
| Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 112 | 987 | 8.8 | 49 | 9 | 1 | 0.9% |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 47 | 555 | 11.8 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| T.J. Jones, Det. | 30 | 399 | 13.3 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Roger Lewis, NYG | 36 | 416 | 11.6 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| DeVante Parker, Mia. | 57 | 670 | 11.8 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mohamed Sanu, Atl. | 67 | 703 | 10.5 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 109 | 1156 | 10.6 | 37 | 6 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Seth Roberts, Oak. | 43 | 455 | 10.6 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Corey Davis, Tenn. | 34 | 375 | 11.0 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Danny Amendola, N.E. | 61 | 659 | 10.8 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Eric Decker, Tenn. | 54 | 563 | 10.4 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Trent Taylor, S.F. | 43 | 430 | 10.0 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Kendall Wright, Chi. | 59 | 614 | 10.4 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
Would be nice to say for certain that Luck will be back healthy this season. The Colts say he will be, but they pretty much have no credibility in providing timetables for Luck at this point. But if he is healthy, and Hilton can provide such big-play numbers without him, an even better season should be in store.
--Andy Richardson