Emmanuel Sanders was the big winner of the Monday night game. He looks healthy, and he looks like he’ll be the featured receiver in Denver’s offense.
Sanders is coming of a torn Achilles, and he’s also 32. That’s worrying. But he’s been practicing, and there didn’t seem to be any issues with his explosiveness or confidence in his first preseason game. They gave him the ball on an end-around that he turned in a 19-yard run, looking like the same old Sanders.
Sanders caught only 1 pass for 5 yards, but he had another potential 13-yard catch ruled just out of bounds and got open deep for a 45-yard gain that was negated by a penalty. He looks very capable of continuing to be an elite receiver.
Denver has a new quarterback, but Joe Flacco typically has done his best work with veteran receivers. He seems to trust them more.
Of Flacco’s top 10 wide receivers in Baltimore (using PPR scoring) all but three of them were guys who were at least 30.
Right now, Sanders is looking very much like he could be another Steve Smith or Derrick Mason.
| JOE FLACCO'S BEST WIDE RECEIVERS | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Age | Rec | Yards | TD | PPR | Rk |
| 2014 | • Steve Smith | 35 | 79 | 1,065 | 6 | 221.5 | 18 |
| 2009 | • Derrick Mason | 35 | 73 | 1,028 | 7 | 218.0 | 17 |
| 2008 | • Derrick Mason | 34 | 80 | 1,037 | 5 | 216.0 | 20 |
| 2013 | Torrey Smith | 24 | 65 | 1,128 | 4 | 203.8 | 22 |
| 2016 | • Mike Wallace | 30 | 72 | 1,017 | 4 | 202.8 | 23 |
| 2015 | Kamar Aiken | 26 | 75 | 944 | 5 | 199.4 | 29 |
| 2014 | Torrey Smith | 25 | 49 | 767 | 11 | 191.7 | 29 |
| 2010 | • Anquan Boldin | 30 | 64 | 837 | 7 | 189.6 | 25 |
| 2016 | • Steve Smith | 37 | 70 | 799 | 5 | 183.9 | 37 |
| 2012 | • Anquan Boldin | 32 | 65 | 921 | 4 | 183.4 | 30 |
| 2012 | Torrey Smith | 23 | 49 | 855 | 8 | 183.4 | 31 |
| 2010 | • Derrick Mason | 36 | 61 | 802 | 7 | 183.2 | 28 |
| 2011 | Torrey Smith | 22 | 50 | 841 | 7 | 180.0 | 30 |
| 2011 | • Anquan Boldin | 31 | 57 | 887 | 3 | 163.7 | 35 |
| 2017 | • Mike Wallace | 31 | 52 | 748 | 4 | 151.2 | 38 |
| 2008 | Mark Clayton | 26 | 41 | 695 | 4 | 148.2 | 40 |
| 2013 | Marlon Brown | 22 | 49 | 524 | 7 | 145.2 | 48 |
| 2018 | John Brown | 28 | 42 | 715 | 5 | 143.9 | 45 |
| 2018 | Willie Snead | 26 | 62 | 651 | 1 | 134.4 | 53 |
| 2018 | • Michael Crabtree | 31 | 54 | 607 | 3 | 132.7 | 56 |
| 2015 | • Steve Smith | 36 | 46 | 670 | 3 | 131.0 | 53 |
| 2017 | Jeremy Maclin | 29 | 40 | 440 | 3 | 102.0 | 66 |
| 2016 | Breshad Perriman | 23 | 33 | 499 | 3 | 101.1 | 77 |
| 2013 | Jacoby Jones | 29 | 37 | 455 | 3 | 100.5 | 72 |
| 2009 | Mark Clayton | 27 | 34 | 480 | 2 | 96.8 | 76 |
| 2012 | Jacoby Jones | 28 | 30 | 406 | 4 | 95.2 | 76 |
| 2009 | • Kelley Washington | 30 | 34 | 431 | 2 | 89.2 | 78 |
| 2010 | • T.J. Houshmandzadeh | 33 | 30 | 398 | 3 | 87.8 | 78 |
| 2014 | Kamar Aiken | 25 | 24 | 267 | 3 | 68.7 | 94 |
| 2016 | Kamar Aiken | 27 | 29 | 328 | 1 | 67.8 | 97 |
—Ian Allan