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Factoid

WR of the Decade?

"Retiring" AB one of three strong candidates

Antonio Brown announced his retirement yesterday. Like everything with Brown, you can take it with a grain of salt. He's announced it a couple of times previously, and who's to say the right contract offer a month from now won't have him back on the field. But it's certainly possible that this is it for him.

I saw him referenced as the Wide Receiver of the Decade by somebody yesterday. and my knee-jerk reaction was to dismiss it. Part of it is perhaps that he's not the most likable player, and I wanted to come up with some other candidate. My mind initially went to Larry Fitzgerald, but when I pulled out the numbers I saw that Fitzgerald's three best seasons were actually the previous decade (2005, 2007 and 2008).

In fact, if Antonio Brown wasn't the best wide receiver of the 2010s, there are only two other realistic candidates. One is still playing, and the other would have probably claimed the title hands down -- had he not retired early. (What is it about the Lions?)

Table below shows the top 100 seasons (PPR scoring) by wide receivers over the past decade. Only three players show up more than four times on the list: Brown (six), Julio Jones (six) and Calvin Johnson (five). Johnson retired after the 2015 season at just 30 years old. There's no doubt in my mind he'd show up 2-3 more times in this top 100 had he kept on playing.

TOP 100 WIDE RECEIVERS, 2010-2019 (PPR SCORING)
YearPlayerTgtRecYdsAvgTDPPRRk
2015Antonio Brown, Pitt.193136183413.510392.21
2014Antonio Brown, Pitt.181129169813.213391.11
2015Julio Jones, Atl.203136187113.88377.12
2019Michael Thomas, N.O.185149172511.69374.61
2011Calvin Johnson, Det.15896168117.516361.21
2012Calvin Johnson, Det.204122196416.15348.41
2015Brandon Marshall, NYJ173109150213.814343.23
2014Demaryius Thomas, Den.184111161914.611340.92
2018DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.163115157213.711337.51
2011Wes Welker, N.E.173122156912.99335.92
2012Brandon Marshall, Chi.192118150812.811334.62
2018Tyreek Hill, K.C.13787147917.012334.02
2015DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.192111152113.711331.14
2018Julio Jones, Atl.170113167714.88329.93
2018Davante Adams, G.B.169111138612.513329.64
2014Jordy Nelson, G.B.15198151915.513327.93
2018Antonio Brown, Pitt.168104129712.515323.75
2018Michael Thomas, N.O.147125140511.29319.56
2015Odell Beckham, NYG15896145015.113319.35
2013Demaryius Thomas, Den.14292143015.514319.01
2010Roddy White, Atl.179115138912.110318.21
2014Dez Bryant, Dall.13688132015.016316.04
2013Antonio Brown, Pitt.167110149913.68315.12
2013Josh Gordon, Cle.15987164618.99314.43
2017DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.17496137814.413311.81
2017Antonio Brown, Pitt.163101153315.29310.32
2018Adam Thielen, Min.153113137312.29309.37
2016Antonio Brown, Pitt.154106128412.112307.31
2016Jordy Nelson, G.B.15297125713.014306.72
2013A.J. Green, Cin.17898142614.611306.64
2013Brandon Marshall, Chi.164100129513.012305.55
2013Calvin Johnson, Det.15684149217.812305.26
2016Mike Evans, T.B.17396132113.812304.13
2015Allen Robinson, Jac.15180140017.514304.06
2012Dez Bryant, Dall.13892138215.012303.73
2012A.J. Green, Cin.16497135013.911301.84
2014Emmanuel Sanders, Den.141101140413.99301.85
2014Julio Jones, Atl.163104159315.36299.46
2018JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt.166111142612.97298.98
2016Odell Beckham, NYG169101136713.510298.64
2012Demaryius Thomas, Den.14394143415.310297.45
2014Randall Cobb, G.B.12791128714.112297.47
2014Odell Beckham, NYG13091130514.312297.08
2012Andre Johnson, Hou.162112159814.34295.86
2013Dez Bryant, Dall.15993123313.313294.47
2018Mike Evans, T.B.13886152417.78292.49
2012Wes Welker, N.E.174118135411.56291.47
2011Victor Cruz, NYG13182153618.79289.93
2010Brandon Lloyd, Den.15377144818.811286.02
2013Alshon Jeffery, Chi.14889142116.07285.68
2015Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.145109121511.29284.57
2011Jordy Nelson, G.B.9668126318.615284.34
2017Keenan Allen, LAC159102139313.76284.23
2010Reggie Wayne, Ind.175111135512.26282.53
2013Eric Decker, Den.13687128814.811281.89
2013Andre Johnson, Hou.181109140712.95279.710
2013Pierre Garcon, Was.181113134611.95279.511
2010Dwayne Bowe, K.C.13372116216.115278.64
2011Roddy White, Atl.180100129613.08277.65
2014Jeremy Maclin, Phil.14385131815.510276.89
2019Chris Godwin, T.B.12186133315.59276.12
2015A.J. Green, Cin.13286129715.110275.78
2015Jarvis Landry, Mia.166110115710.54275.59
2010Greg Jennings, G.B.12576126516.612274.45
2019Julio Jones, Atl.15799139414.16274.13
2016T.Y. Hilton, Ind.15591144815.96273.85
2011Percy Harvin, Min.1218796711.16272.26
2015Demaryius Thomas, Den.177105130412.46271.410
2012Reggie Wayne, Ind.195106135512.85271.08
2019DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.150104116511.27270.64
2019Cooper Kupp, LAR13494116112.410270.55
2013DeSean Jackson, Phil.12682133216.29269.412
2012Eric Decker, Den.12285106412.513269.49
2011Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.15480141117.68269.17
2012Roddy White, Atl.14292135114.77269.110
2015Doug Baldwin, Sea.10378106913.714268.911
2011Steve Smith Sr., Car.12979139417.77268.08
2018Stefon Diggs, Min.149102102110.09266.310
2010Calvin Johnson, Det.13777112014.612266.26
2018Robert Woods, LAR13086121914.26265.611
2013Jordy Nelson, G.B.12785131415.58264.413
2017Jarvis Landry, Mia.1611129878.89264.04
2017Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.161109115610.66263.75
2015Calvin Johnson, Det.14988121413.89263.412
2018Keenan Allen, LAC13697119612.36262.112
2012Julio Jones, Atl.12879119815.210261.811
2014Alshon Jeffery, Chi.14585113313.310261.610
2019Keenan Allen, LAC149104119911.56261.56
2014T.Y. Hilton, Ind.13182134516.47260.511
2012Vincent Jackson, T.B.14772138419.28260.412
2016Julio Jones, Atl.12983140917.06259.96
2016Michael Thomas, N.O.12192113712.49259.77
2014Golden Tate, Det.14499133113.44259.112
2019Julian Edelman, N.E.153100111711.26258.87
2017Michael Thomas, N.O.149104124512.05258.56
2012Marques Colston, N.O.13083115413.910258.413
2010Andre Johnson, Hou.13886121614.18256.67
2012Victor Cruz, NYG14386109212.710255.214
2019Allen Robinson, Chi.15498114711.77254.98
2015Eric Decker, NYJ13280102712.812254.713

Those inclined to make the case for Brown can do so pretty easily. He had the two best fantasy seasons of the decade, and six of the top 30 -- damn impressive. Johnson had two of the top 6 without even playing the last four years, but you can't penalize Brown for Megatron's unfortunate decision to walk away from the game.

I don't think I buy Brown's current declaration. He just turned 32, so he's definitely got some game left, and he doesn't really present as someone who's carefully invested his money over the years. But if we have the seen the last of him, he's definitely on the very short list of the best wideouts from the last 10 years. His numbers make a pretty strong case for that No. 1 spot.

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index