Wide receivers aren’t being featured as heavily as they have been in the past. Passing production continues to increase, but it’s not as usual to see teams tending to jam the ball into one player. Instead, they’re tending to spread the ball around more.
Consider the following chart. It shows the best wide receivers from the last 10 years, with their production expressed as a percentage on their own team. That is, you look at the overall production for each team (using PPR scoring), then calculate the percentage accrued by each player.
Of the top 75, only three came from the 2020 season: Davante Adams (14th), DeAndre Hopkins (36th) and Stefon Diggs (58th). And in fairness note that Adams missed a couple of games or he would ranked much higher.
But overall, receivers aren’t being a heavily featured as they have been in the past. They’re not dominating the touches quite as much, and they’re not being as heavily featured in the red zone. With the way the game is changing, I don’t expect this trend to be changing anytime soon.
WIDE RECEIVERS: PERCENTAGE OF PRODUCTION (last 10 years) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | No | Yds | TD | PPR | Team stats | Pct |
2012 | Brandon Marshall, Chi. | 118 | 1,508 | 11 | 334.8 | 287-3298-21 | 45.1% |
2017 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 96 | 1,378 | 13 | 311.8 | 299-3644-28 | 37.5% |
2015 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 136 | 1,871 | 8 | 371.1 | 410-4602-21 | 37.3% |
2015 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 136 | 1,834 | 10 | 379.4 | 391-4822-26 | 36.9% |
2018 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 115 | 1,572 | 11 | 338.2 | 345-4165-26 | 36.9% |
2013 | Anquan Boldin, S.F. | 85 | 1,179 | 7 | 244.9 | 244-3210-21 | 35.4% |
2015 | Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 109 | 1,502 | 14 | 343.2 | 362-4170-33 | 35.1% |
2015 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 111 | 1,521 | 11 | 329.1 | 358-4079-29 | 35.0% |
2019 | Michael Thomas, N.O. | 149 | 1,725 | 9 | 375.5 | 418-4431-36 | 34.9% |
2014 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 129 | 1,698 | 13 | 376.8 | 411-4997-33 | 34.0% |
2012 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 97 | 1,350 | 11 | 298.0 | 335-3807-28 | 33.7% |
2014 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 88 | 1,320 | 16 | 316.0 | 328-4008-37 | 33.2% |
2012 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 112 | 1,598 | 4 | 295.8 | 354-4046-22 | 33.2% |
2020 | •Davante Adams, G.B. | 115 | 1,374 | 18 | 360.4 | 372-4299-48 | 33.1% |
2013 | Vincent Jackson, T.B. | 78 | 1,224 | 7 | 242.4 | 291-3181-22 | 32.7% |
2018 | Davante Adams, G.B. | 111 | 1,386 | 13 | 327.6 | 392-4629-25 | 32.6% |
2011 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 80 | 1,411 | 8 | 269.1 | 307-3954-21 | 32.5% |
2011 | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. | 81 | 1,159 | 5 | 226.9 | 299-3288-13 | 32.1% |
2011 | Brandon Marshall, Mia. | 81 | 1,214 | 6 | 238.4 | 280-3425-20 | 32.1% |
2014 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 98 | 1,519 | 13 | 327.9 | 349-4447-38 | 32.1% |
2018 | Michael Thomas, N.O. | 125 | 1,405 | 9 | 319.5 | 381-4174-33 | 32.1% |
2012 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 122 | 1,964 | 5 | 348.4 | 445-5139-22 | 31.9% |
2012 | Michael Crabtree, S.F. | 85 | 1,105 | 9 | 249.5 | 289-3551-23 | 31.9% |
2016 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 101 | 1,367 | 10 | 297.7 | 377-4027-26 | 31.8% |
2016 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 96 | 1,321 | 12 | 300.1 | 355-4165-29 | 31.7% |
2013 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 110 | 1,499 | 8 | 307.9 | 377-4306-28 | 31.6% |
2013 | Pierre Garcon, Wash. | 113 | 1,346 | 5 | 277.6 | 355-4057-20 | 31.5% |
2013 | Josh Gordon, Clev. | 87 | 1,646 | 9 | 305.6 | 379-4372-26 | 31.4% |
2015 | Jeremy Maclin, K.C. | 87 | 1,088 | 8 | 243.8 | 310-3493-20 | 31.3% |
2014 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 68 | 1,051 | 12 | 245.1 | 301-3623-21 | 31.1% |
2013 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 109 | 1,407 | 5 | 279.7 | 371-4183-19 | 31.0% |
2013 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 98 | 1,426 | 11 | 306.6 | 364-4321-33 | 30.8% |
2011 | Steve Smith, Car. | 79 | 1,394 | 7 | 260.4 | 312-4089-21 | 30.7% |
2011 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 96 | 1,681 | 16 | 360.1 | 423-5071-41 | 30.6% |
2017 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 101 | 1,533 | 9 | 308.3 | 384-4534-29 | 30.5% |
2020 | •DeAndre Hopkins, Ariz. | 115 | 1,407 | 6 | 291.7 | 387-4102-27 | 30.4% |
2014 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 111 | 1,619 | 11 | 338.9 | 399-4779-40 | 30.3% |
2013 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 84 | 1,492 | 12 | 305.2 | 371-4650-29 | 30.2% |
2017 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 109 | 1,156 | 6 | 260.6 | 339-3979-21 | 30.2% |
2015 | Allen Robinson, Jac. | 80 | 1,400 | 14 | 304.0 | 355-4428-35 | 30.2% |
2015 | Odell Beckham, NYG | 96 | 1,450 | 13 | 319.0 | 392-4500-36 | 30.2% |
2014 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 76 | 1,210 | 6 | 233.0 | 295-3460-22 | 30.1% |
2016 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 106 | 1,284 | 12 | 306.4 | 381-4377-33 | 30.1% |
2015 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 105 | 1,304 | 6 | 271.4 | 368-4216-19 | 30.0% |
2011 | Percy Harvin, Minn. | 87 | 967 | 6 | 219.7 | 286-3255-20 | 30.0% |
2019 | Allen Robinson, Chi. | 98 | 1,147 | 7 | 254.7 | 371-3573-20 | 30.0% |
2013 | Brandon Marshall, Chi. | 100 | 1,295 | 12 | 301.5 | 373-4450-32 | 29.9% |
2012 | Reggie Wayne, Ind. | 106 | 1,355 | 5 | 271.5 | 339-4374-23 | 29.7% |
2015 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 86 | 1,297 | 10 | 275.7 | 334-4104-31 | 29.6% |
2013 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 93 | 1,233 | 13 | 294.3 | 375-4226-33 | 29.6% |
2017 | Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 112 | 987 | 9 | 264.7 | 373-3792-24 | 29.5% |
2018 | Adam Thielen, Min. | 113 | 1,373 | 9 | 304.3 | 425-4298-30 | 29.4% |
2019 | Courtland Sutton, Den. | 72 | 1,112 | 6 | 219.2 | 312-3401-16 | 29.3% |
2012 | Victor Cruz, NYG | 86 | 1,092 | 10 | 255.2 | 323-3967-26 | 29.1% |
2014 | Anquan Boldin, S.F. | 83 | 1,062 | 5 | 219.2 | 292-3407-20 | 29.1% |
2017 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 75 | 1,078 | 8 | 230.8 | 304-3386-25 | 29.1% |
2012 | Vincent Jackson, T.B. | 72 | 1,384 | 8 | 258.4 | 311-4144-27 | 29.1% |
2020 | •Stefon Diggs, Buff. | 127 | 1,535 | 8 | 328.5 | 410-4786-40 | 29.1% |
2014 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 91 | 1,305 | 12 | 293.5 | 383-4470-30 | 29.1% |
2018 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 113 | 1,677 | 8 | 328.7 | 428-4949-36 | 28.9% |
2011 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 122 | 1,569 | 9 | 332.9 | 402-5257-39 | 28.7% |
2013 | DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 82 | 1,332 | 9 | 269.2 | 310-4406-32 | 28.6% |
2014 | Randall Cobb, G.B. | 91 | 1,287 | 12 | 291.7 | 349-4447-38 | 28.6% |
2015 | Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 78 | 1,069 | 14 | 268.9 | 333-4061-34 | 28.5% |
2011 | Roddy White, Atl. | 100 | 1,296 | 8 | 277.6 | 365-4365-29 | 28.5% |
2014 | Eric Decker, NYJ | 74 | 962 | 5 | 200.2 | 287-3206-16 | 28.5% |
2019 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 104 | 1,165 | 7 | 262.5 | 355-4083-27 | 28.4% |
2017 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 88 | 1,444 | 3 | 250.4 | 343-4146-21 | 28.3% |
2011 | Pierre Garcon, Ind. | 70 | 947 | 6 | 200.7 | 302-3223-14 | 28.3% |
2019 | Jarvis Landry, Cle. | 83 | 1,174 | 6 | 236.4 | 318-3847-22 | 28.3% |
2011 | Victor Cruz, NYG | 82 | 1,536 | 9 | 289.6 | 359-4933-29 | 28.2% |
2016 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 97 | 1,257 | 14 | 306.7 | 403-4445-40 | 28.2% |
2014 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 104 | 1,593 | 6 | 299.3 | 418-4758-28 | 28.2% |
2017 | Keenan Allen, LAC | 102 | 1,393 | 6 | 277.3 | 366-4551-28 | 28.0% |
2019 | John Brown, Buff. | 72 | 1,060 | 6 | 214.0 | 299-3476-21 | 27.7% |
2014 | Golden Tate, Det. | 99 | 1,331 | 4 | 256.1 | 365-4284-22 | 27.7% |
2020 | •Allen Robinson, Chi. | 102 | 1,250 | 6 | 263.0 | 402-3925-26 | 27.7% |
2012 | Stevie Johnson, Buff. | 79 | 1,046 | 6 | 219.6 | 309-3430-24 | 27.6% |
2015 | Sammy Watkins, Buff. | 60 | 1,047 | 9 | 218.7 | 295-3600-23 | 27.6% |
2014 | Jeremy Maclin, Phil. | 85 | 1,318 | 10 | 276.8 | 384-4581-27 | 27.6% |
2011 | Reggie Wayne, Ind. | 75 | 960 | 4 | 195.0 | 302-3223-14 | 27.5% |
2020 | •Justin Jefferson , Min. | 88 | 1,400 | 7 | 270.0 | 349-4265-35 | 27.4% |
2015 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 109 | 1,215 | 9 | 284.5 | 353-4775-35 | 27.3% |
2012 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 92 | 1,382 | 12 | 302.2 | 434-4992-29 | 27.3% |
2018 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 104 | 1,297 | 15 | 323.7 | 459-5174-35 | 27.3% |
2020 | •Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 90 | 1,374 | 9 | 281.4 | 408-4620-27 | 27.3% |
2013 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 85 | 1,314 | 8 | 264.4 | 366-4538-25 | 27.3% |
2016 | Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 94 | 1,136 | 4 | 231.6 | 316-3716-27 | 27.3% |
2012 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 94 | 1,434 | 10 | 297.4 | 402-4671-37 | 27.3% |
2016 | Kenny Britt, L.A. | 68 | 1,002 | 5 | 198.2 | 312-3313-14 | 27.3% |
2020 | •A.J. Brown, Ten. | 70 | 1,075 | 11 | 243.5 | 316-3826-33 | 27.2% |
2019 | Cooper Kupp, LAR | 94 | 1,161 | 10 | 270.1 | 397-4669-22 | 27.1% |
2012 | Steve Smith, Car. | 73 | 1,174 | 4 | 214.4 | 284-3927-19 | 27.1% |
2011 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 65 | 1,057 | 7 | 212.7 | 308-3507-21 | 27.1% |
2013 | Alshon Jeffery, Chi. | 89 | 1,421 | 7 | 273.1 | 373-4450-32 | 27.0% |
2018 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 69 | 734 | 6 | 178.4 | 283-2884-15 | 27.0% |
2017 | Adam Thielen, Minn. | 91 | 1,276 | 4 | 242.6 | 357-3929-25 | 27.0% |
2016 | T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 91 | 1,448 | 6 | 271.8 | 370-4491-32 | 26.9% |
2014 | Kelvin Benjamin, Car. | 73 | 1,008 | 9 | 227.8 | 327-3828-23 | 26.9% |
2016 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 90 | 1,083 | 5 | 228.3 | 339-3914-20 | 26.8% |
—Ian Allan