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)
YearPlayerNoYdsTDPPRTeam statsPct
2012Brandon Marshall, Chi.1181,50811334.8287-3298-2145.1%
2017DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.961,37813311.8299-3644-2837.5%
2015Julio Jones, Atl.1361,8718371.1410-4602-2137.3%
2015Antonio Brown, Pitt.1361,83410379.4391-4822-2636.9%
2018DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.1151,57211338.2345-4165-2636.9%
2013Anquan Boldin, S.F.851,1797244.9244-3210-2135.4%
2015Brandon Marshall, NYJ1091,50214343.2362-4170-3335.1%
2015DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.1111,52111329.1358-4079-2935.0%
2019Michael Thomas, N.O.1491,7259375.5418-4431-3634.9%
2014Antonio Brown, Pitt.1291,69813376.8411-4997-3334.0%
2012A.J. Green, Cin.971,35011298.0335-3807-2833.7%
2014Dez Bryant, Dall.881,32016316.0328-4008-3733.2%
2012Andre Johnson, Hou.1121,5984295.8354-4046-2233.2%
2020•Davante Adams, G.B.1151,37418360.4372-4299-4833.1%
2013Vincent Jackson, T.B.781,2247242.4291-3181-2232.7%
2018Davante Adams, G.B.1111,38613327.6392-4629-2532.6%
2011Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.801,4118269.1307-3954-2132.5%
2011Dwayne Bowe, K.C.811,1595226.9299-3288-1332.1%
2011Brandon Marshall, Mia.811,2146238.4280-3425-2032.1%
2014Jordy Nelson, G.B.981,51913327.9349-4447-3832.1%
2018Michael Thomas, N.O.1251,4059319.5381-4174-3332.1%
2012Calvin Johnson, Det.1221,9645348.4445-5139-2231.9%
2012Michael Crabtree, S.F.851,1059249.5289-3551-2331.9%
2016Odell Beckham Jr., NYG1011,36710297.7377-4027-2631.8%
2016Mike Evans, T.B.961,32112300.1355-4165-2931.7%
2013Antonio Brown, Pitt.1101,4998307.9377-4306-2831.6%
2013Pierre Garcon, Wash.1131,3465277.6355-4057-2031.5%
2013Josh Gordon, Clev.871,6469305.6379-4372-2631.4%
2015Jeremy Maclin, K.C.871,0888243.8310-3493-2031.3%
2014Mike Evans, T.B.681,05112245.1301-3623-2131.1%
2013Andre Johnson, Hou.1091,4075279.7371-4183-1931.0%
2013A.J. Green, Cin.981,42611306.6364-4321-3330.8%
2011Steve Smith, Car.791,3947260.4312-4089-2130.7%
2011Calvin Johnson, Det.961,68116360.1423-5071-4130.6%
2017Antonio Brown, Pitt.1011,5339308.3384-4534-2930.5%
2020•DeAndre Hopkins, Ariz.1151,4076291.7387-4102-2730.4%
2014Demaryius Thomas, Den.1111,61911338.9399-4779-4030.3%
2013Calvin Johnson, Det.841,49212305.2371-4650-2930.2%
2017Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.1091,1566260.6339-3979-2130.2%
2015Allen Robinson, Jac.801,40014304.0355-4428-3530.2%
2015Odell Beckham, NYG961,45013319.0392-4500-3630.2%
2014DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.761,2106233.0295-3460-2230.1%
2016Antonio Brown, Pitt.1061,28412306.4381-4377-3330.1%
2015Demaryius Thomas, Den.1051,3046271.4368-4216-1930.0%
2011Percy Harvin, Minn.879676219.7286-3255-2030.0%
2019Allen Robinson, Chi.981,1477254.7371-3573-2030.0%
2013Brandon Marshall, Chi.1001,29512301.5373-4450-3229.9%
2012Reggie Wayne, Ind.1061,3555271.5339-4374-2329.7%
2015A.J. Green, Cin.861,29710275.7334-4104-3129.6%
2013Dez Bryant, Dall.931,23313294.3375-4226-3329.6%
2017Jarvis Landry, Mia.1129879264.7373-3792-2429.5%
2018Adam Thielen, Min.1131,3739304.3425-4298-3029.4%
2019Courtland Sutton, Den.721,1126219.2312-3401-1629.3%
2012Victor Cruz, NYG861,09210255.2323-3967-2629.1%
2014Anquan Boldin, S.F.831,0625219.2292-3407-2029.1%
2017A.J. Green, Cin.751,0788230.8304-3386-2529.1%
2012Vincent Jackson, T.B.721,3848258.4311-4144-2729.1%
2020•Stefon Diggs, Buff.1271,5358328.5410-4786-4029.1%
2014Odell Beckham Jr., NYG911,30512293.5383-4470-3029.1%
2018Julio Jones, Atl.1131,6778328.7428-4949-3628.9%
2011Wes Welker, N.E.1221,5699332.9402-5257-3928.7%
2013DeSean Jackson, Phil.821,3329269.2310-4406-3228.6%
2014Randall Cobb, G.B.911,28712291.7349-4447-3828.6%
2015Doug Baldwin, Sea.781,06914268.9333-4061-3428.5%
2011Roddy White, Atl.1001,2968277.6365-4365-2928.5%
2014Eric Decker, NYJ749625200.2287-3206-1628.5%
2019DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.1041,1657262.5355-4083-2728.4%
2017Julio Jones, Atl.881,4443250.4343-4146-2128.3%
2011Pierre Garcon, Ind.709476200.7302-3223-1428.3%
2019Jarvis Landry, Cle.831,1746236.4318-3847-2228.3%
2011Victor Cruz, NYG821,5369289.6359-4933-2928.2%
2016Jordy Nelson, G.B.971,25714306.7403-4445-4028.2%
2014Julio Jones, Atl.1041,5936299.3418-4758-2828.2%
2017Keenan Allen, LAC1021,3936277.3366-4551-2828.0%
2019John Brown, Buff.721,0606214.0299-3476-2127.7%
2014Golden Tate, Det.991,3314256.1365-4284-2227.7%
2020•Allen Robinson, Chi.1021,2506263.0402-3925-2627.7%
2012Stevie Johnson, Buff.791,0466219.6309-3430-2427.6%
2015Sammy Watkins, Buff.601,0479218.7295-3600-2327.6%
2014Jeremy Maclin, Phil.851,31810276.8384-4581-2727.6%
2011Reggie Wayne, Ind.759604195.0302-3223-1427.5%
2020•Justin Jefferson , Min.881,4007270.0349-4265-3527.4%
2015Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.1091,2159284.5353-4775-3527.3%
2012Dez Bryant, Dall.921,38212302.2434-4992-2927.3%
2018Antonio Brown, Pitt.1041,29715323.7459-5174-3527.3%
2020•Calvin Ridley, Atl.901,3749281.4408-4620-2727.3%
2013Jordy Nelson, G.B.851,3148264.4366-4538-2527.3%
2016Jarvis Landry, Mia.941,1364231.6316-3716-2727.3%
2012Demaryius Thomas, Den.941,43410297.4402-4671-3727.3%
2016Kenny Britt, L.A.681,0025198.2312-3313-1427.3%
2020•A.J. Brown, Ten.701,07511243.5316-3826-3327.2%
2019Cooper Kupp, LAR941,16110270.1397-4669-2227.1%
2012Steve Smith, Car.731,1744214.4284-3927-1927.1%
2011A.J. Green, Cin.651,0577212.7308-3507-2127.1%
2013Alshon Jeffery, Chi.891,4217273.1373-4450-3227.0%
2018Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.697346178.4283-2884-1527.0%
2017Adam Thielen, Minn.911,2764242.6357-3929-2527.0%
2016T.Y. Hilton, Ind.911,4486271.8370-4491-3226.9%
2014Kelvin Benjamin, Car.731,0089227.8327-3828-2326.9%
2016Demaryius Thomas, Den.901,0835228.3339-3914-2026.8%

—Ian Allan