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Stefon Diggs

Bills give wideout big money

The Bills made Stefon Diggs the latest high-paid wideout yesterday; he joins Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill in getting a big-money contract, helping pave the way for other top wideouts coming up on new deals. It's interesting only in that Diggs' best year was 2020; last year wasn't quite as good.

It's relative of course; Diggs still caught over 100 passes and 10 TDs as Buffalo's No. 1 wide receiver. But considering he had almost exactly the same number of passes thrown his way last year as the year before, he was considerably better the previous season.

Two years in a row, Diggs has seen 164-166 targets in Buffalo's offense. In 2020 he caught over 76 percent of those, which is the 4th-highest among all wideouts with at least 110 targets the last two seasons -- behind only Adams in 2020. He had 127 receptions for 1,535 yards and 8 TDs.

Contrast that to last year, when he caught 24 fewer passes for 310 fewer yards, though 2 more TDs. His catch rate of under 63 percent was one of the 12 lowest figures among those 110-target wideouts.

WR CATCH RATES, 110-PLUS TARGETS, 2020-2021
YearPlayerTgtNoYdsTDCatch
2021Hunter Renfrow, L.V.1281031038980.5%
2020Davante Adams, G.B.14911513741877.2%
2021Chris Godwin, T.B.127981103577.2%
2020Stefon Diggs, Buff.1661271535876.5%
2021Cooper Kupp, LAR19114519471675.9%
2020JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt.12897831975.8%
2020Tyler Lockett, Sea.13210010541075.8%
2021Amon-Ra St. Brown, Det.11990912575.6%
2021Jaylen Waddle, Mia.1401041015674.3%
2020Cooper Kupp, LAR12492974374.2%
2021Cole Beasley, Buff.11282693173.2%
2021Davante Adams, G.B.16912315531172.8%
2020DeAndre Hopkins, Ariz.1601151407671.9%
2020Tyler Boyd, Cin.11079841471.8%
2020Amari Cooper, Dall.130921114570.8%
2020Justin Jefferson, Min.125881400770.4%
2020Robby Anderson, Car.136951096369.9%
2021Tyreek Hill, K.C.1591111239969.8%
2020Robert Woods, LAR12990936669.8%
2021Michael Pittman, Ind.129881082668.2%
2020Brandin Cooks, Hou.119811150668.1%
2020Keenan Allen, LAC147100992868.0%
2020Allen Robinson, Chi.1511021250667.5%
2021Keenan Allen, LAC1571061138667.5%
2021Tee Higgins, Cin.110741091667.3%
2021Brandin Cooks, Hou.134901037667.2%
2020CeeDee Lamb, Dall.11174935566.7%
2020Marvin Jones, Det.11576978966.1%
2021Jakobi Meyers, N.E.12683866265.9%
2021CeeDee Lamb, Dall.120791102665.8%
2020Terry McLaurin, Was.134871118464.9%
2021Mike Evans, T.B.1147410351464.9%
2021Justin Jefferson, Min.16710816161064.7%
2020Tyreek Hill, K.C.1358712761564.4%
2020DK Metcalf, Sea.1298313031064.3%
2021Deebo Samuel, S.F.121771405663.6%
2021Diontae Johnson, Pitt.1691071161863.3%
2021JaMarr Chase, Cin.1288114551363.3%
2020Calvin Ridley, Atl.143901374962.9%
2021Stefon Diggs, Buff.16410312251062.8%
2021Marquise Brown, Balt.146911008662.3%
2020Diontae Johnson, Pitt.14488923761.1%
2021Marvin Jones, Jac.12073832460.8%
2021Terry McLaurin, Was.130771053559.2%
2021Mike Williams, LAC129761146958.9%
2021DK Metcalf, Sea.129759671258.1%
2021Darnell Mooney, Chi.140811055457.9%
2021DJ Moore, Car.163931157457.1%
2020DJ Moore, Car.118661193455.9%
2021Robby Anderson, Car.11053519548.2%
2020Jerry Jeudy, Den.11352856346.0%

Not necessarily a big deal, since Diggs was great either way. But if I'm drafting Diggs this year, I'm looking at his 2021 numbers and expecting that kind of season, rather than 2020, when he led the league in both receptions and yards.

Other notable elements from the above table: Carolina wideouts. DJ Moore (twice) and Robby Anderson both make the list, combining for three of the four worst catch rates among these heavily targeted wide receivers the last two years. That's what a couple of years of working with Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold can do for you. Carolina is absolutely drafting a quarterback in the first round of the draft, and it will be surprising if that player doesn't start quickly.

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index