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A.J. Green

Quietly, a career-revival in Arizona

The Cardinals re-signed A.J. Green last week. We had fun ripping Green here last year, given how awful his last couple of seasons were in Cincinnati. But to his credit, he wound up bouncing back nicely with Kyler Murray and company.

One popular stat for receiver efficiency these days is yards per target, showing how many yards each pass thrown to a receiver -- completed or incomplete -- results in, on average. Unsurprisingly, three of the very best receivers in this regard last year, among wideouts with at least 90 targets, were arguably the three best receivers in the league: Deebo, Chase, Kupp. But also showing up in the top 8, just ahead of Davante Adams, was Green, averaging 9.2 yards per target.

It's noteworthy in part because in 2020, Green was at the very bottom of the list -- his 5.0 yards per target was the worst figure in the league, just over half of what he finished at in 2021. Quite a one-year turnaround.

WR YARDS PER TARGET, 2020-2021 (90-PLUS)
YearPlayerTgtNoYdsAvgTDY/Tgt
2021Deebo Samuel12177140518.3611.6
2021JaMarr Chase12881145518.01311.4
2020Justin Jefferson12588140015.9711.2
2021Tyler Lockett10773117516.1811.0
2020Corey Davis926598415.1510.7
2021Cooper Kupp191145194713.41610.2
2020A.J. Brown10670107515.41110.1
2020DJ Moore11866119318.1410.1
2020DK Metcalf12983130315.71010.1
2021Tee Higgins11074109114.769.9
2021Justin Jefferson167108161615.0109.7
2020Brandin Cooks11981115014.269.7
2020Calvin Ridley14390137415.399.6
2021Christian Kirk1037798212.859.5
2020Tyreek Hill13587127614.7159.5
2020Stefon Diggs166127153512.189.2
2020Mike Evans10970100614.4139.2
2020Davante Adams149115137412.0189.2
2021A.J. Green925484815.739.2
2021Davante Adams169123155312.6119.2
2021CeeDee Lamb12079110214.069.2
2021Mike Evans11474103514.0149.1
2020Cole Beasley1078296711.849.0
2021Mike Williams12976114615.198.9
2021Tyler Boyd946782812.458.8
2021DeVonta Smith1046491614.358.8
2020DeAndre Hopkins160115140712.268.8
2020Curtis Samuel977785111.138.8
2021Chris Godwin12798110311.358.7
2020Amari Cooper13092111412.158.6
2020Adam Thielen1087492512.5148.6
2020Marvin Jones1157697812.998.5
2020CeeDee Lamb1117493512.658.4
2020Tee Higgins1086790813.668.4
2021Michael Pittman12988108212.368.4
2020Terry McLaurin13487111812.948.3
2021Amari Cooper1046886512.788.3
2020Jarvis Landry1017284011.738.3
2020Allen Robinson151102125012.368.3
2021A.J. Brown1056386913.858.3
2020T.Y. Hilton935676213.658.2
2021Russell Gage946677011.748.2
2021Chase Claypool1055986014.628.2
2021Hunter Renfrow128103103810.198.1
2021Terry McLaurin13077105313.758.1
2020Robby Anderson13695109611.538.1
2020Michael Gallup1055984314.358.0
2020Chase Claypool1096287314.198.0
2020Tyler Lockett132100105410.5108.0
2021Courtland Sutton985877613.427.9
2020Cooper Kupp1249297410.637.9
2020Darius Slayton965075115.037.8
2021Tyreek Hill159111123911.297.8
2020Brandon Aiyuk966074812.557.8
2021Brandin Cooks13490103711.567.7
2020DeVante Parker1036379312.647.7
2020Marquise Brown1005876913.387.7
2021Amon-Ra St. Brown1199091210.157.7
2020Tyler Boyd1107984110.747.6
2021Adam Thielen956772610.8107.6
2020DJ Chark935370613.357.6
2020Jerry Jeudy1135285616.537.6
2021Darnell Mooney14081105513.047.5
2021DK Metcalf1297596712.9127.5
2021Stefon Diggs164103122511.9107.5
2020Sterling Shepard90666569.937.3
2020Robert Woods1299093610.467.3
2021Jaylen Waddle14010410159.867.3
2021Keenan Allen157106113810.767.2
2020Russell Gage1097278610.947.2
2021DJ Moore16393115712.447.1
2021Marvin Jones1207383211.446.9
2021Marquise Brown14691100811.166.9
2021Jakobi Meyers1268386610.426.9
2021Diontae Johnson169107116110.986.9
2020Keenan Allen1471009929.986.7
2020JuJu Smith-Schuster128978318.696.5
2020Darnell Mooney986163110.346.4
2020Diontae Johnson1448892310.576.4
2021Laviska Shenault100636199.806.2
2021Cole Beasley112826938.516.2
2020A.J. Green1044752311.125.0
2021Robby Anderson110535199.854.7

Some other interesting things from the table. One is that Green's teammate Christian Kirk was also very good in this regard last year (9.6), a little better than Green. So contract-seeking Murray, and the offense itself, deserve some credit in coaxing that performance out of Green. Kirk is in Jacksonville now, so presumably a few more chances for Green, and also a popular breakout choice in second-year wideout Rondale Moore.

The only guy worse than Green's 2020 performance over the last two seasons -- the only wide receiver within a yard of Green, in fact -- was Robby Anderson last year. The same Anderson who was in the news last week for ripping Baker Mayfield after the report that the Panthers were considered the front-runner to add the Cleveland quarterback. Does Anderson really want another year of Sam Darnold? Things could only be better, at least based on his 2021.

Back to Green. I wouldn't say his performance a year ago makes him a desirable target in fantasy leagues. He caught only 3 TDs, with a particularly memorable, game-losing missed connection at one point. And Murray himself apparently won't be playing this year without a new contract.

But the Cardinals either will or at least should work out the Murray situation. And with Kirk gone, Green might well be the No. 2 in the passing game, much as many want to believe it will be Moore. The veteran looks very much like late-round selection with a good chance to outperform that. Not washed-up after all.

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index