It was a good year for transplant receivers. Five went for at least 1,100 yards, an NFL first. One of them, A.J. Brown, will play in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams and Brown led the way, collectively averaging 1,574 yards. They will change my thinking on transplant wide receivers (looking back, I was too low on all three of these guys, expecting them to decline with their new teams). Previously, only three had gone over 1,500 yards (ever) -- Stefon Diggs and Brandon Marshall twice.
A level down, Amari Cooper and Christian Kirk both went over 1,100 yards, proving to be solid investments for the Browns and Jaguars. Teams today, apparently, are better at bringing in a top receiver and getting him going from the jump.
Since the merger in 1970, I see 32 other wide receivers who’ve gone over 1,100 yards in their first season with a new team. I don’t see any other season with more than 3 such wide receivers.
TRANSPLANT RECEIVERS GOING FOR 1,000 YARDS | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Previous Year |
2022 | • Tyreek Hill, Mia. | 119 | 1710 | 14.4 | 7 | 111-1239-9 (K.C.) |
2020 | Stefon Diggs, Buff. | 127 | 1535 | 12.1 | 8 | 63-1130-6 (Min.) |
2022 | • Davante Adams, L.V. | 100 | 1516 | 15.2 | 14 | 123-1553-11 (G.B.) |
2012 | Brandon Marshall, Chi. | 118 | 1508 | 12.8 | 11 | 81-1214-6 (Mia.) |
2015 | Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 109 | 1502 | 13.8 | 14 | 61-721-8 (Chi.) |
2022 | • A.J. Brown, Phil. | 88 | 1496 | 17.0 | 11 | 63-869-5 (Ten.) |
2007 | Randy Moss, N.E. | 98 | 1493 | 15.2 | 23 | 42-553-3 (Oak.) |
2005 | Santana Moss, Was. | 84 | 1483 | 17.7 | 9 | 45-838-5 (NYJ) |
2020 | DeAndre Hopkins, Ariz. | 115 | 1407 | 12.2 | 6 | 104-1165-7 (Hou.) |
2014 | Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 101 | 1404 | 13.9 | 9 | 67-740-6 (Pitt.) |
1994 | Henry Ellard, Was. | 74 | 1397 | 18.9 | 6 | 61-945-2 (LAR) |
2012 | Vincent Jackson, T.B. | 72 | 1384 | 19.2 | 8 | 60-1106-9 (S.D.) |
1994 | Terance Mathis, Atl. | 111 | 1342 | 12.1 | 11 | 24-352-0 (NYJ) |
2000 | Joe Horn, N.O. | 94 | 1340 | 14.3 | 8 | 35-586-6 (K.C.) |
2014 | Golden Tate, Det. | 99 | 1331 | 13.4 | 4 | 64-898-5 (Sea.) |
2008 | Antonio Bryant, T.B. | 83 | 1248 | 15.0 | 7 | 40-733-3 (S.F.) |
2005 | Plaxico Burress, NYG | 76 | 1214 | 16.0 | 7 | 35-698-5 (Pitt.) |
1990 | Andre Rison, Atl. | 82 | 1208 | 14.7 | 10 | 52-820-4 (Ind.) |
2018 | Brandin Cooks, LAR | 80 | 1204 | 15.1 | 5 | 65-1082-7 (N.E.) |
2003 | Laveranues Coles, Was. | 82 | 1204 | 14.7 | 6 | 89-1264-5 (NYJ) |
2004 | Terrell Owens, Phil. | 77 | 1200 | 15.6 | 14 | 80-1102-9 (S.F.) |
1996 | Irving Fryar, Phil. | 88 | 1195 | 13.6 | 11 | 62-910-8 (Mia.) |
1995 | Eric Metcalf, Atl. | 104 | 1189 | 11.4 | 8 | 47-436-3 (Cle.) |
1998 | Tony Martin, Atl. | 66 | 1181 | 17.9 | 6 | 63-904-6 (S.D.) |
2006 | Terrell Owens, Dall. | 85 | 1180 | 13.9 | 13 | 47-763-6 (Phil.) |
2013 | Anquan Boldin, S.F. | 85 | 1179 | 13.9 | 7 | 65-921-4 (Balt.) |
2007 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 112 | 1175 | 10.5 | 8 | 67-687-1 (Mia.) |
2014 | DeSean Jackson, Was. | 56 | 1169 | 20.9 | 6 | 82-1332-9 (Phil.) |
1985 | Drew Hill, Hou. | 64 | 1169 | 18.3 | 9 | 14-390-4 (LAR) |
2022 | • Amari Cooper, Cle. | 78 | 1160 | 14.9 | 9 | 68-865-8 (Dall.) |
2020 | Brandin Cooks, Hou. | 81 | 1150 | 14.2 | 6 | 42-583-2 (LAR) |
2001 | Jerry Rice, Oak. | 83 | 1139 | 13.7 | 9 | 75-805-7 (S.F.) |
1996 | Keenan McCardell, Jac. | 85 | 1129 | 13.3 | 3 | 56-709-4 (Cle.) |
2007 | Kevin Curtis, Phil. | 77 | 1110 | 14.4 | 6 | 40-479-4 (St.L.) |
2022 | • Christian Kirk, Jac. | 84 | 1108 | 13.2 | 8 | 77-982-5 (Ariz.) |
1994 | Anthony Miller, Den. | 60 | 1107 | 18.5 | 5 | 84-1162-7 (S.D.) |
1999 | Qadry Ismail, Balt. | 68 | 1105 | 16.3 | 6 | 0-0-0 (Min.) |
1999 | Rocket Ismail, Dall. | 80 | 1097 | 13.7 | 6 | 69-1024-8 (Car.) |
2020 | Robby Anderson, Car. | 95 | 1096 | 11.5 | 3 | 52-779-5 (NYJ) |
1997 | Andre Rison, K.C. | 72 | 1092 | 15.2 | 7 | 47-593-3 (2TM) |
1989 | Richard Johnson, Det. | 70 | 1091 | 15.6 | 8 | 1-5-0 (Was.) |
2015 | Jeremy Maclin, K.C. | 87 | 1088 | 12.5 | 8 | 85-1318-10 (Phil.) |
2006 | Mike Furrey, Det. | 98 | 1086 | 11.1 | 6 | 1-8-0 (St.L.) |
2006 | Javon Walker, Den. | 69 | 1084 | 15.7 | 8 | 4-27-0 (G.B.) |
2017 | Brandin Cooks, N.E. | 65 | 1082 | 16.7 | 7 | 78-1173-8 (N.O.) |
1999 | Patrick Jeffers, Car. | 63 | 1082 | 17.2 | 12 | 18-330-2 (Dall.) |
2005 | Derrick Mason, Balt. | 86 | 1073 | 12.5 | 3 | 96-1168-7 (Ten.) |
2014 | Steve Smith Sr., Balt. | 79 | 1065 | 13.5 | 6 | 64-745-4 (Car.) |
2019 | John Brown, Buff. | 72 | 1060 | 14.7 | 6 | 42-715-5 (Balt.) |
1976 | Charlie Joiner, S.D. | 50 | 1056 | 21.1 | 7 | 37-726-5 (Cin.) |
1999 | Tony Martin, Mia. | 67 | 1037 | 15.5 | 5 | 66-1181-6 (Atl.) |
2019 | Odell Beckham, Cle. | 74 | 1035 | 14.0 | 4 | 77-1052-6 (NYG) |
1972 | John Gilliam, Min. | 47 | 1035 | 22.0 | 7 | 42-837-3 (St.L.) |
2016 | Mike Wallace, Balt. | 72 | 1017 | 14.1 | 4 | 39-473-2 (Min.) |
2010 | Brandon Marshall, Mia. | 86 | 1014 | 11.8 | 3 | 101-1120-10 (Den.) |
1993 | Irving Fryar, Mia. | 64 | 1010 | 15.8 | 5 | 55-791-4 (N.E.) |
2005 | Randy Moss, Oak. | 60 | 1005 | 16.8 | 8 | 49-767-13 (Min.) |
1995 | Mark Carrier, Car. | 66 | 1002 | 15.2 | 3 | 29-452-5 (Cle.) |
—Ian Allan