I’m going with CeeDee Lamb has the top receiver on my board, and the decision making was easier than I expected. There are a bunch of elite-type receivers, but Lamb was way better than all of them for most of last season.
Lamb’s numbers for the bulk of last season, in fact, were better than anything that any receiver has ever done.
Using PPR scoring, I’ve got Lamb at 24 points per game last year, coming in just ahead of Tyreek Hill. But if we set aside the first month of the season, when the Cowboys had a couple of run-oriented yawners and a blowout loss at San Francisco, Lamb really ramped it up. He averaged 9 catches for 116 yards in his final 13 games, with 13 TDs. That’s including the playoff loss against Green Bay (the numbers actually go a little higher if looking at just the final 12 of the regular season).
For those final 13, Lamb averaged 27.4 PPR points per week. That’s a point more than what anybody else has ever averaged over a full season. Jerry Rice had two seasons where he averaged 26.3 (including one with 23 TDs in 12 games). Cooper Kupp finished just under 26 points a few years ago. Randy Moss had a season with 23 TDs. But nobody has ever cranked out numbers quite like Lamb did last season.
Cowboys have to figure out extensions with Lamb and Dak Prescott, which could be a distraction, but I imagine they’ll get it figured out. Lamb is the definitely going to be the No. 1 wide receiver on my board.
Below you’re seeing the list of all wide receivers since the merger who have averaged 22 fantasy points per game. I’m listing only players with at least 10 games. On this one, I took their total points and divided by games (to account for the different sizes of seasons). Active players tagged with dots.
RECEIVERS AVERAGING 22 PPR PER GAME | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | G | Run | Rec | Yds | TD | FPG |
1987 | Jerry Rice, S.F. | 12 | 51 | 65 | 1078 | 23 | 26.3 |
1995 | Jerry Rice, S.F. | 16 | 36 | 122 | 1848 | 17 | 26.3 |
2021 | • Cooper Kupp, LAR | 17 | 18 | 145 | 1947 | 16 | 25.9 |
2020 | • Davante Adams, G.B. | 14 | 0 | 115 | 1374 | 18 | 25.7 |
2014 | • Odell Beckham, NYG | 12 | 35 | 91 | 1305 | 12 | 24.8 |
2015 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 16 | 28 | 136 | 1834 | 11 | 24.5 |
2014 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 16 | 13 | 129 | 1698 | 14 | 24.4 |
2007 | Randy Moss, N.E. | 16 | 0 | 98 | 1493 | 23 | 24.1 |
2002 | Marvin Harrison, Ind. | 16 | 10 | 143 | 1722 | 11 | 24.0 |
2023 | CeeDee Lamb, Dall. | 17 | 113 | 135 | 1749 | 14 | 24.0 |
1995 | Isaac Bruce, St.L. | 16 | 17 | 119 | 1781 | 13 | 23.7 |
2023 | • Tyreek Hill, Mia. | 16 | 15 | 119 | 1799 | 13 | 23.7 |
2003 | Randy Moss, Min. | 16 | 18 | 111 | 1632 | 17 | 23.6 |
2015 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 16 | 0 | 136 | 1871 | 9 | 23.6 |
1995 | Herman Moore, Det. | 16 | 0 | 123 | 1686 | 14 | 23.5 |
2019 | • Michael Thomas, N.O. | 16 | -9 | 149 | 1725 | 9 | 23.4 |
2000 | Terrell Owens, S.F. | 14 | 11 | 97 | 1451 | 13 | 23.1 |
2002 | Terrell Owens, S.F. | 14 | 79 | 100 | 1300 | 14 | 23.0 |
1994 | Jerry Rice, S.F. | 16 | 93 | 112 | 1499 | 15 | 22.7 |
2011 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 16 | 11 | 96 | 1681 | 16 | 22.6 |
1995 | Cris Carter, Min. | 16 | 0 | 122 | 1371 | 17 | 22.6 |
2013 | Josh Gordon, Cle. | 14 | 88 | 87 | 1646 | 9 | 22.5 |
2003 | Torry Holt, St.L. | 16 | 5 | 117 | 1696 | 12 | 22.4 |
1999 | Marvin Harrison, Ind. | 16 | 4 | 115 | 1663 | 12 | 22.2 |
2017 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 14 | 0 | 101 | 1533 | 9 | 22.2 |
2008 | Anquan Boldin, Ari. | 12 | 67 | 89 | 1038 | 11 | 22.1 |
2001 | Marvin Harrison, Ind. | 16 | 3 | 109 | 1524 | 15 | 22.0 |
2018 | • Davante Adams, G.B. | 15 | 0 | 111 | 1386 | 13 | 22.0 |
1993 | Jerry Rice, S.F. | 16 | 69 | 98 | 1503 | 16 | 22.0 |
—Ian Allan