It's been a good year for rookie pass catchers. Barring something unexpected, four first-year players will go over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time ever. And two will finish with the most catches ever by a rookie.
Brian Thomas and Brock Bowers have already passed the 1,000-yard mark. Most likely Malik Nabers and Ladd McConkey will be joining them this week.
That will make four for the first time ever. On two other occasions, there have been three. It happened in 2021 (Chase, Waddle, Pitts), and it happened in 2014 (Beckham, Evans, Benjamin).
Nabers and Bowers are closing in on the record for most catches by a rookie. Puka Nacua caught 105 passes last year. Bowers is sitting at 101, while Nabers (despite missing two games) has 97. Most likely, they’ll both finish well above Nacua.
ROOKIES REACHING 1,000 RECEIVING YARDS | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | G | No | Yards | Avg | TD |
2023 | Puka Nacua, LAR | 17 | 105 | 1,486 | 14.2 | 6 |
1960 | Bill Groman, Hou. | 14 | 72 | 1,473 | 20.5 | 12 |
2021 | Ja'Marr Chase, Cin. | 17 | 81 | 1,455 | 18.0 | 13 |
2020 | Justin Jefferson, Min. | 16 | 88 | 1,400 | 15.9 | 7 |
2003 | Anquan Boldin, Ari. | 16 | 101 | 1,377 | 13.6 | 8 |
1998 | Randy Moss, Min. | 16 | 69 | 1,313 | 19.0 | 17 |
2014 | Odell Beckham, NYG | 12 | 91 | 1,305 | 14.3 | 12 |
1952 | Billy Howton, G.B. | 12 | 53 | 1,231 | 23.2 | 13 |
2004 | Michael Clayton, T.B. | 16 | 80 | 1,193 | 14.9 | 7 |
2016 | Michael Thomas, N.O. | 15 | 92 | 1,137 | 12.4 | 9 |
1996 | Terry Glenn, N.E. | 15 | 90 | 1,132 | 12.6 | 6 |
1986 | Bill Brooks, Ind. | 16 | 65 | 1,131 | 17.4 | 8 |
1954 | Harlon Hill, Chi. | 12 | 45 | 1,124 | 25.0 | 12 |
2022 | Garrett Wilson, NYJ | 17 | 83 | 1,103 | 13.3 | 4 |
2024 | Brian Thomas, Jac. | 15 | 73 | 1,088 | 14.9 | 9 |
1961 | Mike Ditka, Chi. | 14 | 56 | 1,076 | 19.2 | 12 |
2015 | Amari Cooper, Oak. | 16 | 72 | 1,070 | 14.9 | 6 |
2024 | Brock Bowers, L.V. | 15 | 101 | 1,067 | 10.6 | 4 |
1986 | Ernest Givins, Hou. | 15 | 61 | 1,062 | 17.4 | 3 |
2011 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 15 | 65 | 1,057 | 16.3 | 7 |
2014 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 15 | 68 | 1,051 | 15.5 | 12 |
2019 | A.J. Brown, Ten. | 16 | 52 | 1,051 | 20.2 | 8 |
2013 | Keenan Allen, S.D. | 15 | 71 | 1,046 | 14.7 | 8 |
2022 | Chris Olave, N.O. | 15 | 72 | 1,042 | 14.5 | 4 |
1995 | Joey Galloway, Sea. | 16 | 67 | 1,039 | 15.5 | 7 |
2006 | Marques Colston, N.O. | 14 | 70 | 1,038 | 14.8 | 8 |
2021 | Kyle Pitts, Atl. | 17 | 68 | 1,026 | 15.1 | 1 |
2021 | Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 16 | 104 | 1,015 | 9.8 | 6 |
1981 | Cris Collinsworth, Cin. | 16 | 67 | 1,009 | 15.1 | 8 |
2014 | Kelvin Benjamin, Car. | 16 | 73 | 1,008 | 13.8 | 9 |
1965 | Bob Hayes, Dall. | 13 | 46 | 1,003 | 21.8 | 12 |
1978 | John Jefferson, S.D. | 14 | 56 | 1,001 | 17.9 | 13 |
2024 | Malik Nabers, NYG | 13 | 97 | 969 | 10.0 | 4 |
2024 | Ladd McConkey, LAC | 14 | 69 | 960 | 13.9 | 5 |
—Ian Allan