I notice that there are more receivers than usual who are catching a bunch of their teams’ touchdown passes. They seem to be the guys who show up around the end zone.
There seemed to be a shift in this area a few years back, with teams tending to spread things around more. In both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, nobody in the league caught more than 40 percent of their teams’ touchdown passes. But there have been plenty of touchdown hogs (as we might call them) this year.
Two players, in fact, have caught at least half of their team’s touchdowns – Brian Thomas and Terry McLaurin. Five others are over 40 percent. Against all reasonable expectations, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Quentin Johnston, and also George Kittle, Marvin Harrison and Ja’Marr Chase.
These guys have tended to be the scorers for their teams. Right now, 17 players are carrying at least a 30 percent touchdown share.
| PERCENTAGE OF TEAM'S TOUCHDOWN CATCHES | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | G | Ind | Team | Pct |
| Brian Thomas, Jac. | 15 | 9 | 16 | 56.3% |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 15 | 12 | 24 | 50.0% |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Ten. | 15 | 9 | 20 | 45.0% |
| Quentin Johnston, LAC | 13 | 8 | 18 | 44.4% |
| George Kittle, S.F. | 13 | 8 | 18 | 44.4% |
| Marvin Harrison, Ari. | 15 | 7 | 16 | 43.8% |
| Ja'Marr Chase, Cin. | 15 | 16 | 39 | 41.0% |
| Drake London, Atl. | 15 | 7 | 18 | 38.9% |
| Davante Adams, L.V.-NYJ | 12 | 7 | 19 | 36.8% |
| Keenan Allen, Chi. | 14 | 7 | 19 | 36.8% |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sea. | 16 | 6 | 17 | 35.3% |
| Demarcus Robinson, LAR | 15 | 7 | 20 | 35.0% |
| Jauan Jennings, S.F. | 13 | 6 | 18 | 33.3% |
| Nico Collins, Hou. | 11 | 6 | 19 | 31.6% |
| DeVonta Smith, Phil. | 12 | 6 | 19 | 31.6% |
| A.J. Brown, Phil. | 12 | 6 | 19 | 31.6% |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 11 | 6 | 20 | 30.0% |
If we adjust the numbers to account for missed games, Kittle and Johnston also move up to 50-plus percent. Westbrook-Ikhine also has been over 50 percent since October (he was active but not really part of Tennessee’s pass-catching plan in the first four weeks of the season).
With adjusted numbers, 19 players have caught at least a third of their team’s touchdown passes.
| PERCENTAGE OF TEAM'S TOUCHDOWN CATCHES (ADJ) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | G | Ind | Team | Pct |
| George Kittle, S.F. | 13 | 8 | 14 | 57.1% |
| Brian Thomas, Jac. | 15 | 9 | 16 | 56.3% |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 15 | 12 | 24 | 50.0% |
| Quentin Johnston, LAC | 13 | 8 | 16 | 50.0% |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Ten. | 15 | 9 | 20 | 45.0% |
| Marvin Harrison, Ari. | 15 | 7 | 16 | 43.8% |
| Nico Collins, Hou. | 11 | 6 | 14 | 42.9% |
| Josh Downs, Ind. | 12 | 5 | 12 | 41.7% |
| Keenan Allen, Chi. | 14 | 7 | 17 | 41.2% |
| Ja'Marr Chase, Cin. | 15 | 16 | 39 | 41.0% |
| Drake London, Atl. | 15 | 7 | 18 | 38.9% |
| DeVonta Smith, Phil. | 12 | 6 | 16 | 37.5% |
| Davante Adams, L.V.-NYJ | 12 | 7 | 19 | 36.8% |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sea. | 16 | 6 | 17 | 35.3% |
| Jauan Jennings, S.F. | 13 | 6 | 17 | 35.3% |
| A.J. Brown, Phil. | 12 | 6 | 17 | 35.3% |
| Demarcus Robinson, LAR | 15 | 7 | 20 | 35.0% |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 11 | 6 | 18 | 33.3% |
| David Njoku, Cle. | 11 | 5 | 15 | 33.3% |
—Ian Allan