The Broncos might have bombed out in the first round of the playoffs again, but — sorry if this sounds like a Holiday Inn Express commercial — they did have two 1,400-yard receivers. Demaryius Thomas finished with 1,619 and free-agent addition Emmanuel Sanders with 1,404, making them the fourth such tandem in NFL history. Here’s what the group looks like:

TEAMS WITH TWO 1,400-YARD RECEIVERS IN THE SAME SEASON

[table]

Year  Team (W-L),Receivers\, Yards,Result

1995  Lions (10-6),Herman Moore 1\,686\, Brett Perriman 1\,488,Wild card

2000  Rams (10-6),Torry Holt 1\,635\, Isaac Bruce 1\,471,Wild card

2005  Cardinals (5-11),Larry Fitzgerald 1\,409\, Anquan Boldin 1\,402,Missed playoffs

2014  Broncos (12-4),Demaryius Thomas 1\,619\, Emmanuel Sanders 1\,404,Won division

[/table]

Also, for the first time this year, the NFL had three 1,000-yard rookie receivers. That makes eight rookie receivers with 1,000-plus yards since 2003. Why is this notable? Because there were only 12 in all the seasons before that (AFL included).

            1,000-YARD ROOKIE RECEIVERS SINCE 2003

[table width=”450px”]

Year   Receiver\, Team,Rec,Yds,Avg,TD

2014  Odell Beckham\, Giants,91,1\,305,14.3,12

2014  Mike Evans\, Bucs,68,1\,051,15.5,12

2014  Kelvin Benjamin\, Panthers,73,1\,008,13.8,9

2013  Keenan Allen\, Chargers,71,1\,046,14.7,8

2011  A.J. Green\, Bengals,65,1\,057,16.3,7

2006  Marques Colston\, Saints,70,1\,038,14.8,8

2004  Michael Clayton\, Bucs,80,1\,193,14.9,7

2003  Anquan Boldin\, Cardinals,101,1\,377,13.7,8

[/table]

What this suggests is that quarterbacks aren’t the only players coming out of college these days who are more advanced in the passing game. Their receivers are, too — and like the QBs, are capable of making a more immediate impact in the pros.

Consider: Since 2003, there have been eight 1,000-yard rookie receivers and 15 1,000-yard rookie rushers. From 1932 to 2002 — which is as far back as statistics go — there were 12 1,000-yard rookie receivers and 46 1,000-yard rookie rushers.

In other words, where before it was much more common for a rookie to rush for 1,000 yards (an almost 4-to-1 ratio), now it’s only somewhat more common (slightly less than 2-to-1). And as time goes on, given the devaluation of the running game, the gap may continue to shrink.

Source: pro-football-reference.com