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
How long before the 1,000-yard rookie receiver is more common than the 1,000-yard rookie rusher?
