Who Is the Leading Receiver in the NFL?
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The leading receiver in the NFL is a title that is constantly changing hands. Here is a look at the wide receivers who have had the most catches so far this season.
Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Since his rookie season, Brown has become one of the most productive and consistent wide receivers in the NFL.
Brown’s career thus far
Antonio Brown is an American football wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Raised in Liberty City, Miami, Brown attended Miami Norland High School, where he played both football and track. He played college football at Central Michigan University, where he was a four-time first-team All-Mac selection. Brown was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. With the Steelers, Brown became one of only three players in NFL history to amass more than 1,000 receiving yards in five consecutive seasons and he became the first player in league history to record four consecutive seasons with at least 100 receptions.
Brown has been selected to seven Pro Bowls, tied for the most among active NFL players, and has been voted as a first-team All-Pro four times. He is ranked as the seventh all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards with 837 and 11,207 respectively. His career average of 101.1 receiving yards per game is second all time among receivers with at least 50 games played.
Brown’s numbers
Antonio Brown is an American football wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Central Michigan University, where he earned All-American honors in 2008 and 2009 as a punt returner. A fourth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft, Brown became the first player in NFL history to have more than 1,000 catches in a career. He has led the league in receptions and receiving yards four times each.
Brown was a first-team All-Pro four times and was selected to eight Pro Bowls. He is also ranked as the Steelers’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. His career achievement of 10,363 all-purpose yards ranks second to only Jerry Rice in NFL history.
In 2011, Antonio Brown caught 69 passes for 1,108 yards and two touchdowns. In 2012, he caught 66 passes for 787 yards and five touchdowns. In 2013, he caught 110 passes for 1,499 yards and eight touchdowns. From 2014 onward, Brown has had at least 100 catches and 1,200 receiving yards each season. In every season from 2013 to 2017 inclusive, Brown ranked either first or second in the NFL in receptions per game; his 582 total receptions over this five-year period are the most of any player in that time frame.
In 2018, Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders following a dispute with the Steelers over his contract extension. That year he caught 104 passes for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Julio Jones
Julio Jones, wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons, is the leading receiver in the NFL. He has been in the league for eight years and has racked up over 10,000 receiving yards. Jones is a big play threat and can take any catch the distance. He is also a very talented route runner.
Jones’ career thus far
Jones was the sixth wide receiver chosen in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, taken 26th overall by the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at the University of Alabama, and was recognized as an All-American.
As a rookie in 2011, Jones started all 16 games and had 959 receiving yards, which led all NFL rookies and set a Falcons franchise record for receiving yards in a season by a rookie. The following year, he totaled 1,198 receiving yards, becoming only the second player in Falcons history to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to start a career. In 2013, he became the first player in NFL history to have 200 or more receiving yards in four consecutive games.
Jones has been selected to five Pro Bowls (2015–2019) and has been named a First Team All-Pro three times (2015, 2016, 2018). He is considered one of the best wide receivers in NFL history.
Jones’ numbers
In his eighth NFL season, Jones has racked up 7,610 receiving yards and 51 touchdowns. He’s averaged 96.2 receiving yards per game, which is the most in NFL history. His best season came in 2015, when he caught 136 passes for 1,871 yards and eight touchdowns.
DeAndre Hopkins
Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is the leading receiver in the NFL. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl four times and was named first-team All-Pro in 2017. In his seven NFL seasons, Hopkins has amassed 632 receptions for 9,056 yards and 54 touchdowns.
Hopkins’ career thus far
Since being drafted 27th overall by the Houston Texans in 2013, Hopkins has quietly established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Over the past four seasons, he’s caught 309 passes for 4,487 yards and 35 touchdowns, while also developing into one of the league’s premier red-zone threats.
His production dipped a bit in 2016 as he dealt with inconsistency at the quarterback position, but he still managed to haul in 78 catches for 954 yards and four touchdowns. And with a healthy Deshaun Watson under center in 2017, Hopkins should be in line for another big season.
Hopkins’ numbers
In his six NFL seasons, Hopkins has amassed 632 receptions for 9,053 yards and 54 touchdowns. He’s had at least 75 catches, 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns in each of the past four seasons, and he’s done that despite catching passes from nine different quarterbacks during that span. Last season, his 115 catches were the second most in NFL history by a player with a quarterback who threw for fewer than 4,000 yards (Deshaun Watson threw for 3,985).
Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham Jr. is currently the leading receiver in the NFL. He has had an amazing career so far, and he is only getting better. Beckham Jr. is a great example of how hard work and dedication can pay off. He is one of the most talented receivers in the league, and he has the potential to be the best receiver in the NFL.
Beckham’s career thus far
Beckham was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft with the 12th overall pick. He signed a four-year, $10.4 million contract with the team, and went on to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award after leading all first-year players with 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdown catches.
Beckham’s numbers
In his short time in the NFL, Beckham has already put up some of the best numbers by a receiver in NFL history. In just 12 games as a rookie, Beckham had 91 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those are numbers that most receivers would be happy with over the course of an entire season, but Beckham did it in less than half a season. He followed that up with 96 catches for 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns in his second year. Beckham has had at least 90 catches and 1,300 yards in each of his first three seasons, becoming the first player in NFL history to do so.
A.J. Green
A.J. Green is the leading receiver in the NFL. He has played eight years in the NFL and has been to seven Pro Bowls. He is a four-time All-Pro and was the Cincinnati Bengals’ first-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Green’s career thus far
Green was drafted by the Bengals fourth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He began his rookie season as a starter and set franchise records for most receiving yards and touchdowns by a rookie. He was selected for the Pro Bowl and named a second-team All-Pro in his rookie season. In 2012, he continued his Pro Bowl selection and became a first-team All-Pro. In 2013, he missed the first four games of the season with an injury but still managed to Select for his third Pro Bowl and be named a second-team All-Pro.Green has continued his Pro Bowl selections every year since, being selected to six in total. He has additionally been named a first-team All-Pro three times, in 2014, 2016, and 2017. As of the end of the 2017 season, he is ranked as the sixth all-time leading receiver in Bengals history.
Green’s numbers
In his seven NFL seasons, all with the Bengals, Green has 556 catches for 8,351 yards and 63 touchdowns. He has had WR1 overall finishes in PPR in four of his seven seasons, including WR5 in 2017.
