We’re having a look on the potential breakout large receivers who may take sizable strides ahead this season, primarily based largely on compelling items of their statistical profiles.
Huge receiver play appears to get higher yearly within the NFL, and 2024 – with a record-tying seven picked within the draft’s first spherical – is prone to be a powerful instance.
Marvin Harrison Jr. of the Arizona Cardinals, Malik Nabers of the New York Giants and Rome Odunze of the Chicago Bears will most likely be stars of their rookie seasons just like the Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua in 2023. George Pickens may take one other large leap in his third 12 months in Pittsburgh.
However every season additionally brings breakout large receivers who had been already on rosters and solely wanted extra snaps to ascertain themselves among the many place’s higher gamers.
Luckily, game-tracking information and superior metrics might help us take a stab at which gamers would possibly make these actions this fall. Listed here are 5 NFL receivers who confirmed flashes of massive expertise final season and have an opportunity to raise their profiles additional in 2024.
These breakout candidates are listed in no explicit order; all provide causes to be excited.
A.T. Perry, New Orleans Saints
The Saints made Perry a sixth-round decide in 2023. He didn’t play in any respect within the staff’s first seven video games, then dressed for 2 through which he didn’t get a goal. However Perry turned an intriguing man down the stretch as Derek Carr got here to favor him as a big-play menace.
Perry solely bought 18 targets as a task participant within the second half of the season, however of his 12 receptions, 5 went for touchdowns, and 5 went for 20-plus yards. Perry bought common snaps in these previous couple of weeks of the season, and his 57.8% big-play price was the most effective mark within the league amongst receivers who ran no less than 100 routes.
His 66.7% burn price was additionally nicely above common in these rankings, and every little thing factors towards Perry figuring prominently into the Saints’ plans in his second 12 months. You would possibly wish to make a remark forward of your 2024 fantasy soccer draft.
Andre Iosivas, Cincinnati Bengals
One other Ivy Leaguer, Iosivas is an unusual athlete. He was each a wideout and heptathlete at Princeton, and his athleticism in a 6-foot-3 body brought on the Bengals to take him within the sixth spherical in 2023.
On a parallel path to Perry in New Orleans, Iosivas had restricted general numbers however bought extra work because the season went on. He caught simply 15 passes, however 4 of them went for touchdowns. Iosivas’ 84% burn price on his 25 targets was the most effective in the whole league (with a minimal of 100 route runs).
The Bengals let No. 3 receiver Tyler Boyd stroll in free company already, they usually’ve reportedly entertained commerce potentialities for No. 2 man Tee Higgins. (Ja’Marr Chase, after all, isn’t going wherever.) It’s cheap to view Iosivas’ promise as an element within the Bengals being comfy not paying their veteran wideouts.
Iosivas will get a lift from Joe Burrow’s return from damage this 12 months, too, as 11 of his 15 grabs in restricted motion final 12 months got here from backup Jake Browning.
Justin Watson, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Yearly, somebody appears poised to emerge from Kansas Metropolis’s wideout group and provides Patrick Mahomes a dependable secondary possibility past tight finish Travis Kelce. It hasn’t occurred but, no less than to not the extent Andy Reid would really like.
However Watson, heading into his seventh NFL season at 29, appears like he’s poised to get vital work with Mahomes this 12 months. The Penn product posted profession highs throughout the board in 2023 (27 catches, 460 receiving yards, three touchdowns) and had the league’s fourth-best big-play price (44.7%) amongst these with 100-plus routes run.
With Kelce a 12 months older and promising fellow wideout Rashee Rice in line for a probable suspension to start out the season, Watson appears set to increase a mid-career renaissance that’s already seen him be a playoff contributor on the best way to a few Tremendous Bowl rings.
The Chiefs have additionally added first-round decide Xavier Worthy and explosive journeyman Hollywood Brown to their wideout room.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Payments
Who doesn’t like an excellent sequel? Shakir was on this listing final 12 months, owing to his elite burn price and big-play price in spot duties as a rookie in 2022. The previous fifth-round decide did certainly take a pleasant step ahead, roughly quadrupling most of his numbers and popping out with 39 catches for 611 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Shakir emerged as Josh Allen’s No. 4 goal general and No. 3 wideout, and he remained one of many hardest receivers to cowl. (He was fourth in burn price at 73.7% and nicely above common with a 34.7% big-play price.)
Within the offseason, the Payments moved on from each Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis – the one two wideouts who had been forward of Shakir on the depth chart. He’ll see much more motion as a slot man for Allen this 12 months, main a bunch that can embrace second-round decide Keon Coleman.
The Shakir breakout season already occurred, however he nonetheless has room to develop in Buffalo.
Jason Brownlee, New York Jets
The Jets are reportedly excited about Brownlee heading into the preseason. Why? Most likely as a result of he’s very, very slippery. Brownlee’s 0.4 missed or damaged tackles per contact had been fourth amongst receivers who ran no less than 100 routes.
That got here within the smallest of small samples, as Brownlee didn’t get a lot of the goal share (eight) and had simply 5 catches after making the roster as an undrafted free agent. However with Aaron Rodgers coming again and his former Inexperienced Bay Packers teammate Randall Cobb not enjoying, each Jets receiver can have an opportunity to grow to be the QB’s new greatest good friend alongside star Garrett Wilson.
Brownlee gained’t begin the season as something greater than the staff’s No. 4 or 5 receiver, and he’s not even a certainty to make the staff. Nevertheless it’s price taking the Jets significantly after they specific optimism about him.
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