Not only does he produce the jaw-dropping, highlight-reel plays, but he is just about as good as anyone in the league at hitting the easy throws and limiting mistakes. After one year in LA, Wagner is looking for his third team in three years, Jalen Carter news shakes NFL Draft plans for all 32 teams, Carter is wanted in connection with a deadly crash in Georgia. Thats what happens when a wide receiver challenges for MVP and Offensive Player of the Year; its not like being Aaron Donald or a quarterback, very few players lead the NFL in receiving more than once. This is a rudimentary way of evaluating wide receiver value: But it really doesnt matter if you want to be arbitrary or if you want to hide behind a security blanket called analytics, the name of the game is no different: Theres no way to slice this bread and not have it tell you that the average age of a good wide receiveror at least the wide receivers being employed and targeted most oftenhas gone down SIGNIFICANTLY in the last 20 years and even in the last five years. In dynasty, you should be playing with a three-year window in mind, and if this chart highlights anything, its that hell have another three years of top-24 production. The only way to test whether this was true was to go through a large sample size of data. The 6'1 190 pound wide receiver will turn 29 this year. TL;DR: This article explores at which ages NFL wide receivers have their most productive seasons. Watson isnt without his faults namely his penchant for holding on to the ball too long and inviting pressure upon himself but that shouldnt detract from the fact that he has been one of the leagues best quarterbacks over the last two seasons, ranking seventh in PFF grade among qualifiers over that period. If theres one reason to sell, it should be when a wide receiver is 30 or 31 years old and youre not going to be competing for two years. The fourth overall pick in 2011, Green had every right to at least be the next Andre Johnson. I mean, why would anyone want to lie to you? Young and exciting players like Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson have emerged atop the quarterback position, while the 2019 rookie wide receiver class produced quite a few names that were worthy of this list. Since turning 30, Green has struggled to stay healthy and when hes on the field hes nowhere near the dominant presence he once was; even with a resurgence in Arizona this year, Green is still not one of the top 40 players at his position. Which other receivers might join them on a list based on 2021 value? In fact, their prime might be in-between 29 and 31. Hes put up three consecutive seasons with overall grades of 73.0 or higher on 750 or more defensive snaps, and that culminated in an 82.5 coverage grade this past season that ranked sixth among qualifying cornerbacks. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. Hes, been particularly dangerous over the middle of the field, . After earning grades of 81.9 in 2017 and 80.4 in 2018, Godwin took his game one step further this past season, breaching the elite at the position. Upside is clearly ramped up for wide receivers from age 21 all the way up to age 27, with an odd dip at age 28, then the biggest number of them all at age-29, as a whopping 11.6 percent of 29-year-old receivers have finished top-five, more than three percent higher than the next best mark. The biggest takeaway while looking at this chart is something many have forgotten after watching a great rookie class in 2019. Beckham will likely spend next summer looking for the right fit for my talents instead of being subject to a bidding war for his services and that says A LOT. However, they do need to be quick. From the data above on average 96.1 wide receivers per year played in the NFL between the ages of 25-29. Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb may be the top trio in all of the NFL. Suttons 83.1 PFF grade was a top-10 mark at the wide receiver position in 2019. Youve stumbled upon the correct article. Cooper Kupp is shift team certified pic.twitter.com/bO9RDMh2GU. Consider not only the career lifespans of players like Rice and Moss, who we know transcend almost all other receivers to come along in the last 50 years, but also the likes of really really good wideouts like Reggie Wayne, Hines Ward, Donald Driver, and Derrick Mason: Before we even get to the modern era, Ill pose this question to you: Do you expect Cooper Kupp to play 14 seasons with the Rams? Meanwhile, a new breed of defender the Jamal Adamses and Derwin Jameses of the world wears multiple hats and does it all at a high level. Barring a dramatic turnaround in the next two months, Beckham should not be a priority free agent for the Rams or anyone else. 1 void left after the Broncos parted ways with Emmanuel Sanders, and he developed into a legitimate top option in their passing game. He is coming off a 2019 season that earned a 96.0 overall grade, and he produced two consecutive seasons with an elite pass-rushing grade (90.0-plus) and over 50 quarterback pressures. You don't currently have any notifications, Dont give up on Julio Jones just yet, dynasty managers. . What would they have to gain by telling you a player falls off a cliff at a certain age? In 2001, 10 receivers of that age crossed over 1,000 yards, including 39-year-old Jerry Rice: 83 catches on 125 targets, 1,139 yards, 9 touchdowns. Meanwhile once they hit 30 instead of a steep decline, we find a slight drop in fantasy production, but it quickly stabilizes similarly to wide receivers in their late 20s. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Metcalf, and Justin Jefferson the last couple years, but this chart is your friendly reminder that wide receivers typically take time to develop. Modern NFL nose tackles are rarely anything more than space-eaters and early-down run-stuffers. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 82 receptions for 693 yards and one touchdown in 2021. Being able to produce with the ball in your hands matters. His return to the field will give the Browns a boost as they look to realize the lofty expectations that they had heading into the 2019 season. Even then, you can likely get WR2 or WR3 production, as they have just as good of a shot as everyone else. Go back to the year 1999, the season in which Kurt Warner changed everything just so that he could one day inspire a movie that be directly targeted to Brenda and Kurt Warner, and of the 26 players to cross the 1,000-yard threshold, seven were at least 30 years of age: Jimmy Smith*, Tim Brown*, Cris Carter*, Rocket Ismail, Tony Martin, Ed McCaffrey, and Terance Mathis. At the same time, this is easily the most talented group of wide receivers they have had in years. This chart identifies when a player may lose some of that elite potential. To be clear, Im not telling you a wide receivers body doesnt start breaking down or fatiguing once he gets to a certain age (believe me, that starts before 28 years old), but it doesnt mean they cant produce more fantasy points per game with the experience theyve gained over the years. Next year is a big year for JuJu to prove last season was an aberration, but were going to give him the benefit of the doubt after two strong seasons to open his career. He's made three consecutive Pro Bowls, finishing last season with a career-high 15.5 sacks at age 30. Miller is one of the first pass rushers NFL fans think of because of his longevity and consistency, with eight Pro Bowls in nine seasons. Matthew Slater is the oldest wide receiver this season. This would prevent us from getting a better idea of how age becomes a factor since we want to identify the wide receivers who were able to sustain some level of relevance throughout the years, Wide Receiver (WR) Age The age of the wide receiver at the beginning of the season, Total Number (#) of Wide Receivers (WRs) This is the total number of wide receivers that played at that age over the past 10 seasons, Total Number (#) of Wide Receivers (WRs) That Hit 100 Targets This column represents how many of the total wide receivers who played at that age hit 100 targets in that season, Percentage (%) Who Received 100 Targets The final column shows what percentage of the wide receivers at that age hit the 100-target benchmark. Very little. In 2019 alone, he played 75 or more snaps at edge defender, in the box, in the slot and deep at free safety, and he did it all well. Its hard to understate how impressive three consecutive seasons of 80.0 overall grades out of the gate is for a player like Garrett. Subscribe:Apple Podcasts|Spotify|Google Podcasts|Stitcher|SoundCloud|iHeartRadio. There's another steady arc in potential from age-22 through age-29, similar to the one we saw for the top-five potential. This list is meant to recognize the young players who figure to be the face of the game for years to come. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. In some ways, Beckham kind of created this world of spectacular young wide receivers that we live in today. What age do NFL wide receivers peak? Green, Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin, Dez Bryant. If you want a deeper dive, we have included more information later in the article. Last season, Marvin Jones led all 30+ wide receivers with 978 yards. Davante Adams, 29 Deebo Samuel, 25 Tyreek Hill, 27 Ja'Marr Chase, 21 Keenan Allen, 29 Stefon Diggs, 28 Combined with Kupp and Jefferson, that's eight solid receivers that virtually everyone. 6 years later, we're still trying to figure out HOW @obj made this catch. Hilton (32), Antonio Brown (33), A.J. Wilson continues to be one of the NFL's best quarterbacks, making his sixth Pro Bowl last year and ending on the short list of Hall of Fame candidates. Now that we know a wide receiver essentially loses his elite upside when he turns 32, what about performing as a consistent WR1 for your fantasy team? His most recent game with 90 or more yards was October 13, 2019. This doesnt look anything like the running back chart. Theres a steady arc in the percentages, and its clear that a wide receivers prime is from age-25 through age-32. His 2.89 receiving yards per route run trailed only George Kittle at the tight end position in 2019, and he was one of three qualifying tight ends to put up an average depth of target of 11 yards or more, joining Jared Cook and Mike Gesicki. It's clear that wide receivers take some time to develop and have a. As you can see, the prime age for a receiver to finish top-five at his position is at 29 years of age. A more magnified peak is in the 25 to 29 range, where 57 percent of peak seasons reside. Was the Bobby Wagner experiment a success for Rams? Granted, it was the run-heaviest team in the NFL, but Andrews still proved to be a legitimate downfield threat over the middle of the field. Justin Johnson sorts through the wide receiver corps of the NFC East. If youre looking for a pure runner, there are few players in the league right now that I would take over Chubb. that also played a role. The Rams drafted Van Jefferson in the second round in 2020 and have already gotten a taste of how the offense can operate with him starting over Woods; it would be surprising if the team sees Woods as a $15 million receiver coming off of ACL surgery. Do you expect Justin Jefferson to be capable of starting for the Vikings in 2033, when he will be 35? The third-year receiver is only 24 years old and has shown flashes of being a dangerous weapon. Even at 29-years-old, he's still one of the best wide receivers in the league. Jones Perkins Taylor Simmons Warfield Haffner Biletnikoff Pitts Garrison Mitchell Washington Twilley Briscoe Myers Bell Moses Van Heusen Beirne Doughty Miller Lewis Rucker Taylor Joiner Hill. Sherman reestablished himself as an elite cornerback for the 49ers last year, making his fifth career Pro Bowl. Report: Giants have 'sweet spot' for Daniel Jones deal, line in sand with Saquon Barkley, Chargers GM responds to Keenan Allen speculation, The 'Most recent first-round NFL quarterbacks' quiz, Top NFL Draft prospect wanted on charges stemming from fatal crash, Morant allegedly went after teen, mall cop in incidents, Insider gives latest on Lamar Jackson, Ravens situation, Red Wings, Larkin agree to eight-year, $69.6M extension, MLB backs movement to exempt MiLB players from Florida wage law, Report: Giants have 'sweet spot' for Jones deal, line in sand with Barkley, Ex-welterweight title challenger released from UFC contract. Many have forgotten after watching a great rookie class in 2019 WR3 production, as they have in. Receivers take some time to develop and have a their passing game justin sorts... Spectacular young wide receivers have their most productive seasons range, where 57 percent of peak seasons reside the wide. 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