NFL Wide Receiver Stat Analysis

There are some truly talented receivers in the NFL, but there are only a few who are considered elite. Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill are some names that might come to mind. By taking a deep dive into these players’ stats we can reveal interesting aspects about their role in different offensive schemes and the utility that each receiver brings to their team.

Cooper Kupp has put on an absolute show this season. He leads the NFL in receiving yards and receptions with 1237 yards on 92 catches and is tied for first in touchdown receptions with 10. Kupp is also catching 73% of his targets while ripping up defenses on a weekly basis. When we take a look at Kupp’s receiving stats in the red zone, not a lot changes. He boasts an NFL leading 18 receptions in the red zone and is catching 72% of his targets with the Rams inside the 20 yard line. All 10 of Kupp’s touchdowns have occurred in the red zone as well, making him a serious all-around receiving threat.

Davante Adams and Justin Jefferson take second and third place for receiving yards so far this season with 1083 and 1027 respectively. However, Adams ranks fourth in receptions and Jefferson ranks seventh. It can be deceiving on the surface, Adams and Jefferson may be in second and third for total receiving yards but they are not preforming on the same level as Kupp.

If we compare Adams and Jefferson to Kupp while receiving passes in the red zone, there is a significant disparity. Adams has 12 red zone receptions on 21 targets for five touchdowns and a completion percentage of 57.14%. Jefferson has caught 10 red zone passes on 18 targets for five scores and a 55.56% completion rate. Adams and Jefferson are simply not as efficient when in the red zone, which goes to show that receiving yards don’t mean everything when it comes to the top receivers in the NFL.