Checking in with the top graded wide receivers as we approach the full weekend slate of Week 8 in the NFL season. The top three have not changed since last week, as Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown remains the league's top graded wide receiver through the first seven weeks.
1. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
PFF Grade: 93.4
PFF Elite Stat: Brown is averaging 3.06 yards per route run this season, which leads the NFL. He’s the only receiver to be averaging above 3.00 yards per route run.
Brown had a below-average game by his standards this past weekend, catching only four passes on nine targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. However, the Steelers also didn’t pass much and Brown still finished with an average of 2.71 yards per route run for the game, 10th best among receivers last week. Brown also didn’t drop a pass last week, and his 52 catchable targets without a drop leads the entire league.
2. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
PFF Grade: 88.4
PFF Elite Stat: Jones is averaging 2.82 yards per route run this season, the second-best average among all receivers.
Julio Jones finally got on the touchdown board when he Moss’d Patriots corner Malcolm Butler late in the Sunday night game, proving why sometimes you just need to force the ball to him regardless of coverage. Jones caught nine passes on 13 targets for 99 yards in that game. He didn’t drop a pass and seven of his receptions went for first downs. On the season, 73.5 percent of Jones’ receptions have gone for first downs or touchdowns, which is the 11th best rate among receivers with at least 20 receptions.
3. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
PFF Grade: 86.3
PFF Elite Stat: Green is averaging 2.63 yards per route run this season, the third-highest average among receiver in the NFL.
It was a tough week for Green, who just barely holds onto his third-place spot after catching just three passes for 41 yards on five targets. While all three receptions led to first downs, his 1.21 yards per route run average for the game ranked 38th out of 59 qualified receivers last week. Green’s threat rate (percentage of time a receiver is targeted when there is an aimed pass) of 33.0 percent is the fifth-highest among receivers that have run at least 250 routes this season.
4. Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks
PFF Grade: 86.0
PFF Elite Stat: Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has a rating of 106.8 when targeting Baldwin this season.
Baldwin continues to shoot up the list after having the highest graded game of any receiver last week at 89.7 overall. He caught nine of 12 passes for 92 yards, a touchdown, and five additional first downs. Baldwin forced two missed tackles as well last week. His 2.88 yards per route run average last week ranked fifth among receivers with at least eight targets. Baldwin continues to do most of his damage from the slot, his 22 receptions when lined up there ranking fifth in the NFL.
5. Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
PFF Grade: 84.8
PFF Elite Stat: Vikings’ QBs have a rating of 138.1 when targeting Diggs this season, the third best rating among all NFL receivers.
Diggs didn’t play last week once again, and if he misses another game (or is limited) he faces danger of dropping off this list. Diggs is still tied for the league lead with eight deep receptions (20+ yards downfield or more) and his 218 yards gained on deep ball ranks third. Diggs is averaging 2.56 yards per route run this season, the fourth-highest average in the NFL.
6. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
PFF Grade: 84.2
PFF Elite Stat: Hill has the second highest wide receiver rating in the NFL at 127.5 and is only 1.2 points off of the lead.
Hill had an impressive game last Thursday night, bouncing back from a tough Week 6 to catch six passes on eight targets for 125 yards. Hill gained just 36 yards after the catch, doing most of his damage before the catch. His 4.17 yards per route run average last week ranked fourth in the NFL. Hill bumped his season yards per route run average up to 2.36, which is the fifth-highest in the NFL. Hill has also now caught five deep passes for 238 yards, the latter statistic ranks second in the league.
7. Golden Tate, Detroit Lions
PFF Grade: 84.2
PFF Elite Stat: Tate's two touchdowns from the slot this season ranks tied for third in the NFL.
It was a bye week for the Lions, so Tate’s grade remains the same. He’s been having a very impressive season, leading the league with 29 slot receptions and ranking sixth with an average of 1.83 yards per route run from the slot. Tate leads the league with 13 missed tackles forced, averaging a missed tackle forced every three receptions (second-best rate in the NFL).
8. DeSean Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PFF Grade: 83.6
PFF Elite Stat: 43.9 percent of Jackson’s targets this season have been on deep balls, the second-highest rate in the league. He’s caught five deep balls for 131 yards and a touchdown.
It was a big game for Jackson, who’s been having a great season in Tampa Bay. Last week Jackson caught five passes for 73 yards, with all five receptions going for first downs. He also had another big play called back due to a penalty. A ridiculous 20 of Jackson’s 23 receptions this season have been for first downs or touchdowns, that 87.0 percent mark leading all receivers with at least 20 receptions. He also leads the league in average depth of target, at 20.3 yards.
9. Pierre Garcon, San Francisco 49ers
PFF Grade: 83.5
PFF Elite Stat: Garcon has seen 38 catchable targets this season and hasn’t dropped a single one, the third most catchable targets among receivers with zero drops in the NFL.
It was another workmanlike game for Garcon on the 49ers in QB C.J. Beathard’s starting debut. He caught five of six targets for 49 yards, with 22 of those yards coming after the catch. Garcon is averaging 1.88 yards per route run this season, the 19th most in the NFL. 49ers’ quarterbacks this year have a passer rating of 87.0 when targeting Garcon and a rating of 71.0 when targeting any other receiver.
10. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PFF Grade: 83.3
PFF Elite Stat: Evans is averaging 1.90 yards per route run this season, the 18th best mark in the NFL.
A new teammate pairing makes this list after Evans had a huge game last week, coming in as our second-highest graded receiver of the week at 86.8 overall. Evans gained 88 yards on seven catches, with just 13 of those yards coming after the catch. On the season, 87.8 percent of Evans’ yards have come before the catch, the highest percentage among receivers with at least 20 receptions. 79.4 percent of Evans’ receptions have gone for first downs or touchdowns, sixth-best mark in the NFL.
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