Yesterday, I explained my methodology for ranking every wide receiver in football history. Today I’m going to present a list of single-season leaders, which presents some problems.

I think the method I described yesterday does a good job adjusting for era, as receivers are only given credit for their yards above the baseline, which is different each season. But there are some other complicating factors unique to football. Seasons have had varying lengths: a receiver who plays 12 games in a 12-game season can’t be penalized the way you would penalize a receiver who only plays in 12 games now. Since older receivers are generally at a disadvantage for many reasons, I decided to simply pro-rate the value for all non-16 game seasons as if it was a 16-game season. However, I have also included downward adjustments for players in other leagues and during World War II. ^[1]The fine print: For players in 1943, 1944, and 1945, and for players in the AAFC, I only gave the receivers credit for 60% of the value they created. For the AFL, I gave players 60% of their value in … Continue reading

The table below lists the top 200 wide receiver seasons of all-time.

Rank	Name	Year	Team	G	TmG	Lg	Rec	RecYd	RecTD	TmAtt	ACY/TmAtt	VALUE
1	Don Hutson	1942	gnb	11	11	NFL	74	1211	17	330	5.82	2007
2	Elroy Hirsch	1951	ram	12	12	NFL	66	1495	17	385	5.62	1662
3	Lance Alworth	1965	sdg	14	14	AFL	69	1602	14	428	5.2	1543
4	Wes Chandler	1982	sdg	8	9	NFL	49	1032	9	311	4.68	1472
5	Jerry Rice	1995	sfo	16	16	NFL	122	1848	15	677	4.07	1302
6	Randy Moss	2003	min	16	16	NFL	111	1632	17	562	4.5	1283
7	Billy Howton	1952	gnb	12	12	NFL	53	1231	13	376	4.67	1274
8	Michael Irvin	1995	dal	16	16	NFL	111	1603	10	512	4.61	1257
9	Don Hutson	1941	gnb	11	11	NFL	58	738	10	253	4.85	1223
10	Herman Moore	1995	det	16	16	NFL	123	1686	14	637	4.05	1211
11	Marvin Harrison	2002	clt	16	16	NFL	143	1722	11	614	4.33	1209
12	Steve Smith	2005	car	16	16	NFL	103	1563	12	477	4.86	1205
13	Harlon Hill	1956	chi	12	12	NFL	47	1128	11	266	5.95	1193
14	Isaac Bruce	1995	ram	16	16	NFL	119	1781	13	675	3.91	1184
15	Lance Alworth	1966	sdg	13	14	AFL	73	1383	13	433	4.64	1179
16	Raymond Berry	1960	clt	12	12	NFL	74	1298	10	418	4.47	1173
17	Marvin Harrison	1999	clt	16	16	NFL	115	1663	12	560	4.43	1149
18	Jim Benton	1946	ram	11	11	NFL	63	981	6	326	4.34	1143
19	Jerry Rice	1993	sfo	16	16	NFL	98	1503	15	559	4.1	1114
20	Torry Holt	2003	ram	16	16	NFL	117	1696	12	643	3.92	1098
21	Cliff Branch	1974	rai	14	14	NFL	60	1092	13	359	4.6	1097
22	Brandon Marshall	2012	chi	16	16	NFL	118	1508	11	529	4.38	1067
23	Bob Boyd	1954	ram	12	12	NFL	53	1212	6	338	4.72	1057
24	Jerry Rice	1994	sfo	16	16	NFL	112	1499	13	546	4.25	1057
25	Randy Moss	2007	nwe	16	16	NFL	98	1493	23	607	4.02	1048
26	John Stallworth	1984	pit	16	16	NFL	80	1395	11	478	4.22	1048
27	Sterling Sharpe	1992	gnb	16	16	NFL	108	1461	13	570	3.97	1038
28	Sonny Randle	1960	crd	12	12	NFL	62	893	15	307	4.9	1036
29	Steve Smith	2008	car	14	16	NFL	78	1421	6	380	5.08	1035
30	Terrell Owens	2000	sfo	14	16	NFL	97	1451	13	532	4.13	1028
31	Jim Benton	1945	ram	9	10	NFL	45	1067	8	179	8.11	1022
32	Dwight Clark	1982	sfo	9	9	NFL	60	913	5	368	3.57	1012
33	Mark Clayton	1984	mia	15	16	NFL	73	1389	18	549	3.85	1003
34	Jerry Rice	1986	sfo	16	16	NFL	86	1570	15	608	3.78	1001
35	Gene A. Washington	1970	sfo	13	14	NFL	53	1100	12	363	4.42	990
36	Don Maynard	1965	nyj	14	14	AFL	68	1218	14	476	3.86	986
37	Mal Kutner	1948	crd	12	12	NFL	41	943	14	285	5.01	983
38	Jimmy Smith	1999	jax	16	16	NFL	116	1636	6	571	4.09	981
39	Don Hutson	1939	gnb	11	11	NFL	34	846	6	248	4.58	979
40	Jerry Rice	1987	sfo	12	15	NFL	65	1078	22	424	4.35	971
41	Billy Howton	1956	gnb	12	12	NFL	55	1188	12	377	4.52	970
42	Art Monk	1984	was	16	16	NFL	106	1372	7	533	3.83	964
43	Marvin Harrison	2001	clt	16	16	NFL	109	1524	15	587	4.04	961
44	Cliff Branch	1976	rai	14	14	NFL	46	1111	12	389	4.06	961
45	Jerry Rice	1989	sfo	16	16	NFL	82	1483	17	528	4.23	959
46	Randy Moss	2000	min	16	16	NFL	77	1437	15	530	4	959
47	Bob Hayes	1966	dal	14	14	NFL	64	1232	13	455	3.98	950
48	Rod Smith	2000	den	16	16	NFL	100	1602	8	599	3.78	947
49	Otis Taylor	1966	kan	14	14	AFL	58	1297	8	407	4.29	947
50	Mike Quick	1983	phi	16	16	NFL	69	1409	13	543	3.71	945
51	Roy Green	1984	crd	16	16	NFL	78	1555	12	615	3.55	941
52	Hugh Taylor	1952	was	12	12	NFL	41	961	12	334	4.21	926
53	Andre Johnson	2008	htx	16	16	NFL	115	1575	8	587	3.94	925
54	Don Maynard	1967	nyj	14	14	AFL	71	1434	10	543	3.66	922
55	Terrell Owens	2001	sfo	16	16	NFL	93	1412	16	532	4.13	921
56	Robert Brooks	1995	gnb	16	16	NFL	102	1497	13	626	3.62	920
57	Roger Carr	1976	clt	14	14	NFL	43	1112	11	391	3.96	918
58	David Boston	2001	crd	16	16	NFL	98	1598	8	555	4.05	917
59	Homer Jones	1967	nyg	14	14	NFL	49	1209	13	443	3.87	917
60	Reggie Wayne	2007	clt	16	16	NFL	104	1510	10	574	3.89	911
61	Harold Jackson	1973	ram	14	14	NFL	40	874	13	288	4.63	911
62	Marvin Harrison	2000	clt	16	16	NFL	102	1413	14	591	3.73	906
63	Roddy White	2008	atl	16	16	NFL	88	1382	7	451	4.35	898
64	Gaynell Tinsley	1937	crd	11	11	NFL	36	675	5	189	5.05	888
65	Santana Moss	2005	was	16	16	NFL	84	1483	9	512	4.07	888
66	Rod Smith	2001	den	15	16	NFL	113	1343	11	518	4.1	885
67	Michael Irvin	1991	dal	16	16	NFL	93	1523	8	538	3.99	884
68	Sterling Sharpe	1993	gnb	16	16	NFL	112	1274	11	558	3.68	877
69	Roy Green	1983	crd	16	16	NFL	78	1227	14	519	3.66	876
70	Buddy Dial	1960	pit	12	12	NFL	40	972	9	296	4.57	870
71	Jerry Rice	1990	sfo	16	16	NFL	100	1502	13	620	3.65	864
72	Terrell Owens	2007	dal	15	16	NFL	81	1355	15	521	3.95	862
73	Andre Johnson	2012	htx	16	16	NFL	112	1598	4	582	3.85	861
74	Dave Parks	1965	sfo	14	14	NFL	80	1344	12	473	4.19	858
75	Paul Warfield	1971	mia	14	14	NFL	43	996	11	318	4.5	857
76	Charlie Brown	1983	was	15	16	NFL	78	1225	8	467	3.8	856
77	Calvin Johnson	2012	det	16	16	NFL	122	1964	5	769	3.48	855
78	Cris Carter	1995	min	16	16	NFL	122	1371	17	682	3.4	854
79	Andre Johnson	2009	htx	16	16	NFL	101	1569	9	618	3.65	854
80	Ben Hawkins	1967	phi	14	14	NFL	59	1265	10	494	3.56	849
81	Tom Fears	1949	ram	12	12	NFL	77	1013	9	384	4.11	849
82	Henry Ellard	1988	ram	16	16	NFL	86	1414	10	550	3.72	848
83	Michael Irvin	1993	dal	16	16	NFL	88	1330	7	504	3.79	847
84	Otis Taylor	1971	kan	14	14	NFL	57	1110	7	372	4.13	844
85	Yancey Thigpen	1997	pit	16	16	NFL	79	1398	7	486	3.98	842
86	Brett Perriman	1995	det	16	16	NFL	108	1488	9	637	3.47	838
87	Terrell Owens	2002	sfo	14	16	NFL	100	1300	13	519	3.97	837
88	Wes Welker	2009	nwe	14	16	NFL	123	1348	4	534	3.83	834
89	Michael Irvin	1992	dal	16	16	NFL	78	1396	7	514	3.75	823
90	Stanley Morgan	1986	nwe	16	16	NFL	84	1491	10	604	3.5	820
91	Gary Clark	1991	was	16	16	NFL	70	1340	10	456	4.14	819
92	Dick Gordon	1970	chi	14	14	NFL	71	1026	13	455	3.61	817
93	Charley Taylor	1966	was	14	14	NFL	72	1119	12	470	3.66	806
94	Ken Burrough	1975	oti	14	14	NFL	53	1063	8	374	3.98	804
95	Eddie Brown	1988	cin	16	16	NFL	53	1273	9	422	4.07	800
96	Joe Horn	2000	nor	16	16	NFL	94	1340	8	536	3.68	794
97	Chad Johnson	2005	cin	16	16	NFL	97	1432	9	559	3.75	793
98	Don Hutson	1938	gnb	10	11	NFL	32	548	9	191	4.65	788
99	Wes Welker	2011	nwe	16	16	NFL	122	1569	9	644	3.66	788
100	Larry Fitzgerald	2007	crd	15	16	NFL	100	1409	10	576	3.66	787
101	Alfred Jenkins	1981	atl	16	16	NFL	70	1358	13	600	3.28	785
102	Cloyce Box	1952	det	12	12	NFL	42	924	15	398	3.6	782
103	Torry Holt	2000	ram	16	16	NFL	82	1635	6	631	3.43	780
104	Charlie Brown	1982	was	9	9	NFL	32	690	8	283	3.57	779
105	Chad Johnson	2003	cin	16	16	NFL	90	1355	10	557	3.6	772
106	Derrick Mason	2003	oti	16	16	NFL	95	1303	8	527	3.68	771
107	Cris Carter	2000	min	16	16	NFL	96	1274	9	530	3.65	771
108	Harold Carmichael	1973	phi	14	14	NFL	67	1116	9	513	3.18	771
109	Calvin Johnson	2011	det	16	16	NFL	96	1681	16	702	3.53	768
110	Elroy Hirsch	1953	ram	12	12	NFL	61	941	4	337	3.93	763
111	Anquan Boldin	2003	crd	16	16	NFL	101	1377	8	578	3.53	763
112	Don Hutson	1944	gnb	10	10	NFL	58	866	9	253	5.28	762
113	Don Maynard	1968	nyj	13	14	AFL	57	1297	10	422	4.23	759
114	Marvin Harrison	2006	clt	16	16	NFL	95	1366	12	572	3.64	758
115	Lee Evans	2006	buf	16	16	NFL	82	1292	8	478	3.9	757
116	Bud Grant	1952	phi	12	12	NFL	56	997	7	399	3.55	756
117	John Gilliam	1973	min	14	14	NFL	42	907	8	330	3.87	756
118	Carl Pickens	1995	cin	16	16	NFL	99	1234	17	611	3.39	755
119	Hines Ward	2002	pit	16	16	NFL	112	1329	12	585	3.64	750
120	Charley Hennigan	1961	oti	14	14	AFL	82	1746	12	512	4.68	749
121	Paul Warfield	1968	cle	14	14	NFL	50	1067	12	384	4.05	748
122	Muhsin Muhammad	2004	car	16	16	NFL	93	1405	16	569	3.85	748
123	Don Hutson	1945	gnb	10	10	NFL	47	834	9	218	5.73	747
124	Del Shofner	1958	ram	12	12	NFL	51	1097	8	388	3.9	746
125	Roddy White	2010	atl	16	16	NFL	115	1389	10	600	3.61	744
126	Tim Brown	1995	rai	16	16	NFL	89	1342	10	579	3.43	741
127	Steve Largent	1983	sea	15	16	NFL	72	1074	11	465	3.56	739
128	Pat Studstill	1966	det	14	14	NFL	67	1266	5	491	3.46	734
129	Don Hutson	1937	gnb	11	11	NFL	41	552	7	216	4.15	733
130	Lionel Taylor	1965	den	14	14	AFL	85	1131	6	506	3.31	731
131	Lance Alworth	1967	sdg	11	14	AFL	52	1010	9	372	3.89	730
132	Steve Watson	1981	den	16	16	NFL	60	1244	13	546	3.3	727
133	Lance Alworth	1964	sdg	12	14	AFL	61	1235	13	400	4.5	724
134	Jerry Rice	1992	sfo	16	16	NFL	84	1201	10	512	3.56	722
135	Marvin Harrison	2003	clt	15	16	NFL	94	1272	10	551	3.52	722
136	Henry Ellard	1989	ram	14	16	NFL	70	1382	8	486	3.9	721
137	Bobby Mitchell	1962	was	14	14	NFL	72	1384	11	467	4.21	718
138	Brandon Marshall	2007	den	16	16	NFL	102	1325	7	547	3.61	718
139	Drew Hill	1988	oti	16	16	NFL	72	1141	10	452	3.76	718
140	Mel Gray	1975	crd	14	14	NFL	48	926	11	363	3.82	713
141	Bob Hayes	1970	dal	13	14	NFL	34	889	10	312	4.04	713
142	Braylon Edwards	2007	cle	16	16	NFL	80	1289	16	564	3.56	713
143	Tim Brown	1997	rai	16	16	NFL	104	1408	5	587	3.45	710
144	Cris Collinsworth	1983	cin	14	16	NFL	66	1130	5	432	3.61	709
145	Charlie Joiner	1976	sdg	14	14	NFL	50	1056	7	434	3.33	709
146	Fred Biletnikoff	1971	rai	14	14	NFL	61	929	9	372	3.8	706
147	Chad Johnson	2007	cin	16	16	NFL	93	1440	8	592	3.49	705
148	Torry Holt	2005	ram	14	16	NFL	102	1331	9	564	3.58	704
149	James Lofton	1984	gnb	16	16	NFL	62	1361	7	548	3.3	703
150	Buddy Dial	1963	pit	14	14	NFL	60	1295	9	398	4.46	703
151	Rob Moore	1997	crd	16	16	NFL	97	1584	8	680	3.28	702
152	Isaac Bruce	2000	ram	16	16	NFL	87	1471	9	631	3.31	701
153	Andre Reed	1989	buf	16	16	NFL	88	1312	9	513	3.77	695
154	Wesley Walker	1978	nyj	16	16	NFL	48	1169	8	431	3.64	693
155	James Lofton	1981	gnb	16	16	NFL	71	1294	8	566	3.2	693
156	Tim Brown	1994	rai	16	16	NFL	89	1309	9	538	3.59	690
157	Drew Pearson	1974	dal	14	14	NFL	62	1087	2	432	3.33	690
158	Bill Groman	1960	oti	14	14	AFL	72	1473	12	478	4.34	687
159	Ed McCaffrey	2000	den	16	16	NFL	101	1317	9	599	3.34	687
160	Lance Alworth	1963	sdg	14	14	AFL	61	1205	11	378	4.58	685
161	Steve Largent	1984	sea	16	16	NFL	74	1164	12	539	3.29	684
162	Raymond Berry	1959	clt	12	12	NFL	66	959	14	398	3.94	683
163	Harlon Hill	1954	chi	12	12	NFL	45	1124	12	453	3.51	682
164	Andre Rison	1993	atl	16	16	NFL	86	1242	15	613	3.22	679
165	Don Hutson	1940	gnb	11	11	NFL	45	664	7	283	3.64	678
166	Pete Pihos	1953	phi	12	12	NFL	63	1049	10	472	3.31	678
167	Billy Wilson	1953	sfo	12	12	NFL	51	840	10	352	3.68	677
168	Michael Irvin	1994	dal	16	16	NFL	79	1241	6	468	3.75	674
169	Randy Moss	1999	min	16	16	NFL	80	1413	11	573	3.55	673
170	Steve Largent	1981	sea	16	16	NFL	75	1224	9	561	3.17	673
171	Joey Galloway	2005	tam	16	16	NFL	83	1287	10	528	3.6	670
172	Nat Moore	1977	mia	14	14	NFL	52	765	12	347	3.65	669
173	A.J. Green	2012	cin	16	16	NFL	97	1350	11	586	3.51	669
174	Herman Moore	1997	det	16	16	NFL	104	1293	8	581	3.4	668
175	Stanley Morgan	1982	nwe	9	9	NFL	28	584	3	202	3.88	668
176	Isaac Curtis	1973	cin	14	14	NFL	45	843	9	356	3.51	667
177	John Jefferson	1980	sdg	16	16	NFL	82	1340	13	626	3.21	666
178	Tim Smith	1983	oti	16	16	NFL	83	1176	6	531	3.22	666
179	Kevin House	1981	tam	16	16	NFL	56	1176	9	492	3.33	666
180	John Gilliam	1972	min	14	14	NFL	47	1035	7	411	3.43	665
181	Buddy Dial	1961	pit	14	14	NFL	53	1047	12	370	4.19	664
182	Demaryius Thomas	2012	den	16	16	NFL	94	1434	10	609	3.45	664
183	Gordie Soltau	1951	sfo	12	12	NFL	59	826	7	320	3.94	663
184	Don Hutson	1936	gnb	12	12	NFL	34	536	8	255	3.4	662
185	Jimmy Smith	2001	jax	16	16	NFL	112	1373	8	597	3.51	661
186	Gene A. Washington	1972	sfo	14	14	NFL	46	918	12	402	3.45	660
187	Harold Jackson	1972	phi	14	14	NFL	62	1048	4	428	3.36	658
188	Carlos Carson	1987	kan	12	15	NFL	55	1044	7	384	3.8	655
189	Antonio Freeman	1997	gnb	16	16	NFL	81	1243	12	549	3.44	655
190	Tom Fears	1950	ram	12	12	NFL	84	1116	7	476	3.52	654
191	Don Hutson	1943	gnb	10	10	NFL	47	776	11	253	4.87	654
192	Otis Taylor	1967	kan	14	14	AFL	59	958	11	414	3.56	653
193	Chad Johnson	2006	cin	16	16	NFL	87	1369	7	559	3.48	651
194	Frank Lewis	1981	buf	16	16	NFL	70	1244	4	519	3.23	650
195	Perry Schwartz	1939	bkn	11	11	NFL	33	550	3	176	4.4	650
196	Pete Pihos	1948	phi	12	12	NFL	46	766	11	301	4.04	649
197	Bob Hayes	1967	dal	13	14	NFL	49	998	10	426	3.39	646
198	Steve Largent	1978	sea	16	16	NFL	71	1168	8	511	3.29	645
199	Antonio Freeman	1998	gnb	15	16	NFL	84	1424	14	576	3.69	644
200	Gary Garrison	1970	sdg	14	14	NFL	44	1006	12	444	3.3	643

It’s hard to top Don Hutson‘s 1942 season. For starters, 74 catches, 1,211 yards and 17 touchdowns would be a good season in 2012, but Hutson did it in just 11 games. Hutson averaged 110.1 yards per game, which is still the 10th highest average in NFL history. He averaged more touchdowns per game than Randy Moss did in 2007. Even ignoring the fact that, you know, it was 1942, Hutson’s numbers still stand out as excellent. Then consider that the Packers threw just 330 passes that season; for reference, Drew Brees threw 670 passes last year. If Hutson’s Packers passed like the 2012 Saints, he might have topped 2,000 yards and 30 touchdowns…. in 1942.

Hutson comes in with the top season of all time, along with 10 of the top 200 seasons. Jerry Rice isn’t far behind with 8 top-200 seasons, and Marvin Harrison (6), Lance Alworth (5) and Michael Irvin (5) all have five top-200 years. Behind them, you probably wouldn’t be surprised that Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Steve Largent have four top-200 seasons, but would you have guessed that Chad Johnson does, too? From 2005 to 2007, the receiver formerly known as Ochocinco ranked in the top three in receiving yards each season despite Cincinnati being just slightly more pass-happy than average. In 2003 he had 90-1355-10 for a team with only 557 pass attempts. He turned into a caricature of himself later in his career, but Johnson was at one time a legitimately great receiver.

Tomorrow I’ll present the career list, but let’s first take a look at the yearly leaders:

• There are no surprises among the recent league leaders: Marshall, Welker, White, Johnson, Smith, Moss, and Harrison were elite receivers those years. I did this study with a slightly different baseline four years ago, and that led to Lee Evans being the 2006 champion. He finished one yard behind Marvin Harrison this time around, thanks to a slightly lower baseline, rewarding Harrison’s production over a larger number of pass plays.
• In his prime, Jerry Rice wasn’t beaten out very often. From ’86 to ’95, Rice finished #1 in seven different seasons, losing out only to Henry Ellard, Michael Irvin and Sterling Sharpe.
• If it wasn’t for the World War II adjustment, Jim Benton‘s 1945 season would rival Hutson’s as the greatest ever. Benton’s raw numbers aren’t as impressive as Hutson, but the crazy part is that the Rams threw just 199 passes in 10 games. Benton missed one of those games, so we have to assume he put up his 1,067 receiving yards on 179 passes. That’s an average of 5.97 receiving yards per team pass attempt. Benton then caught 9 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown in the championship game, a 15-14 Rams win. But if any game from that year stands out, it was what happened on Thanksgiving Day against the Lions. Rookie Bob Waterfield threw just 21 passes against Detroit, but that didn’t stop Benton from setting a single-game record with 303 receiving yards. That was a single-game record for 40 years, until Kansas City’s Stephone Paige gained 308 yards against the Chargers.
• The AFL was dominated by Alworth and Maynard, but Bill Groman and Charley Hennigan helped Houston to titles in the first two seasons. 1962 was a down year for the big names of the league. In New York, Art Powell and Maynard both topped 1,000 yards, but the Titans threw 559 passes. Chris Burford led the league in touchdowns and had a respectable 45 catches for the Chiefs, who threw only 285 passes that year.
• The top season in AAFC history belongs to Cleveland’s Mac Speedie. Paul Brown and Otto Graham helped make Speedie and Dante Lavelli stars, and ’47 was a big year for all the Browns. That year Cleveland led the AAFC in points, yards, passing yards, passing touchdowns, interceptions (fewest), and net yards per pass attempt, while only ranking fifth in passes.