Trivia: Single-season Leaders in Yards per Target

by Chase Stuart on February 10, 2013

San Diego’s Danario Alexander caught 37 passes for 658 yards and 7 touchdowns in 10 games last year. Those might not look like great numbers, but when Philip Rivers looked his way, Alexander tended to produce. Alexander only saw 62 targets last season, but led the league with a 10.6 yards-per-target average (minimum 50 targets). Since 2000, there have been 21 receivers to average at least 11 yards per target on 50 targets.

Rank	Player	Year	Tm	Age	G	Tar	Rec	Yds	Y/T	R/T
1		2008							13.9	56.1%
2		2006							13.8	59.3%
3	Jordy Nelson	2011	GNB	26	16	96	68	1263	13.2	70.8%
4	Mike Wallace	2010	PIT	24	16	99	60	1257	12.7	60.6%
5	Malcom Floyd	2011	SDG	30	12	70	43	856	12.2	61.4%
6	Antonio Gates	2010	SDG	30	10	65	50	782	12	76.9%
7	Dennis Northcutt	2002	CLE	25	13	50	39	591	11.8	78%
8	Torry Holt	2000	STL	24	16	140	82	1643	11.7	58.6%
9	Victor Cruz	2011	NYG	25	16	132	83	1545	11.7	62.9%
10	James Jones	2011	GNB	27	16	55	38	635	11.5	69.1%
11	Plaxico Burress	2004	PIT	27	11	61	35	698	11.4	57.4%
12	Robert Meachem	2009	NOR	25	16	64	45	726	11.3	70.3%
13	Anthony Gonzalez	2007	IND	23	13	51	37	576	11.3	72.5%
14	Lee Evans	2004	BUF	23	16	75	48	843	11.2	64%
15	Randy Moss	2000	MIN	23	16	129	78	1438	11.1	60.5%
16	Steve Smith	2008	CAR	29	14	129	78	1432	11.1	60.5%
17	Santana Moss	2005	WAS	26	16	134	84	1485	11.1	62.7%
18	DeSean Jackson	2010	PHI	24	14	96	47	1060	11	49%
19	Santonio Holmes	2007	PIT	23	13	86	53	942	11	61.6%
20	Greg Jennings	2007	GNB	24	13	84	53	920	11	63.1%
21	Joe Horn	2006	NOR	34	10	62	38	679	11	61.3%

I’ve blanked out the first two rows, because the same player has recorded the two highest yards/target seasons over the last thirteen years. Can you guess who it is?

Trivia hint 1	Select Show
He also has recorded the two highest yards-per-catch ratios of any player over the last 13 years (minimum 30 receptions).

Trivia hint 2	Select Show
He recorded 32 catches for 793 yards in 2008 and 32 catches for 745 yards in 2006.

Trivia hint 3	Select Show
He has spent all nine seasons of his career with one team.

Click 'Show' for the Question	Select Show
Devery Henderson is the mystery receiver. Playing with Drew Brees has its benefits, as both Henderson and Meachem show up in the table above. You can click here to see the single-season yards-per-catch leaders since 2000.

Tagged as: Danario Alexander, Targets, WR Project

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