Which Receivers Led Their Teams In Receiving Yards Most Frequently?

by Chase Stuart on August 25, 2017

The GOAT

Jerry Rice was really, really good for many, many reasons. Here’s one: he led his teams in receiving yards a whopping 15 times in his career. In 1985, Roger Craig led the 49ers in receiving yards during Rice’s rookie season. Then, from ’86 to ’96, Rice led San Francisco in receiving yards every season. In 1997, Rice tore his ACL and was limited to just two games; as a result, Terrell Owens led the team in receiving. In ’98 and ’99, though, it was Rice again who led the 49ers in receiving yards, before a 27-year-old Owens outgained a 38-year-old Rice on the ’00 49ers.

In 2001, Rice was in Oakland, and a 35-year-old Tim Brown beat Rice by 26 receiving yards (1165-1139) to lead the Raiders in receiving. But in 2002 and 2003, Rice — at 40 and 41 years of age — led Oakland in receiving. So from 1986 to 2003, Rice led his team in receiving yards in 15 of 18 seasons, with the exceptions being due to a torn ACL, losing out to a future Hall of Famer 11 years his junior, and losing out to a Hall of Famer 4 years his junior by 26 yards. That’s why he’s the greatest of all time.

But Henry Ellard was pretty darn good, too. Ellard played for 16 seasons in the NFL, and other than his rookie season and his final two seasons, he led his team in receiving yards every other year of his career. During the prime years of Jim Everett’s career — 1988 to 1990 — Ellard ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd in the league in receiving yards per game. But he still led the Rams in receiving yards the other years, too, finishing as the leader receiver on Los Angeles each year from ’84 to ’93. When Ellard joined the Redskins in ’94, he eclipsed the 1,000 yards mark and led Washington in receiving in ’94, ’95, and ’96. In the process, Ellard became the first and only player to lead his team in receiving yards in 13 straight seasons.

The table below shows all receivers who have led their teams in receiving yards at least four times. In addition, the table shows the first and last year that receiver pulled off that feat, the longest consecutive streak of years as his team’s top receiver, and the number of different teams he led in receiving. ^[1]Note: Trivia fans: Antonio Bryant, Brandon Lloyd, and Bo Roberson each led three different teams in receiving yards, but did so just once for each team.

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Player	First Yr	Last Yr	Leading Yrs	Diff Tms	Longest Streak
Jerry Rice	1986	2003	15	2	11
Henry Ellard	1984	1996	13	2	13
Terrell Owens	1997	2010	12	5	11
Steve Largent	1976	1987	12	1	12
Steve Smith	2002	2014	11	2	8
Don Hutson	1935	1945	11	1	11
Larry Fitzgerald	2004	2016	10	1	6
Andre Johnson	2003	2013	10	1	8
Jimmy Smith	1996	2005	10	1	10
Tim Brown	1992	2001	10	1	10
James Lofton	1978	1987	10	2	10
Torry Holt	2000	2008	9	1	9
Marvin Harrison	1996	2006	9	1	5
Rod Smith	1997	2005	9	1	9
Andre Reed	1988	1997	9	1	7
Stanley Morgan	1978	1988	9	1	4
Harold Jackson	1969	1979	9	3	7
Anquan Boldin	2003	2015	8	3	6
Santana Moss	2003	2010	8	2	8
Derrick Mason	2000	2009	8	2	4

Showing 1 to 20 of 182 entries

Terrell Owens led five different teams in receiving yards; that’s an NFL record, although Brandon Marshall could tie it this year with the Giants. The more shocking name is Jeff Graham, who did it four times. He led the ’92 Steelers in receiving yards, the ’94 and ’95 Bears, the ’98 Eagles (breaking Fryar’s streak), and the ’99 and ’00 Chargers. More on Graham tomorrow.

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↑1	Note: Trivia fans: Antonio Bryant, Brandon Lloyd, and Bo Roberson each led three different teams in receiving yards, but did so just once for each team.

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