≡ Menu

Which receivers played on the most pass-happy teams? It’s a bit tricky to measure that: if a receiver played on run-heavy teams most of his career, but plays a couple of final seasons for teams that throw for 600+ attempts while he is a reserve, that would skew his average. So we need to adjust for a player’s best seasons when measuring how pass-happy his teams were.

Let’s use Calvin Johnson as an example. He played for the Lions in each season of his career, and Detroit has been very pass-happy throughout his career.  In 2015, he had 1,214 receiving yards, which was 10.4% of his career receiving yards.  That year, the Lions threw 632 times, or 39.5 times per game.  So for Johnson’s career pass-happy grade, 10.4% of it will be based off of an average of 39.5 attempts per game.  In 2012, Johnson had 16.9% of his career receiving total, so 16.9% of his pass-happy grade will be based off of the 740 attempts the Lions had that year.  Perform that analysis for every season, and Johnson has an adjusted average of teams throwing 39.5 times per game, as per the table below.

I did this calculation for every receiver in NFL history with at least 5,000 pass attempts. The table below is fully sortable and searchable, but it is initially sorted by career receiving yards.

RkReceiverRec YdFirst YrLast YrAtt/GHOF
70Jerry Rice228951985200434.3Yes
103Terrell Owens159341996201033.6Yes
12Larry Fitzgerald155452004201736.9Likely
90Randy Moss152921998201233.8Yes
29Isaac Bruce152081994200935.6No
63Tony Gonzalez151271997201334.4Likely
150Tim Brown149341988200432.1Yes
174Steve Smith147312001201631.5Not El.
52Marvin Harrison145801996200834.7Yes
17Reggie Wayne143452001201436.4Not El.
110Andre Johnson141852003201633.5Not El.
197James Lofton140041978199330.9Yes
61Cris Carter138991987200234.4Yes
57Anquan Boldin137792003201634.5Not El.
191Henry Ellard137771983199831.1No
21Torry Holt133821999200936.2No
186Andre Reed131981985200031.2Yes
187Steve Largent130891976198931.2Yes
93Irving Fryar127851984200033.8No
145Art Monk127211980199532.2Yes
87Jason Witten124482003201733.9Not El.
151Jimmy Smith122871995200532.1No
62Brandon Marshall122152006201734.4Not El.
73Charlie Joiner121461969198634.2Yes
203Hines Ward120831998201130.2No
148Derrick Mason120611997201132.1No
195Michael Irvin119041988199930.9Yes
139Don Maynard118341958197332.4Yes
2Calvin Johnson116192007201539.5Likely
123Antonio Gates115082003201733.0Not El.
166Muhsin Muhammad114381996200931.8No
137Rod Smith113891995200632.4No
118Keenan McCardell113731992200733.1No
78Chad Johnson110592001201134.0No
170Joey Galloway109501995201031.7No
42Roddy White108632005201535.1Not El.
122Gary Clark108561985199533.0No
235Stanley Morgan107161977199028.7No
98Keyshawn Johnson105711996200633.7No
267Harold Jackson103721969198326.5No
152Santana Moss102832001201432.1Not El.
204Lance Alworth102661962197230.1Yes
102Andre Rison102051989200033.6No
22Donald Driver101371999201236.0No
111Shannon Sharpe100601990200333.4Yes
154Eric Moulds99951996200732.1No
11Wes Welker99242005201537.0Not El.
16Antonio Brown99102010201736.6Likely
116Drew Hill98311979199333.1No
1Marques Colston97592006201539.8Not El.
68Amani Toomer94971996200834.3No
34DeSean Jackson94872008201735.4Not El.
80Rob Moore93681990199934.0No
224Raymond Berry92751955196729.2Yes
165Herman Moore91741991200131.8No
99Anthony Miller91481988199733.7No
215Charley Taylor91101964197729.6Yes
126Vincent Jackson90802005201632.9Not El.
115Tony Martin90651990200133.2No
9Julio Jones90542011201737.1Likely
222Harold Carmichael89851971198429.3No
14Mark Clayton89741983199336.8No
243Fred Biletnikoff89741965197828.3Yes
23Wes Chandler89661978198836.0No
155Roy Green89651979199232.1No
125Ricky Proehl88781990200632.9No
27Mark Duper88691983199235.8No
79Terry Glenn88231996200634.0No
119Terance Mathis88091990200233.1No
147Mark Carrier87631987199832.1No
101Joe Horn87441996200733.6No
246John Stallworth87231974198728.2Yes
96Johnnie Morton87191994200533.7No
253Cliff Branch86851972198427.8No
10Demaryius Thomas86532010201737.1Not El.
177Laveranues Coles86092000200931.5No
279Paul Warfield85651964197723.7Yes
160Plaxico Burress84992000201232.0No
233Billy Howton84591952196328.7No
214Tommy McDonald84101957196829.6Yes
142Eddie Kennison83451996200732.2No
205Wesley Walker83061977198930.1No
53Greg Jennings82912006201534.7Not El.
277Carroll Dale82771960197323.8No
92Curtis Conway82301993200433.8No
46Ernest Givins82151986199534.9No
107A.J. Green82132011201733.5Not El.
85Jeff Graham81721991200133.9No
218Eric Martin81611985199429.4No
48Sterling Sharpe81341988199434.8No
59Webster Slaughter81111986199834.4No
255Haven Moses80911968198127.7No
44Mike Wallace80722009201735.0Not El.
104Art Powell80461960196833.6No
175Bill Brooks80011986199631.5No
278Don Hutson79911935194523.8Yes
161Tony Hill79881977198632.0No
112Ozzie Newsome79801978199033.4Yes
209Bobby Mitchell79541958196829.8Yes
228Jackie Smith79181963197729.0Yes
249Jimmy Orr79141958197028.0No
40Jordy Nelson78482008201735.2Not El.
242Drew Pearson78221973198328.3No
71Bobby Engram77511996200934.3No
168Anthony Carter77331985199431.7No
157Chris Chambers76482001201032.0No
182Brian Blades76201988199831.3No
18Pierre Garcon75682008201736.3Not El.
131Greg Olsen75562007201732.6Not El.
258Nat Moore75461974198627.6No
248Roy Jefferson75391965197628.1No
210Gary Garrison75381966197729.7No
56Dez Bryant74592010201734.5Not El.
129Ed McCaffrey74221991200332.8No
264Bob Hayes74141965197526.7Yes
225Pete Retzlaff74121956196629.1No
86Wayne Chrebet73651995200533.9No
274Otis Taylor73061965197425.2No
281Boyd Dowler72701959197123.0No
45Antonio Freeman72511995200334.9No
64T.J. Houshmandzadeh72372001201134.4No
143Dwayne Bowe72082007201532.2Not El.
41Lionel Taylor71951960196835.1No
6Rob Gronkowski71792010201737.7Likely
136Darrell Jackson71322000200832.4No
106Carl Pickens71291992200033.6No
265Ken Burrough71021970198126.6No
238Isaac Curtis71011973198428.6No
188Vernon Davis70722006201731.2Not El.
207Reggie Rucker70651970198130.0No
250John Gilliam70561967197728.0No
236Elroy Hirsch70291946195728.7Yes
105Shawn Jefferson70231991200333.6No
200Pat Tilley70051976198630.7No
20Jake Reed69991992200236.2No
190J.T. Smith69741979199031.1No
58Derrick Alexander69711994200234.5No
124Nate Washington69542006201533.0Not El.
84Marshall Faulk68751994200534.0Yes
146Michael Crabtree68702009201732.2Not El.
247Gene Washington68561969197928.1No
38Jeremy Maclin68352009201735.2Not El.
109Ahmad Rashad68311972198233.5No
8T.Y. Hilton68272012201737.3Not El.
13Charley Hennigan68231960196636.9No
3Jimmy Graham68002010201739.0Not El.
47Larry Centers67971991200334.9No
51Dwight Clark67501979198734.7No
39Frank Sanders67491995200335.2No
4Kellen Winslow67411979198738.2Yes
252Frank Lewis67241971198327.8No
54Marty Booker67031999200934.7No
173Cris Collinsworth66981981198831.5No
55Deion Branch66442002201234.6No
245Mel Gray66441971198228.3No
263Willie Gault66351983199326.8No
171Jerricho Cotchery66232004201531.6Not El.
130Al Toon66051985199232.6No
179Brett Perriman65891988199731.4No
88Michael Haynes65881988199733.9No
114Heath Miller65692005201533.3Not El.
202Henry Marshall65451976198730.4No
282Dante Lavelli64881946195622.4Yes
75Ricky Sanders64771986199534.2No
216Del Shofner64701958196729.5No
83Mike Quick64641982199034.0No
149Quinn Early64481988199932.1No
76Golden Tate64192010201734.1Not El.
30Sammy White64001976198535.6No
82Ike Hilliard63971997200834.0No
100Carlos Carson63721980198933.7No
72Troy Brown63661993200634.2No
276Max McGee63461954196724.7No
167Stephone Paige63411983199131.7No
15Haywood Jeffires63341987199636.8No
144Steve Jordan63071982199432.2No
180Sean Dawkins62911993200131.3No
219Alfred Jenkins62671975198329.4No
66Darnay Scott61931994200234.3No
19Emmanuel Sanders61562010201736.3Not El.
49Jeremy Shockey61432002201134.8No
211Eddie Brown61341985199129.7No
132Steve Watson61121979198732.5No
172Ronnie Harmon60761986199731.6No
254Red Phillips60441958196727.8No
213Lenny Moore60391956196729.7Yes
164Santonio Holmes60302006201431.9Not El.
232Louis Lipps60191984199228.9No
244Jack Snow60121965197528.3No
234Lee Evans60082004201128.7No
223Sonny Randle59961959196829.3No
108Brandon Lloyd59892003201433.5Not El.
189Doug Baldwin59452011201731.1Not El.
212Bobby Joe Conrad59021959196929.7No
269Billy Wilson59021951196026.3No
176Todd Christensen58721981198831.5No
181Todd Heap58692001201231.3No
35DeAndre Hopkins58652013201735.3Not El.
31James Jones58612007201535.5Not El.
113Jessie Hester58501985199533.3No
163Freddie Solomon58461975198531.9No
32Eric Decker58162010201735.5Not El.
240Mike Ditka58121961197228.4Yes
262Riley Odoms57551972198327.1No
65Roy Williams57152004201134.4No
120John Jefferson57141978198533.1No
259Gail Cogdill56961960197027.5No
89Vance Johnson56951985199533.9No
121Jabar Gaffney56902002201233.0No
192Danny Abramowicz56861967197431.0No
183Antonio Bryant56852002200931.3No
26Dallas Clark56652003201335.9Not El.
67Owen Daniels56612006201534.3Not El.
91Keith Byars56611986199833.8No
7Nate Burleson56302003201337.3Not El.
162Delanie Walker56212006201731.9Not El.
141Dave Parks56191964197332.3No
230Pete Pihos56191947195528.9Yes
280Mac Speedie56021946195223.7No
127John Taylor55981987199532.9No
97Eric Metcalf55721989200133.7No
5Ben Coates55551991200038.0No
169Mark Jackson55511986199431.7No
60Malcom Floyd55502004201534.4Not El.
185Braylon Edwards55222005201231.2No
272Rich Caster55151970198126.0No
283Ray Renfro55081952196321.6No
239Chris Burford55051960196728.4No
226Chris Calloway54971990200029.0No
208Jerry Smith54961965197730.0No
28Ben Watson54852004201735.8Not El.
270Lynn Swann54621974198226.3Yes
74Reggie Langhorne54461985199334.2No
229Bernie Casey54441961196828.9No
275Buddy Dial54361959196625.0No
268Frank Gifford54341952196426.4Yes
256Frank Clarke54261957196727.7No
220Bob Tucker54211970198029.3No
193Marcus Allen54111982199731.0Yes
184Tom Fears53971948195631.2Yes
135Michael Jackson53931991199832.4No
260Gary Ballman53661963197327.4No
221Bobby Walston53631951196229.3No
178Fred Barnett53621990199731.4No
138Flipper Anderson53571988199532.4No
77Brandon Stokley53391999201334.1Not El.
36Alshon Jeffery53382012201735.3Not El.
273Gary Collins52991962197125.7No
201Rocket Ismail52951993200130.6No
199Elbert Dubenion52941960196730.7No
95Wesley Walls52911989200333.7No
50Keith Jackson52831988199634.8No
133Peerless Price52811999200732.5No
24Miles Austin52732007201536.0Not El.
94Brandon LaFell52632010201733.8Not El.
217Russ Francis52621975198829.5No
266Bob Chandler52431971198126.6No
128Kellen Winslow52362004201332.8Not El.
231John Mackey52361963197228.9Yes
271Hugh Taylor52331947195426.2No
241Dave Casper52161974198428.3Yes
206Tim McGee52031986199430.0No
117Brent Jones51951987199733.1No
69Mike Pritchard51871991199934.3No
81Tiki Barber51831997200634.0No
153Kevin House51691980198732.1No
37Randall Cobb51412011201735.2Not El.
25Qadry Ismail51371993200236.0No
158Kenny Britt51372009201732.0Not El.
257Elbie Nickel51311947195727.7No
198Frank Wycheck51261993200330.8No
140Charle Young51061973198532.3No
159Mickey Shuler51001978199132.0No
196Jimmie Giles50841977198930.9No
33Hakeem Nicks50812009201535.4Not El.
156Yancey Thigpen50811992200032.0No
43O.J. McDuffie50741993200035.1No
134Ted Ginn50722007201732.5Not El.
237Roger Carr50711974198328.7No
227Johnny Morris50591958196729.0No
261Duriel Harris50551976198527.3No
251Raymond Chester50131970198128.0No
194Jim Colclough50011960196830.9No

I am short on time today, so I will leave the commentary to you.

{ 0 comments }