NFL Breakout Wide Receivers
Every season in the NFL, and to be fair, each of the major team sports, you’re going to have surprises crop up. Whether a relative unknown breaks out and has a massive season that no one in their right mind would have projected or a former star falls off a cliff, you’re going to be caught off guard at least a couple times a season. Look at last season: there were few that would have expected like Le’Veon Bell to put up the worst yard per carry average in the franchise history of the Jets.
On the flip side, there are those guys that inevitably come out of nowhere with a big showing. Maybe experience pays dividends, perhaps there’s an improvement in weapons to work with or maybe everything clicked. Look at Lamar Jackson last year. We’ve already taken a look at potential breakout quarterbacks and running backs for the upcoming season. With that said, today we take a look at a few of the wide receivers that have the potential to break out and be a surprise this season.
Calvin Ridley, Falcons: Ridley was playing some solid football before going down with an injury that cost him the rest of the season. He had reeled in 63 passes for 866 yards and 10 scores but missed three games, which left him short of the 1,000-yard mark. Granted, Julio Jones is still on the other side and will get more than his share of targets but that also means that Ridley won’t be dealing with double coverage either. Throw in a playmaker at tight end in Hayden Hurst to replace the departed Austin Hooper and a proven running back with a chip on his shoulder in Todd Gurley to help take pressure off and Ridley should have a big year this season.
Diontae Johnson, Steelers: Johnson started slowly last season, both because he was the third receiver at best, behind JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington on the depth chart, and the Steelers’ quarterback situation. Ben Roethlisberger lasted all of six quarters before going down with a torn elbow ligament. That meant that Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges were running the offense and they clearly were a drop-off from Roethlisberger. Injuries took a toll on the Steelers at most skill positions offensively and pushed Johnson into a more prominent role. He hauled in 59 passes for 680 yards and five scores as a rookie. With Roethlisberger back and healthy, along with better health from James Conner and Smith-Schuster, Johnson could be in line for a big year.
Michael Pittman Jr., Colts: Pittman Jr. falls into a plum situation after being drafted 34th overall by the Colts. Indianapolis has T.Y. Hilton leading the way at the receiver spot and they have a capable tight end option in Jack Doyle to go with a solid run game. In addition, Indianapolis is going from Jacoby Brissett under center to making the move to veteran Philip Rivers. Given the way that Rivers has gotten the most out of his receiving targets with the Chargers throughout his career, you have to think that he can do the same with the Colts. Pittman has the size (6’4, 223 pounds), the speed (4.52 40-yard time) and the jumping ability (36.5 inch vertical) to step right in as the #2 receiver opposite Hilton.
Will Fuller V, Texans: This one hinges on a couple of things when you get right down to it. For starters, you have to hope that Fuller V can stay healthy for a 16-game schedule, which is something that has been a problem in his time in the league. He hasn’t played more than 14 games in a season and that came in his rookie year. All told, he has missed 22 of the 64 regular season games the Texans have played since he came into the league. Should he be healthy, he’s the de facto #1 target in the passing game now that the Texans dealt Deandre Hopkins to Arizona in the offseason. Fuller V can get vertical and burn teams deep though he’s going to have to make other plays while drawing heavier coverage. Still, Deshaun Watson is going to have to target someone so Fuller V gets what could be his last chance before the Texans cut him loose.
D.K. Metcalf, Seahawks: Metcalf put together a solid rookie season with the Seahawks as he stepped right into a starting role opposite Tyler Lockett. He contributed 58 receptions for 900 yards and seven scores on the season. In the playoffs, he hauled in 11 receptions on 14 targets for 219 yards plus a score in Seattle’s two postseason contests. With Russell Wilson running the show along with the power ground game that the Seahawks have, the ability to try and double cover Lockett or Metcalf will be a massive challenge. Metcalf, at 6’4 and 229, has the physical gifts to make plays in traffic and on jump balls to really bolster his numbers this season.
Terry McLaurin, Redskins: McLaurin was pretty much off the radar last season in the NFL Draft as he didn’t go until the third round, 76th overall, to Washington. While he was unknown when the season began, he put up some solid numbers and proved that he can play at the NFL level. McLaurin reeled in 58 passes for 919 yards and seven scores last year despite playing for a Redskins team that was abysmal offensively. Washington hasn’t done much to bolster their receiving corps or their tight end group in the offseason, which means that McLaurin is going to be the #1 receiver again this season. That means an increase on the 93 targets he saw a year ago, which means that his numbers should increase as well. Look for him to make an impact in year two.
