There was a time when 1,000 yards was an impressive season total for a wide receiver. This year, it’s more like an impressive half season.
We’re only through Week Nine, but Atlanta’s Julio Jones and Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown are already over 1,000 receiving yards on the year. Jones leads the league at 1,029 yards, while Brown is second at 1,002 yards.
With Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins at 870 receiving yards in one fewer game than Jones and Brown, all three of them are threatening to have Top 5 seasons in NFL history in receiving yards. The 1,700-yard mark has only been eclipsed five times, but Jones is on pace for 1,829, Brown is on pace for 1,781 and Hopkins is on pace for 1,740.
Calvin Johnson’s NFL record of 1,964 yards may still be hard for anyone to reach this year, but Jones, Brown and Hopkins are making a 1,000-yard season look ordinary. Maybe the new benchmark for a great receiving season should be 1,500 yards.