The 5: NFL receivers outgained by Cardinals RB David Johnson
Dec 9, 2016, 8:00 AM | Updated: 11:56 am
David Johnson runs it here. He runs it there.
He even runs it after he catches it through the air.
The Arizona Cardinals running back ranks 33rd in the NFL with 704 receiving yards through 12 games. That 58.7 receiving yards per game is sandwiched between esteemed company: Steve Smith Sr. (58.9) and DeSean Jackson (58.5).
Struggles from Michael Floyd, John Brown and even J.J. Nelson have made Johnson more necessary in Arizona’s passing attack, and the Cardinals have looked to him a ton. While receiver Larry Fitzgerald has been targeted the fourth-most in the NFL, Johnson is ranked 19th with 96 targets. Johnson’s 64 receptions come at an average of 11 yards per catch, and he’s scored four passing touchdowns.
The running back’s total receiving yardage through 12 games is better than eight NFL teams’ top receiving leaders (missed games have accounted for some of that, of course), and he’s within 10 yards of both Jets receiver Brandon Marshall and Washington wideout Pierre Garcon, who lead their respective teams.
Johnson is the only running back among the NFL’s top 64 players ranked by total receiving yards. Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell is 65th in receiving yards with 501 on 35 catches.
In this week’s The 5, we take a peek at five notable wide receivers who have missed one or no games this season but trail Johnson in receiving yards through Week 12 of the NFL season.
Eagle Jordan Matthews (686 yards)
The Eagles’ leading receiver has played in one less game than Johnson, but after 997 receiving yards last year, this is most certainly the Carson Wentz effect. The third-year pro still leads Philadelphia with 57 catches on 90 targets to go with three touchdowns.
Playing with a rookie quarterback or not, Matthews just might be atop opponents’ priority lists these days with an even younger crew of Nelson Agholor and Dorial Green-Beckham growing in the passing game alongside tight end Zach Ertz and running back Darren Sproles.
Cowboy Cole Beasley (670 yards)
Dez Bryant is 36 yards from surpassing Beasley after missing some time due to injury, but as of now, it’s the latter who leads the white-hot Cowboys in receiving yards. Beasley, however, has been a reliable inside threat for Dallas.
Throw in tight end Jason Witten, receiver Terrance Williams and even rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, and rookie quarterback Dak Prescott has kept the passing game diverse. It’s a luxury that the Cardinals probably expected to have had Floyd, Brown and Nelson been more effective.
Texan DeAndre Hopkins (668 yards)
Yes, the man who finished third last year with 1,521 receiving yards has played every game so far. And after finishing behind Julio Jones and Antonio Brown in total receiving yards in 2015, Hopkins has not found much luck with Brock Osweiler quarterbacking the Texans.
He’s caught barely more than half (58) of his 112 targets for an 11.5 average. Hopkins never averaged less than 13.7 yards per catch in his prior three NFL seasons, and he is tied with Pittsburgh’s Bell with 55.7 receiving yards per game. That’s 48th-best in the NFL, not a good look for Houston after handing Brock that chunk of change. Osweiler aside, the Texans haven’t put much around Hopkins to distract defenses — rookie Will Fuller is second with 508 receiving yards, while fellow rookie Braxton Miller and second-year ASU product Jaelen Strong combined for just 230 receiving yards so far.
Redskin DeSean Jackson (644 yards)
Though he’s played one fewer game, Jackson trails Johnson with 58.5 yards per game to 58.7. Two years removed from his last 1,000-yard season, the big-play receiver has taken a backseat to Jamison Crowder and tight end Jordan Reed as he’s aged, but this is nonetheless surprising playing for a Washington team with such a strong passing attack. Jackson has remained a threat with 16.5 yards per catch.
Jaguar Allen Robinson (622 yards)
The sixth-most productive wideout in 2015 is averaging 51.8 yards per game and is a fine example of quarterback play coming into the picture. Blake Bortles has targeted him 116 times, 20 more than Cardinals QB Carson Palmer targeted Johnson, but completed the pass eight fewer times.
This, after Robinson caught 80 passes for 1,400 yards last year. Another factor is the rise of third-year pro Marqise Lee, who along with fellow third-year pro Allen Hurns have taken opportunities for Robinson’s production to meet its 2015 levels.
Honorable mention
– Titans’ Rishard Matthews (669 yards): Marcus Mariota’s favorite target averages 55.8 yards per game.
— Cowboys’ Dez Bryant (634 yards): He’s on pace to pass Johnson if he stays healthy.
– Bears’ Alshon Jeffery (630 yards): He’s missed three games this year but averaging 70 yards per game could surpass Johnson. Still, playing for the Bears is difficult.
– Bills’ Robert Woods (493 yards): In only nine games, he is still Buffalo’s leading wideout.
– 49ers’ Jeremy Kerley (466 yards): The 49ers’ leading wideout — yikes!
– Chiefs’ Jeremy Maclin (376 yards): At 47 yards per game in just eight played due to injury, he is a year removed from 1,088 total receiving yards a year ago.
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