Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald is PFF’s most valuable non-QB since 2006
Aug 9, 2020, 9:00 AM | Updated: Aug 10, 2020, 3:10 pm
Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald #11 of the Arizona Cardinals makes a reception against the Cleveland Browns during the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Browns 38-24. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Longevity. Consistency. Generally never drops a pass.
Those are three ways to describe Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald’s career.
Pro Football Focus has a fourth way: most valuable. Since 2006, he’s the site’s leader in WAR among all non-quarterbacks.
PFF tweeted the top four non-quarterbacks in the site’s WAR measurement, all of which were wide receivers.
Fitzgerald, who has had the longest career of any of the four, topped the list.
Most valuable non-quarterbacks since 2006, per PFF WAR:
1. Larry Fitzgerald
2. Antonio Brown
3. Julio Jones
4. Calvin Johnson pic.twitter.com/cGTuVxXEqE— PFF (@PFF) August 1, 2020
Below him are a trio of fellow stars.
In second place is former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown. Brown, who has been in the league for 10 seasons, rose to stardom in 2013 and averaged more than 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns over the next six seasons.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is third. A seven-time Pro Bowler who has been in the league since 2011, Jones has averaged more than 1,550 yards and six touchdowns over the last six years.
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The final one on the list only played nine years before retiring at age 30, but became the most feared wide receiver in the league: Calvin Johnson.
The former Detroit Lion nearly hit the 2,000-yard mark in 2012 when he recorded 1,964 yards. He broke 1,000 yards in seven of his nine years and over his final eight seasons averaged more than 1,350 yards and about 10 touchdowns per season.
Fitzgerald, meanwhile, has the longevity to top all of them. In starting at 2006 instead of 2005, PFF actually cut out one of his 1,400-yard seasons, but even with this timeframe the Cardinals star has eight years with more than 1,000 yards, seven with at least 90 receptions, and, as seemingly everyone is aware of by now, more tackles than drops.
Now going on Year 17, Fitzgerald still seems to have plenty of gas in the tank.
The NFL certainly thinks so too after the players voted him a top-70 player in the league this offseason.
