5 NFL receivers likeliest to lead in yardage this season
Receivers will have a big role to play in the upcoming NFL season. We take a look at 5 who could rack up serious yardage in 2020.
5. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals
Hopkins is getting a new challenge in the desert, and there’s reason to believe he could have another dominant campaign in 2020. Paired with young quarterback Kyler Murray, Hopkins should be the No. 1 target despite future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald on the other side.
Hopkins has five seasons of more than 1,000 yards receiving, and he’s primed to add a sixth. Maybe this will be the year he leads the league for the first time in his illustrious career.
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4. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
Hill missed four games last year, but in 2018, he racked up 1,479 yards. In short, he’s more than capable of leading the league, even if he hasn’t done it yet. The main reasons he’s not higher? The talent around him in Kansas City.
The Chiefs have ample weapons to feature alongside Patrick Mahomes including tight end Travis Kelce, receivers Sammy Watkins and Mecole Hardman, and running backs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Damien Williams. Hill is going to be a top target for Mahomes, but will he see enough chances to pace the NFL?
3. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
Here’s the sleeper pick of the group. Adams is entering his seventh season and has only played two full campaigns. He’s also only eclipsed the 1,000-yard threshold once, making him an unlikely candidate for this list.
Yet Adams makes the cut because he’s the only weapon for a very motivated Aaron Rodgers. With Devin Funchess opting out of the season due to COVID-19, it’s literally Adams and a bunch of receivers and tight ends who most of Green Bay would have a tough time identifying. If he can stay healthy, there’s a huge season ahead.
Read: Aaron Rodgers May Follow Path of Other QB Greats
2. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
Thomas has to be on this list. He led the league by a wide margin last year, racking up an NFL-record 149 catches for 1,725 yards. The second-place finisher is yardage? Julio Jones, who totaled 1,394. It wasn’t close and Thomas should be getting a ton of targets again from Drew Brees.
He’s not No. 1 because while he’s great, he isn’t Jerry Rice, and it’s very hard to turn the trick twice.
1. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Jones is the best all-around receiver in the game, and the Falcons have a terrific quarterback in Matt Ryan. With Calvin Ridley forcing defenses to stay somewhat honest, Jones is going to feast in the NFC South, which doesn’t have any rock-solid secondaries.
Look for Jones to put up another massive year and lead the league in receiving yards for the third time of his legendary career.
