Everyone but Mike Zimmer seems to respect Pro Football Focus, but PFF is getting criticized after releasing its list of wide receiver duos it predicts to each crack 1,000 yards this season.
The obvious omission is Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, which is even more glaring considering PFF is projecting Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts and Drake London to both surpass 1,000 yards.
Pitts is a second-year tight end and London is a rookie who injured his knee in his first preseason game. And throw in the fact that Marcus Mariota, who is probably a bottom 10 starter in the league, is throwing them the ball and putting Pitts and London in over Jefferson and Thielen seems crazy.
Did PFF just forget?
Probably not. Thielen has topped 1,000 yards just twice in his career. He missed four games last year due to injury/COVID and finished with 67 catches for 726 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had 74 catches for 925 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2020.
But that was under the run-heavy Zimmer regime. With Kevin O’Connell employing far more three-receiver sets, the ball is likely going to be flying out of Kirk Cousins’s hand more often than it ever was under Zimmer and his revolving door of offensive coordinators.
The other duos PFF predicts in its 1,000-yard club are Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis of the Bills, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins of the Bengals, Keen Allen and Mike Williams of the Chargers, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle of the 49ers and DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett of the Seahawks.
Pass-catching duos projected to each hit 1k receiving yards this season 📈 pic.twitter.com/lKX3qmxFSU
— PFF (@PFF) August 22, 2022
It’s a bit of a homer view, but one could argue that Jefferson, Thielen and KJ Osborn (655 yards last season) all reaching 1,000 yards is about as likely as Pitts and London getting it done. And that’s extreme considering only five trios have reached 1,000 yards in NFL history.
- 1980: Kellen Winslow, John Jefferson, Charlie Joiner (Chargers)
- 1989: Art Monk, Ricky Sanders, Gary Clark (Washington)
- 1995: Eric Metcalf, Terrance Mathis, Bert Emanuel (Falcons)
- 2004: Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokley (Colts)
- 2008: Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston (Cardinals)_
Other duos who might be offended by the PFF list are Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in Miami, Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson in Los Angeles, Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow in Las Vegas, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in Tampa, AJ Brown and Devonte Smith in Philly, and Travis Kelce and literally any receiver Patrick Mahomes is throwing the ball to in Kansas City.
Related: Will Justin Jefferson be considered the best receiver in football soon?
Related: Cousins, Jefferson snubbed in top-10 QB-WR rankings
