Did you know that it’s been nearly seven calendar years since the Vikings had a receiver top 1,000 yards in a season? That’s more than 2,400 days since Brett Favre turned Sidney Rice into an NFL version of a one-hit-wonder when Rice finished the 2009 season with 1,312 yards.
Put it like this: Julio Jones’ 1,812 yards in 2015 is more than any two years combined for the Vikings’ leading receivers from 2011-2015.
Diggs on pace for 1,000 this year
The dry spell might finally end with Stefon Diggs this season. Through eight games Diggs leads the Vikings with 48 receptions (12th in the NFL) and 546 yards (24th in the NFL), putting him on pace for 96 catches and 1,092 yards.
Diggs might actually lead the NFL in catches if it weren’t for a three-game stretch last month where he caught just 11 balls. A.J. Green leads the NFL with 59 catches.
Leading Vikings receiver the last 20 years
- 2015 – Stefon Diggs – 720 yards
- 2014 – Greg Jennings – 742 yards
- 2013 – Greg Jennings – 804 yards
- 2012 – Percy Harvin – 677 yards
- 2011 – Percy Harvin – 967 yards
- 2010 – Percy Harvin – 868 yards
- 2009 – Sidney Rice – 1,312 yards
- 2008 – Bernard Berrian – 964 yards
- 2007 – Bobby Wade – 647 yards
- 2006 – Travis Taylor – 651 yards
- 2005 – Travis Taylor – 604 yards
- 2004 – Nate Burleson – 1,006 yards
- 2003 – Randy Moss – 1,632 yards
- 2002 – Randy Moss – 1,347 yards
- 2001 – Randy Moss – 1,233 yards
- 2000 – Randy Moss – 1,437 yards
- 1999 – Randy Moss – 1,413 yards
- 1998 – Randy Moss – 1,313 yards
- 1997 – Jake Reed – 1,138 yards
- 1996 – Jake Reed – 1,320 yards
The Vikings haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver in 11 of the last 12 years. They had at least one receiver eclipse 1,000 yards in 12 straight seasons from 1993-2004 (Jake Reed, Cris Carter, Nate Burleson or Randy Moss).
Interesting stat
Carter and Moss aren’t just the only players in Vikings history with at least 100 catches in a season, but they’re the only players with 90-plus catches in a season. Top 10 single season reception leaders in Vikings history:
- Cris Carter – 122 – 1994
- Cris Carter – 122 – 1995
- Randy Moss – 111 – 2003
- Randy Moss – 106 – 2002
- Cris Carter – 96 – 2000
- Cris Carter – 96 – 1996
- Cris Carter – 90 – 1999
- Cris Carter – 89 – 1987
- Rickey Young – 88 – 1978
- Percy Harvin – 87 – 2011
If Diggs keeps up his pace he’ll finish with one of the five best single seasons (receptions) in franchise history.
