The top 5 greatest Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Seasons of All Time
The top 5 greatest Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Seasons...
By Fan Arch August 20, 2024 22:37
Wide receivers are near the top in fantasy football in determining their team's success. Whether a fantasy season is made or broken by their ability to rack up receptions, yards, and TDs, in the NFL, where passing has grown in importance as much as other eras of football. Here, we'll examine the five best individual seasons by fantasy wide receivers, considering how special each player's campaign was.
1. Cooper Kupp, 2021
Key Stats:
- Receptions: 145
- Receiving Yards: 1,947
- Touchdowns: 16
- Fantasy Points: 439.5 (PPR)
Kupp's 2021 season will go down as one of the greatest fantasy football campaigns ever played. Not only did he lead the league in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, but Kupp was also highly efficient. With an average of 114.5 receiving yards per game, he demonstrated great skill at getting open and making clutch plays when his team needed him most.
Kupp's success was partly due to the chemistry he shared with new team quarterback Matthew Stafford. That pairing took Kupp to new heights as a fantasy superstar, and he hasn't left since. He could take over in the short, intermediate, and deep passing game. He was a versatile weapon, something that showed up versus Pittsburgh, still bringing him consideration as one of the elite wideouts post-season.
Additionally, Kupp's performance this past season made history because there was a 17-game slate, prompting debates on how much extra games may interfere with statistical milestones. His per-game output is still excellent, however a performance that has drawn him comparisons to all-time greats like Jerry Rice for the overall year.
2. Jerry Rice, 1995
Key Stats:
- Receptions: 122
- Receiving Yards: 1,848
- Touchdowns: 15
- Fantasy Points: 415 (PPR)
Jerry Rice is the greatest wide receiver to ever play, and his 1995 season was a perfect example. He was just so dominant in a season that will never be matched when he tallied 1,848 receiving yards and scored 15 touchdowns. He was routinely a big-play machine, racking up 115.5 yards per game while never turning in a more impressive effort than when he hauled in 14 passes for 289 yards against the Minnesota Vikings.
Rice was outstandingly efficient here, catching 122 passes on a whopping 176 targets, thanks to his ability to turn those passes into big gains. Not only did he help drive the San Francisco 49ers' success, but his on-field performance set a bar for wide receivers. Rice's all-time average fantasy points per game and the new scoring profile did not alter his place second all-time behind only Nuk in 2015.
It is impossible to overestimate the historical importance of Rice's accomplishments. He is still the only player with multiple top-10 fantasy scoring finishes, which shows that he was elite for a long time.
3. Randy Moss, 2007
Key Stats:
- Receptions: 98
- Receiving Yards: 1,493
- Touchdowns: 23
- Fantasy Points: 396 (PPR)
Randy Moss had one of the greatest seasons in NFL history with the 2007 New England Patriots. It wasn't just about his individual stats but how he changed the game. Moss hauled in 23 touchdown passes, a single-season record that, remarkably, remains unbeaten to this day. His extensive skill set made him one of the most difficult players to defend a decade ago.
With quarterback Tom Brady under center, Moss was unleashed in an offense tailored to his vertical skill set. That season, the Patriots went 16-0, and Moss played a crucial part in it. His 24.8 fantasy points per game average in '07 is arguably the most dominant season ever by a tight end.
Moss destroyed defenders with his tantalizing combination of size, speed, and hands, and his season is now a measuring stick for wideouts who follow in his footsteps. His historical context matters as well, though; Berry not only invented the 0/5 but also illustrated what you'd get from a wide receiver this late in drafts who is being used to catch passes regularly out of an up-tempo offense.
4. Marvin Harrison, 2002
Key Stats:
- Receptions: 143
- Receiving Yards: 1,722
- Touchdowns: 11
- Fantasy Points: 367 (PPR)
2002, Marvin Harrison and quarterback Peyton Manning reached the zenith of their careers together. Harrison finished with a record-breaking 143 receptions, while his league-leading receiving yards helped him move the chains and score around the goal line.
His 73.5% catch rate was another example of Harrison's efficiency in turning targets into receptions. He played an integral role in the Colts' offensive output during their 2000s heyday and was vital to their playoff berth and success.
Harrison's 2002 season was historic because of its contribution to the game itself. People realized that throwing the ball a lot could work, and his reception record stood for many years. Harrison produced at a high level in the pass-heavy offense, which helped open up opportunities for wide receivers who followed him.
5. Calvin Johnson, 2012
Key Stats:
- Receptions: 122
- Receiving Yards: 1,964
- Touchdowns: 5
- Fantasy Points: 384 (PPR)
He put up a year, which many call the greatest, in his position since he entered pro football. Headlined as Megatron, Johnson was a terrifying man due to his ability to come down with outrageous catches and run circles around damn near any defender that came in reach. Indeed, his 1,964 receiving yards that year broke an NFL record for a single season as he proved capable of providing chunk plays regularly.
Johnson had a league-high 1,681 receiving yards but only five touchdowns. He managed just 79 catches and four touchdowns while leading the league with an albeit astounding 125.9 receiving yards per game in what amounted to a 16-game demo of how no defense was going pull up on him/
Apart from the obvious cyclical-proof nature of exceptional football seasons that stand out no matter how many years pass, what makes these two special is they capture a snapshot in time for wide receivers as well. The players in this column might not be playing anymore. Still, long-term-wise, we can remember these performances as a reminder that elite wide receiver production has always been important for fantasy football. From all-time numbers to season-changing moments, these five campaigns define what a fantasy football superstar is.
SHOP Mystery Signed Memorabilia
-
Mystery Signed Football 8x10 Photo
- Regular price
- $29.99
- Regular price
-
- Sale price
- $29.99
- Unit price
- per
-
Mystery Signed Baseball Jersey
- Regular price
- $69.99
- Regular price
-
- Sale price
- $69.99
- Unit price
- per
-
Mystery Signed Football Jersey
- Regular price
- $69.99
- Regular price
-
- Sale price
- $69.99
- Unit price
- per
-
Mystery Signed Baseball 8x10 Photo
- Regular price
- $29.99
- Regular price
-
- Sale price
- $29.99
- Unit price
- per
LATEST
- NEWS
- |
- ARTICLES
- |
- VIDEOS
FAN ARCH PODCAST NETWORK
