Theres a steady arc in the percentages, and its clear that a wide receivers prime is from age-25 through age-32. Those players were Jordy Nelson, Julian Edelman, Pierre Garcon, Fitzgerald, Mike Wallace, and DeSean Jackson, all names that most football fans are completely familiar with and they were playing just a decade after that Hines Ward/Reggie Wayne list that I mentioned earlier. Updated September 08, 2021 Injuries have nagged Watt over the last few years, but he remains elite when he's on the field. Dont expect that to change on a defense that should only get better in 2020. The drop issue that plagued him as a rookie was eradicated, as well. As I do these studies annually, the average age becomes younger each season. Dez spent his entire 20s with the Cowboys, peaking in 2014 when he was 26-years-old: 88 receptions, 1,320 yards, 16 TD. A more magnified peak is in the 25 to 29 range, where 57 percent of peak seasons reside. Jones needs little introduction as one of the most explosive wideouts in the NFL. Even Stafford saw it happen when he played with perhaps the most respected wide receiver of the century. Brown, Will Fuller, Courtland Sutton) and who knows, we might see more than 20 new names in PFFs rankings to open next year. Through Week 11, his 91.6 pass-rushing grade ranked first among qualifying edge defenders, and his 25% pass-rush win rate trailed only Joey Bosa and J.J. Watt. Winning in the trenches at a young age is not easy to do. Granted, it was the run-heaviest team in the NFL, but Andrews still proved to be a legitimate downfield threat over the middle of the field. At age 27, Calvin Johnson caught 122 passes for 1,964 yards, setting the single-season record that Cooper Kupp is looking to break in the next couple of weeks. Cooper Kupp is shift team certified pic.twitter.com/bO9RDMh2GU. One of the biggest ones Id questioned was the timeline in which a player declined. Hes been particularly dangerous over the middle of the field. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? Now that we know a wide receiver essentially loses his elite upside when he turns 32, what about performing as a consistent WR1 for your fantasy team? Patrick Peterson, CB, Cardinals. The New York Giants are planning to release wide receiver Kenny Golladay after two seasons with the team, . It wouldve been hard to draw up a better debut for the Ohio State product. Young and exciting players like Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson have emerged atop the quarterback position, while the 2019 rookie wide receiver class produced quite a few names that were worthy of this list. Height: 5'9 Position: Wide Receiver; Coming in at number 9, Wesley Carter Welker is a former American football pro who played for 11 seasons in the NFL. His two-year contested-target percentage and forced incompletion rate both rank among the top 10 players at the position. Moore hasnt had the best of quarterback circumstances, given that he's had to deal with an injured Cam Newton and an uninspiring Kyle Allen/Will Grier duo for much of 2019, but hes been able to produce despite those limitations, putting up a receiving grade over 80.0 across his first two NFL seasons. Thats what happens when a wide receiver challenges for MVP and Offensive Player of the Year; its not like being Aaron Donald or a quarterback, very few players lead the NFL in receiving more than once. Always free! Johnson avoided having a crater year that tainted the memories we have of him and like James Dean, will always be remembered that way. Expect him to put up even bigger numbers in Year 3 with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback in Joe Bradys offense. Slot vs. After removing the players with less than 50 targets, were left with a total of 1,168 individual seasons, more than enough for a conclusion. He recorded 19 sacks last year. Turning 29 has not been kind: Wide receivers showing rapid decline, Rams facilities given a D+ grade in NFLPA survey, In a recent NFLPA survey, the Rams facilities were given a D+ grade by the players. The gregarious Kelce has established himself as one of the elite tight ends in football over seven seasons. Entering his age 37 season, Rodgers is still going strong in Green Bay. And what do you know? Then last season, at 31, Julio started to show signs of decline with the Falcons. Only five years ago, 26-percent of 1,000-yard receivers were at least 30 years old. Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. He's made two Pro Bowls in four years and had a solid 2019 season at age 30. He had arguably his best season in 2019, making his second Pro Bowl while posting a 26/6 TD/INT ratio and winning a huge playoff game at New Orleans. Its easy to forget that wide receivers take time to develop after watching guys like A.J. window.PLAYERCARDS_CONFIG={affiliateCode:"fpros_cards"}; Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com The Falcons trade Julio Jones for a second round pick, draft Kyle Pitts, save a ton of money, The Bengals part with A.J. Heyward is entering his age 31 season. @Real10jayy__ is only the 5th rookie WR in the Super Bowl era with 1,000 Rec Yards and 10 Rec TD. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. That elusiveness both as a runner and a receiver is what makes him so dynamic in open space and what earns him a spot on this list. The final question you need to ask yourself is 92% of Julio Jones better than 100% of Amari Cooper in the 4th round of your fantasy draft? Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) runs onto the field with his teammates prior to the CFP National Championship college football game | Joe Robbins/Icon . grades of 75.0 or higher as a run defender, tackler, pass-rusher and coverage defender in each of the past two seasons, Bosa did things as a rookie that we havent seen since the PFF era began in 2006, 89.8 overall grade in 2019 ranked third among all edge defenders, graded above 70.0 in each of his first four NFL seasons and is coming off back-to-back years with pass-rushing grades above 87.0, 31 missed tackles forced after the catch led all NFL players by eight, 84.4 overall grade ranked sixth at the position after landing in Pittsburgh prior to Week 3, put up three consecutive seasons with overall grades of 73.0 or higher on 750 or more defensive snaps, His two-year contested-target percentage and forced incompletion rate both rank among the top 10 players at the position, 8.9 yards after the catch per reception led all wide receivers, Expect big things from McLaurin next year, the best edge defender prospect that PFF has scouted since 2014, Young was the second prospect he felt comfortable calling a future Hall of Famer coming out of college. He is 37 years old. After removing the players with less than 50 targets, were left with a total of 1,080 individual seasons, more than enough for a conclusion. This is much different than the running back chart youll see tomorrow. He has now graded above 70.0 in each of his first four NFL seasons and is coming off back-to-back years with pass-rushing grades above 87.0. Finally, we have to talk about Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, and Odell Beckham, Jr. Robert Woods - Turns 30 on April 10, 2022. We only really have one season to go off with James as he missed most of 2019 with injury, but he did exactly what we expected him to do in that 2018 rookie season coming out of Florida State. Was the Bobby Wagner experiment a success for Rams? Average playing career length in the National Football League (in years). Consider not only the career lifespans of players like Rice and Moss, who we know transcend almost all other receivers to come along in the last 50 years, but also the likes of really really good wideouts like Reggie Wayne, Hines Ward, Donald Driver, and Derrick Mason: Before we even get to the modern era, Ill pose this question to you: Do you expect Cooper Kupp to play 14 seasons with the Rams? Rice caught 1,023 career passes after turning 30: Skip forward to 2009, a decade after the GSOT, when Game of Throws became Game of Thrones, elder statesmen wideouts were still able to thrive in the NFL. Mahomes is among the five best quarterbacks in the NFL in negatively graded throw rate since 2018. Depending on what you want/need out of them, they really dont decline until theyre 33 years old. As you can see for the wide receiver position there is no major drop off. You can drop this number down from 1,000 yards to 800 yards and it really will not make much of a difference. His return to the field will give the Browns a boost as they look to realize the lofty expectations that they had heading into the 2019 season. It gets really ugly after that, though, as just 4-of-68 wide receivers who played at. Brown and McLaurin. His 16 forced missed tackles after the catch were a top-five mark at the position, as well. Meanwhile, a new breed of defender the Jamal Adamses and Derwin Jameses of the world wears multiple hats and does it all at a high level. This is roughly 6% higher than the average of 19.7% who are in their late 20s. There are sure to be outliers, but again, do not unload wide receivers who are 28- or 29-year-old studs. He surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in six of his first seven seasons. As a rookie in 2018, Barkleys 86.3 receiving grade was a top-five mark at the position, and his 31 missed tackles forced after the catch led all NFL players by eight. Green, draft JaMarr Chase, get younger, healthier, and richer, The Giants sign Kenny Golladay and the Ravens add Sammy Watkins, but this doesnt prevent either team from drafting a wide receiver in the first round this year; which was smart because Golladay and Watkins do seem a lot older than their counterparts and theyve got a ways to go before turning 30. This time last season, there were still a lot of questions about Jackson as a passer, but he answered some of those in 2019 with an 82.5 PFF passing grade that ranked sixth among qualifiers. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. He made the Pro Bowl in his first eight seasons as a lockdown cornerback who also contributed as a returner. (Dec. 19, 2010) pic.twitter.com/tcQOG44Dm3, (Fitzgerald fits in the mold with Moss, Rice, and his career went 17 seasons, all with Cardinalshes currently 38). This was a no-brainer there is no quarterback in the NFL teams would rather have moving forward than Mahomes. NAME GP . 29 year old wide receivers. Hes put up three consecutive seasons with overall grades of 73.0 or higher on 750 or more defensive snaps, and that culminated in an 82.5 coverage grade this past season that ranked sixth among qualifying cornerbacks. He was arguably football's best tight end prior to retiring, with four All-Pro designations in nine seasons as a great receiver and elite blocker. . A rational Saints fan would have said the same about Michael Thomas after he had 149 catches and 1,725 yards in 2019. Thats a lot of turnover and I guarantee that they will be on average, much younger than the 2021 list. The percentage of accurate passes he received dropped from 61.4% in 2017 and 2018 to 50.8% in 2019. It's no coincidence that the Saints run defense improved markedly after Davis was added in 2018. Blame it on injuries if you want to, the fact is that one OBJ case would be an exception; when there isnt a single 30+ OBJ in the league, it means that the rule says: You cant be a wide receiver over 30 anymore. Hes been tested deep a fair amount since 2017, but Jacksons speed means that he rarely gets beaten over the top. ), surely you have noticed what Ive noticed. Allen Robinson will be 29 years old in August, and the wide receiver's list of starting quarterbacks he has played with are Blake Bortles, Mitchell Trubisky, Nick Foles, Andy Dalton and a. . Over the first two weeks of the season, the Steelers allowed 155 passing yards on throws 20 or more yards downfield (t-11th most). After earning grades of 81.9 in 2017 and 80.4 in 2018, Godwin took his game one step further this past season, breaching the elite at the position. For 225 PPR fantasy points per year (roughly top-24 production), the average age was 27 with 80% of peak seasons falling within the age range of 23-30. Superflex Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings (2023 Fantasy Football), Fantasy Football Rankings: Dynasty Trade Value Chart (March 2023 Update), Video: Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings (2023), NFL Free Agency Rumors & News: Derek Carr, Leonard Fournette (2023 Fantasy Football), Early Draft Sleepers to Target (2023 Fantasy Football), Trending Up & Trending Down (2023 Fantasy Football), No, I'm a California resident looking for the California Consumer Privacy Act form. When you breakdown the production 25-29 vs. 30-34 wide receivers age 30-34 still produce at just over 92% in points and PPG vs. their late 20 counterparts. Gambling problem? Sutton dropped just three of his 115 targets last season. 9. If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. I have no reason to believe Kupp wont finish out his deal, but seeing him get another contract beyond that is beginning to look like it will be more of an exception than an expectation. Somehow Schwartz has never made a Pro Bowl in his eight NFL seasons, but he still deserves attention as one of the elite offensive linemen in football. You dont earn the highest overall grade in the NFL among wide receivers at 24 years old as Godwin did in 2019 and miss out on this list. youngest active wide receivers in the NFL. If you want a deeper dive, we have included more information later in the article. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) The New York Giants have told wide receiver Kenny Golladay he will be released after two horrible seasons. If theres someone in your dynasty league who wants to sell a wide receiver because hes rebuilding, take advantage and buy wide receivers in the 27-30 age range, as thats arguably their prime. He raised his grade from 79.4 as a rookie to 91.2 this past season, and his 88.8 grade over the last two seasons combined is higher than any other interior offensive lineman in the league over that span. Related Questions. This chart clearly shows that a wide receiver holds tons of value through his age-31 season, though thats where we start to see a drop-off in elite production. Suttons 83.1 PFF grade was a top-10 mark at the wide receiver position in 2019. Speaking to Giants fans during a question-and-answer telephone session at the NFL scouting combine on Tuesday, general manager Joe Schoen said the 29-year-old receiver recently was informed of the decision. Its the trait hell use to run most of the routes hes asked to run. NAME GP REC TRG REC YDS AVG REC YDS/G REC TD RUSH YDS ATT YPC RUSH YDS/G RUSH TD; Don Hutson: 6: 55: 963: 17.5: 160.5: 12: Jim Benton: 5: 34 . Thats where well start today, the wide receiver position. Browns downfall began during the Steelers-Raiders-Patriots mayhem of 2019 and since then his numbers are: 14 games, 78 catches, 957 yards in three seasons. Wide receivers dont decline after 28 years old from a fantasy perspective. 9. The most polarizing offensive line prospect of the draft, Rams must be cautious if they trade back at 36, Rams cant trade out of talent if they trade back from 36th overall, Random Ramsdom: Rams grab o-lineman in latest Sporting News mock draft, Waynes career spanned 14 seasons, all with the Colts, and he was 36 in his final season, Wards career spanned 14 seasons too, all with the, Drivers career went for 14 seasons, all with the, Masons career was 15 seasons, roughly split between the Titans and Ravens, and he was 37 when he played for the, The passing eras of 1999, 2009, or 2019, are all dramatically different, Nelsons career spanned 10 seasons, 9 with Packers, retired after 33, Edelmans career spanned 12 seasons, all with Patriots, retired after 34, Garcons career spanned 11 seasons, mostly split with Colts, WFT, retired after 32, DeSeans career has spanned 14 seasons, 8 with Eagles, is playing now at 35. The reality is that you cannot adjust this by any measure and suddenly find a bunch of super talented 29+ year old wide receivers who I managed to cherry pick out of this article. Sutton stepped into the No. The first- and second-year wide receivers in particular have great upside for their current ADP . Not only does he produce the jaw-dropping, highlight-reel plays, but he is just about as good as anyone in the league at hitting the easy throws and limiting mistakes. There are a lot of things to like about his ability to stick with NFL wide receivers. His most recent game with 90 or more yards was October 13, 2019. But then, turning 30 was not necessarily even the really big concern for a wideout then. He's consistently been a winner, with a career 86-41-1 regular season record and two Super Bowl appearances in eight seasons. A person with knowledge of the situation had told . He had 1,077 yards when he was 29, but missed three games. Moore has earned 62 targets on slant and in-routes since 2018 (fourth most in NFL), and his 94.9 receiving grade on those routes trails only Deandre Hopkins and Michael Thomas. Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is still one of the best. The only way to test whether this was true was to go through a large sample size of data. Sherman reestablished himself as an elite cornerback for the 49ers last year, making his fifth career Pro Bowl. As you can see from the chart above aging wide receivers isnt all rosy as we do see a steep decline in the quantity. Jordan was one of the Saints' most popular players, establishing quite a track record in nine seasons. He was traded to the Titans for basically a second round pick and here are his numbers with Tennessee: nine games, 26 receptions, 376 yards, 0 TD. Bosa did things as a rookie that we havent seen since the PFF era began in 2006. The only way to test whether this was true was to go through a large sample size of data. Running Backs With the kind of production hes put up, its going to be hard for the Packers not to get a new deal done with Clark. And these are the good wide receivers. And looking closer, it was just two receivers who accomplished that, though they both did it twice (Larry Fitzgerald and Terrell Owens), and are both Hall of Famers.