For the first time in a long time, the Carolina Panthers have not one, but two good and well-proven wide receivers. All praise to the duo of DJ Moore and Robby Anderson!
But what if we split them up? Like, what if we looked at them not as a pair, but as separate entities in comparison to, say, the rest of the wideouts in the division.
And if so, where do they rank? Let’s see…
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With the great Julio Jones off to Tennessee and an even more voluminous opportunity just waiting to be taken, expect to hear Gage’s name much more in 2021. You might’ve heard it a few times last year, actually, as the third-year receiver cashed in on the seven games Jones missed due to injury. He was targeted a hefty 109 times, reeling in 72 of those throws for 786 yards and four touchdowns. Gage has served well as a reliable intermediate target for Matt Ryan and the Atlanta offense, primarily out of the slot. But an increased role under head coach Arthur Smith, who has already made note of Gage’s alignment versatility, could give him a chance to show off his skills as a deep threat and a separator.
DJ Moore
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Yes, many of you reading this are probably willing to ride or die with this guy. And before you grab your torches and pitchforks, allow me to explain . . . DJ is one heck of a football player. He’s a plus athlete, he’s considerably durable and he’s easily amongst the very best in the sport when he has the ball in his hands. But he’s not really close to being a finished product. Having just turned 24 a few months back, Moore has shown he still has room to grow, specifically as a route runner. Although he has undoubtedly taken some steps forward, he’s still not exactly nuanced in that department. Once he does latch on more consistently, however, it might be lights out. Moore’s otherworldly balance and extremely strong legs have helped make him an absolute YAC (yards after catch) monster. If his routes catch up to the rest of his tool bag, we’d be looking at one of the most feared weapons football has to offer.
Robby Anderson
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Robby lands ahead of DJ for two reasons. One, his trump card as a home run-hitting deep threat is elite – and the ability to blow up the top of a defense is as coveted as ever. And two, he’s a more complete pass catcher. Anderson doesn’t get enough credit as a route runner, as he regularly displays his separation skills through his quick and sharp footwork. He also proved he can create magic with the ball in his hands as well, registering the fourth-most yards after the catch (514) of all wide receivers in 2020. (Yes, that was more than Moore.) Despite some recent trade talk surrounding him, the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder just had a career-year for the Panthers with 95 receptions for 1,096 yards. He could be in for an even better one, too, as he’s reunited with Sam Darnold, a quarterback he’s much more comfortable and effective with than whatever Carolina threw out there last year.
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Is Antonio Brown still “that guy?” No. But he is still pretty damn good. Even at 32 years old and having missed some time due to a number of various, um, disputes, the 2020 Brown did flash some signs of that master surgeon we’ve known him to be. To a lesser degree, obviously, than he did in Pittsburgh, he was also very reliable in his season with Tampa, dropping zero passes while inducing a 109.8 passer rating on balls thrown his way. The five-time All-Pro has a skill set that should last him into his later years, as his precise route running and overall savviness will make up for the eventual loss of speed. But until that becomes evident, Brown remains a very capable target.
Chris Godwin
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Godwin has been, at the very least, a steadily productive presence at wideout for the Buccaneers in his entire four-year career. Even having sat out a total of six games over the past three seasons, he’s still recorded 3,015 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns in that span. He’s also garnered the second-highest passer rating (126.3) and averaged the fifth-most yards per target (10.60) over the past two seasons. He doesn’t really trip up much either, as his six drops are the tied for the second-lowest amount since he entered the league. The 25-year-old, as refined as he’s looked, seems to still be scratching the surface of his potential. And what else is there really to uncover after already showing how versatile he is in alignments, how effective he is as a blocker and how dangerous he is after the catch?
Michael Thomas
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Figuring out a new slant to write about for Thomas is, well, a bit tough. And as polarizing as he can be, you can’t run from the history forever. Artificially manufactured or not, you can’t find another receiver that’s caught 149 balls in a single season. That 2019 campaign also saw Thomas chalk up 1,725 yards on those catches, the seventh-highest single-season mark ever. The knock though, and one that exists for good reason, is that those numbers are underwhelming in the grand scheme. He averaged just 11.6 yards per reception in that record-breaking year, putting him 76th overall in that category. That’s a lower clip than what the likes of Blake Jarwin, Kelvin Harmon and Alex Erickson mustered up in 2019. Regardless, Thomas is a workhorse who presents a constant danger to defenses because of his athletic profile, strong and reliable hands and a great knack to separate.
Calvin Ridley
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Speaking of separation, here’s a guy who opposing teams would be better off enlisting a professional search-and-rescue team to find him. Few receivers are as technically sound as Ridley. And that’s a trait that was a given when he came right out of the University of Alabama, as he’s used his fine footwork, speed and versatility to put up consistently fat numbers. 2020 was his best season yet, as the 26-year-old went for 1,374 yards and nine scores on 90 grabs. That was also good enough for an average of 15.3 yards per catch, the sixth-highest amongst receivers with at least 100 targets. Ridley is just about the entire package. He’s quick, he’s fluid and he’s primed to put up another season of those eye-opening stats.
Mike Evans
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“Mike Evans doesn’t get the respect he deserves for consistently being one of the league’s best wide receivers.” – Chris Godwin Now, that’s something a really good teammate would say. But ya know what, Chris, you’re right. Through the good, the bad and the ugly, Evans has been an absolute given for the Buccaneers ever since they drafted him with the seventh overall pick in 2014. He’s literally totaled 1,000 receiving yards in every single season he’s played. If hitting that all-important checkpoint every year for seven years isn’t the definition of consistency at the position, then what is? That’s even more impressive when you consider Evans’ size, let alone what was seemingly an ever-changing situation in Tampa. While his 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame is an inherent advantage, that’s a lot of body for defenders to hit and a lot of body to keep up maintenance on. His output and the fact that he’s never played fewer than 13 games in a season is testament to both his durability and to just how exceptional he is. Other than his size, Evans also stands out for his speed, footwork, strong hands and body control. He’s often simply too much for defenses and too much not to claim our top spot on the list. [vertical-gallery id=637573]
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