Everyone’s favorite wide receiver is about to go insane and no one is ready for it. Entering his 4th season in the NFL the Saints have gotten 3 great seasons from him so far:
Season 1
Receptions/Targets: 92/121 – Catch Rate of 76.0%
Yards: 1137
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TDs: 9
Season 2
Receptions/Targets: 104/149 – Catch Rate of 69.8%
Yards: 1245
TDs: 5
Season 3
Receptions/Targets: 125/147 – Catch Rate of 85.0%
Yards: 1405
TDs: 9
(Can we just take a second to appreciate that he had 21 more catches in his 3rd season than his 2nd season on 2 less targets?)
I’d say for most people it takes 3 seasons for them to fully develop in the NFL. While it may not seem like Michael Thomas could get much better, I think his 4th season will be one for the record books. He still isn’t getting much respect in regards to him even being a top 5 receiver in the NFL, which is absurd to me. To me, he’s top 3, and after this season I am calling that he will be considered the best receiver in the NFL. Since people are intent on putting him behind these other players, I will do the same and look out how their careers started. A trend I’ve sensed is that with multiple of these top receivers we can look to their 4th season in the NFL and see a GREAT improvement in at least one area of their game.
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Julio Jones Season 2 (he didn’t play a full 3rd season)
Receptions/Targets: 79/128 – Catch Rate of 61.7%
Yards: 1198
TDs: 10
Julio Jones Season 4
Receptions/Targets: 104/163 – Catch Rate of 63.8%
Yards: 1593 (up 24.79%)
TDs: 6 (bad example because we all know he doesn’t get redzone targets)
Stefon Diggs Season 3
Receptions/Targets: 64/95 – Catch Rate of 67.4%
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Yards: 849
TDs: 8
Stefon Diggs Season 4
Receptions/Targets: 102/149 – Catch Rate of 68.5%
Yards: 1021 (up 16.84%)
TDs: 9
Adam Thielen Season 3
Receptions/Targets: 69/92 – Catch Rate of 75.0%
Yards: 967
TDs: 5
Adam Thielen Season 4
Receptions/Targets: 91/142 – Catch Rate of 64.1%
Yards: 1267 (up 23.67%)
TDs: 4
Larry Fitzgerald Season 3
Receptions/Targets: 69/111 – Catch Rate of 62.2%
Yards: 946
TDs: 6
Larry Fitzgerald Season 4
Receptions/Targets: 100/167 – Catch Rate of 59.9%
Yards: 1409 (up 32.86%)
TDs: 10
Antonio Brown Season 3
Receptions/Targets: 66/106 – Catch Rate of 62.3%
Yards: 787
TDs: 5
Antonio Brown Season 4
Receptions/Targets: 110/167 – Catch Rate of 65.9%
Yards: 1499 (up 47.49%)
TDs: 8
Personally, I already think that Michael Thomas has reached an insane level for a player only 3 seasons in. I also don’t love comparing him to these other players, but if others are intent on it I might as well look at it as a plus as to why he is going to set the league ablaze this season. With a war-torn franchise hellbent on revenge and redemption, expect everyone to play out of their minds. Thomas has already been one of the most motivated players, but this season will see him at an all-time high.
Everyone’s favorite wide receiver is about to go insane and no one is ready for it. Entering his 4th season in the NFL the Saints have gotten 3 great seasons from him so far:
Season 1
Receptions/Targets: 92/121 – Catch Rate of 76.0%
Yards: 1137
TDs: 9
Season 2
Receptions/Targets: 104/149 – Catch Rate of 69.8%
Yards: 1245
TDs: 5
Season 3
Receptions/Targets: 125/147 – Catch Rate of 85.0%
Yards: 1405
TDs: 9
(Can we just take a second to appreciate that he had 21 more catches in his 3rd season than his 2nd season on 2 less targets?)
I’d say for most people it takes 3 seasons for them to fully develop in the NFL. While it may not seem like Michael Thomas could get much better, I think his 4th season will be one for the record books. He still isn’t getting much respect in regards to him even being a top 5 receiver in the NFL, which is absurd to me. To me, he’s top 3, and after this season I am calling that he will be considered the best receiver in the NFL. Since people are intent on putting him behind these other players, I will do the same and look out how their careers started. A trend I’ve sensed is that with multiple of these top receivers we can look to their 4th season in the NFL and see a GREAT improvement in at least one area of their game.
Julio Jones Season 2 (he didn’t play a full 3rd season)
Receptions/Targets: 79/128 – Catch Rate of 61.7%
Yards: 1198
TDs: 10
Julio Jones Season 4
Receptions/Targets: 104/163 – Catch Rate of 63.8%
Yards: 1593 (up 24.79%)
TDs: 6 (bad example because we all know he doesn’t get redzone targets)
Stefon Diggs Season 3
Receptions/Targets: 64/95 – Catch Rate of 67.4%
Yards: 849
TDs: 8
Stefon Diggs Season 4
Receptions/Targets: 102/149 – Catch Rate of 68.5%
Yards: 1021 (up 16.84%)
TDs: 9
Adam Thielen Season 3
Receptions/Targets: 69/92 – Catch Rate of 75.0%
Yards: 967
TDs: 5
Adam Thielen Season 4
Receptions/Targets: 91/142 – Catch Rate of 64.1%
Yards: 1267 (up 23.67%)
TDs: 4
Larry Fitzgerald Season 3
Receptions/Targets: 69/111 – Catch Rate of 62.2%
Yards: 946
TDs: 6
Larry Fitzgerald Season 4
Receptions/Targets: 100/167 – Catch Rate of 59.9%
Yards: 1409 (up 32.86%)
TDs: 10
Antonio Brown Season 3
Receptions/Targets: 66/106 – Catch Rate of 62.3%
Yards: 787
TDs: 5
Antonio Brown Season 4
Receptions/Targets: 110/167 – Catch Rate of 65.9%
Yards: 1499 (up 47.49%)
TDs: 8
Personally, I already think that Michael Thomas has reached an insane level for a player only 3 seasons in. I also don’t love comparing him to these other players, but if others are intent on it I might as well look at it as a plus as to why he is going to set the league ablaze this season. With a war-torn franchise hellbent on revenge and redemption, expect everyone to play out of their minds. Thomas has already been one of the most motivated players, but this season will see him at an all-time high.
PROJECTIONS FOR MICHAEL THOMAS SEASON 4
Receptions/Targets: 145/177 – Catch Rate of 82.0%
Yards: 1,771 (up 20.66%)
TDs: 14
#shhh
Follow Dylan on Twitter @DillySanders
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