The Carolina Panthers should have plenty of bulletin board material going into the 2021 season. Their projected win totals around the ‘net almost all have them finishing below .500, and even some of their most-talented offensive play-makers can’t seem to get any respect.
For example, Pro Football Focus recently put together a list of the top 32 wide receivers in the NFL. A few things stand out, not least of which is Julio Jones coming in at No. 5. What’s even more strange is that the Panthers didn’t get one name on the list, most notably their WR1, D.J. Moore. It’s even more odd considering PFF’s own data shows Moore is one of the league’s best receivers with the ball in his hands. Moore has also become a stud on contested deep throws.
D.J. Moore: 7 contested catches on throws 20+ yards in 2020
Most in the NFL💪 pic.twitter.com/1T2YBJFuH1
— PFF (@PFF) May 14, 2021
Now entering his fourth year in the leauge, Moore still flies under the radar in part because he’s quiet and also because he hasn’t scored that many touchdowns – he has 10 so far. Julio could tell you that those numbers are very-much tied into quarterback play, red zone targets and overall offensive efficiency.
In any case, for Moore to miss the list entirely seems like a bit of an oversight. Nobody’s saying Moore should challenge Davante Adams for the top spot. However, at the very least, he should rank ahead of several names at the bottom of PFF’s ranking, including Courtland Sutton, Brandin Cooks, Will Fuller, Tyler Boyd, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods.
