Pro Football Focus dropped its top-25 graded wide receivers through the first five weeks of the season and the Detroit Lions’ Marvin Jones Jr. and Kenny Golladay not only made the list, but both finished in the top 16.
Jones checks in as PFF’s 13th-best receiver.
“Jones Jr. has only lined up in the slot on 50 passing plays so far this season, but it’s a role that has worked out well for him and the Lions,” PFF’s Gordon McGuinness wrote. “From those 50 plays, he has been targeted nine times and racked up 146 yards in the slot.”
Golladay grades out at No. 16 on PFF’s list.
“There’s a lot to like about Golladay’s play so far in 2019,” wrote McGuinness, “from the fact that he has dropped just one of the 20 catchable passes thrown his way this season, to the fact that 13 of his 19 receptions have gone for a first down or touchdown.”
As fas as the rest of the Lions wide receivers, Danny Amendola is PFF’s 39th-highest graded wide receiver, while Marvin Hall would check in at 45th if he had enough snaps to qualify him for their rankings.
The NFC North was well represented on this list with every team having one wide receiver make the list, including the Green Bay Packers’ Davante Adams grading out as PFF’s No. 3 receiver, Minnesota Vikings’ Adam Thielen at No. 10, and Chicago Bears’ Allen Robinson at No. 12.
This illustrates the talent at wide receiver in the division but what makes the Lions unique is that they have the flexibility to adjust between their two top options on any given week, whereas other teams are not so fortunate.
