Now that the NFL draft is behind us, it’s time to look forward to the 2024 NFL season. While most are focused on minicamps and OTAs the teams are using to implement their offenses for the coming season, others are looking at the 2023 season and what that can tell us about the season to come.
The folks over at PFF have just released their look at outside receivers from the 2023 season, and Justin Jefferson finished safely inside the top 10 by their metrics. The team at PFF evaluated outside receivers on several different stats and ultimately stacked them by their metric of Yards per Route Run.
Jefferson finished the season with a mark of 2.85 yards per route run in 2023, coming in just ahead of Eagles wideout A.J. Brown and just behind the phenomenal rookie season notched by Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nakua.
In addition to YPRR, PFF also provided data on several other metrics, including aDoT (average depth of target), drop rate, and passer rating when targeted. Jefferson was fifth out of the top 10 receivers in that last metric, proving that he’s one of the most reliable receivers in the league.
Jefferson’s 2023 performance is even more impressive because he was able to amass all these stats while losing a significant portion of his season to injury — and with significant turmoil at the quarterback spot.
Now, with an offseason to get healthy and presumably a future franchise quarterback waiting in the wings, the sky may be the limit for the Vikings’ star receiver. It will take some time to adjust to the new signal caller, but if last year showed us anything, it’s that Jefferson can be counted on no matter who’s throwing the ball.
