NFC Stats by Position

Over the past two seasons in the NFC, there were a total of four #2WRs who broke the 1,000-yard receiving barrier. Three of those occurred last season - Terry Glenn in Dallas, Isaac Bruce in St. Louis and Mike Furrey in Detroit. With the loosening of the standard to 900 or more yards, only one season is added - last year's 946 yard effort by Arizona WR Larry Fitzgerald. Even at 800+, only three more seasons qualify.

With 64 seasons, there have been 8 efforts over 800 yards by #2WRs by yardage. When I doubt the hype on rookie WR Calvin Johnson, I am considering those figures plus the fact Mike Furrey won't go from 1,086 yard to the total of the #3WR in Detroit - 164 yards! Nevermind the fact the Lions' threw for 4,208 yards. How many more passing yards can the Lions fit into a 60 minute game?

Another tandem I'd like to draw some attention to is the receiving gold of Arizona - Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson. Last year, the yardage totals heavily favored Boldin 1,203 to 946 to 740 respectively. Given Fitzgerald missed three games due to injury, I see how easy it would be to conclude he will grab yardage from both Boldin and Johnson. A return to his 2005 yardage totals appears to be the cause behind his projected value. However, and you knew there was one coming, the 2005 Cardinals had no running game whatsoever. As a result the team had to pass, and Boldin and Fitzgerald racked up 1,400+ yards a piece. That is not the case this season nor should it be after two off-seasons worth of personnel decisions to make sure it didn't happen again. (FWIW, the 451 yards by the 2005 AR RB1 was the lowest in the sample, and Bryant's 740 yards as the #3WR was the highest.)