Wide Receivers
#1 Willie Snead, Baltimore Ravens: 45.4
With Lamar Jackson as their quarterback, the Ravens have consistently been one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL. However, that doesn’t mean none of the team’s wide receivers are providing value in their relatively limited roles. Willie Snead is the best example of this, leading the team in OVM success in 2018 and 2019 and continuing to do so this season. In Week 8, he averaged 12 yards after the catch per reception, the highest total in the NFL. That number was 4.7 yards higher than expected, also ranking number one among qualifying wide receivers.
#2 Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears: 43.85
The Bears might not have a consistent plan at quarterback, but that didn’t stop Robinson from providing value in Week 8. His catch percentage of 85.71 was tied for the third-highest percentage of the week, behind three players who also made this list. Meanwhile, his 3.5 yards of average separation across his targets was impressive given that he was given a relatively small 4.6 yards of cushion on those targets by defenders.
#3 JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers: 42.12
Smith-Schuster’s OVM grades have been something of a mixed bag this season. His overall grade of 35.49 is rather low, considering that this week’s exceptional grade was only his third-best performance of the year so far. Still, when Smith-Schuster is playing like he did on Sunday, it is truly impressive to watch, even if his box score statistics don’t necessarily reflect his success. He caught 87.5% of his targets, tied for second among qualifying wide receivers, and ranked highly in numerous other areas as well.
#4 Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills: 40.45
Diggs was acquired by the Bills in a trade during the offseason, and the move has certainly paid off so far. His overall grade isn’t particularly noteworthy, at 32.78, but he was incredibly valuable in Buffalo’s victory over rival New England. His most impressive factor? He averaged 3.1 yards of separation on his targets. That is lower than many other wide receivers in Week 8, but he was only given an average of four yards of cushion. Most of the wide receivers above him in terms of separation were given far more space to work with.
#5 Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs: 39.59
Tyreek Hill might be the highest-profile of Kansas City’s wide receivers, but Hardman was more efficient in his role on Sunday. His 77.8% catch percentage was solid, and he averaged 8.2 YAC, good enough for fifth in the NFL in Week 8. This was the first week Hardman qualified for a weekly grade, and if he can continue to perform at this level, the Chiefs offense will be even more terrifying than it already was.
#6 Anthony Miller, Chicago Bears: 38.98
Miller is the second member of the Bears wide receiver core to make this week’s list. His grade is primarily influenced by a high average separation of 4.1 yards and a solid catch percentage of 72.73 percent. It’s a shame that Chicago doesn’t have a quarterback who can take advantage of Miller and Robinson’s successes. Were that the case, the Bears might be a legitimate contender rather than a team that everyone assumes is far worse than their 5-3 record suggests.
#7 Auden Tate, Cincinnati Bengals: 38.81
Most of the time, a wide receiver’s OVM grade will be determined by a combination of statistics. In Tate’s case, though, his grade from Week 8 against the Titans was basically the result of a single statistic: his catch percentage. He was targeted seven times and caught every one of those passes, the only player to do so in Week 8. While his other metrics were mediocre, it wasn’t enough to drag him off the list.
#8 Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams: 38.67
Woods caught 87.5% percent of his targets on Sunday, tying Schuster for the second-highest percentage of the week. He also did an excellent job of creating separation, averaging 4.9 yards of distance between himself and a defender across his eight targets. Despite his success, he was targeted an absurd 13 fewer times than his teammate Cooper Kupp, who had a significantly worse grade.
#9 DaeSean Hamilton, Denver Broncos: 38.57
This was Hamilton’s first week in which he was targeted often enough to qualify for an OVM grade, and he rewarded Denver with an excellent performance. The third-year wide receiver rewarded his quarterback’s faith with decent metrics across the board. In particular, he averaged an impressive 11.2 YAC, 2.4 yards higher than expected, and the second-highest total this week.
#10 A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans: 38.21
Brown’s statistics from Sunday’s loss to Cincinnati seem poor on the surface, as he only totaled 24 yards and one touchdown. The Titans will need to get more from him if they want to go far in the playoffs this season. However, that doesn’t mean Brown’s advanced statistics were terrible. Most notably, he had the smallest differential between the amount of cushion he received from defenders and the amount of separation he created on his targets. His average separation of 3.4 was just 0.1 yards lower than the amount of space he was given. Hopefully for Tennessee, his ability to get open will translate into wins going forward.
Lucas Ellinas is a writer for Pro Football Network. You can follow him on Twitter @Lucas_Ellinas.