RADIO
No. 12 - Tyreek Hill (Miami Dolphins) vs. Cleveland Browns
Miami’s Tyreek Hill has struggled to live up to the lofty heights of his 2023 season. Last year, Hill’s game was so strong that many wondered if he could be the first player in NFL history to have 2,000 receiving yards is a season. In 2024, it will take a strong finish for him to finish with half of that.
Over the last two weeks, Hill has had a mere five receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown, bringing his season-long line to 70-834-6. In Week 17, the Dolphins take on the Browns, whose secondary has been atrocious against deep passes. In 2024, they rank second in completions and yardage allowed on passes of 20 air yards or more, giving Hill an opportunity to make a significant step forward in his pursuit towards a fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season.
No. 11 - Brian Thomas, Jr. (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Tennessee Titans
Brian Thomas, Jr. pulled off another gem in Week 16, catching nine of 13 targets for 132 yards and a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders. Since Jacksonville’s Week 12 bye, Thomas has averaged 7.8 catches and 99.8 yards per game and found the end zone four times. With his big game last week, he became the first of the talented receivers in the 2024 draft class to crack 1,000 receiving yards.
In Week 17, he faces stiffer competition in the Tennessee Titans, who have allowed the second-fewest receiving yards to opposing wide receivers all season. In their last meeting in Week 14, he had a solid eight-catch, 86-yard day. With the Jaguars force-feeding their first-round pick, Thomas stands a good chance of putting up solid numbers despite Tennessee’s stingy pass defense.
No. 10 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Chicago Bears
Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba turned in another solid effort in Week 16, catching eight passes for 95 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. Freed of Shane Waldron’s vanilla play calling that resulted in a lackluster rookie year in 2023, JSN is breaking out in his sophomore season and his 1,089 receiving yards rank fifth in the NFL.
In Week 17, the Seahawks are up against the Chicago Bears, who have looked vulnerable against the pass as of late. Over their last three games they have allowed four wide receivers to go for at least 70 yards and one touchdown. Smith-Njigba is seven receptions away from 100 on the season and he stands a good chance of meeting that mark against Chicago’s oft-used yet largely ineffective zone defense.
No. 9 - CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Philadelphia Eagles
CeeDee Lamb put together his second consecutive 100-yard game in Week 16, catching seven of his eight targets for 105 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His numbers from that game put him at 101 receptions and 1,194 yards on the season, good for second and third-most in the league, respectively.
In Week 17, his competition will be a difficult Eagles secondary, against which Lamb had just six catches for 21 yards in Week 10. That was quarterback Cooper Rush’s first start after taking over for the injured Dak Prescott (hamstring). Since then, Rush has seemed more at ease and the Cowboys’ offense a bit more productive. The matchup won’t be easy but with the second-most targets on the season, it is hard to bet against Lamb having a productive day.
No. 8 - Davante Adams (New York Jets) vs. Buffalo Bills
New York’s Davante Adams has been on a tremendous run as of late. In the Jets’ four games since their Week 12 bye, Adams has five touchdowns and over the last three weeks he leads the NFL in receiving yards with 375. His seven-catch, 68-yard performance in Week 16 was underwhelming in comparison to the previous week’s 198-yard showing but he did extended his touchdown streak to a fourth game.
Adams will try to make it five in a row against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17. Over the last four weeks the Bills have given up the most receiving yards and third-most receptions and touchdowns to opposing wide receivers. Adams’ connection with former Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers appears as strong as ever and the duo can be expected to take full advantage of their opponent’s weakness as the receiver closes in on another 1,000-yard season.
No. 7 - A.J. Brown (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Dallas Cowboys
Despite losing quarterback Jalen Hurts (concussion) early in Week 16’s game against the Washington Commanders, A.J. Brown still put up solid numbers. With backup quarterback Kenny Pickett under center for most of the game, Brown had eight catches for 97 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets.
Week 17 brings an inviting matchup in the Dallas Cowboys, against whom Brown had a five-catch, 109-yard game in Week 10. Over the last three weeks only two teams have given up more receptions, yards, and touchdowns to opposing wide receivers than Dallas. This would be a smash spot for Brown under normal circumstances but the quarterback situation weakens his standing. With Hurts in the concussion protocol and Pickett dealing with an injury to his ribs, it may be up to Tanner McKee to get Brown the ball this weekend.
No. 6 - Puka Nacua (Los Angeles Rams) vs. Arizona Cardinals
Puka Nacua of the Rams was held to 56 receiving yards in Week 16, tying his lowest total in a game not shortened by injury or disqualification. He still demonstrated his position at the top of the depth chart, leading the team with eight catches and nine targets.
Playing in frigid weather in New York was not conducive to a high-flying passing attack but the team can look forward to more amenable conditions when they return home in Week 17 to face the Arizona Cardinals. Nacua can be expected to get back on track this weekend. The Rams should open things up against Arizona as a win would virtually guarantee them a playoff spot.
No. 5 - Nico Collins (Houston Texans) vs. Baltimore Ravens
Houston’s Nico Collins had seven catches on 10 targets last week against the Kansas City Chiefs but came away with only 60 yards to show for it. While he hasn’t been as productive since returning from his hamstring injury compared to his first five games of the year, he is still within reach of his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, needing 91 more yards to get there.
There is a good possibility that Collins reaches the milestone in Week 17, when the Texans face the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day. The Ravens’ secondary has tightened up since being eviscerated by Ja’Marr Chase in Week 10 but Collins will face little competition for targets with Tank Dell (knee) lost after suffering a catastrophic knee injury in Week 16.
No. 4 - Mike Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) vs. Carolina Panthers
Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans caught five of eight targets for 69 yards against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16. Evans has reached 1,000 receiving yards in each of his 10 seasons since turning pro and now needs 182 more to make it 11-for-11.
Since returning from a hamstring injury in Week 12, Evans has averaged 96.6 yards per game and will need to manage about that many in each of the final games of 2024 to keep his streak alive. The outlook for Week 17 looks good as the Buccaneers face the Carolina Panthers, against whom Evans enjoyed a big game in Week 13. In that matchup, he had eight catches for 118 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. He will look to repeat the task as Tampa fights to keep their playoff hopes alive.
No. 3 - Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) vs. San Francisco 49ers
Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown finished Week 16 with a modest 70 yards but led the team in receptions and targets with six and eight, respectively. He also caught his eleventh touchdown pass of the season which set a new high in his four-year career.
In Week 17, the Lions will face their opponents from the 2023 NFC Championship Game, the San Francisco 49ers. St. Brown had seven catches for 87 yards in the eventual loss. The playoff-bound Lions are trying to lock up the top seed which may motivate them to open up the offense and take it to the 49ers in a revenge game. If so, St. Brown would benefit greatly.
No. 2 - Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Seattle Seahawks
It’s hard to believe that it took 15 tries for Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson to finally hit double-digit receptions in a game, but it did. Jefferson, who is averaging 6.1 catches and 92.5 yards per game, caught 10 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets in his most productive game of the season.
The Vikings take on the Green Bay Packers in Week 17 in an NFC North battle with serious playoff implications. Jefferson went 6-85-1 in the teams’ last meeting back in Week 4. The Packers do have a tough secondary but getting the ball to one of the NFL’s best receivers will be of the utmost importance to a win and potentially overtaking the Lions as the top seed in the conference.
No. 1 - Ja'Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Denver Broncos
Once again, occupying the number one spot in the weekly power rankings is the league leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns: Ja’Marr Chase. With two games to play in the regular season, Chase is sitting on a line of 108-1,150-16 and has a real shot as finishing the season as the NFL’s first receiving triple crown winner since Cooper Kupp in 2021.
Chase and the Bengals host the Denver Broncos in Week 17. Denver’s defense has been an obstacle for opponents this season, as they have the sixth-fewest points allowed in 2024. They do rank in the bottom third of the league in receptions and yards allowed to opposing wide receivers, though, which leaves the door open for the most productive receiver in the league to do more damage as the Bengals attempt to keep their playoff chances alive.
