You don’t have to look too far back to find a 1,000 yard receiver (excluding running backs) for the Washington Redskins. Matter of fact, that year was 2016 and that list compiled of Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, both who had over 1,000 yards and both who left the Redskins in the offseason.
Garcon took his 1,041 yard season out to the Bay Area with the San Francisco 49ers and Jackson took his 1,005 yard season down South to Tampa Bay. The third leading receiver in 2016? Jamison Crowder.
Crowder in 2016 had 847 yards receiving with 67 receptions averaging out 12.6 yards per reception. Crowder did however lead the team in receiving touchdowns with seven in which Jackson had four and Garcon had three.
Not having a 1,000-yard receiver this past season seemed to hurt Crowder as his numbers were down in touchdowns as he finished with three on the season. However, Crowder would take over the leaderboard in receiving yards with 789, 58 shy of his 2016 total.
Veteran tight end Vernon Davis was second on the team with reception yards at 648. Ryan Grant, who’s now with the Indianapolis Colts, finished with 573 total reception yards. The next close to his numbers was 502 yards, owned by Josh Doctson.
So, who’s going to breakout in 2018?
Vernon Davis
- He was teammates with Alex Smith in San Fran and those two linked up a lot with each other during their time together on the West Coast.
- 2009 numbers: 965 yards, 13 touchdowns — 2010 numbers: 914 yards, 7 touchdowns.
- Davis is better with Smith than any other quarterback in his career.
Josh Doctson
- 502 total yards in 2017 is not good enough to a number one receiver, Doctson knows that, he will get better in 2018.
- Red zone threat, when the Skins get inside the 20-yard line, throw a jump ball, have faith he gets the job done.
- 2018 is a “prove it all year”, or it should be. Doctson needs to impress this year to be a Redskin in the future.
Jamison Crowder
- Has the numbers to be number one receiver, led the team in yards receiving last year, just shy of 800 total yards.
- Jay Gruden and staff believe in Crowder, that being said he needs to play like a veteran leader in 2018.
- Three touchdowns? That number has to go up. In his first year he tallied two touchdowns and seven the next. Personally, he should have eight to ten touchdowns in 2018.
Paul Richardson
- New guy on the block but a quick learner according to reports, which means he should pick up the Skins offense very quickly.
- Will he be a Terrelle Pryor bust or will he be a long-time Redskin? Take the ladder. He should be around for some time.
- Just 26, Richardson has a lot in the tank and in Seattle he tallied eight touchdowns, six of which came in 2017.
- Former teammates say he is a hustler and will give it 110% on and off the field to be a better teammate.
Maurice Harris
- Fighting for a spot in 2017, Mo Harris made his name known with his one-handed diving touchdown catch against the Vikings.
- Harris enters his third year with the Skins in which he has 12 receptions with just one touchdown.
- Practice pays off — spent most of career unknown by fans since he was on the practice unit, this year will be different.
Trey Quinn
- Last pick? Doesn’t matter. Quinn will become a liable threat from snap one all the way through the end of season.
- Cole Beasley prototype. Quick, agile, speedy, great hands, feisty. Those are characteristics of a winner, a leader.
- Leader of men at SMU and the receiving core. 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career at SMU.
Don’t play on paper
2018 on paper looks fun, sure. There’s a lot of talent on this roster, sure. But barring injuries this team is a 10-win team, sure. The key word in all of that … but.
But, what if injuries happen? Simple, next man up mentality. Plain and simple. This upcoming season is a season in which no one, from the front office, to the coaching staff, to the players, to the trainers, to the janitors, to the parking attendants, to the fans need to make excuses for the lack of production. This roster has talent, this roster can win 10 games. It can happen.
And if it doesn’t happen Jay Gruden gets on the hot seat and that is not fair. With the talent he’s been granted over the past couple years and to have just a 28-35-1 record is a good thing but let’s face it, the ownership wants a team that is going to win. A 10-win season in the NFC is a good season and will likely give them a playoff birth which would then bring Gruden’s record to 38-41-1, just three games under .500 and another chance to prove his worth in 2019.
Talent on this roster is loaded from top to bottom and there shouldn’t be a reason without doubt that a 1,000 yard receiver comes out of the group, maybe even two.
1,000 yard receivers for the Redskins in the upcoming season will be Paul Richardson and Jamison Crowder. Both bring leadership and both can provide down the field reliability as well. If neither get to the 1,000 yard mark, then both will get over the 900 yard mark.
Going to go with a dark horse as well and say that Vernon Davis will get close to the 1,000 yard mark but falls about 50 yards shy finishing with 950 at the end of the season.
