The NFL recognized high-level wide receiver talent in last year's draft and validated those evaluations by taking three with top-10 picks. Those players have lived up to expectations, but there are other rookie wideouts making an impact across the league as well.
Here are the best wide receiver performances from Week 4 of the regular season ahead of "Monday Night Football:"
Note: The rankings are not based on statistics but rather finer details of the position, such as route-running diversity, releases and breaks, and more.
1. Malik Nabers, Giants
It is not uncommon for teams to force the football to a player, but that player is not always deserving. Nabers is the exception. He can snap off a comeback route or stutter his feet to break a defender down only to accelerate for a downfield target. The LSU product has also shown the capability to win jump balls. There is nothing that he cannot do and defenders have to respect him at all three levels. In the clip below, Andrew Booth bites hard on the underneath route and Nabers continues upfield for an easy completion.
Malik Nabers making guys touch grass 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/OEshvF2TSc
— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2024
Through four games, Nabers has 35 receptions on 52 targets for 386 yards and three touchdowns; all are league-leading figures. Puka Nacua set a rookie record with 160 targets in 2023. Through four games, Nacua had 52 targets as well, but that rate slowed once Cooper Kupp returned and the season progressed.
Nabers did suffer a concussion late on "Thursday Night Football" against the Dallas Cowboys. It's possible it will not cause him to miss any time due to the extended time New York has to prepare for Week 5, but certainly something to monitor at least in the short term.
2. Ladd McConkey, Chargers
Aside from Nabers, there is not a rookie receiver who has done a better job of consistently creating separation than McConkey. He has the speed and acceleration to take a slant across the field and turn it into a big gain, which he did against the Chiefs Sunday. The Georgia product finished with five receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown.
McConkey is not the biggest body, but his willingness to block for teammates is an admirable quality and certainly one that has endeared him to head coach Jim Harbaugh.
3. Xavier Legette, Panthers
Legette has looked much more confident and is a more viable outlet with Andy Dalton as the quarterback. He did a good job flattening his route across the field on the touchdown reception and later showed good understanding of zone coverage by adjusting his route a bit to create more spacing and yards after the catch.
4. Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals
Harrison's tracking on the early touchdown reception was impressive, but it was an otherwise ho-hum day for the No. 4 overall selection. He finished with five receptions for 45 yards and 1 touchdown. His 7.00 air yards per target average is by far his lowest of the season, according to TruMedia.
5. Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars
Thomas started the game off really strong and statistically his day would have looked a lot better had Trevor Lawrence not missed him downfield on a few occasions. As the game developed, Jacksonville reigned him in more and there was room for improvement in his route-running. The future for Thomas still looks bright if he and Lawrence can get on the same page.
Rookie on rookie crime.
— Sam Monson (@SamMonsonNFL) September 30, 2024
Brian Thomas Jr absolutely BBQs Kamari Lassiter on a double move, Trevor Lawrence misses the TD.
film from NFL Pro pic.twitter.com/9bZT9jMt1A
6. Rome Odunze, Bears
Odunze's stat line (one reception for 10 yards) is not going to impress anyone, but he did a good job getting open and creating separation throughout the afternoon. Caleb Williams missed him on one opportunity and Decobie Durant held him on a double move that likely would have resulted in a touchdown, but the officials did not call it. The Chicago offense continues to look disjointed early in the season, but Odunze looks the part of a top-10 overall selection.
Elsewhere in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes found Xavier Worthy for a deep touchdown pass, but there is not a lot of route diversity in his game right now. Kansas City tries to scheme him open with natural pick concepts and go routes. A team that does not play with a safety over the top of Worthy is susceptible to explosive plays. Ja'Lynn Polk of the Patriots and Keon Coleman of the Bills did not create much separation despite making some nice catches in traffic. Coleman, particularly, had a nice back shoulder grab.
"Monday Night Football" features a double header between the Titans-Dolphins and Seahawks-Lions. There are not any rookie receivers making an impact on those four teams thus far.
