Top 10 Fantasy WR Seasons of 2016
Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers had the number one fantasy wide receiver season of 2016, scoring 307 fantasy points across 16 games with a best single week of 34. Jordy Nelson of the Green Bay Packers finished second at 305 points, and Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took third at 300. Brown topping the board in both total points and best week made his year the strongest at the position.
What were the top 10 fantasy WR seasons of 2016?
The 2016 wide receiver board was defined by a crowded top four rather than one runaway season. Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers led at 307 points, with Jordy Nelson of the Green Bay Packers just behind at 305 and Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 300. Odell Beckham of the New York Giants made it four receivers at 297 points or better, all of them averaging 19 points per game across 16 games.
| Rank | Player | Team | Games | Points | Points Per Game | Best Week | | 1 | Antonio Brown | Pittsburgh Steelers | 16 | 307 | 19 | 34 | | 2 | Jordy Nelson | Green Bay Packers | 16 | 305 | 19 | 36 | | 3 | Mike Evans | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 16 | 300 | 19 | 38 | | 4 | Odell Beckham | New York Giants | 16 | 297 | 19 | 40 | | 5 | T.Y. Hilton | Indianapolis Colts | 16 | 272 | 17 | 33 | | 6 | Julio Jones | Atlanta Falcons | 15 | 260 | 17 | 48 | | 7 | Michael Thomas | New Orleans Saints | 16 | 256 | 16 | 32 | | 8 | Doug Baldwin | Seattle Seahawks | 16 | 254 | 16 | 37 | | 9 | Brandin Cooks | New Orleans Saints | 16 | 246 | 15 | 38 | | 10 | Davante Adams | Green Bay Packers | 16 | 245 | 15 | 38 |
Where was the break between the elite and the rest?
The clearest divide on the 2016 board sits between fourth and fifth. Odell Beckham's 297 points closed out a top four separated by tiny margins, while T.Y. Hilton of the Indianapolis Colts opened the next tier at 272. Below Hilton, Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons posted 260 points in only 15 games, the lone season on the list shorter than a full 16-game slate, yet his 17 points per game matched Hilton's rate.
Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints and Doug Baldwin of the Seattle Seahawks landed nearly even at 256 and 254 points, both averaging 16 per game. Brandin Cooks of the New Orleans Saints and Davante Adams of the Green Bay Packers closed the list at 246 and 245, each averaging 15 points per game.
Which single week stood out most in 2016?
Julio Jones owned the biggest game of the year at the position by a wide margin: a 48-point best week, far beyond any other receiver's top performance. Odell Beckham had the second largest at 40, with Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks and Davante Adams each reaching 38. At the other end, Michael Thomas's best week of 32 was the smallest peak on the list, showing a season built on steady scoring rather than one explosive afternoon.
How did the per-game column differ from the totals?
The per-game averages sort 2016's receivers into three neat bands: 19 per game for the top four, 17 for Hilton and Jones, then 16 and 15 for the remaining four. Julio Jones is the case where the two columns part ways, since his 15 games cost him total points while his per-game rate matched T.Y. Hilton exactly. The New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers each landed two receivers in the top ten, the only teams with more than one.
Common questions
Who was the number 1 fantasy wide receiver in 2016?
- Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers, with 307 fantasy points over 16 games, an average of 19 points per game, and a best week of 34.
How many fantasy points did Jordy Nelson score in 2016?
- Jordy Nelson of the Green Bay Packers scored 305 fantasy points in 2016, second among wide receivers, with 19 points per game and a best week of 36.
Which wide receiver had the biggest single fantasy week in 2016?
- Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons, whose best week of 48 points topped every other receiver's peak that season.
Did every top 10 fantasy WR play 16 games in 2016?
- Nine of the ten did. Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons played 15 games, yet still finished sixth with 260 points.
Which teams had two receivers in the 2016 top 10?
- The New Orleans Saints, with Michael Thomas at seventh and Brandin Cooks at ninth, and the Green Bay Packers, with Jordy Nelson at second and Davante Adams at tenth.