First-year players have dominated the 2024 NFL regular season. Jayden Daniels is looking like a future NFL MVP, Bo Nix has the Denver Broncos in playoff contention and Joe Alt may be a Pro Bowl offensive tackle for his entire career. And that’s not even including the pass-catchers.
We’ve seen some special players at wide receiver and tight end this year who have made immediate impacts, and it appears they will be cornerstones for their respective teams for years to come. Who are the best of the best among first-year pass-catchers? Let’s take a look.
Big names left out
Before we jump into our top-five list, let’s discuss a couple of big names who will not be included.
The Arizona Cardinals selected reigning Biletnikoff winner Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Through 15 games, he’s caught 51 passes for 726 yards and seven touchdowns. His 726 receiving yards rank fifth among all rookies, while his seven touchdowns rank second. However, Harrison hasn’t been the unquestioned No. 1 wideout many expected him to be in his first NFL season. He has two 100-yard games, but hasn’t crossed 40 yards receiving in either of the last two weeks when the Cardinals’ season hung in the balance. Arizona quickly went from NFC West leaders to being eliminated from the playoffs, and the Cardinals’ passing attack averages just 207.6 passing yards per game. With all of that being said, Harrison is still capable of becoming that No. 1 wideout for Kyler Murray. He just didn’t get off to a hot start.
Another name that will not appear on this list is Rome Odunze of the Chicago Bears. The No. 9 overall pick out of Washington was a player some believed could be the top receiver in this draft. After all, he led the FBS in receiving yards in 2023, and was probably the best deep-ball catcher in the country as well. Through 15 games, Odunze has caught 51 passes for 701 yards and three touchdowns. Like Harrison, Odunze likely has a long career ahead of him, but he fumbled twice Sunday vs. the Detroit Lions before rebounding in the second half, and has registered a couple of notable drops this season as well.
The speedster out of Texas has caught 51 passes for 559 yards and five touchdowns, while also adding 94 yards and three more touchdowns on the ground. Those three rushing touchdowns are tied for the most by any rookie receiver in NFL history.
While he has yet to register a 100-yard receiving game, Worthy is a reason the Chiefs’ offense hasn’t cratered with the loss of Rashee Rice. He’s the Chiefs’ leading wideout, and is getting more and more involved in the offense as we approach the postseason. Worthy caught a career-high six passes vs. the Cleveland Browns last week, then caught seven passes Saturday vs. the Houston Texans. He has been targeted by Patrick Mahomes 11 times in each of the past two games, and has scored touchdowns in consecutive games as well. His versatility fits nicely in Andy Reid’s scheme, and he could be a reason this team three-peats come Feb. 9.
The Georgia kid could become one of the top slot weapons in the NFL. His 960 receiving yards rank fourth among all rookies, as do his 69 receptions. McConkey has now gone eight straight games with at least 50 receiving yards, which is the second-longest streak by a rookie since 1970.
If you want to know how important this second-round pick is for the Chargers offense, consider the fact he ranks 16th in the NFL in receiving yards. The Chargers’ next leading receiver (Josh Palmer) ranks 65th with 543 receiving yards.
Watching the New York Football Giants is a legitimate chore this year, but if you’ve tried this unenviable task, you probably noticed Nabers has legitimate superstar potential. Don’t be surprised if he ends up being the top pass-catcher from this class when it’s all said and done, and eventually becomes one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.
Without a legitimate starting quarterback, Nabers has caught 97 passes for 969 yards and four touchdowns. He’s nine receptions shy of breaking Puka Nacua’s single-season rookie receiving record, and will certainly be someone to watch when he’s presumably playing with Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward next year.
BTJ has been playing his best football with Mac Jones at quarterback. On Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, the LSU product caught nine passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. He became just the second rookie since 1970 to catch nine passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in back-to-back games, and the fourth rookie to record 75 yards receiving in five straight games.
Thomas is already the best first-year wideout in Jaguars franchise history, as he owns rookie records in receptions (73), receiving yards (1,088) and receiving touchdowns (9), and is on pace to become the fifth rookie over the past 30 years to finish in the top 10 in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. An absolute stud.
1. TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
Bowers may have an interim offensive coordinator and a backup quarterback with a first-year head coach who may or may not already be on the hot seat, but all of that hasn’t been enough to hold him back from being the best rookie tight end in NFL history. That’s why he ranks No. 1 on this list.
The No. 13 overall pick is on the cusp of breaking three rookie records. He’s 10 receiving yards shy of breaking Mike Ditka’s rookie tight end record, five receptions shy of breaking Nacua’s rookie receptions record and seven catches away from breaking Darren Waller’s Raiders single-season receptions record.
Bowers hasn’t missed a beat at the next level, and looks like he could be a Travis Kelce-like player for years to come.
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