• Puka Nacua takes the top spot: Nacua claims the top spot with a seven-catch, 97-yard performance against San Francisco. He hauled in two catches of 10-plus yards, including a 51-yard grab against double coverage early in the fourth quarter that set up the Rams inside the red zone.
•A.J. Brown carves up the Steelers: Brown started hot, catching all four of his first-quarter targets for 48 yards and a touchdown. He recorded two explosive gains in the opening period and five total for the game.
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Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
1. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams (92.4)
Nacua claims the top spot with a seven-catch, 97-yard performance against San Francisco. He hauled in two catches of 10-plus yards, including a 51-yard grab against double coverage early in the fourth quarter that set up the Rams inside the red zone.
Nacua excelled against zone coverage, catching six of his seven targets for 90 yards against those looks.
Since Week 13, he’s been targeted 15 times against zone and has secured 13 receptions for 168 yards, six first downs and a touchdown. He’s averaging an impressive 3.82 yards per route run and leads the league in receiving grade against zone coverage since the start of December (89.9).
2. Nico Collins, Houston Texans (92.0)
Miami held Collins to a season-low 17 yards, but he still notched his first multi-touchdown game of the year with a pair of 6-yard scores. Collins now has six touchdowns this season, four of which have come inside the red zone.
3. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (91.9)
Brown carved up the Steelers’ defense with eight catches for 110 yards. He started hot, catching all four of his first-quarter targets for 48 yards and a touchdown. He recorded two explosive gains in the opening period and five total for the game.
He was targeted three times on slant routes, catching each one for a total of 45 yards. Slants have been his most-targeted route this season, accounting for 18 of his 75 targets. He’s caught 15 of those for 198 yards and ranks second in PFF grading on slants (95.2).
4. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (89.4)
Chicago contained Jefferson in Week 12 (27 receiving yards), but this time was different. He hauled in seven of 13 targets for 73 yards, including a touchdown and a pair of explosive gains of 15-plus yards.
Jefferson now has three consecutive games with at least seven catches and 70 or more receiving yards. He’s been targeted 28 times in December, catching 21 passes for 304 yards.
5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions (88.6)
St. Brown had a career day against Buffalo, hauling in 14 catches for 193 yards. He moved the chains seven times and recorded three catches of 20-plus yards. His highlight of the day came on a third-and-17 play late in the third quarter when he caught a tipped pass between three defenders and took it 66 yards for a touchdown. That score ended a three-week drought and gave him 10 touchdowns on the season.
St. Brown now ranks fourth in receiving yards (1,056) and has 12 catches of 20-plus yards this season. He sits in the top three for touchdowns and first downs (58) and is in the top 10 for gains of 15-plus yards (27).
6. Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (85.9)
Downs had a quiet outing against Denver, finishing with three catches for 32 yards. Most of his production came on his first catch of the game — a 22-yard gain early in the first quarter against double coverage.
This season, half of Downs' targets (41) have come between the numbers, where he’s secured 32 catches for 366 yards and ranks eighth in PFF grading (90.1). He’s also caught three touchdown passes, gained 16 first downs, and recorded seven catches of 15-plus yards.
7. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (85.7)
Out for the year (ankle).
8. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons (85.4)
London was targeted three times against Las Vegas and caught all three for 53 yards, with each reception turning into a big play. He shook off his defender for a 30-yard touchdown late in the first quarter and added an 18-yard catch late in the second.
London was targeted twice on third downs and has now been targeted 32 times on late downs this season. He’s caught 21 passes for 236 yards, ranking in the top 10 for touchdowns (four) and first downs (18) while recording six explosive gains.
9. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals (85.3)
Higgins caught five passes for 88 yards against Tennessee, including two catches of 20-plus yards. He secured a 38-yard touchdown against double coverage late in the second quarter, holding on despite a hit from Daryl Worley. He added a 23-yard catch late in the fourth quarter.
Three of Higgins' six targets came at the intermediate level, where he’s been targeted 31 times this season. He has 18 receptions for 275 yards and a touchdown from that depth, and his 92.6 receiving grade ranks tied for eighth.
10. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks (85.0)
Smith-Njigba recorded his third 10-catch game of the season on Sunday Night Football, hauling in 10 passes for 83 yards. He moved the chains four times and notched two gains of 15-plus yards.
Of his 12 targets, 10 came either behind the line of scrimmage or within nine yards of it. This season, he has been targeted 71 times within that range, catching 62 passes for 522 yards (fifth) and a touchdown. Smith-Njigba ranks in the top five for first downs (27) and explosive gains (9) and is averaging 7.35 yards per route run.
11. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders (84.7)
McLaurin caught all six of his first-half targets against New Orleans for 48 yards and two touchdowns. He made arguably the catch of the week, leaping to secure a pinpoint pass between two defenders for a 16-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He recorded two explosive gains, moved the chains five times and finished with seven catches for 73 yards.
McLaurin now has back-to-back multi-touchdown games and four such performances this season. He has 11 touchdowns (second in the NFL) and remains automatic in the red zone, having caught 11 of his 12 red-zone targets for nine touchdowns (first) and an 86.7 receiving grade (second).
12. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (84.6)
Evans delivered a season-high performance against the Chargers, hauling in nine catches for 159 yards. He caught six passes for 44 yards in the first half and exploded in the third quarter with touchdown grabs of 57 and 35 yards. He capped off his afternoon with a 23-yard gain on his final catch.
In December, Evans has now posted two games with at least eight catches and 100 receiving yards. He leads the league with a 93.0 receiving grade against man coverage this month, catching eight of 10 targets for 129 yards — all resulting in first downs.
13. Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers (84.5)
Jennings caught just two of his eight targets for 31 yards against the Rams, but both receptions were gains of 10-plus yards and moved the chains. He now has 59 catches for 805 yards this season, with 18 receptions of 15-plus yards and 40 first downs.
14. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals (83.6)
Chase had a big day against Tennessee, hauling in nine catches for 94 yards. He recorded two catches of 15-plus yards, moved the chains three times, and forced four missed tackles.
Over his last five games, Chase has 47 receptions for 696 yards. During that span, he leads the league in yards, touchdowns (eight), and yards after the catch (332). He’s also notched 16 explosive gains and 28 first downs. However, drops have been an issue recently — he has five drops over the last four weeks, giving him a 9.4% drop rate since Week 10. Through the first nine games, his drop rate was nearly half that at 5.2%, with only three drops on 68 targets.
15. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints (83.0)
Olave remains on IR (concussion) with no further update on his return.
16. Malik Nabers, New York Giants (82.6)
Nabers was targeted 14 times against Baltimore, catching 10 passes for 82 yards. He found the end zone for the first time since Week 3 with a 23-yard touchdown grab midway through the fourth quarter.
He saw a season-high 10 targets from the slot, hauling in eight catches for 63 yards, including his touchdown. Nabers has 39 targets from the slot this season, securing 29 receptions for 196 yards and seven first downs.
17. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers (82.4)
Pickens missed Week 15 with a hamstring injury and has yet to play in December. While he is progressing in practice, his status for Saturday’s game against Baltimore remains uncertain.
18. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens (81.8)
Flowers caught six passes for 53 yards against the Giants, including two receptions of 10-plus yards. Most of his targets came against zone coverage, where he caught five of six targets for 45 yards. Over his last three games, Flowers has been targeted 16 times against zone, securing 11 receptions and six first downs. Since Week 12, he ranks fifth in PFF grading against zone coverage (81.2).
19. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles (81.1)
Smith caught all 11 of his targets for 109 yards — both season highs. He hauled in a 2-yard touchdown in the second quarter, moved the chains six times, and recorded three catches of 20-plus yards. Most of his production came in the second half, where he made seven receptions for 76 yards.
This season, Smith has been targeted 36 times in the second half, catching 30 passes for 408 yards. He ranks second in receiving grade (90.1) over that span and has totaled 19 first downs, three touchdown receptions, and 10 catches of 15-plus yards.
20. Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (80.9)
Shakir caught six passes for 39 yards against Detroit, moving the chains three times and scoring on a 3-yard shovel pass late in the third quarter. Buffalo continues to use Shakir as a screen threat, as he now has 23 screen targets this season, with five coming in his last three games.
He ranks fourth in PFF screen-pass grading (85.5), catching 22 passes for seven first downs and two touchdowns while forcing seven missed tackles.
21. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (80.3)
Thomas delivered his second 100-yard game of the season against the Jets, posting season highs in targets (14) and catches (10). He started hot, making four catches on the opening drive for 18 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown. He added another score in the fourth quarter on a 19-yard reception — one of two explosive gains in the half — and finished with 105 receiving yards.
Thomas now has eight touchdowns this season (tied for fifth) and 13 catches of 20-plus yards. Nine of his targets on Sunday came from within nine yards of the line of scrimmage or behind it, with five coming off screens. Over his last three games, he has 17 combined targets in this range, catching all of them for seven first downs and two touchdowns.
22. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers (80.0)
McConkey returned to action against Tampa Bay and caught five passes for 58 yards. He secured a 7-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter — his first score since Week 8 — despite tight coverage from Kaevon Merriweather. He also hauled in a 20-yard catch later in the half and finished the day with four first downs.
McConkey thrived on play-action, catching all three of his targets for 40 yards and two first downs. This season, he has caught 26 of 31 play-action targets (tied for sixth), ranking first in yards (484), first downs (21), and explosive gains (16). His 91.3 play-action receiving grade ranks fourth.
23. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets (80.0)
Wilson delivered two explosive gains in the first quarter against Jacksonville — a 19-yard catch that moved the Jets inside the Jaguars’ 25-yard line, followed by a 22-yard touchdown grab against double coverage. He added a 15-yard catch midway through the fourth quarter, finishing with three receptions for 56 yards, all classified as explosive gains.
Five of his six targets came on passes 10 or more yards downfield, where he secured two catches for 41 yards. This season, Wilson has 52 targets in that range (tied for ninth), converting 18 of them for 405 yards and three touchdowns.
24. Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans (79.7)
Out for the year (knee).
25. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (78.2)
Lamb was electric in the first half against Carolina, catching eight of 10 targets for 105 yards and six first downs. He notched three gains of 15-plus yards and hauled in a 14-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter. He finished the game with nine catches for 116 yards.
Lamb recorded two gains of 20-plus yards, including one on a screen pass. He now has two explosive screen-play gains in back-to-back games. This season, he’s been targeted 18 times on screens — four of those coming in the last three weeks. Lamb has caught all 18 for 141 yards and five first downs.
26. DeAndre Hopkins, Kansas City Chiefs (78.1)
Hopkins caught five passes for 36 yards against Cleveland, with his longest reception going for 12 yards. He moved the chains three times and secured four contested targets.
This season, Hopkins holds an 81.2 receiving grade in contested situations. He has caught 11 of 20 contested targets for 111 yards and eight first downs, with nine of those receptions coming since joining Kansas City.
27. Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns (77.9)
On the other side, Jeudy caught 11 of his 14 targets for 108 yards against the Chiefs. He moved the chains six times and recorded two catches of 15-plus yards.
Jeudy is in the midst of a career year, with 70 catches for 1,052 yards (fifth in the NFL). He has 48 first downs, four touchdown receptions, and 26 explosive gains, including 12 catches of 20-plus yards.
28. Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders (76.9)
Meyers was targeted 11 times in the second half against Atlanta, with all his catches coming late in the fourth quarter. He hauled in five passes for 59 yards in that period, including a crucial 22-yard catch with 26 seconds left and Vegas trailing by six. Meyers now has 71 catches for 802 yards on the season.
29. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals (76.7)
Harrison caught two passes for 32 yards against New England, with both receptions coming in the first half. Most of his production came from a 23-yard gain early in the first quarter.
Over his last three games, Harrison has 11 catches for 141 yards. During that span, he’s recorded four catches of 15-plus yards, gained seven first downs, and caught a touchdown.
30. Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers (76.3)
Coker returned to action against Dallas after missing three games and posted a season-best 110 yards on four catches. His biggest play came just before halftime — an 83-yard touchdown where he got behind the defense and sprinted untouched to the end zone.
This season, Coker has 21 catches for 373 yards and two touchdowns. He now has 12 receptions of 15-plus yards, including five gains of 20 or more yards.
31. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings (76.3)
Addison exploded for eight catches and 162 yards in Week 12 against Chicago, but this time around, he caught seven passes for 63 yards, with six receptions coming in the first half. He moved the chains three times, with his longest catch of the night going for 16 yards.
Across both matchups with Chicago, Addison was targeted 13 times against zone coverage, catching 11 passes for 192 yards and seven first downs. This season, he holds a 79.1 receiving grade against zone looks, hauling in 33 passes for 558 yards. He’s also caught three touchdowns, gained 22 first downs, and is averaging 3.6 yards after the catch per reception.
32. Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams (75.8)
Atwell’s lone catch of the night came late in the fourth quarter for a 6-yard gain, marking his fifth game this season with just one reception. He now has 36 catches for 513 yards on the year.
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