Because it is undoubtedly a big disaster for our Pick’em hopes, we decided to make this week’s recap a focus on the positives. It was a big day for the AFC West, as three teams won in dominant fashion. The Chiefs started the day in London, winning 45-10 as Americans watched the demolition during breakfast. The Raiders won easily at home against the Jets, taking one of the Games of the Week and showing that they have some serious potential as a playoff contender. Finally, the Broncos dominated the passing game on both sides en route to a 19-point win over the Packers on Sunday Night Football. By all means, those three teams proved the most yesterday.
However, one player stood out above all, and that was Stefon Diggs. After an awfully quiet start to yesterday’s game, the rookie Minnesota Vikings wide receiver took over down the stretch to help his team win a divisional game on the road. It was definitely a needed win for the Vikings, who advance to 5-2 but still have to play eight games against current quality teams (.500 or better) over the final nine. By all means, Minnesota needed to get ahead of the pack in the wild card race to dictate their destiny.
Diggs failed to catch his lone target during the first quarter, then caught only one of three targets during the second quarter. At that point, it seemed like fifth-round pick’s recent run of suddenly sensational play would come to an end. However, during the game’s final 23 minutes, Diggs caught five passes for 91 yards and the game-tying touchdown. On the touchdown, he showed particularly impressive skill in taking his short route and peeling back against the defender to break open a 40-yard run.
As his day to come an end, it continue an impressive stretch to start his career.
DIGGS FIRST FOUR GAMES: COMPARING HIM TO PAST ROOKIE GREATS
After finishing yesterday’s win with six receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown, Diggs was able to continue an impressive run to start his NFL career. It’s quite astonishing to note that the fifth-round pick from Maryland did not even play in Minnesota’s first three games. He was actually inactive until injuries to Charles Johnson and Jarius Wright made room at receiver.
Diggs didn’t look back from that point, making his NFL debut against the dominant Broncos defense and putting some neat numbers:
- Week 4 at Denver: Six receptions for 87 yards
- Week 6 v. Kansas City: Seven receptions for 129 yards
- Week 7 at Detroit: Six receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown
- Week 8 at Chicago: Six receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown
- Total (four games): 25 receptions for 419 yards and two touchdowns
For many, this immediate level may be comparable to what Odell Beckham did as a rookie last year. Beckham put together some very impressive streaks after missing the first four weeks of his rookie season with an injury. However, Beckham didn’t reach six receptions or 87 yards until his fourth career game. That could obviously speak to a return from injury and a building rapport with his quarterback, but remember that Diggs was inactive before that game in Denver. Not suggested this immediate of an impact.
Now Diggs has four consecutive games with 6+ receptions for 85+ yards to start his career. It falls halfway short of Beckham’s nine-game run to end his rookie season, but does Diggs top everybody else during their respective rookie seasons? Let’s examine.
Table 1: Longest Streaks of 6+ Receptions for 85+ Yards, First-Year Receiver (since 1960)
| Player | Span | Start | End | Averages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odell Beckham, Jr. | 9 games | G8 – 2014 | G16- 2014 | 9 receptions, 133.22 yards, 1 touchdown |
| Stefon Diggs | 4+ games | G4 – 2015 | ?? | 6.25 receptions, 104.75 yards, 0.5 touchdowns |
| Lionel Taylor* | 4 games | G8 – 1960 | G11 – 1960 | 9.75 receptions, 150.75 yards, 1.5 touchdowns |
| Mike Evans | 3 games | G7 – 2014 | G9 – 2014 | 7 receptions, 152.67 yards, 1.67 touchdowns |
| Marques Colston | 3 games | G7 – 2006 | G9 – 2006 | 9 receptions, 151.67 yards, 1 touchdown |
| Marvin Harrison | 3 games | G14 – 1996 | G16 – 1996 | 6 receptions, 98 yards, 1.33 touchdowns |
| Terry Kirby | 3 games | G12 – 1993 | G14 – 1993 | 8 receptions, 116.67 yards, 0.33 touchdowns |
Source: Pro Football Reference’s Player Streak Finder
Beckham’s streak is actually an NFL record. Meanwhile, Diggs is next up with Lionel Taylor, who technically wasn’t a rookie but was playing at split end for the first time in 1960. Taylor played linebacker as a rookie in 1959. Beyond that, there are four other players to earn a three-game streak as rookies. This includes Mike Evans last year and running back Terry Kirby in 1993. Looking out this group, we see a precedent of consistent receiving from one year to the next. Kirby is probably the most notable outlier, given he wasn’t a wide receiver, but he still proved to be a valuable and multi-faceted back. It’s certainly possible that Diggs will be a standout player for years.
Remember, this happened during Diggs’ first four games as an NFL player. According to Pro Football Reference, only five receivers (Anquan Boldin, Deion Branch, Eddie Royal, Earl Cooper and Andre Johnson) tallied 25+ receptions as a rookie during his team’s first four games. Diggs obviously isn’t on this list, but the dynamic makes his deactivation for five games even more interesting. Give credit to Minnesota quarterback Teddy Bridgewater as well for finding immediate comfort with the rookie.
Moving forward, we think Diggs will provide one of the more interesting headlines in 2015. The rookie already received a comparison to the much ballyhooed Antonio Brown. Fellow wide receiver Mike Wallace, former teammate of Brown and current teammate of Diggs, cited route-running and energy in making the comparison. Early returns say that the comparison is more than valid.