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Top 5 WR Performances of Week 10

By Kevin Parvizi

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The Dallas Cowboys leak about their concerns with Dez Bryant‘s off-field issues might have struck a chord, but I think his huge performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars on London was a simple case of “Dez being Dez”. No wise person would ever question Bryant’s credentials as an elite receiver in this league, and he was probably the most impressive wide receiver this week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans

Last week, Evans absolutely dominated Buster Skrine, who bounced back in a big way for the Browns in their rivalry battle against the Cincinnati Bengals. Evans didn’t miss a beat in Week 10, as he shredded the Atlanta Falcons secondary, which doesn’t come as a surprise. Robert Alford simply had no answer for Evans, who had seven receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. That equates to nearly 14 yards per target, which is an outstanding number indeed. Evans is already becoming a No. 1 receiver, and he’s showing why he was the second wide receiver off of the board in the 2014 NFL Draft.

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Philadelphia Eagles WR Jordan Matthews

Multiple rookie wide receivers had big days this past week, though Odell Beckham Jr., who is my favorite wideout in the class, just missed the cut despite his impressive display against elite CB Richard Sherman. Jordan Matthews was brilliant in the preseason, and he is undoubtedly Mark Sanchez‘s favorite target right now. Jeremy Maclin became a fixture on this weekly list of five, but Matthews takes place after hauling in seven passes for 138 yards on nine targets with two touchdowns to his name. That’s an even more impressive haul than Evans’s, and Matthews has shown the toughness that made him a fan favorite while at Vanderbilt. The vast majority of the rookie receivers excel in contested catches, and Matthews is no exception.

Dallas Cowboys WR Dez Bryant

There are a laundry list of great receivers that reside in the NFC East, so it’s a testament to his skill that Dez Bryant is the best of the bunch. He needed just six receptions (on eight targets) to record 158 yards and two touchdowns. Even though it came against the woeful Jacksonville Jaguars, Bryant was still the most impressive wide receiver in Week 10, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he deserves to be paid handsomely. Plus, he still has a notable amount of upside that hasn’t been tapped into yet.

Green Bay Packers WR Jordy Nelson

I gave Detroit Lions WR Golden Tate and Atlanta Falcons No. 1 guy Julio Jones plenty of consideration, but it would have been unfair not to select Aaron Rodgers‘s favorite target. Rodgers was our “Player of the Week” for Week 10, and it wasn’t even close. Joining him as a top five player at a position for Week 10 is Jordy Nelson, who had some stiff competition but easily deserved a spot on this list. Statistically speaking, he was even more impressive than Bryant, as he caught all six passes thrown at him for 152 yards and two touchdowns for an average of 25.3 yards per reception and per target. Just imagine would Nelson would have accomplished had the Packers not been up 45-0 at the half. If this were a shootout-type game, Nelson would have easily cleared 200.

Denver Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas

Although Emmanuel Sanders caught two touchdowns passes and Demaryius Thomas didn’t notch any, the Denver Broncos No. 1 receiver is the one who shows up on this list. He’s been scintillating ever since an early-season slump, and he continues to show why he is one of the top five receivers in the NFL. Thomas might be the second-most most difficult receiver to match up with after Calvin Johnson, because he has a ridiculous blend of size, explosion, and acceleration. He also doesn’t drop many passes, and his communication with Peyton Manning is top notch. The YAC machine played the possession receiver role this week, catching 11 passes for 108 yards on 14 targets, as Thomas simply moved the sticks at will against the Oakland Raiders defense.

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