Midway Report: How the Wide Receivers are Faring

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It is crazy to think that a team with Ted Ginn and Philly Brown as starting receivers is in the top five of the NFL at scoring offense. The Panthers have arguably the most effective ground game in the league, and receivers that make just enough plays to put them in scoring position. Carolina is 8-0 for the first time in team history, and is doing it without the likes of Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammed, and Kelvin Benjamin. Here are some statistics to show how the Panthers’ receiving corp has been performing, and how their current success would project over the entire season.

All dropped passes statistics gathered from SportingCharts.com

 

Ted Ginn:

Stats at the Quarter: 12 Receptions, 206 Receiving Yards, 3 Touchdowns, 5 Drops

Projections at the Quarter: 48 Receptions, 824 Receiving Yards, 12 Touchdowns, 20 Drops

Stats at the Half: 21 Receptions, 363 Receiving Yards, 3 Touchdowns, 7 Drops

On Pace For: 42 Receptions, 726 Receiving Yards, 6 Touchdowns, 14 Drops

After a pretty hot start to the football season, Ted Ginn has cooled down of late. He has cut down his drop rate, but has also seen a dip in his overall production as well. He is still on pace for a career year, and his performance will be vital throughout the rest of the season.

 

Philly Brown:

Stats at the Quarter: 6 Receptions, 73 Receiving Yards, 1 Touchdown, 0 Drops

Projections at the Quarter: 24 Receptions, 292 Receiving Yards, 4 Touchdowns, 0 Drops

Stats at the Half: 16 Receptions, 225 Receiving Yards, 3 Touchdowns, 0 Drops

On Pace For: 32 Receptions, 550 Receiving Yards, 6 Touchdowns, 0 Drops

Philly has really begun to pick up his play of late, catching two touchdowns in the last two weeks. Playing eight games without a drop has probably been his most impressive statistic, something no one saw coming after his abysmal preseason performance. Brown is becoming one of Cam’s most reliable/trusted targets, and looks to be a part of the Panthers’ offense for a long time to come.

 

Devin Funchess:

Stats at the Quarter: 3 Receptions, 38 Receiving Yards, 0 Touchdowns, 1 Drop

Projections at the Quarter: 12 Receptions, 152 Receiving Yards, 0 Touchdowns, 4 Drops

Stats at the Half: 10 Receptions, 161 Receiving Yards, 1 Touchdown, 2 Drops

On Pace For: 20 Receptions, 322 Receiving Yards, 2 Touchdowns, 4 Drops

I found it somewhat surprising that Devin Funchess has only been pegged with two dropped passes on the season according to SportingCharts.com. Whatever the real count is, he has had some issues catching the ball this season; but has definitely improved over the last few weeks. His breakout game against the Packers accounted for over half of his statistics over the course of the entire season. Hopefully his game against the Packers was a sign of what’s to come, and not an aberration. His growth is huge for our offense, and is vital if we want to make a run for the Super Bowl.

 

Jerricho Cotchery: 

Stats at the Quarter: 4 Receptions, 38 Receiving Yards, 1 Touchdown, 0 Drops

Projections at the Quarter: 16 Receptions, 152 Receiving Yards , 4 Touchdowns, 0 Drops

Stats at the Half: 13 Receptions, 190 Receiving Yards, 1 Touchdown, 0 Drops

On Pace For: 26 Receptions, 380 Receiving Yards, 2 Touchdowns, 0 Drops

After being sidelined for a few games, Jerricho has made his presence felt. He made a huge 50+ yard play on third down against the Packers, which helped to set the tone of the game for the Panthers. Cotchery is one of Cam’s most reliable targets, and is finding ways to make plays in his twelfth season.

 

Greg Olsen:

Stats at the Quarter: 17 Receptions, 243 Receiving Yards, 2 Touchdowns, 0 Drops

Projections at the Quarter: 68 Receptions, 972 Receiving Yards, 8 Touchdowns, 0 Drops

Stats at the Half: 37 Receptions, 584 Receiving Yards, 5 Touchdowns, 2 Drops

On Pace For: 74 Receptions, 1168 Receiving Yards, 10 Touchdowns, 4 Drops

Greg might not be a wide receiver, but he is by far our best option in the passing game. The vet is on pace for a monster season, one that would make a lot of the NFL’s top receivers jealous. It is a shame he is getting older, but the 30 year old is poised for another Pro Bowl berth and his best year yet.

By Grant Hughes

Follow Grant on Twitter @KenjonVander