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In 2017, Julio Jones had 1,444 receiving yards playing for the Falcons.  Last year, Atlanta had only 530 pass attempts (excluding sacks); this means Jones recorded 2.72 receiving yards per Atlanta team pass attempt.  That was the most in the NFL last year, followed by DeAndre Hopkins (2.62) and Antonio Brown (2.60), although it’s worth noting that both Hopkins and Brown missed games.

This was the second season in a row that Jones led the NFL in receiving yards per team pass attempt. In 2016, he had 1,409 yards while Atlanta had 537 pass attempts; that’s a 2.62 RY/TPA average that is even more impressive when you consider that Jones missed two games that season. Jones is already in select company, and one more year would put him in exclusive territory: only four players have led the league in RY/TPA in more than two seasons. Don Hutson did it 7 times, Jerry Rice 4 times, and Steve Smith and Michael Irvin each did it three times.

I like this stat because it’s similar to yards per route run (one of my favorite stats) but it’s able to be calculated historically. The table below shows the yearly leaders in this statistic:

YearPlayerTeamGRec YdsTm PassRY/TPA
2017Julio JonesATL1614445302.72
2016Julio JonesATL1414095372.62
2015Antonio BrownPIT1618345903.11
2014Jordy NelsonGNB1615195362.83
2013Anquan BoldinSFO1611794172.83
2012Brandon MarshallCHI1615084853.11
2011Steve SmithCAR1613945192.69
2010Mike WallacePIT1612574792.62
2009Andre JohnsonHOU1615695932.65
2008Steve SmithCAR1414214143.43
2007Reggie WayneIND1615105512.74
2006Lee EvansBUF1612924313
2005Steve SmithCAR1615634493.48
2004Hines WardPIT1610043582.8
2003Randy MossMIN1616325203.14
2002Marvin HarrisonIND1617225912.91
2001David BostonARI1615985263.04
2000Randy MossMIN1614374952.9
1999Jimmy SmithJAX1616365353.06
1998Eric MouldsBUF1613684612.97
1997Yancey ThigpenPIT1613984663
1996Isaac BruceSTL1613384812.78
1995Michael IrvinDAL1616034943.24
1994Jerry RiceSFO1614995112.93
1993Jerry RiceSFO1615035242.87
1992Michael IrvinDAL1613964912.84
1991Michael IrvinDAL1615235003.05
1990Willie GaultRAI169853362.93
1989Jerry RiceSFO1614834833.07
1988Eddie BrownCIN1612733923.25
1987Carlos CarsonKAN1210444322.42
1986Jerry RiceSFO1615705822.7
1985Art MonkWAS1512265122.39
1984John StallworthPIT1613954433.15
1983Mike QuickPHI1614094862.9
1982Stanley MorganNWE95841873.12
1981Steve WatsonDEN1612444852.56
1980Stanley MorganNWE169914132.4
1979Wes ChandlerNOR1610694282.5
1978Wesley WalkerNYJ1611693883.01
1977James ScottCHI148093052.65
1976Roger CarrBAL1411123613.08
1975Ken BurroughHOU1410633473.06
1974Cliff BranchOAK1410923353.26
1973Harold JacksonRAM148742713.23
1972Harold JacksonPHI1410483752.79
1971Paul WarfieldMIA149962933.4
1970Bob HayesDAL138892972.99
1969Paul FlatleyATL148342822.96
1968Don MaynardNYJ1312974362.97
1967Homer JonesNYG1412094062.98
1966Otis TaylorKAN1412973773.44
1965Lance AlworthSDG1416024014
1964Gary BallmanPIT139353232.89
1963Buddy DialPIT1412953683.52
1962Bobby MitchellWAS1413844283.23
1961Charley HenniganHOU1417464983.51
1960Buddy DialPIT129722853.41
1959Del ShofnerRAM129363562.63
1958Del ShofnerRAM1210973583.06
1957Pete BrewsterCLE126141953.15
1956Harlon HillCHI1211282504.51
1955Billy WilsonSFO128313032.74
1954Bob BoydRAM1212123213.78
1953Elroy HirschRAM129413242.9
1952Billy HowtonGNB1212313373.65
1951Elroy HirschRAM1214953734.01
1950Hugh TaylorWAS128333142.65
1949Mac SpeedieCLE1210282963.47
1948Mal KutnerCRD129432853.31
1947Mac SpeedieCLE1411462963.87
1946Dante LavelliCLE148432373.56
1945Jim BentonRAM910671995.36
1944Don HutsonGNB108662533.42
1943Don HutsonGNB107762533.07
1942Don HutsonGNB1112113303.67
1941Don HutsonGNB117382532.92
1940Don HutsonGNB116642832.35
1939Don HutsonGNB118462483.41
1938Don HutsonGNB105482102.61
1937Gaynell TinsleyCRD116751893.57
1936Bill SmithCRD114141832.26
1935Tod GoodwinNYG124321542.81
1934Paul MossSTL3131582.26
1933Cliff BattlesBOS121851061.75
1932Luke JohnsosCHI143211482.17
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