Jeremy Maclin immediately proved his worth during his first season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015, collecting 1,088 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns. His 70.16% catch rate (8th in the league) helped him set a career high in receptions (87).
He seemed to fit the bill by looking at traditional stats, but advanced metrics -- like Reception NEP per Target -- tell more of the story and why there should've been some concern. Ranking 29th out of 53 qualified receivers in that statistic ultimately foreshadowed some of his regression in 2016.
| Category | 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Receptions | 87 | 44 |
| Catch Rate | 70.16% | 57.89% |
| Reception NEP per Target (Rank) | 0.70 (29th) | 0.57 (46th) |
| Reception Success Rate | 82.76% | 75.00% |
| Receiving Yards | 1088 | 536 |
| Touchdowns | 8 | 2 |
That career high in receptions was a distant memory this past year since it was cut in half, resulting in career lows in reception yards (536) yards per reception (12.2) and touchdowns (2).
He did only suit up for 12 games (another career low) due to injury, which certainly had an impact. However, his Reception NEP per Target was among the worst in the league, killing his efficiency in limited opportunity.