The NFL's 10 Best Deep-Ball Wide Receivers in 2017
3. Nelson Agholor, Philadelphia Eagles
Deep Targets: 23 | Target NEP per Target: 1.22 | Success Rate: 43.48%
We've already gushed about Nelson Agholor in our piece about wide receivers who outperformed their teammates. Why stop there, though? He deserves all the praise we can muster.
Being a deep target was not the primary role that Agholor served this year with just 24.2% of his targets coming at least 16 yards downfield. But when they did go his way, Agholor came through, turning 23 targets into 10 receptions for 368 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Agholor looks even better when you put his numbers alongside those of Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith.
| Deep Balls in 2017 | Targets | Target NEP | Target NEP per Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alshon Jeffery | 43 | -4.02 | -0.09 |
| Nelson Agholor | 23 | 28.03 | 1.22 |
| Torrey Smith | 20 | 7.03 | 0.35 |
Part of this is due to some missed connections between Jeffery and Nick Foles after Foles took over as he struggled mightily during the regular season. But even when we look just at the throws from Carson Wentz, Agholor stands out.
| Deep Balls From Wentz | Targets | Target NEP | Target NEP per Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alshon Jeffery | 36 | 2.64 | 0.07 |
| Nelson Agholor | 18 | 24.72 | 1.37 |
| Torrey Smith | 18 | 9.2 | 0.51 |
Sure, it's on less volume, and Jeffery likely drew more attention from the defense, but the production gaps are vast. The Eagles would be wise to get Agholor more love next year.
Smith is a potential cap casualty, but outside of that, this core group of pass catchers should be back in 2018 with a (hopefully) healthy Wentz. If the target distribution stays the same, then Jeffery is clearly the most desirable piece for fantasy with Zach Ertz checking in second. That's not a guarantee, though, and if the Eagles recognize how well Agholor performed, don't be shocked if he earns a bigger piece of the pie in the future.
