Which rookie NFL receivers had over 1,000 receiving yards?

Jefferson barely eked over 1,000 yards as a rookie, putting up 1,001 yards in 1978 for the San Diego Chargers. However, he missed two games due to being poked in the eye, and from there on out, he wore goggles when playing. Jefferson made history by becoming the first NFL player with over 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first three seasons.

“Bullet” Bob Hayes was quite fast. Literally, he was an Olympic gold medalist two times over in the world of track and field. Back in the 1960s, being fast was enough to mess with NFL defenses. Hayes led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in both of his first two seasons and also had 1,003 yards as a rookie.

As a rookie, the athletic Benjamin had 73 catches for 1,008 yards. Unfortunately, he missed his sophomore season with an ACL injury. Benjamin did return for the Panthers in 2016 and had 941 yards, but his NFL career would quickly dissipate. He’s been out of the NFL since 2018.

These days, Collinsworth is known to a generation, or two, as an NFL announcer. As a player, though, Collinsworth was quite the receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals. His 67 receptions as a rookie in 1981 were the most by a first-year player since 1960, and he had 1,009 receiving yards as well.

The Dolphins drafted Waddle to reunite with his college quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tua through a lot of short passes to the fast, shifty receiver, and that worked out quite well. Waddle’s after-the-catch ability helped him rack up 104 catches for 1,015 yards.

Pitts was the fourth-overall pick in 2021 as a tight end, but he came into the NFL with sky-high opinions of his receiving ability. While he had only one touchdown as a rookie for the Falcons, he had 1,026 receiving yards as a rookie tight end, which is significant.

Colston was a seventh-round pick out of Hofstra, and the Saints thought about making him a tight end, much to the delight of fantasy football players in 2006. Instead, Colston was a receiver and a surprise sensation. He had 1,038 yards as a rookie, the first of six 1,000-yard seasons he put up in his career. Not bad for a seventh-rounder.

Galloway has an interesting distinction. He has the most career receiving yards and receiving touchdowns for a player to never make a Pro Bowl. That began with 1,039 yards as a rookie for the Seahawks in 1995.

The Saints don't have Drew Brees anymore, and they are dealing with almost incomprehensible cap issues. However, they do have Olave. With Michael Thomas banged up once again, Olave racked up 72 catches for 1,042 yards in 15 games.

Allen is known as one of the elite route runners of his generation. That’s how he’s made up for a relative lack of speed that dropped him to the third round. Allen hit the ground running, notching 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie for the Chargers.

Elite physical attributes became results in the NFL for Evans. He had 1,051 yards and 12 touchdowns as a rookie. Evans then began his NFL career with eight-straight seasons with over 1,000 yards. He’s already the all-time-greatest receiver in Buccaneers' history.

The Titans' offense was built around Derrick Henry at the time, but Brown was able to add another element to the offense down in Tennessee. He turned his 52 catches into 1,051 yards as a rookie in 2019, breaking off a lot of big plays in the process. Of course, after three successful seasons with the Titans, Brown was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles, a somewhat stunning movie.

Back-to-back A.J.’s! Green was slightly better than Brown as a rookie, racking up 1,057 yards as a rookie with the Bengals. When Cincy took Green over Julio Jones, it was a bit of a surprise, but it paid off. Green made seven Pro Bowls with the Bengals.

Givins began his season in 1986 with the Houston Oilers, notching 1,062 yards through the air even though he missed a game. He would spend several seasons in Houston before ending his career in 1995 with the Jacksonville Jaguars in their inaugural season in the NFL.

For a receiver so talented, Cooper has had an itinerant career. He began with the Raiders, racking up 1,070 yards as a rookie. During his fourth season with the Raiders, he was dealt to the Cowboys, where he found his form again. Then, after a few seasons in Dallas, he moved on to Cleveland. Cooper has been to four Pro Bowls but also played with three teams before turning 30.

Ditka is best known for his time coaching the Chicago Bears, but he was a Hall of Fame tight end as well. He was drafted by the Bears in 1961 and was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year off the back of 1,076 yards receiving. For a tight end of that era, those were practically unheard of numbers.

Wilson and Olave were both Ohio State Buckeyes, and they both had over 1,000 yards receiving as rookies in 2022. In fact, Wilson led the way with 83 catches for 1,103 yards, even if that is in 17 games. However, don't forget that he did that while catching passes from the likes of Zach Wilson and Mike White.

An old-school name, Hill was a rookie in 1954. He proceeded to put up 1,154 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, both Bears franchise records to this day. These days, the Division II equivalent of the Heisman is called the Harlon Hill Trophy.

Apparently, 1986 was big for rookie receivers. In addition to Givins, Brooks went over 1,000 yards. He had 1,131 yards with the Colts. It would be his best season in Indianapolis, but he led the team in receiving yards five times in seven campaigns.

Glenn’s career was tumultuous – and his untimely death at 43 ignominious – but he was certainly skilled. Drafted seventh overall by the Patriots, Glenn came out the gate with a whopping 90 catches for 1,132 yards. He was technically on the Patriots’ first Super Bowl-winning team in 2001, but he missed the entire postseason due to a suspension, his career in a nutshell.

Thomas had 92 catches for 1,137 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie for the Saints, but that was just the beginning. Eventually, Thomas would set a new NFL record with 149 catches in 2019. Since then, though, injuries have derailed Thomas’ career.

No, not the titular George Clooney character from that Oscar-winning film. Clayton came out of the gate with the Buccaneers in 2004 with 80 catches for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns. He would finish his career with 2,955 yards and 10 touchdowns. Yeah, it went downhill fast.

The earliest name on this list. In 1952, Howton led the Packers, and the NFL, with 1,231 receiving yards. Later in his career, he would be first-team All-Pro twice with Green Bay and retired in 1963 as the NFL’s all-time leader in receiving yards…at a whopping 8,459 yards. Yeah, times have changed.

We all remember Beckham’s highlight-reel catches with the Giants as a rookie in 2014. However, those are just the iconic moments. The flashy receiver had plenty of big plays for New York, finishing with 1,305 yards through the air and establishing himself as a new star in the NFL.

To this date, still the quintessential rookie season for a receiver. Moss was a force on the field for the Vikings, who had a passing offense for the ages with Moss and Cris Carter both on the field. It was Moss, though, who set a new rookie record with 17 receiving touchdowns, not to mention his 1,313 yards. This was the beginning of a Hall-of-Fame career for a player many consider the second-best receiver ever.

When you draft a receiver in the second round, you hope maybe they can contribute a bit as a rookie. Instead, Boldin was immediately an impact player for the Cardinals. In 2003, Boldin had 101 receptions for 1,377 yards. It was his first of three trips to the Pro Bowl.

To beat one of Moss’ Vikings records is impressive, and Jefferson did just that. In 2020, Jefferson had 88 catches for 1,400 yards. Somehow, he improved upon that in his sophomore campaign, tallying 108 catches for 1,616 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021.

Chase was Jefferson’s teammate at LSU, and Chase would go ahead and one-up his college teammate in the NFL. Jefferson set what was technically the NFL record for receiving yards as a rookie in 2020, but Chase would go ahead and beat that in 2021. Speaking of reunions, Chase was drafted to reunite with his college quarterback Joe Burrow in 2021. Chase would respond with 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Though admittedly, that was in 17 games.

For many years, Groman technically had the rookie receiving record, because he set the AFL record. Those numbers are just folded into the NFL these days with the merger. Groman may not be a big name these days, but he was a star in the 1960s. He had 1,473 yards with the Oilers in 1973 as a rookie. The next year, he led the AFL with 17 receiving touchdowns. During his career, Groman also won four AFL titles. That is quite the resume for a guy who doesn’t get mentioned all that often. Except, of course, on lists like this.

Groman's record has finally fallen! It was an out-of-nowhere name as well. Nacua was a fifth-round pick out of BYU. He came out of the gate in 2023 utterly on fire, going over 110 yards in three of his first four games. A physical receiver, Nacua finished with 105 catches for 1,486 yards, though with only six touchdowns. He finished fourth in the NFL in receiving yards, and first among rookie receivers all time.