Drake London will serve as a go-to option for Michael Penix Jr. in 2025:Kirk Cousins heavily leaned on London when pressured last season, and Penix — in his first full year as a starter — will likely do the same.
Ladd McConkey is a pivotal piece for Justin Herbert: As a rookie, McConkey posted a 20.8% threat rate (target rate on routes run) on pressured dropbacks, the second-highest clip in the NFL.
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Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
We're diving into last season's highest target rates among NFL wide receivers when their quarterback faced pressure. In other words, which players were leaned on most when pass rushers got home?
Specifically, we're ranking wide receivers by threat rate, which is simply target rate based on the number of routes the player runs.
Editor's Note: Wide receivers needed at least 25 targets under pressure to qualify.
1. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons: 21.1% Threat Rate
London caught 22 of 37 pressured targets for 303 yards in 2024. He moved the chains 14 times, gained 32 yards after contact and recorded eight gains of 15-plus yards, earning a 77.6 PFF receiving grade when his quarterback was pressured.
Over the past two seasons, London has been targeted 65 times with his passer facing pressure (10th most), and he owns a strong 80.2 PFF receiving grade on those plays. He has 35 catches in those situations for 515 yards and 24 first downs.
2. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers: 20.8% Threat Rate
The rookie standout finished with the third-best PFF receiving grade when his quarterback was pressured last season (88.2). McConkey ranked in the top five in catches (24) and receiving yards (444) while averaging 7.9 yards after the catch per reception on such plays. He caught three touchdown passes, moved the chains 15 times and recorded 10 plays of 15-plus yards (tied for fifth most).
A safety blanket for Justin Herbert, McConkey led the league in yards after the catch (189), yards after contact (99) and missed tackles forced (six) on pressured plays.
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3. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens: 20.0% Threat Rate
Flowers saw 36 targets when his quarterback was under pressure last season (eighth most), and he hauled in 15 for 264 yards and a touchdown. All of his catches moved the chains, with nearly half (seven) gaining 15 or more yards. He also finished with the second-highest deep target rate in pressure situations (38.9%).
Flowers has racked up 66 pressured targets in his first two seasons, logging 32 catches for 587 yards and four touchdowns. He ranks in the top 10 in targets and receiving yards across that span. He has gained 29 first downs and earned a 76.0 PFF receiving grade on those plays.
4. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos: 19.7% Threat Rate
Bo Nix targeted Sutton 34 times when he was pressured as a rookie, and Sutton caught 19 of those passes for 289 yards and 13 first downs. He secured four of eight contested targets, tallied nine gains of 15-plus yards (tied for ninth most) and recorded a seventh-ranked 81.0 PFF receiving grade on such plays.
Sutton ranks sixth in PFF receiving grade on targets when his quarterback was pressured over the past three seasons (83.8). That mark is fueled by 55 catches for 851 yards, six touchdowns, 42 first downs and 27 explosive gains.
5. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings: 19.2% Threat Rate
Jefferson is one of the NFL's best when pass rushers are bearing down on his quarterback, ranking in the top three in several metrics last season. He caught 31 of 49 pressured targets for 540 yards and 16 explosive gains (all top-two marks). He moved the chains 25 times (second most), gained 116 yards after the catch (third most) and led the position with five touchdowns. In all, Jefferson earned an 88.2 PFF receiving grade when his quarterback was pressured (second best).
No receiver has seen more pressured targets over the past three seasons (135), and Jefferson has turned those opportunities into first-place figures in catches (83), receiving yards (1,643) and PFF receiving grade (92.3). He has also gained 50 first downs (second most), caught 10 touchdown passes (second most) and recorded 49 explosive gains (most) while averaging 5.8 yards after the catch per reception (sixth best).
Ja'Marr Chase is the only other receiver in that span to record 1,000 receiving yards with double-digit touchdowns in pressured situations.
6. Malik Nabers, New York Giants: 19.1% Threat Rate
Last year’s sixth-overall draft pick saw 41 targets with his quarterback under duress last season, the most for a rookie receiver since 2020. Nabers and Ladd McConkey were the only rookies to be targeted more than 25 times in such situations, and Nabers also tied McConkey with 24 catches. He finished with 311 receiving yards, 16 first downs and four touchdown catches.
Nabers also ranked eighth in yards after the catch (79) and yards after contact (35) and generated the fourth-best deep target rate (31.7%) in pressure situations.
7. Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers: 18.8% Threat Rate
Jennings caught 16 of 31 targets for 188 yards and 10 first downs with 49ers quarterbacks under pressure. He hauled in three touchdowns, secured five of eight contested targets and had five plays of 15-plus yards in those situations.
He owns a 66.8 PFF receiving grade on pressured targets over the past three seasons, having caught 35 passes for 378 yards. Jennings has gained 20 first downs, caught four touchdowns and logged 11 explosive gains in that span.
8. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals: 18.5% Threat Rate
Chase, another explosive receiver with his passer under fire, led the league last season in catches (32), first downs (26) and explosive gains (18) in pressured situations, culminating in 556 receiving yards (most) and an 85.0 PFF receiving grade (fourth best). Chase recorded four touchdowns and finished second in yards after the catch (164) and yards after contact (53) on such plays.
Chase boasts a career 89.2 PFF receiving grade (second best) with his quarterback under pressure. His pressure stat sheet also includes 83 catches for 1,510 yards, 67 first downs, 16 touchdowns, 43 explosive gains and 493 yards after the catch.
Ja'Marr Chase's Career PFF Grades
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9. Nico Collins, Houston Texans: 18.4% Threat Rate
Collins recorded a league-best 90.9 PFF receiving grade with this quarterback under pressure last season, after securing 29 catches for 411 yards, 18 first downs and a touchdown. He ranked third in yards after contact (52) and explosive gains (15) and led the league in yards per route run (2.60).
Few have been greater than Collins in pressured situations over the past two seasons. He ranks in the top five in catches (41) and receiving yards (769) and the top three in first downs (32), explosive gains (24) and yards per route run (2.34). He sports the NFL's second-best pressured PFF receiving grade in that span (90.6).
10. D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks: 17.6% Threat Rate
Metcalf saw the fifth-most under-pressure targets last season (39) and hauled in 20 for 302 yards and a touchdown. He gained 13 first downs, recorded eight gains of 15-plus yards and posted a 78.4 PFF receiving grade in those situations.
The now-Steelers receiver owns a 79.0 PFF receiving grade on pressured plays over the past three seasons and ranks in the top 10 in targets (98) and catches (54). He has recorded 762 receiving yards with five touchdowns, 19 explosive plays and 36 first downs.