There is a serious risk that this innocent blog post will eventually morph into a large feature article, but I want to look back at some of the most productive fantasy receiver tandems of the last 10 seasons to get a feel for how likely it is that we'll see elite production from two wideouts in the same season on a yearly basis.
It started with a simple tweet: Since 2001, 15 teams have had multiple receivers average double-digit fantasy points (non-ppr) in a season (min. 9 games).
The parameters include the standard one yard = 0.1 pt and a TD catch = 6.
Here are the teams that have boasted two (or more) receivers with a 10.0 FP/G average since 2001:
Player | Team | QQ|>G | QQ|>GS | QQ|>Targ | QQ|>Catch | QQ|>Yards | QQ|>TD | QQ|>FP | QQ|>FP/G | QQ|>Year |
10. Tim Brown | OAK | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>N/A | QQ|>91 | QQ|>1,165 | QQ|>9 | QQ|>170.5 | QQ|>10.7 | QQ|>2001 |
11. Jerry Rice | OAK | QQ|>16 | QQ|>15 | QQ|>N/A | QQ|>83 | QQ|>1,139 | QQ|>9 | QQ|>167.9 | QQ|>10.5 | QQ|>2001 |
4. Eric Moulds | BUF | QQ|>16 | QQ|>15 | QQ|>N/A | QQ|>100 | QQ|>1,287 | QQ|>10 | QQ|>188.7 | QQ|>11.8 | QQ|>2002 |
6. Peerless Price | BUF | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>N/A | QQ|>94 | QQ|>1,252 | QQ|>9 | QQ|>179.2 | QQ|>11.2 | QQ|>2002 |
3. Hines Ward | PIT | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>N/A | QQ|>112 | QQ|>1,329 | QQ|>12 | QQ|>204.9 | QQ|>12.8 | QQ|>2002 |
8. Plaxico Burress | PIT | QQ|>16 | QQ|>15 | QQ|>N/A | QQ|>78 | QQ|>1,325 | QQ|>7 | QQ|>174.5 | QQ|>10.9 | QQ|>2002 |
3. Javon Walker | GB | QQ|>16 | QQ|>12 | QQ|>144 | QQ|>89 | QQ|>1,382 | QQ|>12 | QQ|>210.2 | QQ|>13.1 | QQ|>2004 |
12. Donald Driver | GB | QQ|>16 | QQ|>11 | QQ|>137 | QQ|>84 | QQ|>1,208 | QQ|>9 | QQ|>174.8 | QQ|>10.9 | QQ|>2004 |
5. Marvin Harrison | IND | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>139 | QQ|>86 | QQ|>1,113 | QQ|>15 | QQ|>201.3 | QQ|>12.6 | QQ|>2004 |
7. Reggie Wayne | IND | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>115 | QQ|>77 | QQ|>1,210 | QQ|>12 | QQ|>193.0 | QQ|>12.1 | QQ|>2004 |
13. Brandon Stokley | IND | QQ|>16 | QQ|>4 | QQ|>102 | QQ|>68 | QQ|>1,077 | QQ|>10 | QQ|>167.7 | QQ|>10.5 | QQ|>2004 |
6. Torry Holt | STL | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>138 | QQ|>94 | QQ|>1,372 | QQ|>10 | QQ|>197.2 | QQ|>12.3 | QQ|>2004 |
14. Isaac Bruce | STL | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>147 | QQ|>89 | QQ|>1,292 | QQ|>6 | QQ|>165.2 | QQ|>10.3 | QQ|>2004 |
4. Anquan Boldin | ARI | QQ|>14 | QQ|>14 | QQ|>171 | QQ|>102 | QQ|>1,398 | QQ|>7 | QQ|>181.8 | QQ|>13.0 | QQ|>2005 |
6. Larry Fitzgerald | ARI | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>165 | QQ|>103 | QQ|>1,409 | QQ|>10 | QQ|>200.9 | QQ|>12.6 | QQ|>2005 |
5. T.J. Houshmandzadeh | CIN | QQ|>14 | QQ|>12 | QQ|>131 | QQ|>90 | QQ|>1,081 | QQ|>9 | QQ|>162.1 | QQ|>11.6 | QQ|>2006 |
7. Chad Ochocinco | CIN | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>152 | QQ|>87 | QQ|>1,370 | QQ|>7 | QQ|>179.0 | QQ|>11.2 | QQ|>2006 |
1. Marvin Harrison | IND | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>148 | QQ|>95 | QQ|>1,366 | QQ|>12 | QQ|>208.6 | QQ|>13.0 | QQ|>2006 |
6. Reggie Wayne | IND | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>137 | QQ|>86 | QQ|>1,310 | QQ|>9 | QQ|>185.0 | QQ|>11.6 | QQ|>2006 |
5. Larry Fitzgerald | ARI | QQ|>15 | QQ|>14 | QQ|>167 | QQ|>101 | QQ|>1,412 | QQ|>10 | QQ|>201.2 | QQ|>13.4 | QQ|>2007 |
11. Anquan Boldin | ARI | QQ|>12 | QQ|>10 | QQ|>99 | QQ|>71 | QQ|>853 | QQ|>9 | QQ|>139.3 | QQ|>11.6 | QQ|>2007 |
8. Chad Ochocinco | CIN | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>160 | QQ|>93 | QQ|>1,440 | QQ|>8 | QQ|>192.0 | QQ|>12.0 | QQ|>2007 |
9. T.J. Houshmandzadeh | CIN | QQ|>16 | QQ|>15 | QQ|>168 | QQ|>112 | QQ|>1,143 | QQ|>12 | QQ|>186.3 | QQ|>11.6 | QQ|>2007 |
1. Randy Moss | NE | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>159 | QQ|>98 | QQ|>1,493 | QQ|>23 | QQ|>287.3 | QQ|>18.0 | QQ|>2007 |
15. Wes Welker | NE | QQ|>16 | QQ|>13 | QQ|>145 | QQ|>112 | QQ|>1,175 | QQ|>8 | QQ|>165.5 | QQ|>10.3 | QQ|>2007 |
1. Anquan Boldin | ARI | QQ|>12 | QQ|>11 | QQ|>126 | QQ|>89 | QQ|>1,038 | QQ|>11 | QQ|>169.8 | QQ|>14.2 | QQ|>2008 |
2. Larry Fitzgerald | ARI | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>154 | QQ|>96 | QQ|>1,434 | QQ|>12 | QQ|>215.4 | QQ|>13.5 | QQ|>2008 |
2. Randy Moss | NE | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>138 | QQ|>83 | QQ|>1,264 | QQ|>13 | QQ|>204.4 | QQ|>12.8 | QQ|>2009 |
9. Wes Welker | NE | QQ|>14 | QQ|>13 | QQ|>162 | QQ|>123 | QQ|>1,348 | QQ|>4 | QQ|>158.8 | QQ|>11.3 | QQ|>2009 |
5. Austin Collie | IND | QQ|>9 | QQ|>6 | QQ|>72 | QQ|>58 | QQ|>649 | QQ|>8 | QQ|>112.9 | QQ|>12.5 | QQ|>2010 |
12. Reggie Wayne | IND | QQ|>16 | QQ|>16 | QQ|>176 | QQ|>111 | QQ|>1,355 | QQ|>6 | QQ|>171.5 | QQ|>10.7 | QQ|>2010 |
|STAR||STAR|data compiled from FFToday.com
In a given year, at least one such tandem is likely to achieve this level of production, but as you can see above there are some (2007) where three teams achieved it and even the instance in 2004 where the Colts had three players average 10.0 FP/G.
In many cases, it's a high volume of targets for both players that leads to high totals, rather than a situation where one player gets most of the red-zone looks while the other racks up yardage as a "possession" receiver.
Perhaps the existence of co-No.1 receivers requires more than two supremely talented players? Whether it's the lack of a top-tier tight end (capable of stealing valuable red-zone targets), or playing in an offense that doesn't spread the ball around to as many hands as we've seen with Sean Payton in New Orleans or Mike McCarthy in Green Bay, the right conditions need to exist for two top-15 fantasy wideouts to come from the same team.
We'll try to explore them in more detail as the offseason rolls along.