A.J. Green

Playing a full 16-game slate last season for the first time since 2017, Green's appearance in the opener was his first since Week 13 of the 2018 campaign. During his time away from the field, he contended with injuries to his right toe and left ankle that forced surgeries on both occasions, and he clearly wasn't close to his previous All-Pro self in 2020, managing a 47-523-2 line on 104 targets. Perhaps Green will be aided in his attempt to rebound with the move to Arizona, where he'll join DeAndre Hopkins, one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. The Cardinals also have intriguing secondary weapons in the form of Christian Kirk, rookie second-rounder Rondale Moore and speed merchant Andy Isabella. Green will look to carve out a role in three-wide sets as he hauls in passes from third-year quarterback Kyler Murray.

A one-time star, Green has suited up in only nine of Cincinnati's last 32 games, missing last year entirely with an ankle injury. When we last saw him in mid-2018, he was more or less himself, posting numbers that prorate to 137 targets, 82 catches, 1,234 yards and 11 scores over a full season. Green was efficient too - 9.0 YPT (10th had he qualified) and 15.1 YPC (6th). At 6-4, 210, and with 4.48 speed, Green had been the Bengals' top dog since he was drafted fourth overall in 2011. He's now 32 and coming off a lost year, following one in which he didn't have a single catch for 40-plus yards. Green is past his peak, and it's unclear how he'll mesh with the other talent on the roster, namely uber-QB-prospect Joe Burrow, co-No. 1 Tyler Boyd and the team's other wideouts - John Ross, Auden Tate and rookie second-round pick Tee Higgins. But the Bengals valued Green enough to place the franchise tag on him, triggering an $18.2 million payday, so they expect him to be a prominent part of their offense. What he has left in the tank is anyone's guess.

For the second time in three years, Green's season was cut short due to an injury, in this case a toe problem that wouldn't heal and eventually required season-ending surgery. He was more or less himself in nine games, posting numbers that prorate to 137 targets, 82 catches, 1,234 yards and 11 scores over a full season. Green was efficient too - 9.0 YPT (10th had he qualified) and 15.1 YPC (6th). That said, Green had only 12 catches of 20-plus yards and none for more than 40. He saw regular work in the red zone with 14 targets inside the 20, six from inside the 10 and five from inside the five in only nine games - that he was on pace for double-digit TDs was no fluke. At 6-4, 210, and with 4.48 speed, Green has been the Bengals' clear top dog since he was drafted fourth overall in 2011. Now 30 and coming off a year in which he didn't have a single catch for 40-plus yards, Green is probably slightly past his peak, and a severe ankle injury from the first week of training camp led to a clean-up procedure that will likely cause him to miss at least a couple of games out of the gate. Once he gets healthy, Green will have a new and untested head coach (Zac Taylor) and offensive coordinator (Brian Callahan) taking over for Marvin Lewis and Bill Lazor, respectively.

Green had his worst season as a pro in 2017, and he did so despite playing 16 games. Coming off a three-year run of at least 9.0 YPT, Green managed a meager 7.6 (18th among the league's 27 100-target WR) and 14.4 YPC (11th). Part of the problem was Andy Dalton's mediocre play behind one of the league's worst offensive lines - there simply wasn't time to connect on longer routes, and Green managed only nine catches of 20 or more yards (T-37th among WR) on 142 targets (T-8th). But Green will also turn 30 in July and is likely past his peak, which for receivers is usually about 24-27. At 6-4, 210 and with 4.48 combine speed, Green has long been a prototypical NFL No. 1, with the speed and size to make big plays down the field and height and catch radius to excel in the red zone. That latter piece seemed to be intact even if he had lost a step - Green caught eight TDs, six of those inside the red zone (T-6th among WR, despite being 12th in inside-the-20 targets). Heading into 2018, there are reasons for optimism. Green fought through a late-season knee injury from which he is completely recovered, and the team's offensive line should be much better with the trade for LT Cordy Glenn and pick of C Billy Price at No. 21 overall. Moreover, last year's ninth overall pick John Ross, arguably the fastest player in the league, should be back after losing most of his rookie season to injuries, stretching the field and creating space for Green.

Green was having arguably the best season of his career when he tore his hamstring early in the team's 10th game. Prorate his nine-game stats over a full 16-game season, and you'd get 117 catches for 1,714 yards and seven scores. Green was also highly efficient, averaging 14.6 YPC (10th) and 9.6 YPT (4th among the league's 41 100-target WR). At 6-4, 210, with 4.48 speed, Green is still a dangerous deep threat -- he tied for the league lead with six catches for 40-plus yards despite missing nearly seven games. Green saw only 10 red-zone looks (which prorates to 18), low for a player of his height and skills, though not in Julio Jones territory for neglect. The presence of red-zone hog Tyler Eifert -- on the rare occasions when the tight end is healthy -- cuts into Green's opportunities near pay dirt. Green's hamstring had healed enough that he was cleared to work out in March and presumably will be 100 percent well before the start of training camp. The Bengals drafted blazingly fast receiver John Ross with the ninth overall pick, but he's more likely to impact Brandon LaFell and last year's second rounder Tyler Boyd than Green. While quarterback Andy Dalton is hardly Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees, his serviceability and longstanding rapport with Green make for a stable situation, giving Green an awfully high healthy floor.

Green had an under-the-radar huge year in 2015. His 9.8 YPT was third among the league's 32 100-target WR and first among anyone with more than 105 targets. He tied for seventh in catches of 20-plus yards (19) despite being 15th in targets. His 10 scores tied for eighth, even though he was 11th in red-zone looks (19) and tied for 14th in targets inside the 10 with eight. In short, Green was an elite WR whose totals were limited only by his modest usage. That could change in 2016. The Bengals parted with 152 targets between Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu. In their place is 29-year-old Brandon LaFell and rookie second-rounder Tyler Boyd. And tight end Tyler Eifert (16 RZ targets) enters the season with uncertainty after ankle surgery. So, there's some chance Green sees an uptick in looks, especially if the Bengals' defense (17.4 PPG allowed, 2nd) takes a small step back. Green's production fell off significantly during the season's final three weeks when AJ McCarron took over for injured starter Andy Dalton, who is healthy again at press time. At 6-4, 207, with 4.48 speed and excellent quickness for his size, Green is still one of the league's premier big-play threats, and his healthy floor is among the league's highest. His ceiling hinges on whether he sees the target volume commensurate with his talent.

A toe injury cost Green three midseason games, an arm injury cost him most of another in Week 16 and a concussion during the fourth quarter in Week 17 sidelined him for the team's wild-card loss against the Colts. Despite the physical toll, and quarterback Andy Dalton's significant regression, Green's per-play and per-game production remained robust as ever. He averaged 9.0 YPT, good for 12th among the league's 41 100-target wideouts, and 15.1 YPC (9th). And prorating over a full season, his 69 catches for 1,041 yards and six scores in essentially 12 games comes to 92 catches for 1,388 yards and eight touchdowns. At 6-4, 207, with 4.48 speed, excellent quickness for his size and good ball skills, Green has been one of the league's top big-play receivers since he was drafted fourth overall in 2011. The concerns here are the nagging injuries — though he's reportedly 100 percent healthy — and Dalton's spotty play under center. Dalton should, however, get a boost not only from a healthy Green but also the return of Marvin Jones, who missed all last season, and tight end Tyler Eifert, who saw only eight snaps in Week 1. At 26, Green is still in his prime and should more or less be slotted where he was a year ago.

Like most receivers, Green’s efficiency has gone down as his opportunities have gone up. As long as he’s getting 178 targets (3rd), that’s a tradeoff with which most are willing to live. Despite pedestrian per-play averages –14.6 YPC (15th among the league’s 37 100-target WR) and 8.0 YPT (18th) – Green was one of two receivers to have 90 catches, 1,400 yards and double-digit touchdowns (Demaryius Thomas was the other). At 6-4, 207 and with excellent speed and ball skills, Green is a threat to get deep and also a weapon in the red zone. Green’s eight catches of 40 yards or more were second only to Josh Gordon’s nine, and he was a prolific target near the goal line with 11 looks inside the 10 (tied for 5th). The biggest risk for Green this season is a reduction in targets – after all, the Bengals are strong defensively, and Giovani Bernard, Marvin Jones and Tyler Eifert are developing into complementary threats. But that was the case last year, too, and Cincinnati still aired the ball out 587 times (12th). Moreover, should Green’s targets diminish, presumably his efficiency would increase.

Believe it or not, Green had a down year – at least on a per play basis. While Green led the league with seven catches of 40-plus, he had only 16 catches of 20-plus (T-15th) on 164 targets (T-5th), and he averaged a pedestrian 8.2 yards per target, 16th among the league's 39 100-target wideouts. Green was primarily a volume guy and a goal-line threat, with 23 red-zone looks (T-2nd), 14 from inside the 10 (1st).  Nonetheless, Green finished as the No. 4 overall receiver in standard leagues last year (No. 3 in PPR), and there's reason to think his efficiency will improve. Green averaged 9.2 YPT during his rookie season and had more big plays (19 to 16) despite 49 fewer targets. At 24, the 6-4, 210-pound burner hasn't lost a step, and quarterback Andy Dalton could get better in Year 3. Even at the current pace, the volume and red-zone looks ensure a high floor.

A rare 1,000-yard receiver as a rookie, Green is just getting started in the NFL. At 6-4, 210, with excellent speed, outstanding ball skills and superior athleticism, Green is already a mismatch for opposing defensive backs. He averaged 9.2 yards per target as a rookie, while catching balls from a rookie quarterback. Despite missing a game with a knee injury, and playing through a shoulder sprain, Green had seven catches of 40-plus yards (tied for 3rd). Green also showed outstanding hands, dropping only three passes in 115 targets. Green also saw 16 red-zone targets, nine of which were from inside the 10 (tied for 6th). Given his size and leaping ability, it’s reasonable to expect more scores in 2012. Green could stand to bulk up a bit, especially as the NFL season took its toll on him last year, but with Green entering his second year along with quarterback Andy Dalton, things should only get better.

The No. 4 overall pick out of Georgia, the 6-4, 210-pound Green projects as a potential superstar with excellent speed, uncanny quickness for a player his size and superior athleticism. Green has good hands and fantastic ball skills, going up over smaller defenders and catching the ball at its peak. He'll need to put on more muscle, and his immediate situation – an unsettled quarterback position in Cincinnati and other budding young receivers in Jordan Shipley, Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell – is far from ideal. But Green's not a project – he's NFL-ready right now, and his skills merit a late-round flier, irrespective of his environment.