5 best rookie WR seasons of the last 20 years ft. Puka Nacua

Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua burst onto the scene in 2023, putting up one of the greatest rookie wide receiver campaigns the NFL has ever seen.

The BYU product wasn't touted by many to be the success he has become. But Nacua made the most of the opportunities presented to him and made everyone sit up and take notice.

Which other wide receivers exploded in a similar way during their maiden NFL campaign? Here is a list of the top 5.

NFL best rookie WR seasons

#5 - Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals

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The Arizona Cardinals selected WR Anquan Boldin with the 54th overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, and he went on to have one of the best rookie seasons of all time.

Boldin started all 16 games, in which he amassed 1,377 yards on 101 receptions. He also added eight touchdowns on top of that.

Unfortunately for Boldin, he was a rare bright spot on the 2003 Cardinals squad, who only managed four wins and came last in the NFC West. He was their only Pro Bowl selection that season.

Boldin went on to have seven 1,000-yard seasons over a 14-year career and won a Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012.

#4 - Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

One of the many talented WRs to come out of LSU, Justin Jefferson lit the league alight for the Minnesota Vikings during his rookie year in 2021.

Jefferson quickly developed a rapport with QB Kirk Cousins, amassing 1,400 yards and eight touchdowns on 88 receptions. What makes the feat even more impressive is that Jefferson only started 14 games, having spent the beginning of the year further down the Vikings' WR depth chart.

Since entering the NFL, Jefferson has established himself as arguably the best wide receiver in the league, having topped 1,000 yards in all four seasons to this point. His best year came in 2022 where he led the league in receiving yards with 1,809 and won NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

NFL best rookie WR seasons

#3 - Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants

The New York Giants took Odell Beckham Jr. with the 12th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and they were immediately rewarded. OBJ had an all-time rookie season, totaling 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns on 91 receptions.

What's even more impressive about his stat-line on the year is the fact that he missed the first four games of his rookie season due to a hamstring injury. Beckham tied Bill Groman's record for the most games with 90+ yards as a rookie (9) and ended 2014 10th in receiving yards amongst wide receivers.

The highlight of his debut campaign was undoubtedly his insane one-handed catch against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football, hailed by many as the greatest catch in NFL history.

OBJ has had five 1,000-yard seasons during his career, but has struggled in recent times with various injuries. He won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, catching a touchdown early on before tearing his ACL.

He now plays for the Baltimore Ravens and will be chasing his second ring this postseason.

#2 - Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

The third and final LSU alumni on this list, Ja'Marr Chase was drafted 5th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Chase ended his rookie year as having the third-most receiving yards amongst first-year players in NFL history. He amassed 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns on 81 receptions, instantly reconnecting with his former LSU teammate Joe Burrow.

Burrow and Chase led the Bengals to the Super Bowl where they were downed by Odell Beckham Jr. and the LA Rams. Chase ended 2021 as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and was named second-team All-Pro.

Chase has topped 1,000 yards in all three of his NFL seasons to date and remains one of the best wide receivers in football.

#1 - Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

Unlike the aforementioned on this list, there was very little hype around Puka Nacua entering the NFL. Nacua was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the 177th overall pick.

Cooper Kupp missed time to begin 2023 and Nacua took full advantage, quickly making himself a favorite target of QB Matt Stafford. In just his second career game, Nacua broke the NFL rookie record for receptions with 15 in the Rams' loss to the 49ers.

Even when Kupp returned, Nacua remained a pivotal part of the Rams' offense, and he ended 2023 with a historic stat-line. Nacua broke Bill Groman's 63-year record of receiving yards amongst rookies with 1,486.

Not only that, he also totalled 105 receptions - the most ever having overtaken Jaylen Waddle's 104 from 2021.

About the author

Matthew David Wear is an NFL writer for Sportskeeda based in Manchester with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Sunderland. He has a total work experience of 10 years, having previously worked for the likes of FourFourTwo, World Soccer, Soccer AM, Sunderland Echo and ALS Fanzine.

Matthew follows the Cincinnati Bengals since he feels that they have been underdogs without achieving much success just like his native Sunderland AFC. If he could ever go back in time, he would want to change the 'holding' call on Logan Wilson that led to the Rams winning the game.

His favorite NFL players are Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Logan Wilson and Trey Hendrickson, while his favorite coach is Andy Reid for his unparalleled offensive tactics. His favorite Super Bowl is the LII edition where the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots and Nick Foles was declared MVP.

To stay at the top of his craft, Matthew keeps himself updated with stats, plays fantasy football, and makes sure all the data in his work are from reputed sources. When not working, Matthew likes to stay outdoors and engage in running and hiking.

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Edited by Akshay Saraswat