Amon-Ra St. Brown has gotten off to a stellar start to the season for the Lions, playing like one of the best receivers in the league to start the year. He had a great second half to his rookie year last year and has continued that production, tying the record for the most consecutive games with eight or more catches. St. Brown has certainly made a case for himself to be considered a top receiver, but is he top ten yet? Let’s break down both arguments to figure out.
Why The Lions Wide Receiver Could Be Considered Top Ten
St. Brown, throughout his time in the league, has been one of the most consistent receivers in the league, putting up eight straight games with eight or more receptions. In seven of those games, he also scored at least one touchdown. He has quickly found his way to being the focal point of the passing game, and Goff’s favorite target. His routes are among the best in the league, and his ability to make plays happen out of nothing is incredible.
So far through this season, Amon-Ra St. Brown has put up top five receiving numbers with 17 receptions, 180 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. He’s been covered by some of the league’s best while doing this too, going up against Darius Slay and Kendell Fuller. With his current pace, he’s on track to set multiple records, and his targets from Goff so far, suggest this production is not slowing down.
Why The Lions Receiver Shouldn’t Be Considered Top Ten Yet
The biggest reason Amon-Ra St. Brown shouldn’t be considered a top ten receiver yet is that he is still inexperienced. For a player to be considered top ten at your position after your rookie year, you have to do something extremely special like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase did. While St. Brown has shown to be special, it took him about half his rookie year to start doing those special things, whereas Jefferson and Chase were doing it right out of the gate. So, when he does it for longer, then he can get the respect those guys get.
The other big reason the Lions receiver shouldn’t be considered top ten yet is because of how stacked the NFL is at the receiver position. When you watch St. Brown play, you’d think he’s a top ten talent until you look at the guys he’s competing with for that spot. It’s hard to say you’d take St. Brown on your team over guys like Davante Adams, Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Stephon Diggs, Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Evans, Keenan Allen, Deebo Samuel, DeAndre Hopkins, and A.J. Brown. His talent is great, but as of now, it’s hard to match up against these guys.
Is The Lions Receiver Top Ten?
As of right now he probably shouldn’t be considered a top ten receiver, but he definitely has the skill and potential to be in there. If he can continue the production that he’s been putting up he has the potential to even be considered top five in this league. Plus, if the Lions continue to use him as they have and don’t limit his role, he can be the long-term WR1 for Detroit. But as of now, it’s a little too early to call him top ten.
