NFL

5 Wide Receivers With Huge Increases in Production During the 2016 Season

After a disappointing sophomore season in 2015, Davante Adams exploded for the Packers. Which other pass-catchers enjoyed a huge uptick in production this season?

The more things change, the more they stay the same -- sometimes.

Once again in 2016, we saw star wide receivers like Antonio Brown, Julio Jones and Odell Beckham continue producing elite numbers. The top-end wide receivers are fairly predictable in their production from one year to the next, which is a refreshing benefit to their respective offenses -- consistent wide receiver production is a vital piece to offensive success in the NFL.

Something not always predictable is a wide receiver’s ability to bounce back following a disappointing year.

There are many variables that can grow or suppress a player’s growth and production, like turnover at the head coach or offensive coordinator positions, injuries to teammates, or even more time in their current offensive system.

The below five players either bounced back to their elite level of play or seemingly came out of nowhere to become stars upon looking at both traditional statistics and advanced analytics. The following pass-catchers all saw a minimum of 60 targets in 2016.