Looking Ahead To 2012: Which Falcon Will Lead The Team Receiving?

by Dave Choate on Jan 31, 2012 8:00 AM EST in Falcons Talk

Time for a series on 2012's best and brightest. Time to put on your prognostication hats.

I didn't ask passing because I think we're all pretty sure it will be Matt Ryan, barring an injury. Similarly, Michael Turner should lead this team in rushing unless he's hurt or involved in a surprise trade. So the first position I see a real debate at is receiver.

Tell me who you think will lead the team in receiving yards, receptions, touchdowns and average yards per catch in 2012. Will it be electrifying second-year dynamo Julio Jones, or cagey veteran Roddy White? Will Tony Gonzalez get in on the action, or will Harry Douglas return and have a career year?

Note that I'm only listing current starting Falcons here, but feel free to get outlandish and predict Kerry Meier for a category win. Heck, project some rookie receiver. Just don't expect to be right.

You make the call.

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Receptions- Roddy

Yards- JJ
YPC – TG
Touchdowns – JJ

by RANewton on Jan 31, 2012 8:08 AM EST reply actions

Do you really think TG will beat JJ in yards per?

Tony’s avg. Last season was around 10ypc and JJ was like 18YPC. Tony is to old to pick em up and put em down like that, he seems to catch the ball and fall over like a top. JJ is a true homerun threat.

Rule #1: Double tap.

by Ball Hawk on Jan 31, 2012 9:03 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I agree and thats why I put him for most yards

I also did think to myself after I poasted that actuall given JJ’s speed he may beat him. I was just thinking over the consistency of Gonzo to get 10 or over more than anything else. My brain is also still running on MM’s old offense a little bit which probably had an effect. Yeah I change PC to Jones.

by RANewton on Jan 31, 2012 11:00 PM EST up reply actions

Rec leader rw 90 catches..yac leader julio 13.3yds ..td leader gonzo wit 11

Been a falcons fan since the big starter jackets was in style

by turnj35 on Jan 31, 2012 8:42 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Every year till he retires, Roddy will see fewer balls his way. JJ will emerge as the WR star of the team. But for next year:

Receptions – Roddy
Yards – JJ
YPC – JJ
YAC – JJ
TDs – TG

Roddy will have just under 100 receptions. JJ will be closer to 75 and TG will be even more important in the red zone.

by Caviarhound on Jan 31, 2012 8:47 AM EST reply actions

Assuming a slight improvement in pass protection

Roddy 96 receptions for 1325 yds
Julio 86 receptions for 1565 yds

The #3 WR is not on the roster.#3 WR is a 40 catch for 500 yds position for the Falcons,whoever it is.

by dawg1060 on Jan 31, 2012 8:59 AM EST reply actions

Let's see

I could see Roddy White leading in receptions. With big plays, Julio will lead the other three.

Bold yardage predictions
Julio- 1200
Roddy- 1050
Tony – 775

by ChardeeMacDennis on Jan 31, 2012 8:59 AM EST reply actions

Maybe ?

Yards – R.White
Receptions – R.White
Touchdowns – T.G
YPC – M.Palmer ??

by Crusader6 on Jan 31, 2012 9:02 AM EST reply actions

Seeing how close we came to having 3 1000yd receivers this year, I expect JJ,RW, andTG to have even better numbers next season.
REC- RW
YDS- JJ
TDS- JJ( I wanna see a leaping catch like he had in warmups)

by dnldbrk on Jan 31, 2012 9:06 AM EST via mobile reply actions

My opinion: JJ is going to go apeshit.

Receptions: RW not by much.
Yards: JJ
YPC: JJ
TDs: JJ

We have to remember that we are getting a new OC who isn’t going to be stuck in the same pattern as the last 4yrs. He’s coming in to utilize talent and based on talent JJ is better than RW. JJ does lack the experience but I’m not sure Roddy’s exp is helping him catch the ball that much; Saint’s game.

Rule #1: Double tap.

by Ball Hawk on Jan 31, 2012 9:12 AM EST via mobile reply actions

^^agreed

by FalconsFansincePrimetime on Jan 31, 2012 10:55 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

my take

Receptions : Roddy
YPC: JJ
YAC: JJ
TD: TG
Roddy: 1100
JJ: 1050
TG: 675
New TE if drafted: 550 and 6 TD’s (Especially if the dude can stretch the field like Koetter wants to.)
Slot: 450 (Do I hear Laurent Robinson’s name?) (If HD moves on)

by mice2 on Jan 31, 2012 9:46 AM EST reply actions

JJ Expectation

I wouldn’t be so quick to jump on JJ for all of these stats.

IMO JJ is still a 2nd year and more importantly our 2nd receiver. Yes he has all the tools and talent in the world. He’s bigger and faster than Roddy White and showed a lot of raw talent towards the end of the season.

But for 2012 i still see him as the #2 guy.

Matt Ryan is type of QB that can make all the throws not so much because he has a gun arm but mainly because he is a smart guy.
He knows the routes and has an expectation of where his guy will be. He reads the D well and uses that to his advantage however he is essentially a timing guy.

He like to hit the top of his drop and let it rip.
I’m sure we have all seen times the past year where MR has looked nervous or unsettled in the pocket and that’s never usually because of blitz or D pressure, it’s because he has hit his drop and the ball is still in his hand.

It’s for these reason i see RW as our #1 Again. Julio is a threat. He can kill you on many routes, The Go, deep curl, slant and quick toss at the line.
But he is no where near a crisp route runner. He can not run every route on the tree and on intermediate routes he struggles to hit his land marks.

Roddy does not have the size and speed (or maybe hands?) but is by far the most complete WR we have. He runs Crisp routes on almost the entire tree. Hits his spots of the field in time and gets his head around. This timing will continue to make Roddy the guy until Julio gets it down and builds that chemistry.

Sorry if i have stirred up this Julio Love fest but i just don’t want to throw too much expectation on the kid.
I’m also careful what i wish for because i see more picks being throw targeting JJ than RW.

by Crusader6 on Jan 31, 2012 10:00 AM EST reply actions

I think everyone has said exactly this

Roddy will still get a lot of looks and catch a lot of passes, but Julio will have more yards and personally I think more TDs as well.
I think like 90-1050-4 for RW
and 70-1250- 10 for Julio with like 50-70 rush yards(maybe more if he breaks one) like he had this year.

by Hutch11 on Jan 31, 2012 12:31 PM EST up reply actions

Julio Jones

If they throw to him an equal amount as Roddy then it will be Julio by a nice margin.

Technically the glass is always full. 1/2 air. 1/2 water.

by dr3dd1ne on Jan 31, 2012 10:55 AM EST reply actions

Yards- Quizz

We start throwing some screens and he averages 75 yards on each an reaches the end zone a bazillion times.

by HappySour on Jan 31, 2012 11:11 AM EST reply actions

But seriously i do think Roddy will get the number of receptions and Julio gets the yards, i mean look at the picture an see how much pleasure he gets from catching a ball.

by HappySour on Jan 31, 2012 11:12 AM EST up reply actions

A variety, if you will

Receptions – Roddy (90ish for RW, 80ish for JJ)
Touchdowns – Roddy (15ish for RW, 10ish for JJ)
Yards – JJ (1100 ish for RW, 1500 ish for JJ)
YPC – JJ
YAC – JJ

Success is internally determined and externally executed.

by The DW on Jan 31, 2012 11:12 AM EST reply actions

Off the wall

Receptions-Roddy White 102
Touchdowns- TG 12
Yards- julio 1205
YPC-JJ
YAC- The quizz

whats the worst that can happen?

by Ryan Reid on Jan 31, 2012 11:44 AM EST reply actions

Boldest prediction

Julio Jones will have 20 TDs. Likely right?

by Alex Welch on Jan 31, 2012 11:49 AM EST reply actions

Gotta be Roddy/JJ

Followed by TG, HD, Quizz, and Meier

by FLA_Falcon on Jan 31, 2012 11:55 AM EST via mobile reply actions

It will be Roddy

Roddy is still Matts favorite target although i could see JJ getting more yards with Roddy more catches

by Erihury on Jan 31, 2012 11:56 AM EST reply actions

Whoever it is, it won't be enough to make the playoffs next year.

by DBFalcon on Jan 31, 2012 12:05 PM EST reply actions

"Playoffs? You wanna talk about playoffs?"

by mr92687!!! on Jan 31, 2012 12:15 PM EST up reply actions

r u locco

seeing the sch that atlanta have nxt yr i see us notching 14-2 and loses coming against NO away and PHI away as well but other then that we r getting the first seed at nfc… comes to stat
rec – RW 115 1350 8
ypc – JJ 78 1650 18
yac – Quiz 55 790 8rec / 240att for 1150yrd and 12td cus i know MT is not coming back on the 2012 roster
td – JJ with 18
breakout player – HD 65 1100 5
as long as kooter knows what kind to players we have these numbers r being generous and for playoffs hopefully we win 2 games i know we will win one but after that its a toss up…

by romyo58 on Jan 31, 2012 1:40 PM EST up reply actions

I know it doesn't work like this but if you took Julios last 5 games

and he preformed like that over a whole season his stats would be-

19 Touchdowns
1475 Yards
77 Receptions
19.16 Avg

And if you took his last 6 FULL games (i.e. not injured,with the indy game!!)

21 Touchdowns
1579 Yards
72 Receptions
21.93 Avg

I would be happy with either of those!

by HappySour on Jan 31, 2012 12:24 PM EST reply actions

The answer is simple...

JaRoddy Jonezalez

GATA!

by Jman781 on Jan 31, 2012 12:58 PM EST reply actions

Julio looks possessed in that picture.

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by Caleb Rutherford on Jan 31, 2012 3:07 PM EST reply actions

or like...

…. jizz in my pants…

know what you believe in and why you believe in it

by MentallyMIA on Jan 31, 2012 3:45 PM EST up reply actions

Anybody ever think about how we have the pass catching version of thunder and lightening?

Roddy is the thunder. Runs his routes and you can’t stop him from beating his man, and Jones is the lightening because if he gets the ball he will burn most anybody on the defense. An excellent combination. Thats why:
Receptions: RW
TD: HD/TG
YPC: RW
YAC: JJ

by CombatFalcoholic on Jan 31, 2012 3:24 PM EST reply actions

if you are stacking YAC yards

your are going to blow everybody away in YPC too

know what you believe in and why you believe in it

by MentallyMIA on Jan 31, 2012 3:46 PM EST up reply actions

For yards after catch...DUNTA!!!

"I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl." - Joe Jacoby, formerly of the Redskins
"To win, I'd run over Joe's mom too." - Matt Millen, formerly of the Raiders

"We now have exactly the same situation as we had at the start of the race, only exactly the opposite" - Murray Walker, Sportscaster

by Blood_Talon on Jan 31, 2012 4:09 PM EST reply actions

For Me

Yards: Julio
Catches: Roddy
YPC: Julio
YAC: HD
TDs: Julio
Here is my logic to this, i think white will get the bulk of the catches making plays to convert downs get the defense sucked into him while julio will just be catching a lot of deeper passes and intermediate ones. TD will be julio also i think HD could play a role here, and yac is gonna be HA hopefully he gets to play..

by Nedk23 on Jan 31, 2012 4:25 PM EST reply actions

about the same

I see the stats stacking up similar to this year but JJ and roddy both going up. I think JJ will start drawing tighter coverages, and safety help. leaving roddy, clean routes, wide open. if not TG gets all front-end loader waching machine style at the first down somewhere. Thus stacking them up as roddy – rec/yds, jj- yac/ypc TG- TD machine.

by dirtybirdsrolltide on Jan 31, 2012 8:10 PM EST reply actions