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The preseason lists and rankings are starting to roll out for 2023. One recent release featured an interesting ranking for one of Detroit’s brightest young stars.
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown cracked the list of the top 32 wideouts from Pro Football Focus. St. Brown is ranked No. 15 overall, sandwiched between Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf and D.J. Moore of the Bears, who played for the Panthers in 2022.
PFF’s explanation of St. Brown spotlights both how good he is and also why he’s unlikely to ever ascend to being one of the top names on lists like this,
One of the least-heralded receivers to come good, St. Brown has emerged as the driving force behind Detroit’s flourishing offense over the past couple of seasons. He was one of five receivers in the NFL to earn a PFF receiving grade above 90.0 last season, putting him in elite company. His role differs from most of those other receivers, lining up predominantly in the slot and with an average depth of target of just 6.7 yards downfield. But he is elite in that role.
Despite being sixth in receptions in 2022 with 106, St. Brown missed out on the top 10 in receiving yards and was tied for 23rd in touchdowns. His 11.0 yards per reception and 6.7-yard average depth of target are both near the bottom of the players ranked by PFF. But as they note, St. Brown is exceptional in his role in Detroit’s offense.