If Driver is #1, #2 is...???

[HarveyWallbangers]

Elite (annual All-Pro)
Chad Johnson
Randy Moss
Terrell Owens
Marvin Harrison
Steve Smith

I can't quibble with those

Blue Chip (occasional All-Pro)
Torry Holt
Plaxico Burress
Joe Horn
Rod Smith
Hines Ward

I believe Driver is as good as Horn and Smith at this stage in their careers. Both are around 35. I'm also not a big fan of Burress. He's had 1 or 2 good years. I wouldn't trade Driver for him.

Tainted Blue Chip (occasional All-Pros, but age/injury issues)
Javon Walker
Eric Moulds
Issac Bruce
Joey Galloway

Galloway had a great rebound last year, but I think Driver is as good. Galloway is much older. Moulds is done. Bruce is not the same receiver he was.

Potential Blue Chip (potential All-Pro talent)
Larry Fitzgerald
Anquan Bolden
Andre Johnson
Roy Williams
Chris Chambers
Santana Moss

I wouldn't take Williams over Driver right now. Moss is iffy. A few of these guys (Boldin, Johnson, Fitzgerald) are already blue chip. Of the 20 you mentioned, I think only 12 of them are clearly better than Driver. That puts Driver in the top half of starting #1 receivers in the league. Yes, he's a legit #1.

[RashanGary]

Great list Leaper.

Driver has been more productive, but something has to be said for potential.

Driver has to be in the top 32. Considering there are 32 teams in the league, a #1 WR would be one of the top 32.

Looking at that list puts it in perspective. Production wise, Driver is a really good #1. Talent wise he is a lower level #1. Average it out and he's an average #1 WR. Not a bluechipper, but more productive than most.

[Bretsky]

The Packers don't have a #1... Driver is a #2, and everybody else is a 3 or 4.

Jennings will eventually turn out to be a good #2, but it's unrealistic to think that he'll play to that level as a rookie.

I respect the view that DD is not a #1, but I will contest it. I've said all along DD is the ideal #2 and an average #1.

I'd challenge you to go through the #1 WR of every team and then list how many are better than Driver. I'd bet Donald Driver would be rated in the 18-25 range of #1 WR's, and to me that makes him a legit #1 WR.

[BooHoo]

The Packers don't have a #1... Driver is a #2, and everybody else is a 3 or 4.

Jennings will eventually turn out to be a good #2, but it's unrealistic to think that he'll play to that level as a rookie.

what he said, except Jennings may be a very, very good #2.

[wist43]

My honest assessment of NFL WRs better than Driver?

Elite (annual All-Pro)
Chad Johnson
Randy Moss
Terrell Owens
Marvin Harrison
Steve Smith

Blue Chip (occasional All-Pro)
Torry Holt
Plaxico Burress
Joe Horn
Rod Smith
Hines Ward

Tainted Blue Chip (occasional All-Pros, but age/injury issues)
Javon Walker
Eric Moulds
Issac Bruce
Joey Galloway

Potential Blue Chip (potential All-Pro talent)
Larry Fitzgerald
Anquan Bolden
Andre Johnson
Roy Williams
Chris Chambers
Santana Moss

Those are 20 guys who I believe have more talent than Driver...and could put up numbers consistently better than Driver if playing in the same offense with the same QB over the long term.

Personally, I consider Driver to be very close to Reggie Wayne in terms of ability...both guys have put up better stats than they would otherwise due to offenses that possessed several elite offensive talents to help. They are blue chip players when you place them with Brett Favre and Peyton Manning. Hell, Bill Schroeder was almost blue chip talent with Brett Favre throwing him the ball.

That said...I can't think of too many other players I would rather have on my team than Driver (just in terms of TALENT, not character/presence) outside of the 20 I listed above. Any other names I am missing off the top of my head???

That's a good list Leaper...

I like both Boldin and Fitzgerald in the "elite" catagory though... Arizona easily has best WR tandem in the league. It's rare and unusual that a team would have two WR's that talented on the same team.

The only thing that keeps Walker off the "elite" list is his knee... it'll be interesting to see if he can come all the way back w/in a year.

I also like Wayne better than Driver.

As for the idea that there are 32 teams, therefore 32 #1 WR's, I don't agree that's the case. Are there 32 #1 LT's in the league... obviously no. I'd argue that there are several teams in the league w/o a true #1 WR.

Even NE doesn't have a true #1... Their best WR is Deon Branch, who is a nice receiver, and can put up some very good numbers, but he doesn't strike fear in opposing defenses.

Green Bay really doesn't have a true #1.

[SD GB fan]

a season back i wud have agreed that driver isnt a true #1 cos we had walker, who is younger and more talented. but seeing how he played last season, facing double or triple coverage the whole season since walker went out the first game, donald gave a strong push for #1 WR quality. despite the extra attention he still posted impressive numbers. i wud say he is definitely a number 1 WR, the only thing against him being his age. wist, as for ur definition of no. 1, u seem to interpret no. 1 WR as an elite or scary WR. i respect that but only few WRs can ever achieve that status. in my opinion, the no. 1 WR is the reliable guy that can perform when team need him the most and driver certainly did that quite a few times last season. without him, just imagine the passing game. make it 36 ints and 15 TDs for old #4.

[MJZiggy]

Does anyone have any yards after catch stats for DD and JW?

[SD GB fan]

career wise, DD has 3.8 and JW has 3.9

but JW is based on only three complete seasons with consistent 3.9, 4.0s.
DD meanwhile has 7 seasons and has two seasons where he avg almost 5 YAC.

[Partial]

Driver is a great 2. Now the question is, can we win with a great 2? Teams (Patriots) have done it before many times, but do we have the defense and running game for that?

[Scott Campbell]

[quote="BooHoo"]

what he said, except Jennings may be a very, very good #2.

Outside of Boldin, who was the last rookie to come in a play great right out of the chute.

People are asking an awful lot out of Jennings.

[HarveyWallbangers]

[quote="Scott Campbell"]

what he said, except Jennings may be a very, very good #2.

Outside of Boldin, who was the last rookie to come in a play great right out of the chute.

People are asking an awful lot out of Jennings.

Michael Clayton, but I agree with you.

The absolute top end that I think we could expect would be ~50 receptions and 700 yards.

[chain_gang]

It seems the most successful wideouts in their rookie years seem to be the ones that have most of the qualitys that jennings has. He has some speed not blazing, but good speed, Good hands, and the most important part run after the catch. Even if you go back to Michael Clayton, Anquan Boldin, Chris Chambers, Larry Fitzgerald, Roy Williams, and so on the one similiar trait is the run after the catch ability. I'm not saying Jennings is in Boldin's caliber, but it wouldn't suprise me if he's in Chambers, Williams, and a hell of a lot better than Clayton. A rookie can only make an impact if he earns the trust of the QB. I think that trust is going to grow every practice and camp. At the end of the year we'll be seeing this on the ESPN ticker...

Packers sweep rookie honors. Defensive rookie of the year A.J. Hawk and Offensive Rookie of the year Greg Jennings

[SD GB fan]

Packers sweep rookie honors. Defensive rookie of the year A.J. Hawk and Offensive Rookie of the year Greg Jennings

if that happens, chances are, packers will also be deep into the playoffs if not the superbowl, and i think the whole packer nation can die happy

[The Leaper]

People are asking an awful lot out of Jennings.

I doubt Jennings is going to become a starter his rookie year. If he can nail down the #3 spot at some point during the year, it would be a tremendous season for the kid. No Packer rookie WRs have done anything of note since we moved to the WCO with the arrival of Holmgren.

That said, Jennings appears to be one of the more polished WRs in terms of fundamentals that I've seen as a rookie in the last 4-5 years. It isn't impossible for a kid to step in and contribute in the WCO...especially if he understands what is necessary in route running and timing.

If Jennings can put up 35 catches and 450 yards in 2006, it will be a wildly successful year. Those numbers are roughly equal to the best year Ferguson has put up thus far, so for a rookie that would be a great start.