Player
Sammy Watkins
WR (retired)
Sammy Watkins: facts drawn from the play-by-play.
At BUF he commanded 41% of the team's air yards — the highest deep-threat load of any WR on that roster, ever.
MilestoneWatkins BUF vs. rest of career — target role
| Stop | Avg Tgt Share | Avg Air Yds Share | Reg-season Yds |
|---|---|---|---|
| BUF (2014–16) | 25.1% | 41.1% | 2,459 |
| LA (2017) | 15.1% | 27.6% | 593 |
| KC (2018–20) | 17.0% | 18.2% | 1,613 |
| BAL/GB (2021–22) | 13.0% | 18.4% | 719 |
In the seasons he played 10+ games, Watkins averaged 57 receiving yards per game — WR1 pace. The injury log is the whole story.
TrendWatkins per-game yards — seasons with 10+ games
| Season | Gms | Yds | TDs | Yd/Gm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 BUF | 16 | 982 | 6 | 61.4 |
| 2015 BUF | 13 | 1,047 | 9 | 80.5 |
| 2017 LA | 15 | 593 | 8 | 39.5 |
| 2018 KC | 10 | 519 | 3 | 51.9 |
| 2019 KC | 13 | 673 | 3 | 51.8 |
| 2020 KC | 10 | 421 | 2 | 42.1 |
| 2021 BAL | 11 | 394 | 1 | 35.8 |
At BUF he was the offense. At KC he was the third option — and took a ring over targets.
SplitWatkins role by team (regular season)
| Stop | Years | Avg Tgt% | Avg Air% | Reg Yds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF | 2014–16 | 25.1% | 41.1% | 2,459 |
| LA | 2017 | 15.1% | 27.6% | 593 |
| KC | 2018–20 | 17.0% | 18.2% | 1,613 |
| BAL | 2021 | 14.0% | 18.1% | 394 |
| GB | 2022 | 10.5% | 19.1% | 206 |
Bills traded UP to #4 to get him in 2014 — sending Cleveland the picks that became Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel.
Rare2014 BUF-CLE trade fallout
| Player | Drafted by | Career yds |
|---|---|---|
| Sammy Watkins | BUF #4 | 5,384 |
| Justin Gilbert | CLE #8 | CB bust |
| Johnny Manziel | CLE #22 | QB bust |
Among 2014 1st-round WRs, Watkins (#4 overall) finished last in career yards — drafted highest, produced least.
Comparison2014 1st-round WR class — career regular-season stats
| Player | Pick | Career Yds | TDs | Y/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Evans | #7 | 13,052 | 108 | 15.07 |
| Brandin Cooks | #20 | 9,811 | 60 | 13.37 |
| Odell Beckham Jr. | #12 | 7,987 | 59 | 13.89 |
| Sammy Watkins | #4 | 5,384 | 34 | 14.79 |
Caught 14 passes for 288 yards across the KC 2019 playoff run — including 7-114-1 in the AFC Championship.
AnomalyWatkins KC 2019 playoff run
| Game | Rec | Yds | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Div. vs HOU | 2 | 76 | 0 |
| AFC Champ vs TEN | 7 | 114 | 1 |
| SB LIV vs SF | 5 | 98 | 0 |
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