D.J. Moore on pace for historic season with Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears
By Peter Jurich
DJ Moore is on pace for a historic season with the Chicago Bears
Moore joins the likes of Calvin Ridley in 2023, A.J. Brown and Tyreek Hill in 2022, and Deandre Hopkins and Stefon Diggs in 2020 as top-end receivers to join a rookie-deal quarterback via trade, but so far throughout the 2023 season, the wide receiver is on pace to do what none of those players have. Below is a chart of all six players' numbers in their first season (or what they are on pace for) after being traded to their new teams, represented as both a total and as a percent of the total offense.
Targets (Total/%) | Receptions (Total/%) | Rec. Yards (Total/%) | Rec. TDs (Total/%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
D.J. Moore | 116/22.37% | 92/28.72% | 1805/52.16% | 17/45.45% |
Calvin Ridley | 112/19.67% | 75/17.74% | 1132/27.03% | 7/40% |
A.J. Brown | 145/27.05% | 88/25.14% | 1496/36.44% | 11/44% |
Tyreek Hill | 170/29.11% | 119/32.34% | 1710/37.91% | 7/23.33% |
Deandre Hopkins | 170/27.83% | 122/29.72% | 1495/35.93% | 6/22.22% |
Stefon Diggs | 176/27.65% | 135/30.97% | 1631/33.23% | 9/20% |
*Note: All figures adjusted to a 17-game season. All statistics were accessed from Pro Football Reference.
Currently, Moore is on pace to finish a 17-game season with 1,805 yards and 17 touchdowns on 92 receptions and 116 targets. Amongst the above-listed players, Moore's yardage and scoring totals would be by far the highest, but only Calvin Ridley's projected total targets and receptions would serve as a lower total in those categories. This would indicate that not only is Moore on a pace to out-produce these players, but he is doing so at a much more efficient rate.
Additionally, when looking at these receivers' shares in their respective offenses, it is evident that Moore is in a field of his own in terms of production. Through five games, Moore has garnered just 22.37% of Fields' targets and 28.72% of his completed passes. Amongst the six cases, his shares rank fifth and fourth, respectively, but he is first in both receiving yardage share (52.16%) and receiving touchdown share (45.45%).
Moore's numbers in this young season are fairly skewed by his performance against the Commanders and, to a lesser degree, against the Broncos. Hopefully, his production and usage in the offense going forward will emulate the previous two games more so than the first three, but still, it is undeniable that the new receiver has raised Fields' gameplay.