Pro Football Focus (PFF) indiscreetly declared Minnesota Vikings rookie Justin Jefferson the better receiver over his predecessor and 2020 receiving yards leader, Stefon Diggs.
PFF ranked Jefferson No. 15 among all NFL players in its annual list that recaps the top 101 players of the season.
While comparisons between Jefferson and Diggs had been drawn all season between the two receivers who play in entirely different offenses and have different roles, PFF did not shy away from making its own assertion on whom is better, ranking Diggs directly below Jefferson at No. 16.
Other Vikings to make the list included Adam Thielen (No. 35), Dalvin Cook (No. 40), Kirk Cousins (No. 65) and Eric Kendricks (No. 70).
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PFF’s Case for Jefferson Over Diggs
While Diggs was the league’s leading receiver in both yards (1,535) and receptions (127), Jefferson proved to be the more efficient receiver, earning the respect of PFF.
Here’s what senior editor Sam Monson wrote on both star wideouts:
15. WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
The Vikings struck gold with Justin Jefferson: He wasn’t just the best rookie receiver in 2020, but he also set rookie records and was one of the best first-year receivers in NFL history. Making that all the more improbable is that Jefferson was the fifth receiver off the board in the draft, and the Vikings barely played him during the first two games before seemingly stumbling upon what they had. Jefferson finished the year trailing only Davante Adams in yards per route run (2.66) and did as much damage as he did despite ranking just 15th in targets.
16. WR STEFON DIGGS, BUFFALO BILLS
Diggs wanted out of Minnesota because he didn’t believe that the Vikings would ever give him the kind of workload he felt his play deserves. And he was thoroughly vindicated by his first season in Buffalo, which saw him lead the league in receiving yardage (1,535), targets (162) and receptions (127). Diggs maintained the exceptional play he showed as a Viking and just had more opportunities to showcase it within Buffalo’s offense, with Josh Allen looking his way whenever he could throughout the season.
Jefferson finished the season fourth in receiving yards with 1,400 on the season despite seeing the 15th most targets.
Jefferson Addresses Stefon Diggs Comparisons
It was inevitable that Jefferson would be compared to Diggs coming out of college after the Vikings used the No. 22 overall pick acquired from trading Diggs to the Buffalo Bills to draft Jefferson.
“A lot of people felt that I was coming in to replace Stefon Diggs. They kind of made it seem like we was enemies,” Jefferson said in a recent press conference, adding that the two wide receivers congratulated each other on their successful seasons.
“I feel it will always be that type of conversation with us just because I’m replacing him and he went to a team where he wanted the ball a lot,” he added. “So he’s getting exactly what he wanted. He’s doing things for his team and I’m doing things for mine. We are each our own player. We don’t try to act like one another.”
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NFL Analytics Giant Strikes Down Justin Jefferson-Stefon Diggs Debate