Last year, Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua caught 105 passes, setting a new NFL record for receptions by a rookie. That record doesn’t look like it’s going to stand for long.
Both Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers are on pace to break the record with two games left in the season.
Bowers has 101 catches this year and Nabers has 97, which means they both could break the record either this week or next week. Bowers, who is averaging 6.7 catches per game this year, is five catches away from breaking the record. Nabers, who missed two games but is averaging 7.5 catches per game he has played this year, is nine catches away.
The rookie receiving record that Nacua broke was only two years old, having been set by Jaylen Waddle in 2021. As passing offenses continue to evolve and college football puts more NFL-ready receivers into the pros, and with the bonus of a 17-game season, this looks like a record that will continue to fall. Bowers or Nabers may give the record up to another rookie a year from now.
