NFL writer gives Bengals' playmaker the ultimate compliment
It's no secret that the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in Ja'Marr Chase. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Year as well as a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro in 2021 and followed it up with another Pro Bowl nod this season despite missing five games. When […]
It's no secret that the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in Ja'Marr Chase. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Year as well as a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro in 2021 and followed it up with another Pro Bowl nod this season despite missing five games.
When it comes to starting an NFL franchise, finding the right quarterback is the top priority. However, Chase got some pretty amazing praise earlier this week when Pro Football Focus named him one of the top non-quarterbacks to start a team with.
"In the same offense in college, Chase was more feared than Jefferson. In the NFL, despite the impossibly high standards Jefferson is setting, Chase has a chance to rival him once again — that’s how special he looks. He immediately catapulted the Bengals offense to a different plane when he arrived in Cincinnati, and the team is now a game away from back-to-back Super Bowl appearances with him catching passes from Joe Burrow."
Chase went for over 100 yards in his Bengals' debut in 2021, he never looked back. Chase would log five games over the century mark for the season including two over 200 yards (set franchise record with 266 yards vs the Chiefs).
Once gears shifted to the postseason, Chase continued to be a problem catching 25 of his 35 targets for 368 yards in four games which included two 100-yard performances.
Chase had four more games over 100 yards in 2022 and gained over 1,000 yards again with nine touchdowns. That would be impressive for most receivers if they played the entire season, but considering Chase did so despite spending a month on the shelf, it deserves a lot of kudos.
Through two playoff games this season, Chase has 14 receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns, keeping his reputation for being a big playoff performer alive.
Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are good receivers in their own right. But the attention that Chase gets is the main reason they get a lot of the opportunities that are afforded, especially freeing them up for one-on-one chances.
Chase is the straw that stirs the drink when it comes to the Bengals' passing game, and he's turned himself into one of the best players in the NFL.
Feature image via Kareem Elgazzar / USA TODAY NETWORK
