The 2024 season has been nothing if not an adventure for the Bengals, the NFL's most aesthetically-pleasing bad team. Zac Taylor's side possesses a pair of football's grandest talents in Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, both of whom have authored career-best campaigns amid a cesspool of chaos.
Still, Cincinnati finds itself in third place in the AFC North, its postseason hopes still alive but only faintly.
In those circumstances, it's easy to forget just how impressive Burrow and Chase have been in recent weeks. Chase is especially notable, as the LSU alum has long been jostling back-and-forth with a handful of vaunted receivers for the title of world's best. With his contract nearing its conclusion and a new deal — be that in the Queen City or elsewhere — fast approaching, Chase figures to become one of the sport's wealthiest purveyors.
His performances as of late are the biggest reason why. There are plenty of ways to gauge effectiveness at the X. Few are as tried and tested as tracking receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, though. So far, Chase leads the league in all those categories. If he can keep that pace up going forward, he'd put himself in pretty good company.
With that, here's what you need to know about Chase's chase for the much-admired receiving Triple Crown.
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List of NFL WR Triple Crown winners
If Chase were to land the impressive feat, he would join a motley crew of gifted pass-catchers past and present. Hall of Famers litter the list of receiving Triple Crown winners, with 12 of 17 trifectas being achieved by players eventually enshrined into Canton. Among the most notable luminaries are Don Hutson, who revolutionized receiving from the end position, Lance Alworth, and Jerry Rice.
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The most recent Triple Crown winner was Cooper Kupp. The Rams star collected the title when he snagged 145 balls for 1,947 yards, and 16 touchdowns in 2021. For his efforts, he was awarded AP Offensive Player of the Year distinction.
Here's a look at the magnificent 17 receiving mavens who Chase is hoping to bump shoulders with in 2024.
Year | Player | Team | Catches | Yards | Rec TDs |
1932 | Ray Flaherty | Giants | 21 | 350 | 5 |
1936 | Don Hutson | Packers | 34 | 536 | 8 |
1941 | Don Hutson | Packers | 58 | 738 | 10 |
1942 | Don Hutson | Packers | 74 | 1,211 | 17 |
1943 | Don Hutson | Packers | 47 | 776 | 11 |
1944 | Don Hutson | Packers | 58 | 866 | 9 |
1951 | Elroy Hirsch | Rams | 66 | 1,495 | 17 |
1953 | Pete Pihos | Eagles | 63 | 1,049 | 10 |
1959 | Raymond Berry | Colts | 66 | 959 | 14 |
1964 | Johnny Morris | Bears | 93 | 1,200 | 10 |
1965 | Dave Parks | 49ers | 80 | 1,344 | 12 |
1966 | Lance Alworth | Chargers | 73 | 1,383 | 13 |
1990 | Jerry Rice | 49ers | 100 | 1,502 | 13 |
1992 | Sterling Sharpe | Packers | 108 | 1,46 | 13 |
2005 | Steve Smith Sr. | Panthers | 103 | 1,563 | 12 |
2021 | Cooper Kupp | Rams | 145 | 1,947 | 16 |
Ja'Marr Chase stats 2024
There have been countless impressive individual performances over the course of the 2024 NFL season. Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry have turned back the clock and look well-equipped to compete for a spot on the 2,000-yard rusher list, while Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jared Goff, Sam Darnold, and Joe Burrow have put forth sparkling campaigns under center for their respective sides.
Chase's year, by comparison, seems to have gone under the radar. That really shouldn't be the case. The venerable wideout is making quite the run at the title of league's best receiver, netting nearly 100 yards per contest as of Week 14. He's already beaten his career highs in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. With two weeks left in the regular season, the sky is the limit for Chase, even if his Cincinnati teammates — Burrow aside — haven't quite been able to match his ambition thus far this year.
Here's a closer examination of the numbers behind Chase's 2024 dominance:
Games | Targets | Catches | Yards | Rec TDs | Yards per catch |
15 | 146 | 108 | 1,510 | 16 | 14.0 |