Amon-Ra St. Brown among 10 best wide receivers in the red zone last year

While he was among the most productive receivers in the league over the final six weeks last year, Amon-Ra St. Brown also graded out well for his work in the red zone.

After a slow start to his rookie season, Amon-Ra. St. Brown found his stride as opportunity knocked. Over the final six weeks last year, he was among the most productive wide receivers in the entire league (51 receptions for 560 yards, five touchdowns).

St. Brown will remain a very prominent part of the Lions’ offense this year. If there’s a best bet for who will lead the team in targets, even as his target share falls with better health for other key players, it’d be him.

If Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell could build a wide receiver, with all the traits he wants in a player, it’d be St. Brown.

Amon-Ra St.Brown among best red zone wide receivers last year

St. Brown had 15 red zone targets last season, per RotoWire, with four going for touchdowns.

Pro Football Focus ranked the best wide receivers in the NFL according to their receiving grade in the red zone last year. With a 73.6 PFF grade in the scoring area, St. Brown ranked ninth. Based on a minimum of 10 red zone targets, he was eighth.

"9. AMON-RA ST. BROWN, DETROIT LIONSReceiving Grade in Red Zone: 73.6While St. Brown surprised the NFL landscape with a solid rookie campaign, his red-zone play was fairly average. He snagged 10 of his 15 targets for 82 yards and four touchdowns. In addition, he caught 90.9% of his catchable targets."

In line with his late surge, 10 of St. Brown’s 15 red zone targets came over the final six games last season, with the multiple red zone targets three times.

St. Brown doesn’t profile as a red zone maven based on sheer physical size, at 6-foot tall and less than 200 pounds.

But success in that compressed area of the field is also aided by being a route technician. Combined that with a likely uptick in volume and more space to work in, and it’d be no surprise if St. Brown lands a pretty good red zone grade from PFF again this season.