Stefon Diggs has put himself right back into the conversation as one of the more intriguing receivers on the market, and Pro Football Focus’ latest rankings only sharpen that picture.
Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick slotted the 32-year-old at No. 17 on their list of the league’s top wideouts, a spot that stood out for one simple reason: Diggs was the only receiver in the rankings who is currently with a team. Tyreek Hill, while not included in the top 32, did receive honorable mention from the PFF duo.
Diggs’ placement comes after a season that looked a lot like a reset button. He bounced back from the ACL tear that ended his 2024 campaign eight games into his time with the Houston Texans and then delivered a full year with the AFC champion New England Patriots.
He started all 17 games for Mike Vrabel’s team, paced the Patriots with 85 catches and 1,013 receiving yards, and finished third on the roster with four touchdown receptions. In the playoffs, he played in all four of New England’s games, led the club with 14 receptions and caught one of Drake Maye’s six postseason touchdown passes.
The one blemish in the production line: a modest 7.9 yards per catch.
PFF’s evaluation was direct about why Diggs still carries weight. “Coming off an ACL tear that ended his 2024 season,” said Pro Football Focus, “Diggs proved during his lone season in New England that he can still be a valuable contributor on a championship contender.
He recorded his seventh career 1,000-yard season. During the regular season, he ranked seventh among qualified wide receivers in yards per route run (2.42) and PFF receiving grade (87.5).
He would significantly improve most receiving corps around the league.”
That kind of profile naturally puts Carolina in the mix. The Panthers already took a major step at receiver by drafting Tetairoa McMillan out of Arizona with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. McMillan led Dave Canales’s team with 70 catches, 1,014 receiving yards and seven touchdown grabs, and he was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Carolina’s passing game also got help from elsewhere on the roster. Xavier Legette, the 2024 first-round pick, finished with a team-high 49 receptions that season, while Adam Thielen led the Panthers with 615 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Down the stretch and into the playoffs this past season, McMillan and former undrafted free agent Jalen Coker gave Bryce Young and the offense a strong pairing. General manager Dan Morgan also added another pass-catching piece in April, using a third-round pick on Tennessee speedster Chris Brazzell II.
Even with those moves, Diggs brings something different: a long track record and a postseason resume that few available receivers can match. He is 58 catches shy of the 1,000-reception mark, and his career totals sit at 11,504 yards and 74 touchdowns. In the playoffs, he has played in 18 games and posted 83 catches for 1,019 yards and five scores.
For a Carolina team that already made progress at the position, that kind of veteran production is hard to ignore.
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The appeal is easy to see for Duke: Knueppel brings the kind of size, skill and feel that tends to play well in Durham, and the family connection does not hurt either. As the younger brother of former Duke player and current Charlotte Hornet Kon Knueppel, he already comes with a familiar name and a program tie, but the bigger story is how quickly his stock is moving as the Blue Devils continue to build around Scheyers next wave of recruiting. [Read more 🡒]