2024 season · Receivers and tight ends, Next Gen Stats qualified, 129 qualifiers

Receiver Separation and Cushion Leaders

Receiver Separation and Cushion — 2024 NFL leaders, updated Aug 13, 2026. Marvin Mims Jr. (DEN) led the league in average separation at 5.21, ahead of 128 other qualifying players. Based on verified 2024 play-by-play data (nflverse); Half-PPR scoring. Through the 2024 season.

Separation is how far the nearest defender was when the ball arrived; cushion is how far off he lined up before the snap. The pair reads as one story. A receiver with a large cushion and ordinary separation is being played soft and taking what he is given; a receiver with a small cushion and large separation is beating press coverage, which is the harder thing and the one that survives a change of quarterback. Depth of target sits alongside them because separation is easier to find underneath — a checkdown target and a go route are not the same test.

Receiver Separation and Cushion, 2024 NFL season
#PlayerSepCushionaDOTCatch%Tgt
1Marvin Mims Jr.WR · DEN5.218.007.1475.0%52
2Tucker KraftTE · GB4.406.045.2271.4%70
3Noah GrayTE · KC4.395.866.3881.6%49
4Tyler ConklinTE · NYJ4.326.165.2170.8%72
5Isaiah LikelyTE · BAL4.326.718.4872.4%58
6Khalil ShakirWR · BUF4.256.675.4176.0%100
7Noah FantTE · SEA4.196.005.5475.0%64
8Chig OkonkwoTE · TEN4.066.805.7874.3%70
9Curtis SamuelWR · BUF4.066.614.4967.4%46
10Jordan AkinsTE · CLE4.024.825.9969.0%58
11DeMario DouglasWR · NE4.016.875.7975.9%87
12Jayden ReedWR · GB4.007.018.1673.3%75
13Olamide ZaccheausWR · WAS3.997.116.3670.3%64
14Zay FlowersWR · BAL3.927.2510.6263.8%116
15Cole KmetTE · CHI3.906.976.7385.5%55
16Troy FranklinWR · DEN3.817.3613.2452.8%53
17Xavier WorthyWR · KC3.776.328.9960.2%98
18Colby ParkinsonTE · LAR3.726.825.7361.2%49
19Greg DortchWR · ARI3.697.484.2574.0%50
20Evan EngramTE · JAX3.656.625.3673.4%64
21Zach ErtzTE · WAS3.636.327.6172.5%91
22Rashod BatemanWR · BAL3.606.0014.7262.5%72
23George KittleTE · SF3.585.548.3183.0%94
24Mark AndrewsTE · BAL3.575.0410.4579.7%69
25Dalton KincaidTE · BUF3.545.677.9858.7%75
26Sam LaPortaTE · DET3.535.977.3472.3%83
27Brock BowersTE · LV3.526.486.0073.2%153
28Trey McBrideTE · ARI3.514.906.3675.5%147
29Jonnu SmithTE · MIA3.506.354.6279.3%111
30Pat FreiermuthTE · PIT3.506.856.0983.3%78
31Austin HooperTE · NE3.505.456.7976.3%59
32Kyle PittsTE · ATL3.485.988.6163.5%74
33Travis KelceTE · KC3.476.106.6472.9%133
34DJ MooreWR · CHI3.445.787.4270.0%140
35Jaylen WaddleWR · MIA3.424.769.4069.9%83
36Juwan JohnsonTE · NO3.405.998.2875.8%66
37Jameson WilliamsWR · DET3.376.5211.3363.7%91
38Tutu AtwellWR · LAR3.377.4911.8567.7%62
39KaVontae TurpinWR · DAL3.376.328.8559.6%52
40Lil'Jordan HumphreyWR · DEN3.366.796.3968.9%45
41Jake FergusonTE · DAL3.335.923.9668.6%86
42Will DisslyTE · LAC3.335.984.4078.1%64
43Puka NacuaWR · LAR3.326.517.6974.5%106
44Jaxon Smith-NjigbaWR · SEA3.306.238.8273.0%137
45Josh DownsWR · IND3.296.046.4267.3%107
46Jalen McMillanWR · TB3.287.1712.1763.8%58
47Garrett WilsonWR · NYJ3.275.268.9165.6%154
48Cooper KuppWR · LAR3.267.127.8267.0%100
49Davante AdamsWR · NYJ3.255.468.6260.3%141
50Wan'Dale RobinsonWR · NYG3.256.654.9466.4%140
51Chris Godwin Jr.WR · TB3.236.395.5880.6%62
52Dallas GoedertTE · PHI3.205.936.7880.8%52
53Ray-Ray McCloudWR · ATL3.198.146.7271.3%87
54Quentin JohnstonWR · LAC3.175.9611.0560.4%91
55Dalton SchultzTE · HOU3.176.937.6062.4%85
56Parker WashingtonWR · JAX3.176.5411.2362.7%51
57Tyreek HillWR · MIA3.165.8511.5965.9%123
58Deebo Samuel Sr.WR · SF3.145.656.4463.0%81
59Devaughn VeleWR · DEN3.115.818.2274.5%55
60Sterling ShepardWR · TB3.116.909.6062.7%51
61Ladd McConkeyWR · LAC3.105.959.8773.2%112
62David NjokuTE · CLE3.106.395.3066.0%97
63Amon-Ra St. BrownWR · DET3.096.548.0381.6%141
64Elijah MooreWR · CLE3.096.149.0959.8%102
65Justin JeffersonWR · MIN3.085.7611.3066.9%154
66Nico CollinsWR · HOU3.085.2311.3468.7%99
67T.J. HockensonTE · MIN3.066.118.7166.1%62
68Brian Thomas Jr.WR · JAX3.046.1611.3965.4%133
69Brenton StrangeTE · JAX3.046.476.4875.5%53
70Ja'Marr ChaseWR · CIN3.035.458.8772.6%175
71Mike GesickiTE · CIN3.035.397.5878.3%83
72Stefon DiggsWR · HOU3.026.938.7273.4%64
73Keenan AllenWR · CHI3.006.499.7557.9%121
74Jordan AddisonWR · MIN3.006.3513.3763.6%99
75Adam ThielenWR · CAR3.006.4110.9577.4%62
76Mack HollinsWR · BUF2.995.8213.0962.0%50
77Darnell MooneyWR · ATL2.986.4612.6760.4%106
78Dontayvion WicksWR · GB2.976.3711.6751.3%76
79Rome OdunzeWR · CHI2.965.6813.6953.5%101
80DeVonta SmithWR · PHI2.966.549.6176.4%89
81Calvin Austin IIIWR · PIT2.966.4112.6162.1%58
82Cade OttonTE · TB2.935.825.0567.8%87
83Cedric TillmanWR · CLE2.926.1211.6759.2%49
84CeeDee LambWR · DAL2.895.837.9566.4%152
85Michael PittmanWR · IND2.846.5810.5962.2%111
86Malik NabersWR · NYG2.816.129.4564.1%170
87Tre TuckerWR · LV2.806.1612.5058.0%81
88Hunter HenryTE · NE2.795.947.3468.0%97
89Christian KirkWR · JAX2.796.5813.1657.4%47
90Jerry JeudyWR · CLE2.775.9711.1862.1%145
91Tyler BoydWR · TEN2.776.437.1368.4%57
92Andrei IosivasWR · CIN2.765.0211.2859.0%61
93Calvin RidleyWR · TEN2.746.0115.2953.3%120
94Jakobi MeyersWR · LV2.736.459.8167.4%129
95Terry McLaurinWR · WAS2.736.5413.6770.1%117
96Jalen TolbertWR · DAL2.726.5411.9262.0%79
97DeAndre HopkinsWR · KC2.715.5810.8470.0%80
98Diontae JohnsonWR · HOU2.685.2111.0149.3%67
99Tank DellWR · HOU2.676.0512.8863.0%81
100Jalen CokerWR · CAR2.676.4311.3869.6%46
101Tyler LockettWR · SEA2.666.4011.0966.2%74
102Demarcus RobinsonWR · LAR2.664.0715.7448.4%64
103Adonai MitchellWR · IND2.636.0114.7241.8%55
104Xavier LegetteWR · CAR2.626.3612.3058.3%84
105Noah BrownWR · WAS2.616.5911.5962.5%56
106Amari CooperWR · BUF2.606.0312.7851.8%85
107Allen LazardWR · NYJ2.605.3010.6761.7%60
108Michael WilsonWR · ARI2.586.0311.4366.2%71
109Romeo DoubsWR · GB2.576.0912.4663.9%72
110DK MetcalfWR · SEA2.565.6613.7061.1%108
111Josh PalmerWR · LAC2.566.6115.2160.0%65
112Jauan JenningsWR · SF2.495.3310.4468.1%113
113Mike EvansWR · TB2.496.5611.8767.3%110
114Courtland SuttonWR · DEN2.475.9813.2160.0%135
115Drake LondonWR · ATL2.426.7010.8463.3%158
116Kayshon BoutteWR · NE2.424.5314.1863.2%68
117Ricky PearsallWR · SF2.425.9810.9967.4%46
118Darius SlaytonWR · NYG2.415.5713.4154.9%71
119Alec PierceWR · IND2.415.7521.4553.6%69
120Christian WatsonWR · GB2.385.2617.5454.7%53
121Tee HigginsWR · CIN2.376.2210.5467.0%109
122Brandon AiyukWR · SF2.355.2012.6353.2%47
123George PickensWR · PIT2.325.7513.5357.3%103
124Nick Westbrook-IkhineWR · TEN2.316.1712.0753.3%60
125David MooreWR · CAR2.275.8611.5656.1%57
126Brandin CooksWR · DAL2.166.2412.5848.1%54
127A.J. BrownWR · PHI2.105.6211.9969.1%97
128Marvin Harrison Jr.WR · ARI2.054.9113.5853.4%116
129Keon ColemanWR · BUF2.024.6515.3950.9%57

Next Gen Stats publishes tracking figures for wide receivers and tight ends only, so no running back appears here however many passes he caught. Targets and receptions are the tracking feed's own counts and can differ by one or two from the play-by-play totals on the other receiving boards.

New to this stat? What average separation means.

Other seasons

Choosing between two of these players?

Both men's 2025 production side by side, and which of them rests on inputs that historically repeat.

All comparisons →

More leaderboards

The weekly insights email. One story a week about what actually happened in the NFL — every number verified.

Free, every Wednesday. Unsubscribe anytime.

Get the story behind the numbers

The same AI that built these tables reads every play of every game and tells you what actually happened — as pages you can read and shows you can listen to, from this same verified data.

Drafting this month? Follow the guys you end up with, and your first weekly email lands Week 1 — the real plays and the real numbers behind everyone on your list.

Follow your guys — free

In a Sleeper league? One link gets every team its own show

Ask this data a question

Every figure on this page comes out of Muffed's verified panel — and you can query the whole thing in plain English. No account, no key. Ask the data →

Use Muffed in your AI

Ask Claude or ChatGPT football questions and get these verified figures back, with sources. Add https://muffed.ai/api/mcp — free, no account, no API key.

Add to Claude · Set up in ChatGPT · How it works →