PFF Awards 2024: Ja’Marr Chase wins Best Receiver

• Ja’Marr Chase’s triple-crown win leads to PFF’s “Best Receiver” honor: Chase led the league in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2024 as the league’s best receiver.

• The Bengals have some decisions to make: With Tee Higgins’ contract expired and Chase set to play on a fifth-year option, the team will need to pay up to retain its elite wideouts.

• 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.

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PFF’s award winners are selected through a voting process exclusive to 28 senior analysts, contributors and members of the PFF staff, ensuring the decisions reflect the insights and expertise of those deeply involved in the game.

This year’s Best Receiver is Ja’Marr Chase, who earned 17 votes to claim the honor. The runner-up was Puka Nacua, with five votes, while Justin Jefferson rounded out the top three, with four votes.

To view all 2024 award winners, click here.

Ja’Marr Chase, the No. 5 overall draft pick in 2021, became the youngest receiver (24) in the Super Bowl era to win the “triple crown” — securing first place in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns — and the first since Cooper Kupp in 2021.

Chase edged out Puka Nacua, who missed five games due to injury, and Justin Jefferson for PFF’s Best Receiver honor. Jefferson’s case is intriguing, as he finished sixth in PFF receiving grade (88.8), while Chase ranked 12th (84.9). Chase, however, held an advantage in several areas. He caught more touchdowns (17 to 10) and gained more first downs (75 to 62), yards after the catch (797 to 482) and yards after contact (370 to 161). Chase also created more opportunities, with more missed tackles forced (24 to 11). Nacua’s case was derailed simply due to injury.

Ja’Marr Chase’s 2024 PFF Game Grades

The Cincinnati Bengals star ranked in the top 10 in many statistical categories and was a threat at every level of the field. He gained 31 first downs (fourth most) on his league-leading number of targets within 9 yards of the line of scrimmage, and he recorded 90.0-plus PFF receiving grades at the intermediate and deep levels. Chase recorded three or more touchdowns at every level, including a league-best six between 10 and 19 yards.

The red zone was no safe haven for opposing defenses, as Chase paced the league in red-zone targets (36), catching 22 passes for eight touchdowns and 14 first downs (both second most). He was targeted 37 times on late downs and converted 18 of his 23 catches. He earned an 85.3 PFF receiving grade in the second half of games (tied fifth), catching 62 passes for 944 yards (both top two), and was the only receiver to record double-digit touchdowns in second halves (10).

Teams struggled to contain him. He torched zone coverage with 73 catches for 1,065 yards (most).  He made single-coverage defenders pay to the tune of 38 catches for 423 yards while leading all receivers in first downs (28) and touchdown catches (eight) in such situations. Double coverage failed to limit him, too. He was the NFL’s most-targeted receiver against doubled looks (43), securing 33 catches for 649 yards. Not only did he place first again in touchdowns (seven) and first downs (24), but he also ranked first in yards after the catch (250), first in yards after contact (91) and second in gains of 15-plus yards (17).

Ja’Marr Chase’s Career PFF Grades

With Tee Higgins set to enter free agency and Chase on a fifth-year option, the Bengals will have to dole out some serious cash to retain their elite receiving corps. The team’s negotiations with Chase this past offseason were well documented, but the two sides never reached an agreement.

Now, Chase’s elite, career-best season likely has the 24-year-old’s price tag far higher than it was five or six months ago.