Washington Redskins 2018 season wide receiver grades
By Ian Cummings
Josh Doctson
The ever-polarizing career of Josh Doctson refuses to stray from its ways.
Doctson quietly had a career year in 2018. Admittedly, the standards for such an achievement were not set very high; they were set only by Doctson’s 2017 season, in which he eclipsed 500 yards and reached the end zone six times.
Doctson’s touchdowns were down in 2018, but that isn’t entirely his fault. Opportunities didn’t come as often. In 2017, Kirk Cousins threw 27 touchdowns for the Redskins. In 2018, all four of the Redskins quarterbacks combined to throw 16.
And while Doctson’s touchdown numbers declined, his baseline numbers trended up. He finished 2018 with 44 receptions on 78 targets, good for a career best 56.4 catch percentage (Doctson’s targets are inherently less of a guarantee than Crowder’s, due to his style of receiver play). On those 44 catches, Doctson managed to churn out 532 yards, again putting together a solid year as a complimentary receiver.
One can make the argument that a role as a complimentary receiver isn’t good enough for Doctson, who was drafted by the Redskins in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. But at this point, after his development was damaged, and after his confidence was sapped in his first two seasons, any growth from Doctson is a pleasant sign.
In 2018, we saw Doctson grow. He may not have been the catch magnet that other first-round receivers are. But Doctson carved out a niche as a receiver who could come up big in crucial moments, moments that were few and far between. Per Player Profiler, Doctson logged a 63.2 contested catch rate in 2018, a figure that’s fourth-best among all receivers in 2018. 31 of his 44 receptions went for first downs as well.
Amidst all the chaos in 2018, Doctson’s confidence skyrocketed in 2018, and the results speak for themselves. He’s not a receiver who can gain separation consistently; that’s not his game. Instead, he wins the jump ball, and he’s shown he can make the play that needs to be made. It’s not Comeback Player of the Year progress. But it’s progress. And with one year left on his rookie deal, Doctson will be looking to take another step in 2019, with or without help from his quarterback. He didn’t need it this year.