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Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown Leads NFL In Crucial Third-Down Stat

Former USC Trojans wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had the highest expected points added on third downs receptions by a receiver in 2024 with a plus 42.7 mark. The next closest wide receiver was Washington Commanders veteran Terry McLaurin with plus 29.1.

Kyron Samuels

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) leaps into Lions fans as they celebrate 24-14 win over Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) leaps into Lions fans as they celebrate 24-14 win over Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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With the 2025 off-season in full swing, the reflection upon the 2024 season is nearly complete. Ahead of the NFL Combine and Draft, teams and analysts are reviewing positions of need. The Detroit Lions are a team with a stable of talent offensively and with the production of former USC Trojan wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and former first-round pick Jameson Williams, wide receiver won’t be one of the positions of need for the team.

Production is one thing, but timely and efficient playmaking is another. When it comes to wide receivers, no one on the NFL produces in that aspect better than Amon-Ra St. Brown. According to the 33rdTeam, St. Brown had the highest expected points added on third downs receptions by a receiver in 2024 with a plus 42.7 mark. The next closest wide receiver is the Washington Commanders veteran Terry McLaurin with plus 29.1.

The Lions have a slew of riches as St. Brown’s teammate Jameson Williams ranked tenth in the NFL in that category with a plus 19.1 showing. Not only was St. Brown incredibly efficient on third downs, he was as consistent as anyone in the league in getting into the end zone.

St. Brown finished the sixth-best receiver in the league with a 0.22 receiving touchdowns per route run. The raw production from a receiving standpoint is high level, but the efficiency at which St. Brown continues to deliver is what sets him apart from the second-tier of receivers in the NFL.

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St. Brown finished second in the NFL in receptions with 115, third in the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 12, and fifth in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,263. To cap off his incredible showing in 2024, St. Brown was named to his second consecutive All-Pro team and third consecutive Pro Bowl team. The former fourth-round selection has rounded into one of the best players in the sport. 

In just four full seasons, St. Brown has unexpectedly amassed 430 receptions, 4,851 receiving yards, and 33 receiving touchdowns. We have seen players start their careers with these insane paces more frequently as the game revolves around throwing the ball and more points being scored, but very few have performed to this level so consistently and have as sustainable of a skill set as St. Brown has. 

The Lions will look a bit different on offense this season after losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the NFC North division rival Chicago Bears, but St. Brown's production shouldn’t see much of a change. He’s 25 years old, a notoriously hard worker maintaining his physical shape, and as reliable as they come on money downs. Detroit quarterback Jared Goff will no doubt continue to look for his number one target as much as possible. 

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

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