JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Parker Washington led the Jacksonville Jaguars in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2025, while Brian Thomas Jr. topped those categories as a rookie in 2024. Head coach Liam Coen wants Trevor Lawrence to distribute the ball more evenly in 2026 so the passing game is not focused on a single target.
Coen said the plan is for plays to be schemed for multiple receivers, and that within a play each player will have to make plays on their own. He added that Lawrence’s scrambling keeps “every eligible” receiver involved, calling the situation “a good problem to have.”
Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington and Brian Thomas Jr. are the team’s top three receivers entering 2026, and each brings different traits. The Jaguars acquired Meyers via trade on Nov. 4 and the offense improved after his arrival — increasing from 20.4 points, 212.3 passing yards and 321.1 total yards per game before the trade to 31.3 points, 228.6 passing yards and 336 total yards per game afterward.
Meyers caught 42 passes in nine games with the Jaguars, and 28 of those receptions converted first downs, the most on the team in that span. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence described Meyers as an “easy guy to throw to,” and Coen praised him as quarterback-friendly and reliably finding openings. Washington offers versatility and production after the catch: 32.5 percent of his 847 receiving yards last season came after the catch, and his yards-per-catch average rose from 14.6 for the full season to 16.7 after Meyers joined the roster. Thomas, with 4.33 speed, stretches the field but battled drops and injuries in 2025 and is coming off an encouraging offseason.
Cornerback Travis Hunter, the No. 2 pick in 2025, will be a starter on defense and also will appear as a receiver on select plays. The receiving corps has embraced Coen’s balanced approach despite potential statistical trade-offs. According to ESPN senior fantasy writer Mike Clay, his projections list Meyers for 70 catches, Washington 64, Thomas 57 and Hunter 38 as the top four in catches for 2026. The Jaguars open the season Sunday against the Cleveland Browns at EverBank Stadium (1 p.m. ET).
