Is Miles Austin an elite receiver?

As I do about his health. He’ll be a RFA next year, and I expect we’ll slap the highest possible tender on him (transition tag for 1st and a 3rd, or maybe even a franchise tag which would equate to 2 firsts).
If he can demonstrate through next year that his injury issues are behind him, Austin will get paid.

But when I think “elite,” I think Larry Fitz, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Randy Moss, Reggie Wayne, etc.

Miles Austin is not on that level.

Yet he has started only a little over half the season. Is he having an elite season as a WR? Ofcourse he is stats wise. Is he a elite receiver at this point? No, not even close to this point. IMO an elite reveiver is a game breaker all on his own and established himself as that for more than a few years. One or two good years is promising but you have to establish yourself more. Austin is more the level of Jackson and others that are young , seem to be on the path to promising careers but haven’t played long enough to jump to the next level.

He’s working on being Elite if he keeps this up season to season. I like where this is going because he’s a big receiver but he has the talent to take it to the house. I’d like Roy to become the receiver he’s supposed to be (I think he’s slowly getting there) but I’d like to see a wild horse come outta the shadows and emerge as a viable option…Jesse Holley. My be a little premature but with this season on the practice squad and a full training camp why not? He’d compete for that 5th receiver spot with Ogletree or maybe some shuffling around happens and Olgetree, Hurd and Holley have a battle for roster spots. There’s also the draft but I think we have more pressing needs now that Austin is emerging… ;)

huge production and consistency make an elite receiver. How did he do against Champ, Woodson, and Rogers? When he has big games agianst big time corners, he will truly be eltie.

maybe by this time next year, hell be there, but right now in terms of being a receiver, I have him on the 2nd tier with young guys like Jackson, Rice, Sims-Walker…

but he certainly is working his way up. What gives me the most hope is that the last few weeks he has made plays throughout the game with a consistency much more like a number one receiver is expected to. This is in contrast to the GB and Washington games where he disappeared for stretches at a time and the offense as a whole struggled. Going forward, I think he has a real chance to continue to get better and become a very good to elite receiver in this league as he further learns the nuances of playing every down.

Like Romo, Austin has been putting up elite numbers and in all probability will continue to do so.

If your definition is the upper 25% of the league, then yes he is elite.

Austin is a very good receiver and in the top 25% of starting receivers (2 starting WR*32 teams =64 * 25% = top 16) but I think top 4 at your position makes you elite, meaning we are talking about Fitzgerald, Moss, A. Johnson, and R. Wayne. But it’s all subjective.

is it that every time there’s a fanpost that blows up …. Dawk’s ALWAYS in it? ha.

Great post, sir.

Not too many receivers I’d take over Austin right now. Desean Jackson certainly isn’t one of them.

I’m still worried about getting the guy resigned. Jerry needs to lock the guy up long term yesterday. I don’t like the idea of just franchising him or what have you. Just pay the kid what he’s worth(and that’s a lot.) and be done with it.

As for the argument, I think it is pretty darn close to a toss-up as they are both great players currently.

and not another pissing match between Cowboys fans and a Eagles fan. Personally each player you have to account for in a game, Jackson does have a slight edge only because of his punt return abilities, I would say that Austin has a slight edge as a pure WR but Jackson’s PR ability brings him in front of Austin by a little. Both are very good receivers and we will get to have this pissing match for a long time. I don’t think his small stature will affect him too much, his agility is off the charts so as long as he doesn’t get his bell rung too much he should be fine, I will say that Jackson has a higher probability of missing a game or 2 a year but even w/ that Jackson would still be just barely above Austin in overall what he brings to a team…right now that is

We are lucky to be blessed with many good recievers and because of that i dont believe any will be considered elite
Miles Austin has stepped up and done what the Cowboys needed him to do it doesnt matter his size his speed or any of the other things people think an elite reciever needs
There is no doubt he is the person you can not leave un-checked on the Cowboys offense
He is the person that always needs to be accounted for or he will burn you
If that dont make him an elite reciever I’m not sure what will
So yes he is an elite reciever in the same fashion as Wes Welker

In 4 less games as a starter Austin has more TDs, more yards, more catches, and has a YAC 1.2 yards greater. Why is there even a debate? Jackson is a helluva punt returner, but as a WR he’s strictly a go-deep guy. That’s fine, but it means he’s one-dimensional and not as valuable as someone who can both make the tough catch in traffic as well as break a short pass into a long score.

The YAC comparison is particularly noteworthy. Jackson leads the league in 40+ yard catches, and has both fewer catches and yards than Austin, so the fact that he has a significantly lower YAC shows that most of Jackson’s big yardage comes from deep throws. And again, that’s fine, but it’s less valuable a skill than someone who can take a 10 yard out, break two tackles, and turn it into a 60 yard TD, IMO.

to the the 13 games that pretty much everyone else has played, he’d have 77 catches for 1326 yard and 10 scores. (and yes, I subtracted out the stats for his first 4 games before running those numbers). That’d be 1st in yardage and TDs and tied for 8th in catches (with JW no less). Pro-rating those numbers as a starter to a full 16 games, you’re looking at 94 catches, 1632 yards, and 16 scores. That would be among the all-time great single seasons for a WR (up there with Moss in 03 and 07, Harrison in 02, and Fitzgerald in 05).

As it is, he’s on pace this year, even with 4 games where he didn’t start, for 76 catches, 1305 yards and 13 scores.

I don’t know if Austin is an elite WR or not, because I think you have to prove it over a period of time instead of one great year. But he has elite size, strength, and speed for a WR, and he’s putting up elite numbers this year. So he’s definitely looking the part.

As it is, he’s on pace for 76 catches

This was supposed to be about one of the positives in the Cowboys roster and has degarded into a debate about who is better, Jackson or Austin.

Let me put it this way. Would you draft Jackson in the second round or take Austin as UDFA? Take a look at risk vs reward and you take Austin all day long. Sure Jackson has turned in an above average return for a second round pick but Austin has turned in and other worldly effort as a geek off the street.

I dont think there is any CB that can run with him stride for stride….for what he can do as a WR and returner gives him the edge over Austin…. And yes, if you all remember Austin was a kickoff returner. He was decent, but not great. Jackson has at least 3 or 4 TDs from returns I believe and has come close from to getting a couple of more. I dont have the stat, maybe BD can say how many.

but what about Steve Smith? Is he elite?

He’s got more receptions and yards than Austin and Jackson…so..no? Yes?

None of these 3 got a big sample size, Austin’s not even a full season, Jackson’s got 2 years and Smith was injured year one, behind Plax and Toom year 2..now, 2nd in the NFC in rec. and yards.

So…still no?