A.J. Green makes Pro Football Focus’ top NFL players for 2017 season

A.J. Green is not only one of the NFL’s top wide receivers, but he’s also one of the league’s best overall players.

The latest reminder of such comes in Pro Football Focus’ top 50 players of 2017, which has the Cincinnati Bengals receiver coming in at No. 28:

28. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Green may never be the best wide receiver in the game, but he is consistently right on his heels, and in 2016 only Julio Jones gained more yards per route run than Green did in an injury-shortened season. Green has caught 69.5 percent of the passes sent his way over the past two seasons, and been in the top four in yards per route run each year.

Green, who just finished his sixth NFL season, caught 66 passes for 964 yards and four touchdowns in essentially nine games last season. He suffered a hamstring strain in game No. 10 (Week 11) that led to him missing the final six games last year.

2016 marked the first time Green has failed to record 1,000 yards receiving in a season. Had he hit that mark, Green would have joined Randy Moss as the only players in NFL history to have six-straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin their career.

Green’s last full season came in 2015, where he hauled in 86 passes for 1,297 yards (15.1 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns. He is on pace to finish No. 1 among every receiver who's ever played for the Bengals, in nearly every category.

Entering 2017, Green ranks No. 4 in catches (481), No. 2 in yards (7,135) and is No. 4 in touchdowns (49) in franchise history. According to Pro Football reference, Green ranks No. 1 in franchise history in receiving yards per game at 83.0 yards per contest, as well as catches per game at 5.6.

Green would probably be higher on this PFF ranking if not for him missing several games last season, and you can bet he’ll be higher on it next year if he plays a full season this year.