This was one of Pierre Garcon’s 113 catches this season. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)
Even with the NFL’s latest attempt to spice up the format, let’s face it — many of us don’t care about the Pro Bowl. But recognition for your favorite players is a reason to take an interest in the rosters, even after other players drop out.
The Redskins went 3-13 but will end up with LT Trent Williams, RB Alfred Morris and OLB Brian Orakpo in the game. There’s a case to be made, however, that Washington’s most deserving player, WR Pierre Garcon, won’t be playing on Sunday.
Garcon, who led the NFL with 113 receptions, was selected as an alternate, along with CB DeAngelo Hall. You might think leading the league in receptions, along with 1,346 yards and five TDs, would get a player to Hawaii automatically, especially if the numbers were put up despite not-so-great quarterback play. But if you look at the 11 players who did get Pro Bowl nods — three dropped out and were replaced — they all have pretty good cases with their numbers as well. Those kind of receiving numbers aren’t as rare as they used to be. (sortable NFL receiving leaders here)
| Player | Receptions | Yards | TDs | Yards/game | Yards/Rec. |
| Pierre Garcon | 113 | 1,346 | 5 | 84.1 | 11.91 |
| Calvin Johnson* | 84 | 1,492 | 12 | 106.6 | 17.76 |
| Demaryius Thomas* | 92 |
1,430 |
14 | 89.4 | 15.54 |
| Andre Johnson* | 109 |
1,407 |
5 | 87.9 | 12.91 |
| Dez Bryant | 93 |
1,233 |
13 | 77.1 | 13.26 |
| A.J. Green | 98 |
1,426 | 11 | 89.1 | 14.55 |
| Josh Gordon | 87 |
1,646 |
9 | 117.6 | 18.92 |
| Alshon Jeffery | 89 |
1,421 |
7 | 88.8 | 15.97 |
| Antonio Brown | 110 |
1,499 | 8 | 93.7 | 13.63 |
| Brandon Marshall | 100 | 1,295 | 12 | 80.9 | 12.95 |
| DeSean Jackson | 82 | 1,332 |
9 | 83.3 | 16.24 |
| Larry Fitzgerald | 82 |
954 |
10 | 59.6 | 11.63 |
Each one of the wide receivers on the list played 16 games, except Calvin Johnson and Josh Gordon, who each played 14.
The Pro Bowl airs Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Orakpo, Morris and Williams will play for Team Sanders against Team Rice. Johnson, Thomas and Johnson have dropped out, opening up spots for the next three receivers on the list, and that still didn’t get Garcon in the game. Did he deserve it? Which Redskins player deserved it the most?
Have a Redskins question? E-mail Mike Jones at mike.jones@washpost.com with the subject line “Mailbag question” for him to answer it in The Mailbag on Tuesdays.
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