Of course, any analysis on Washington’s passing game would be incomplete without mention of Jordan Reed. The offense’s ascension in the second half of 2015 coincided with the dynamic tight end taking a step forward. Reed averaged 67.4 receiving yards and a touchdown per game in Weeks 10 to 17, which far exceeded his career rates of 56.4 and 0.41. Medical concerns will always haunt Reed, but when he’s on the field he becomes a true difference-maker; now more than ever, though, the wide receivers look ready to be the real strength of this offense.

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After coming over from the Eagles following a career year in 2013, DeSean Jackson was a shot in the arm for Washington. He averaged 19.7 yards per catch over the past two seasons and remains one of the game’s best deep threats.

Jackson ran a nine-route on 26.6 percent of his 237 routes charted. His 74.6 percent success rate vs. coverage (SRVC) score is not just fantastic, it’s the best mark charted since I started the Reception Perception project in 2014. SRVC measures how often a player gets open on each route and against different brands of coverage. Jackson creates separation on vertical routes better than just about any receiver in the NFL. Even if a defender can employ multiple tactics to foil Jackson, his speed and deep-route running are trump-card traits that are nearly impossible to defend. Jackson gets a bad reputation as a one-dimensional player, but he is a more complete player than he’s given credit for. His positive scores on slants and curls are more than enough to complement his vertical ability.

In 2015, Jackson posted above-average SRVC scores against man and zone coverage, and for defeating press. Cousins and the offense not only received a boost from Reed but also from Jackson’s healthy return to the lineup in Week 9. His contract will expire at the end of 2016, as will Pierre Garcon’s. Of the two, it’s quite clear Jackson represents an asset that would be much more difficult to replace.

Another diminutive receiver emerged as a quieter but nonetheless important contributor for Washington last season: Jamison Crowder, who caught 59 passes last year, second only to Amari Cooper among first-year receivers.

Crowder played 75.2 percent of his sampled snaps from the slot.

Unlike Jackson, the 5-foot-8, 174-pound Crowder primarily works the underneath areas of the field. A whopping 50 percent of his 240 routes charted were either slants or flats. He fits right into the slot-receiver archetype as a reliable check-down option.

Cousins targeted Crowder on only 18.3 percent of the receiver’s routes, but he efficiently hauled in a pass on 70.5 percent of them. His reliable hands are an asset, and he can make plays after the catch.

Washington likely was not expecting the immediate contributions Crowder provided, but he figures to be a fine piece on offense for years to come. As long as he continues to hold down the slot, Crowder can do what’s asked of him.

Crowder’s size, merely average-level technique and athleticism make him a poor fit for any role outside of the one he played last season. His struggles against press man coverage are exemplified in his SRVC scores, where he fell below the league average against both. He did check in with a 72.7 percent SRVC against zone, which is the type of coverage he faces most while working the middle of the field. Role players make the world go ’round in the NFL, and Washington has a good one in Crowder.

While all Washington’s 2015 holdovers bring a specific skill set to the table that will help the team, none profiles as a true No. 1 receiver. Enter the Redskins’ first-round pick, Josh Doctson, who has the ability to be the alpha right off the bat.

Much like when he went to the NFL Scouting Combine and finished as the top tested wideout in SPARQ’s athletic measurements, Doctson finished with the third-highest SRVC score against man (75 percent), the top score against zone (83.5 percent) and the second-best against press (83.3 percent).

Before the NFL draft, you could legitimately make the argument that Doctson was the best receiver in the 2016 class. He was the only receiver among the 21 prospects charted that posted an above-average SRVC score on every route.

Doctson is a complete receiver who can threaten a defense at every level of the field. He knows how to sink into routes and create separation, which complements his elite athleticism. While the rest of Washington’s receivers bring plenty to the table, none of them come with a profile quite like his.

Even as the rookie warms up to the NFL game, he offers a catch radius that no other wideout on the roster provides. Crowder and Jackson combined for just nine contested catch attempts, with conversion rates of 50 and 66.7 respectively; even Garçon came in below the league average with a 58.3 conversion rate. Doctson, meanwhile, finished with an 85 percent contested catch conversion rate on 20 attempts, leading the draft class in both figures.

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With a wealth of diverse talents all set to fill different roles in the offense, Washington’s passing game looks more equipped of greatness than ever. The front office assembled a group that fits well together, and plucked what could be the finishing piece in Doctson.