The same cannot be said for Brandin Cooks of New Orleans. Without Jimmy Graham around, the expectation was that 2015 would be a breakout year for Cooks, the Saints’ first-round pick a year ago. Cooks gained 623 yards from scrimmage in 10 games last year, but his production is slightly down — 60.5 scrimmage yards per game — in 2015. Cleveland’s Taylor Gabriel was a pleasant surprise as an undrafted free agent in 2014, recording 621 receiving yards in a part-time role. But he has been less effective this year and has been leapfrogged by the fourth-year receiver Travis Benjamin.

The Injured

The Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. averaged 108.8 yards and a touchdown per game last season, but he has made less of an impact so far this year. While matching his phenomenal 2014 pace was always going to be a challenge, Beckham has been hampered this season by hamstring problems, a concern after he missed the first four games of last season with a similar injury. He is averaging 81.5 yards per game with four scores through six games in 2015. Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans caught 12 touchdowns in 2014, but he has yet to reach the end zone in 2015. Evans missed the first game of this season because of a hamstring injury, and his average yardage per game has dropped from 70.1 to 43.5.

In the first half of last season, the two best rookie wide receivers were Carolina’s Kelvin Benjamin and Buffalo’s Sammy Watkins. But a torn anterior cruciate ligament has cost Benjamin all of the 2015 season, while Watkins has just 11 catches for the Bills in 2015. After missing a game two weeks ago with a calf injury, Watkins sustained an ankle injury in his first game back Sunday, leaving his status for this week up in the air. Green Bay’s Davante Adams has missed the last three weeks with an ankle injury, while Jacksonville’s Marqise Lee has been sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Pittsburgh’s Martavis Bryant missed the first four games of this year because of a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. In his first game back, Sunday against Arizona, he caught six passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns, including an 88-yard score that clinched a win for Pittsburgh.