Cedric Tillman

Weeks 7–9 of 2024: 21 catches, 255 yards, 3 TDs in a 3-game stretch — a complete role-explosion.

Across Weeks 7-9 of 2024, Tillman went from afterthought to WR1 in Cleveland: 32 targets, 21 catches, 255 yards, 3 TDs. That’s an 8.5 target/game, 85 ypg, 1.0 TD/game clip — top-15 WR production for a 3-week stretch.

The trigger was Amari Cooper’s trade to Buffalo between Weeks 6 and 7 of 2024. Tillman went from 5 targets across 4 active games in Weeks 1–6 to a target share that rivaled any WR1 in the league for those three weeks.

Why it matters. The breakout was externally triggered — a single roster move handed Tillman the target volume of a WR1 overnight, proving he can produce at that level when given opportunity.

YPR has risen every year (10.7 → 11.7 → 12.9) while his target total fell — a rare efficiency-without-volume arc.

Most WRs see YPR dip as their role shrinks. Tillman’s per-catch efficiency has climbed each of his three seasons — 10.7 → 11.7 → 12.9 yards per reception — even as his target total fell from 49 (2024) to 39 (2025).

In 2025 his 12.9 YPR topped team WR1 Jerry Jeudy (12.0 YPR on 106 targets). His average air yards per reception (~22 yards) has been consistent throughout, suggesting he runs the same deep-intermediate route tree — the improvements are in execution, not assignment.

Why it matters. YPR rising against a falling target count signals genuine route-running and catch quality improvement, not just inflated stats from volume — it’s the signature of a WR growing into his role.

2-TD game vs Baltimore in Week 8 — his career-best single-game line.

In Week 8 of 2024 vs Baltimore, Tillman went 7-for-9 targets for 99 yards and 2 TDs — the only multi-TD game of his career through the end of 2025.

That game was the first week following Amari Cooper’s trade to Buffalo. With Cooper gone, the offensive coordinator built three red-zone looks specifically for Tillman. The fact that it happened against one of the AFC North’s best secondaries makes it the defining tape moment of his career.

Why it matters. A 7/9 catch rate for 99 yards and 2 TDs against Baltimore’s secondary is legitimate top-WR production — it establishes his ceiling and proves the role-explosion was real, not just target accumulation.

Before the Cooper trade in 2024: 5 targets in 4 active games. After: 44 targets in 5 games.

Pre-trade Tillman (Weeks 1–6 of 2024, 4 active game appearances): 5 total targets — he was inactive in Weeks 4–5 and drew zero targets in Week 6 vs PHI.

Post-trade Tillman (Weeks 7–12 of 2024): 44 targets across 5 games — 8.8 per game.

That’s a 780% jump in per-game target rate triggered by a single roster move. The post-trade 8.8 target/game pace would extrapolate to ~150 targets over a full season — legitimate WR1 volume.

Why it matters. The Cooper trade handed Tillman target share he’d never seen, and he immediately demonstrated he could handle the volume — the before/after split is one of the starkest role-change inflections of the 2024 season.

In 2025, Tillman’s 12.9 YPR outpaced Jerry Jeudy’s 12.0 — as a WR3 on the same team.

Jerry Jeudy ran CLE’s WR1 route in 2025 — 106 targets, 602 yards, 12.0 YPR. Cedric Tillman, working as the WR3 with 39 targets and 29 fewer receptions, posted a higher YPR at 12.9.

Both receivers averaged roughly 22 air yards per reception, running the same deep-intermediate route tree. The efficiency edge belongs to Tillman despite the role gap — his YPR has risen three consecutive seasons while Jeudy’s larger role hasn’t produced a matching per-catch ceiling.

Why it matters. Per-catch efficiency edging the team WR1 on identical route depths suggests Tillman’s separation and ball skills are at or above WR1 quality — the limiting factor is opportunity, not talent.