Fansided

20 best wide receiver seasons in NFL history

By Russell S. Baxter

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 28: Jerry Rice #80 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with teammates after he scored a touchdown against the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl XXIV on January 28, 1990 at the Super Dome in New Orleans, LA. The 49ers won the Super Bowl 55-10. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 28: Jerry Rice #80 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with teammates after he scored a touchdown against the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl XXIV on January 28, 1990 at the Super Dome in New Orleans, LA. The 49ers won the Super Bowl 55-10. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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Larry Fitzgerald (#11) of the Arizona Cardinals breaks away from James Harrison (#92) of the Pittsburgh Steelers for a touchdown during Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Steelers edged Arizona 27-23 for their sixth Super Bowl title. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Larry Fitzgerald (#11) of the Arizona Cardinals breaks away from James Harrison (#92) of the Pittsburgh Steelers for a touchdown during Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Steelers edged Arizona 27-23 for their sixth Super Bowl title. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) /

5. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (2008)

They were an unlikely Super Bowl participant. The 2008 Arizona Cardinals finished the regular season with a 9-7 record and scored only one more point (427) than they allowed (426). Still, that was good enough to win the NFC West as the 49ers, Seahawks and Rams all finished below the .500 mark and combined for just 13 victories.

There was nothing surprising about wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who was enjoying a big year in his fifth NFL campaign. The third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft was in the midst of a season that resulted in a third Pro Bowl invitation and All-Pro accolades.

The former University of Pittsburgh standout finished with 96 receptions, good for what would be a career-high 1,431 yards. He would finish with a dozen TD catches, tied for the league lead with Detroit’s Calvin Johnson.

Fitzgerald was just getting warmed up as the Cardinals would be making their first playoff appearance since 1998. The talented performer would put on quite a show during Arizona’s four-game postseason run.

Against the Falcons, Panthers, Eagles and Steelers, he finished with a combined 30 grabs for 546 yards and seven touchdowns. He scored at least one touchdown in each of those contests, two of those TDs in the fourth quarter in what would be a heartbreaking loss to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLIII.

Next: No. 4

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