A 1st-round pick (32nd overall) in the 2004 NFL Draft out of Georgia; Duke, Benjamin Watson has built an NFL career since. He last played in 2019 with NE, a career spanning 16 NFL seasons. By ScoutIndex Rating he was one of the top TEs in football last season, scoring a 67.8 (88th percentile). His deep threat stands out most — the 99th percentile at the position. Across 15 NFL seasons, he has totaled 548 catches for 6,072 yards and 44 touchdowns.
Size
6'3", 255#
College
Georgia; Duke
Draft
Rd 1, 32nd overall (2004)
Seasons
2004–2019
2009 ScoutIndex Rating · TE
Methodology94th percentile among TEs
13 games · 41 targets
2009 attribute card
click a row to see the formulagroup averages
Athleticism
Speed95▶
Percentile of 40-yard dash time among TEs at the NFL Combine (faster = higher), 2000–present.
Burst89▶
Percentile of vertical jump + broad jump among combine TEs.
Agility54▶
Percentile of 3-cone + short shuttle among combine TEs (faster = higher).
Size29▶
Height/weight z-score vs. the TE cohort (from official bio, not combine-dependent).
Receiving
Hands85▶
Catch rate — receptions ÷ targets.
Deep Threat99▶
Average depth of target — receiving air yards ÷ targets.
YAC Ability10▶
Yards after catch ÷ reception.
Role
Target Share46▶
Share of the team's targets while on the field, target-weighted across the season.
Air-Yards Share82▶
Share of the team's total air yards, target-weighted across the season.
Impact
Efficiency98▶
Receiving EPA ÷ target — the Rating's largest component.
Volume70▶
Total targets this season.
Career (regular season)
| Season | Tm | SI | G | Pass yds | Pass TD | Rush yds | Rush TD | Rec | Rec yds | Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | NE | 54.5 | 9 | 17 | 173 | |||||
| 2018 | NO | 67.8 | 13 | 35 | 400 | 2 | ||||
| 2017 | BAL | 59.7 | 16 | 61 | 522 | 4 | ||||
| 2015 | NO | 80.2 | 16 | 74 | 825 | 6 | ||||
| 2014 | NO | 36.4 | 15 | 20 | 136 | 2 | ||||
| 2013 | NO | 50.2 | 14 | 19 | 226 | 2 | ||||
| 2012 | CLE | 42.8 | 16 | 49 | 501 | 3 | ||||
| 2011 | CLE | 45.6 | 13 | 37 | 410 | 2 | ||||
| 2010 | CLE | 67 | 16 | -1 | 68 | 763 | 3 | |||
| 2009 | NE | 80.5 | 13 | 29 | 404 | 5 | ||||
| 2008 | NE | 47 | 12 | 22 | 209 | 2 | ||||
| 2007 | NE | 56.4 | 12 | 11 | 36 | 389 | 6 | |||
| 2006 | NE | 73.6 | 13 | 50 | 657 | 3 | ||||
| 2005 | NE | 71.1 | 14 | 29 | 441 | 4 | ||||
| 2004 | NE | 43 | 1 | 2 | 16 |
Career profile
Across 15 NFL seasons on file, Benjamin Watson has played in 193 regular-season games, playing for 6 teams: NE (2004–2009), CLE (2010–2012), NO (2013–2015), BAL (2017), NO (2018), NE (2019).
He has rushed for 10 yards and 0 touchdowns. As a receiver he has caught 548 passes for 6,072 yards and 44 touchdowns. His most productive receiving season was 2015 with NO: 825 yards and 6 touchdowns in 16 games.
By the ScoutIndex Rating, his best qualified season was 2009: a 80.5, in the 94th percentile among TEs that year.
Career highs (regular season)
- Most rushing yards in a game11 vs CLE, 2007 Week 5
- Most receiving yards in a game147 on 9 catches, 1 TD vs NYG, 2015 Week 8
2009 splits
regular season| Split | G | Rec | Rec yds | Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 6 | 17 2.8/g | 251 42/g | 3 |
| Away | 7 | 12 1.7/g | 153 22/g | 2 |
| In division | 4 | 13 3.3/g | 149 37/g | 2 |
| Out of division | 9 | 16 1.8/g | 255 28/g | 3 |
| In wins | 7 | 18 2.6/g | 286 41/g | 4 |
| In losses | 6 | 11 1.8/g | 118 20/g | 1 |
| On grass | 4 | 6 1.5/g | 80 20/g | 2 |
| On turf | 9 | 23 2.6/g | 324 36/g | 3 |
| Indoors | 3 | 6 2.0/g | 82 27/g | 0 |
| Outdoors | 10 | 23 2.3/g | 322 32/g | 5 |
2009 game log
| Wk | Opp | Line | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postseason | BAL | 1 rec, 3 yds, 0 TD | — |
| Week 1 | BUF | 6 rec, 77 yds, 2 TD | 88.9 |
| Week 2 | NYJ | 3 rec, 23 yds, 0 TD | 50.8 |
| Week 3 | ATL | 1 rec, 23 yds, 0 TD | 49.5 |
| Week 4 | BAL | 2 rec, 51 yds, 0 TD | 59.8 |
| Week 5 | DEN | 2 rec, 13 yds, 1 TD | 63.4 |
| Week 7 | TB | 1 rec, 35 yds, 1 TD | 63.5 |
| Week 9 | MIA | 4 rec, 49 yds, 0 TD | 61.7 |
| Week 10 | IND | 1 rec, 36 yds, 0 TD | 54.2 |
| Week 12 | NO | 2 rec, 14 yds, 0 TD | 45.3 |
| Week 13 | MIA | — | 44.2 |
| Week 14 | CAR | 3 rec, 37 yds, 1 TD | 77.5 |
| Week 16 | JAX | 1 rec, 14 yds, 0 TD | 53.4 |
| Week 17 | HOU | 3 rec, 32 yds, 0 TD | 53.7 |
Benjamin Watson — common questions
- What position does Benjamin Watson play?
- Benjamin Watson is listed as a TE.
- Which teams has Benjamin Watson played for?
- In the seasons on file (1999 onward), Benjamin Watson has played for NE (2004–2009), CLE (2010–2012), NO (2013–2015), BAL (2017), NO (2018), NE (2019).
- Where did Benjamin Watson go to college?
- Benjamin Watson played college football at Georgia; Duke.
- When was Benjamin Watson drafted?
- Benjamin Watson was selected in round 1, 32nd overall, of the 2004 NFL Draft.
- How many touchdowns has Benjamin Watson scored?
- Benjamin Watson has 44 touchdowns in the regular-season games on file (44 receiving).
- What is Benjamin Watson's ScoutIndex Rating?
- Benjamin Watson rated 54.5 for 2019, the 76th percentile among TEs (provisional or limited sample). Ratings run 0–99; about 60 is a league-average qualified starter.
Related players
Top teammates, last season on file
- Tom BradyQB · 2019
- Julian EdelmanWR · 2019
- Sony MichelRB · 2019
- James WhiteRB · 2019
- Rex BurkheadRB · 2019
- Phillip DorsettWR · 2019
- Jakobi MeyersWR · 2019
- Josh GordonWR · 2019
Drafted in round 1, 2004
- Eli ManningQB · pick 1
- Robert GalleryG · pick 2
- Larry FitzgeraldWR · pick 3
- Philip RiversQB · pick 4
- Sean TaylorFS · pick 5
- Kellen WinslowTE · pick 6
- Roy WilliamsWR · pick 7
- DeAngelo HallS · pick 8