T.Y. Hilton is having a career season in 2016

Pretty much ever since he entered the league, T.Y. Hilton has had doubters. There have been those who have said he’s too small, too inconsistent, or just not good enough to be a number one receiver, and he’s continued to prove over and over that he’s plenty good enough.

But if three straight 1,000 yard seasons (including one in which Andrew Luck missed over half of the games) and two straight Pro Bowls aren’t enough to convince you, Hilton’s play on the field this year might be. The wideout once again had a productive day Sunday against the Titans, catching five passes for 97 yards and a touchdown - more production than all the other wideouts combined (Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett combined to catch five passes for 87 yards and a score). And Hilton’s receptions were some key ones too, such as the play where he took away the interception from a defender and turned it into a touchdown instead or the one where he broke free down the sideline for a gain of 50 or the play near the end that clinched the win. All day (and all season) Hilton has been proving that he’s Luck’s best threat in the passing game.

The Titans must not like Hilton much either, as in two games against them this year Hilton caught 12 passes for 230 yards and two scores. On the year overall (through ten games), he has caught 57 passes for 888 yards and five scores. He ranks tenth in the league in catches, fifth in the league in yards, and tied for eleventh (with a number of others) in touchdowns. He’s eighth in the league among players with a minimum of 25 catches in yards per reception with 15.6, and he’s second in the league in 20+ yard receptions with 19. All of that puts him on pace for a 91 catch, 1,421 yard, eight touchdown season, which would set new career highs in all three categories.

Hilton has been huge for the passing game because of some of hte other things going on around them, such as Donte Moncrief missing extended time due to injury, Phillip Dorsett disappearing way too much, and Dwayne Allen failing to live up to expectations so far. Hilton has been a steadying presence at wide receiver and has once again been Luck’s go-to guy, and with the franchise quarterback back healthy this season his top wideout is seeing the benefits.