I said this way back when but I'll reiterate it here. There's only one ball to go around. Mac threw for 316 yards last week. If he threw for 316 every week, that's 5,372 yards, which would be amazing. But how would you divide those up by this list of players, such that there isn't SOMEBODY who looks like a "bust"? (a draft bust, a bad FA signing, a terrible trade, etc.)
JuJu
Bourne
Thornton
Parker
Boutte
Douglas
Henry
Gesicki
Stevenson
Montgomery
If the WRs all do well, that means that a TE isn't getting enough receptions and people will scream about Henry or Gesicki being "invisible" and a waste. If the TEs are being super productive, and Stevenson is getting tons of yards in the short passing game, it may mean that Thornton and Parker aren't getting touches, and they're busts. If the vets catch all the passes, then the rookies are doing nothing, and they're considered wasted draft picks. Conversely, if the rookies are doing well, that means fewer passes for the vets to catch.
Let's assume Mac completes 400 passes for 4,500 yards, which is way more realistic than 5,372 yards. How to divide up 400 passes and 4,500 yards?
JuJu - 50 rec, 500 yds
Bourne - 65 rec, 850 yds
Thornton - 20 rec, 250 yds
Parker - 60 rec, 700 yds
Boutte - 35 rec, 350 yds
Douglas - 40 rec, 450 yds
Henry - 40 rec, 500 yds
Gesicki - 40 rec, 500 yds
Stevenson - 30 rec, 250 yds
Montgomery - 20 rec, 150 yds
TOT - 400 rec, 4,500 yds
If we looked at that list, we'd think, JuJu is a bust - a guy meant to be the WR1 (so someone claims), only getting 50 receptions and 500 yards? WTF? Thornton...what a bust of a pick with only 20 receptions and 250 yards. Parker? Ok but mostly meh. Bourne? Ok nice but nothing to write home about. Boutte? Great for a rookie but it's not like he's Jefferson or anything. Same with Douglas. Henry and Gesicki? Ok good production but again, nothing crazy - they've had better years elsewhere. Stevenson? He's only a RB but that's not much of a receiving threat. Montgomery? Why is he even here?
Yet that would be a tremendous passing offense piling up 4,500 yards.