The fantasy football season has come to a close. Many top picks in the draft were disappointing, including New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas. However, Davante Adams entrenched himself firmly in the elite pack of pass-catchers. Other young names like D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown continued their ascension. However, Marquise Brown showed there is still some room for improvement. Here are some 2020 fantasy football wide receiver superlatives.
2020 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Superlatives
MVP: Davante Adams
Last year was a bad one for a lot of people and for many that has continued into 2021. But not for Davante Adams, especially on the football field. In fact, Adams had one of the greatest seasons ever at the position. His 22.1 points-per-game (PPG) in half PPR put him as the second-best average in history at wide receiver. Only Jerry Rice’s 1995 season was better.
However, Adams’ overall score wasn’t in the top, but that was because he missed two games due to injury. However, when he was on the field, he was basically unstoppable. Adams had seven 100-yard games and scored a touchdown in 12 of the 15 games he played. In fact, he had an incredible streak of eight straight games with a touchdown.
Adams has gotten better each year he has been in the league. He will probably be the first wide receiver off fantasy draft boards in 2021, and he will be well worth it. With Aaron Rodgers also showing no signs of slowing down, Adams will push for the WR1OVR status yet again next season.
Better Late Than Never: Marquise Brown
Marquise Brown had a relatively poor start to the season. In his first 10 games, he was only able to top 10 points three times, and 15 only once. His low point was Week 11, when he had zero catches on three targets. But that week may have been good for the second-year wide receiver.
After that, Brown didn’t go under ten points for the rest of the year. A lot of that was due to Brown putting up touchdowns. Brown found the end zone in four of his final five games.
Nevertheless, it is tough to call this past season a successful one for Hollywood Brown. He still only totaled 769 yards and wasn’t able to post over 20 fantasy points in a game once. Even during his final five games, Brown only topped 50 receiving yards twice. Next season, those who want to target Brown in drafts should hope he continues to develop, but also tempter expectations for his production.
Biggest Disappointment: Michael Thomas
For most, elite wide receivers are seen as a pretty safe option to go with in the first round due to their fairly low risk of sustaining injuries. In that regard, Saints wideout Michael Thomas was a sought-after target in many drafts after the top four running backs were off the board. This was mainly because he had far and away the best season of all wide receivers in 2019, when he finished 60 points ahead of the next best receiver.
But after averaging over 19 PPG in 2019, Thomas plummeted to a paltry 9.1. And that was when Thomas was at least on the field. He was limited to just seven games on the season, both due to injuries and being suspended by the team.
It was recently announced that Thomas was dealing with some serious injuries in his ankle that will require surgery in the off-season. That knowledge may not make fantasy football team managers that drafted him feel any better, but Thomas’ grit to push through the year is admirable. He knew it was likely quarterback Drew Brees’ final season with the team and wanted to do all he could to get the team to the playoffs. With a full off-season to recover, Thomas should be back to his usual self in 2021.
Watch Next Year: Brandon Aiyuk
On the year, Brandon Aiyuk finished as the WR17 in points per game. The rookie wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers had an up-and-down season. He was limited to 12 games and averaged 12.9 points.
However, Aiyuk definitely started to catch on more as the year progressed. In his first six games on the field, Aiyuk only went over 15 points once. After that, he exploded, and ripped off five straight games with at least 16 points.
Kyle Shanahan is a genius at getting the most out of his players on offense. The team was absolutely decimated by injuries, which spoiled their desires to return to the playoffs and Super Bowl. But they should be back and as good as ever in 2021, and Aiyuk could be impressive in fantasy in 2021.
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