WRs who could/should have won MVP

[Brian wolf]

Hill will top 2000 yards I believe before the 17th game but with Tags, Mostert and rookie Achane having great years, Hill wouldnt have a chance at MVP. Could the Dolphins have a 2000 yard receiver and two 1000 yard backs? Talk about a precedent or first!

[Reaser]

Here are the WR/Ends that won some sort of top honor, either MVP or Player of the year (not Offensive Player of the Year) - some of them are minor the bolded ones are major, IM)

2022 • Justin Jefferson, WR - Minnesota Vikings (Sporting News*)

Jefferson won SN Offensive Player of the Year.

Since they, as you obviously know, do offense/defense POY. I remember they specified in their release last year that Jefferson was "OPOY" and while comparing him to past SN Award winners noted that Jerry Rice was a 2x "Overall" POY, signifying a difference between Overall POY & OffPOY.

Of course, there's the continuity of their "Player of the Year" (change to AFC/NFC, then back to NFL, then Off/Def) but their own words in their release essentially noted "OPOY" different from "Overall." The use of "Overall," implied OPOY to be less than. So in this case, less MVP/Player of the Year (that just happens to have award called OPOY because SN split their POY to Off/Def) and more "Offensive Player of the Year."

[Gary Najman]

In 1984 I thought Roy Green should have gotten consideration if the Cardinals had won their last game at Washington and made the playoffs,

[JohnTurney]

Here are the WR/Ends that won some sort of top honor, either MVP or Player of the year (not Offensive Player of the Year) - some of them are minor the bolded ones are major, IM)

2022 • Justin Jefferson, WR - Minnesota Vikings (Sporting News*)

Jefferson won SN Offensive Player of the Year.

Since they, as you obviously know, do offense/defense POY. I remember they specified in their release last year that Jefferson was "OPOY" and while comparing him to past SN Award winners noted that Jerry Rice was a 2x "Overall" POY, signifying a difference between Overall POY & OffPOY.

Of course, there's the continuity of their "Player of the Year" (change to AFC/NFC, then back to NFL, then Off/Def) but their own words in their release essentially noted "OPOY" different from "Overall." The use of "Overall," implied OPOY to be less than. So in this case, less MVP/Player of the Year (that just happens to have award called OPOY because SN split their POY to Off/Def) and more "Offensive Player of the Year."

Yeah, I cut and pasted from a post ... and the asterisk after Jefferson's name meant the OPOY/DPOY. I just deleted everything after Jefferson's name and that is where the explanation of the asterisk was. I should have remembered to leave it in but forgot -- that was my mistake.

[Bob Gill]

Here are the WR/Ends that won some sort of top honor, either MVP or Player of the year (not Offensive Player of the Year) - some of them are minor the bolded ones are major, IM)

1964 • Lance Alworth, WR - San Diego (PFWA—NY Chapter)
1967• Lance Alworth, WR – San Diego (Washington D.C. Touchdown Club)
1968•Lance Alworth, WR – San Diego (Columbus Touchdown Club)
1969• Lance Alworth, WR – San Diego (Washington D.C. Touchdown Club)

For my money, the Detroit News selections were much closer to "major" than any of these.

Also, good point about Rice winning those other MVP (or whatever) honors in 1987.

[7DnBrnc53]

Also, good point about Rice winning those other MVP (or whatever) honors in 1987.

Rice had half of his TD's against teams that would finish below .500. He also had eight TD's that were five yards or less. A good season, but he feasted on some lesser competition, and he only had three catches in the playoff loss against the Vikings.

Elway deserved it way more. He was the whole team, not the product of a system (like Rice and his teammates were), and the Broncos don't go to the playoffs (never mind the Super Bowl) without him.

[Retro Rider]

1964 • Lance Alworth, WR - San Diego (PFWA—NY Chapter)

John, we're there N.Y. Chapter Awards in 1964? Your previous list had Alworth winning in 1965:

N.Y. Chapter MVP's
1965 Jim Brown, RB, Cle - NFL Lance Alworth, FL, SD - AFL

Just checking, thanks!

[Brian wolf]

Whats funny, is when running backs get over 20 TDs in a season, everyone yawns; when a wide receiver does it, its like "Great Scott! MVP!

Of the 11 receivers in NFL/AFL/AAFC history with 17 TDs or more in a season, Moss has the most with 3, with Rice having 2. They are the only ones with over 20.

There are 25 RBs in NFL history with over 20 TDs in a season, with five having the most(tied with 2 each) Tomlinson, Faulk, Holmes, Alexander and E Smith. Tomlinson of course, is the only one with 30 or more in a season.

[Jay Z]

Whats funny, is when running backs get over 20 TDs in a season, everyone yawns; when a wide receiver does it, its like "Great Scott! MVP!

Of the 11 receivers in NFL/AFL/AAFC history with 17 TDs or more in a season, Moss has the most with 3, with Rice having 2. They are the only ones with over 20.

There are 25 RBs in NFL history with over 20 TDs in a season, with five having the most(tied with 2 each) Tomlinson, Faulk, Holmes, Alexander and E Smith. Tomlinson of course, is the only one with 30 or more in a season.

All of the ones you listed except for Emmitt Smith won Offensive POY or MVP or both, along with Terrell Davis. So it looks like people do care when a RB scores 20+ TDs.

To respond to another poster, Rice had 11 TDs in 6 games against winning teams in 1987. He had 11 TDs in 6 games against losing teams in 1987.

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

It would have been nice to see Sterling Sharpe win any of his last three seasons. Rarely got any consideration for MVP but certainly one of the most valuable players to his team during that era.

Somehow, he didn't even make first or second team all-pro his final year despite leading the league in TD receptions.