No. 9: Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Full disclosure: There is a legitimate case to be made here for Antonio Brown’s teammate, running back Le’Veon Bell, to occupy this spot. We went with Brown because, as dynamic as Bell is, Brown is simply the NFL’s most electrifying playmaker.
To say Brown’s numbers in the last three seasons have been video game-esque would be an understatement. In case you’ve forgotten, here they are:
2013: 110 receptions, 1,499 yards, eight touchdowns
2014: 129 receptions, 1,698 yards, 13 touchdowns
2015: 136 receptions, 1,834 yards, 10 touchdowns
That’s a staggering three-year level of production that’s never been seen before in the NFL, and there’s no reason to think Brown’s production will suddenly fall off in 2016.
The biggest factors working against Brown are history and the pass-happy nature of the modern NFL. A wide receiver has never won the MVP Award, which dates back to 1957. In fact, only three non-quarterbacks/running backs have ever won the award — defensive tackle Alan Page in 1971, kicker Mark Moseley in the strike-shortened 1982 season, and Taylor in 1986. That’s it.
Voters will likely hold the style of the era against Brown, as teams pass more than ever. Just look at Atlanta Falcons wideout Julio Jones, who had the same number of catches (136) and even more yards (1,871) than Brown last season.
Brown gets the nod over Jones, however, because he’s also dynamic on special teams and makes the Steelers a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Next: No. 8: Ben Roethlisberger