The Green Bay Packers are having one of the best offensive season in the NFL this season. They currently are second in the NFL in yards per game and lead the league in points per game. Much of this production is due to the play of Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. While Rodgers gains the most publicity as he races for his third MVP Award, often overlooked is the fact the Davante Adams should be considered for the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Davante Adams’ Season
Adams has four games with at least 10 receptions, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown catch this season, tied with ODELL BECKHAM JR. (four games in 2014) and TORRY HOLT (four in 2003)
— NFL Draft Diamonds (@DraftDiamonds) December 7, 2020
Davante Adams is having one of the best receiving seasons in the NFL this year. Despite missing two games with an injury, he still leads the NFL in receiving touchdowns (14) and yards per game (104.0). His route running has become the talk of football analysts everywhere, and is so effective that teams cannot seem to contain him. So dominant is his route running that he has been able to record a touchdown catch in each of his last eight games. In eleven games, he has recorded over 100 yards and a touchdown six times. Adams is within read of the record for most games in a season with 10+ receptions, 100+ yards, and at least one touchdown. The record is six; Adams has four (which is tied for the second most in a season in NFL history).
Davante Adams’ Competition
Even though Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas won the award last year, the Offensive Player of the Year Award is not typically given to wide receivers. In fact, Thomas and Jerry Rice are the only wide receivers to win the award. All other winners have been quarterbacks and running backs.
This year, Kansas City has two players that are making cases for the award. Patrick Mahomes is considered a candidate for MVP while Travis Kelce is leading the league in receiving yards as a tight end. Should he finish the season leading the league in receiving yards, he would be the first tight end in history to do so. Mahomes leads the NFL with 4,208 passing yards and has 33 touchdown passes. Clearly, both players have excellent cases to be given the award.
Why Adams Should Win the Award
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It is true that Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are both having great seasons. However, that is what is expected of them. Both players have established themselves in recent seasons as among the best, if not the best, at the positions. Mahomes is expected to throw a lot and Kelce is expected to rack up yards.
Davante Adams, however, is exceeding all the expectations had for him. While he is a perennial Pro Bowl receiver, never before has he been considered to be one of the best of the best in the NFL. This season, he is arguably the best and most dominant receiver despite not having the same level of support as the Kansas City duo. True, he has Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball. However, the Chiefs’ stars have Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins to draw the attention of defenders. Davante Adams has put up his numbers as the primary and most reliable target Aaron Rodgers has.
Simply put, Adams has done more with less support. He has a MVP candidate throwing to him, but so does Kelce. Kelce is doing things never before seen in the NFL, but so is Adams. The case can be made Mahomes should win it if Rodgers wins MVP. However, he has the benefit of a plethora of offensive weapons that Adams has not had. It is a great race, but Adams should win it.
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