Five breakout stars from the NFL 2020 season

NFL 2020 Season highlights

The 2020 NFL season ended as many have before. Tom Brady once again held the Lombardi Trophy aloft, banishing all suspicions that he could no longer deliver at a Super Bowl-winning standard.

The eventual winner may have been the same, but this NFL season was like no other. There were no packed stadia. Cardboard cut-outs frequented stands around the league.

While Brady winning a ring and Rodgers putting in an MVP campaign maintained the league’s status quo, there were plenty of players who made a breakthrough in the 2020 NFL season – here are five who saw their stock rise.

Josh Allen

The Buffalo Bills became serious Super Bowl contenders in the 2020 NFL season. Josh Allen’s inaccurate arm of his first two seasons transformed into a pinpoint weapon in a dangerous offence.

Allen’s numbers improved across the board. He threw far fewer uncatchable passes, and his completion rate leapt by 10 per cent. The 37 passing touchdowns were almost double his 2020 tally.

Repeating this production in 2021 will be the real test of Allen’s credentials. If he continues to be an accurate passer, with that elite athleticism, he will be among the game’s best quarterbacks for years to come.

Calvin Ridley

Already an emerging star, Calvin Ridley took a notable leap in the 2020 season. Julio Jones played only nine games. Ridley had more opportunities as a result, and he flourished with the increased responsibility.

Only four receivers recorded more yards than Ridley. His receptions per game went from 4.8 to six, and his yards per touch made an increase from 13.8 to 14.5. While the Falcons slumped to a 4-12 record, Ridley proved he can be a number one pass-catching option for Matt Ryan in 2021.

Davante Adams and Stefon Diggs were the only other wideouts to register more than 90 receiving yards per game. Ridley was elite in 2020 – will he take another step in 2021?

Robert Tonyan

Robert Tonyan was a major cog in the Packers’ awesome offence. Green Bay was a dominant force in the 2020 NFL season, and Tonyan’s breakout at tight end was an important factor.

Undrafted and with 14 receptions over two seasons, Tonyan’s NFL career was on the brink. In 2020, he was Rodgers’ second-most reliable option, which resulted in 11 touchdowns and nearly 600 yards.

According to Pro Football Reference, Tonyan caught over 88% of his targets. Rodgers went to him often, and Tonyan very rarely let the MVP down.

Robert Tonyan: only TE with 50+ catches and zero drops in 2020 💪 pic.twitter.com/xztArn7UKi

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) February 25, 2021

Montez Sweat

An exciting prospect, Montez Sweat was okay but no better as a rookie. The Washington edge rusher was immense in 2020 alongside fellow young star Chase Young.

Advanced metrics placed Sweat as one of the best run defenders in the 2020 NFL season. He pressured quarterbacks with nine sacks and batted a handful of passes.

Washington still has questions to answer this offseason. Their edge defence is not one of them, however. Sweat and Young are going to be a formidable partnership for years to come.

Haason Reddick

The 2020 NFL season was Haason Reddick’s fourth in the league. It was by far his best.

Reddick was a starter through his first three campaigns, but he was never an impact player despite being selected in the 1st round of the 2017 draft.

In what was his first full year as an edge defender, Reddick posted career numbers across the board. The 26 pressures in the last four weeks were better than he managed in any season previously, and he almost doubled his total career pressures tally in this season alone.

The Cardinals will hope they can retain Reddick in free agency, but there’ll be no shortage of suitors.