2021 Fantasy Football Awards

For football fans in the Eighties, few events topped watching the All-Madden Teams on TV at season's end. John Madden, the former coach who became a broadcaster, picked a team of players who best represented the game of football. I looked forward to the show every season and loved debating Madden’s selections with my friends.

In 1989, I played fantasy football for the first time. Thirty-three seasons later, I have the honor of presenting the second-annual Fantasy Football Awards with my Fantrax teammates. Four writers—Justin Dunbar, Colin McTamany, Ahaan Rungta, and Meng Song—joined me in voting for their top three players across seven categories.

Quarterback of the Year

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo (15 points)

2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia (8 points)

3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati (8 points)

As the 2021 fantasy football season comes to a close, Josh Allen finishes as back-to-back QB No. 1, and lives up to his preseason Average Draft Position (ADP) following a breakout 2020 season. He is the proven exception to the rule many have of “waiting on a quarterback,” providing the most complete package of ability to score points with his arm and, more importantly at times, with his legs.

Allen followed up his 2020 average of 25.32 points per game with 24.6 points per game in 2021. In 10 of 16 games this season, he rushed for at least 39 yards, topping 50 yards in 6 of contests. The Bills dual-threat QB also rushed for six touchdowns in 2021, two of which came in the Week 17 fantasy football finals. Drafting Allen early paid off, and there is no reason to believe it won’t in 2022.

Circling back to the idea of waiting on quarterback, but also cashing in on a dual-threat player, Jalen Hurts cracks our top three fantasy football quarterbacks. He entered his second year in Philadelphia with justifiable question marks as the Eagles’ season-long starter. Hurts silenced the doubters and quickly got things going, posting seven straight games with at least 21 fantasy points.

With 784 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, Hurts’ rushing ability accounts for 43% of his fantasy points this season. Rolling the dice on Hurts in the late rounds of drafts may have won a league title. He far outplayed his ADP and made a statement as one of this year’s best, averaging 19.4 points per game in the fantasy football playoffs.

Joe Burrow is the King in the (AFC) North. After a 2020 rookie season cut short by a torn ACL in late November, Burrow remarkably played every game in 2021, leading the Bengals to a divisional title. For fantasy football purposes, perhaps the most value provided by Burrow was the fact that he commanded an offense that supported Joe Mixon (RB No. 4), Ja’Marr Chase (WR No. 5), Tee Higgins (WR No. 20), and Tyler Boyd (WR No. 29) for all fantasy managers to enjoy. Every Bengals skill player came at a value in 2021.

Specifically, Burrow remained a steady streaming option for most of the 2021 season. He logged at least 17.4 fantasy points in 10 of 13 fantasy regular-season games. Burrow combined for 971 passing yards and eight passing touchdowns in the fantasy football playoffs over the past two weeks, averaging 36.47 points per game. If fantasy fanatics put their faith in Burrow when it really mattered, they are likely fantasy football champions.

After the Packers’ abysmal Week 1 loss to the Saints, Aaron Rodgers averaged 22.84 points per game over 14 games. Furthermore, he averaged a league-high 25.59 points per game from Weeks 11 to 17. However, it's hard to ignore his COVID-19 drama, which kept him out of Week 9 and arguably hurt his Week 10 performance.

- Colin McTamany

Running Back of the Year

1. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis (20 points)

2. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles (12 points)

3. Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay (5 points)

It’s only natural that Jonathan Taylor received the most votes. The Colts’ ball carrier was the No. 1 running back in PPR-scoring and the No. 2 running back in points-per-game formats. He also finished as the third-highest-scoring fantasy player across all positions, behind only Cooper. Kupp and Josh Allen. For those who believed in him enough to draft Taylor in the second round despite Carson Wentz's and Quenton Nelson's injuries last August, the gamble certainly paid off. After a rocky start, Taylor was incredibly consistent, scoring double-digit fantasy points or better in every game since Week 4, and he capped it off with a monstrous 53-point outing in Week 11 at Buffalo.

Another key contributor at running back was Austin Ekeler. Though his first-round ADP was costly, it was worth it: Ekeler was the No. 2 running back in PPR formats, behind only Taylor, and the No. 3 running back in points per game, behind Taylor and Derrick Henry. Like Taylor, Ekeler was remarkably consistent, with only one single-digit fantasy outing. While missing one game, Ekeler helped fantasy GMs by recommending Justin Jackson as a confident replacement starter. Jackson delivered 34 fantasy points against Houston in the fantasy semi-finals.

Finally, while Leonard Fournette didn’t contribute to any fantasy titles after his Week 15 injury, he still helped fantasy GMs reach the playoffs. Like Taylor, Fournette finished the season with just two games under 10 PPR points, ranking No. 5 in PPR scoring and No. 4 in points per game. But unlike Taylor and Ekeler, Fournette was a bargain, with a ninth-round preseason ADP and No. 36 RB on draft boards. Had he stayed healthy for the final two games, Fournette would’ve been the fantasy MVP at running back, given his cost to acquire. Finding an elite RB No. 1 like Fournette in the middle-to-late rounds of fantasy drafts is a massive advantage.

- Meng Song

Wide Receiver of the Year

1. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles (25 points)

2. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco (10 points)

3. Devante Adams, Green Bay (7 points)

Often considered the deepest position in fantasy football, wide receivers were again mostly volatile, depending on narrative, matchup, and situation in a COVID-inflicted season. With consistency so rare, we must reward those who were a certified lock to be in their owners’ starting lineups every week. It’s even more of a luxury when that player comes after the daunting first round of your draft. That’s why Cooper Kupp was the clear unanimous choice to win the award at his position. 

While the 28-year-old wideout clearly had good hands and elite post-reception playmaking, the previously trusted Robert Woods was seen as a limiting factor to Kupp’s target share and ability to earn red-zone touches. Instead, Kupp made history, leading all wide receivers this season in receptions (138), targets (184), receiving yards (1,829), and touchdowns (15)—all while being drafted as the PPR WR No. 17. For added perspective on his consistency in commanding opportunities, he had only two games all season with single-digit targets; in both, he still scored a touchdown. He had fewer than 90 receiving yards in just one game; in that contest (Week 4), he still scored 11.4 PPR points on five receptions on 13 targets. If you owned Kupp all season, you were nearly a lock for a championship run: MVP performance for sure.

The other wide receiver finalists didn't quite match Kupp's all-time season, but they were still elite and likely set your teams up for success all season. 25-year-old gadget player Deebo Samuel finished second, serving as both a running back and wide receiver for the run-first 49ers throughout the season. Samuel spent the first half of the season lining up primarily as a pass-catcher, drawing at least eight targets in every game until Week 9. Starting Week 10, he became a monster on the ground, largely because of injuries to the 49ers’ backfield. To top it off, he put it all together in the fantasy playoffs, tallying 12 rushes and 17 targets over the last two weeks. The versatile San Francisco yard machine earned runner-up honors for elite, consistent production this season and was drafted as the PPR WR No. 36.

In third place, it’s a familiar veteran in Davante Adams, who simply lived up to his elite draft capital nearly every week. Behind NFL MVP front-runner Aaron Rodgers, Adams unsurprisingly led his team in all offensive categories. His 333 PPR fantasy points, 117 receptions, 162 targets, 1,498 receiving yards, and 11 receiving touchdowns ranked top five among wide receivers, despite missing one game (Week 8). He helped win fantasy titles worldwide by racking up 21 receptions for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns in Weeks 16 and 17.

- Ahaan Rungta

Gridiron Scholar’s 2021 All-Fantasy Team

QB Josh Allen, Buffalo

RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis

RB Austin Ekeler, LA Chargers

RB Joe Mixon, Cincinnati

WR Cooper Kupp, LA Rams

WR Davante Adams, Green Bay

WR Deebo Samuel, San Francisco

TE Mark Andrews, Baltimore

Kicker Nick Folk, New England

SuperFlex Joe Burrow, Cincinnati

Tight End of the Year

1. Mark Andrews, Baltimore (25 points)

2. Travis Kelce, Kansas City (6 points)

3. Dawson Knox, Buffalo and Dalton Schultz, Dallas (5 points)

Oh, the tight end position. The position is quite unstable year to year, mainly because tight ends rely heavily on touchdowns for success. There aren’t many target hogs at the position. Entering the season, Travis Kelce was the clear top tight end, with Darren Waller and George Kittle behind him. In the end, though, Mark Andrews finished as the TE No. 1. To no one’s surprise, he was the unanimous top tight end, and he earned it. Simply put, his season finish was absurd. From Weeks 5 to 17, he finished outside the top five only three times and in the top three every playoff week. Fantasy coaches want their top contributors to deliver when it matters most, and that’s exactly what Andrews did in 2021. I have a strong feeling he won’t be drafted as the fifth- or sixth-tight end off the board in next year’s draft.

It will be interesting to see how close Andrews comes to Travis Kelce in next season's draft. Kelce still finished as the TE No. 2, but as a first-round pick, it still feels like a mild disappointment. That said, being the overall TE No. 2 is a disappointment, but it also shows you’re an extremely talented player. Kelce missed Week 16 while on the COVID list. He had two top-four finishes in the other two playoff weeks, plus a 36.1-point outing in Week 15. He and the Chiefs’ offense went through their bumps and bruises this year. Even at 32, he should still be considered the favorite to be the TE No. 1 next season.

Because tight end is so unpredictable, fantasy managers who don’t invest much in tight ends often find gems on the waiver wire. This year, the two gems were Dawson Knox and Dalton Schultz. Both played on productive offenses and became featured red-zone assets. Knox, the TE No. 10, missed multiple weeks with injury but tied for the lead with nine touchdowns and took the third-year leap many hoped to see.

As for Schultz, no one even expected him to start at tight end. Yet. He clearly outperformed Blake Jarwin, who hasn’t played since Week 8 due to injury and has been a major asset in the Cowboys’ offense. He finished the year as the TE No. 4, while his 75 receptions rank third among tight ends. These two players deserve recognition and are a great example of the potential rewards of not investing much at the position.

- Justin Dunbar

Kicker of the Year

1. Nick Folk, New England (21 points)

2. Matt Gray, Los Angeles (12 points)

3. Evan McPherson, Cincinnati (8 points)

I have a very unpopular opinion: I like kickers in fantasy football. I have even commissioned leagues with two kickers per team and points based on distance, i.e., a 54-yard FG scores 5.4 fantasy points. As a historian, I can’t even imagine telling the story of the NFL without the great kickers. I'll never forget Hall of Famers Jan Stenerud and Morten Anderson, or Garo Yepremian’s gaffe in Super Bowl VII. You can't write the Patriots dynasty without mentioning Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning kick against the Raiders in the snow and his two Super Bowl-winning boots against the Rams and Panthers.

Speaking of New England: Is there a better special teams and kicker coach than Bill Belichick? He not only coached Vinatieri, but he also unearthed Stephen Gostkowski, who dominated fantasy football rankings and scoring for years. In 2021, Belichick guided veteran Nick Folk to the top of the fantasy rankings. Folk wasn’t even drafted in many fantasy leagues, with a kicker ADP of No. 20. I acquired the Pats’ star on four of my 10 fantasy teams and enjoyed the production. Folk averaged more than 10 points a week, connected on 35-of-38 Field-Goal attempts, and hit 5 over 50-yards. Just remember: Kickers are people too and deserve our admiration in the fantasy community.

- John Laub

Rookie of the Year

1. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati (23 points)

2. Jaylen Waddle, Miami (15 points)

3. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh (5 points)

When the Bengals passed on an offensive lineman in the first round of the NFL Draft to take another LSU offensive weapon in Ja’Marr Chase, fantasy football players immediately wondered about the ceiling of that connection for years. Still, some apprehension about drops and Burrow’s return from injury led to Chase being drafted as the PPR WR No. 23, per Fantrax ADP. Chase quickly shut up the haters, recording 220 yards and four touchdowns in his first three professional games.

Although the touchdown streak didn't stay red-hot all season, Chase was still a must-start every week. He mixed in a 159-yard game in Week 5 and a 201-yard game in Week 7 to remind people what his ceiling looks like. To cap off a successful season, he single-handedly won championships for his managers by posting 391 yards on 18 receptions and three touchdowns in the final two weeks of the fantasy season. Chase’s 13 receiving touchdowns were the second-most of any player. He finished as the PPR WR No. 5 for the season, despite preseason hesitation about his ability to produce immediately in the NFL. Steal.

Meanwhile, another first-round wide receiver, Jaylen Waddle, drew fantasy owners' attention, particularly PPR managers. With another quarterback-wideout connection in Waddle and Alabama product Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins showed no hesitation in getting Waddle involved. He posted double-digit targets in seven games. Despite only five touchdowns, he finished as the PPR WR No. 15 after being drafted as the PPR WR No. 44, per Fantrax ADP.

Finally, the only rookie drafted in the top 50 of preseason drafts, per Fantrax ADP, Najee Harris (drafted as the PPR RB No. 11), was a volume monster. Despite some worries about the Steelers’ offensive line, Harris lived up to his first-round fantasy potential. He posted 11 games with at least 20 opportunities and racked up 10 total touchdowns, finishing as the PPR RB No. 3.

It's no surprise that all three finalists enter 2022 as highly regarded dynasty fantasy football assets. Owners have a full offseason to follow narratives and buy stock on these stars. Can these rookies repeat their elite fantasy performances next season? Time and situation will tell.

- Ahaan Rungta

Fantasy Football MVP

1. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles (25 points)

2. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis (15 points)

3. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles (3 points)

In 1995, a good friend and I often debated whether wide receivers Jerry Rice (49ers) and Carl Pickens (Bengals) were worthy of first-round selections, and possibly the first overall pick in fantasy drafts. Running backs and quarterbacks dominated the top of the rankings, and fantasy owners rarely grabbed a wide receiver. We had these discussions long before value-based drafting (VBD), late-round quarterback, or zero running back strategy became popular. Also, PPR scoring didn't even exist in the Nineties: We played in a standard-scoring league—only receiving yards and touchdowns.

In my lifetime, receivers have shattered so many records. The first two came in 1984. Art Monk of Washington caught 106 passes, and Mark Clayton of Miami scored 18 touchdowns; both broke single-season records. Three years later, Rice surpassed Clayton’s mark with 22 touchdowns in only 12 games during the strike-shortened season. Of course, I will never forget Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis (2002), Randy Moss, New England (2007), and Calvin Johnson, Detroit (2011), and their memorable fantasy campaigns. In 2021, Cooper Kupp deserves a place in the all-time great fantasy wideouts. After 17 weeks, he is the favorite to capture the receiving triple crown, leading the NFL in receptions (138), yards (1,829), and touchdowns (15), and averaging 25.8 PPR points per game. On all three of my fantasy teams with the Rams’ game-breaker, I advanced to the championship and won two titles. Kupp led millions of fantasy diehards to championships and deserves the Fantasy MVP.

- John Laub