Between a slew of injuries, COVID cases and a new 14 game regular season, 2021 was a rollercoaster of a year. These are the players and owners that stood out in the YFFL's 29th season.
Most Valuable Player
RB Jonathan Taylor - Boys
After a solid rookie season and a slow start to 2021, Jonathan Taylor broke out in Week 4 and never looked back, leading the Big Boys to their first division title in 15 years. Taylor's season was capped off by a record breaking 38 point performance in Week 11, besting Shaun Alexander's single game RB record that had stood since 2002.
Player | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jonathan Taylor | 4 | 5 | 1 | 23 |
Tom Brady | 5 | 2 | 1 | 20 |
Matthew Stafford | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
Cooper Kupp | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
James Conner | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Josh Allen | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
* 1 person did not vote
Rookie of the Year
WR Ja'Marr Chase - Dragons
Plagued by drops in the preseason, Ja'Marr Chase slid to #6 in the 2021 Draft despite being hailed as the best WR prospect in years. Once the regular season started, Chase seemed to catch everything, including 10 touchdowns from his college teammate Joe Burrow. Chase's 88 points were good for #2 at his position and equaled Randy Moss' rookie campaign in 1998 as the most by a rookie wideout.
Player | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ja'Marr Chase | 9 | 0 | 1 | 28 |
Najee Harris | 1 | 7 | 2 | 19 |
Mac Jones | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
Jaylen Waddle | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Elijah Mitchell | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Pat Freiermuth | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
* 1 person did not vote
Macor Misa
RB Cordarelle Patterson - Llamas/Merry Men
While physically gifted, Cordarelle Patterson had largely languished as a wide receiver in the NFL for 8 seasons while bouncing between teams. It wasn't until the Falcons decided to make him a running back that he started to shine. Patterson tallied 76 points and became a key piece of the Merry Men's playoff run when he was acquired in Week 10.
Player | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cordarelle Patterson | 9 | 1 | 0 | 29 |
Elijah Mitchell | 1 | 4 | 1 | 12 |
Dawson Knox | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
Mike White | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
Matt Gay | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
J.D. McKissic | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
* 1 person did not vote
Owner of the Year
Steve Dugas - Merry Men & Mallards
While the season ultimately ended in disappointment for owner Steve Dugas, he guided the Merry Men to a division title and the most wins in franchise history, while the Mallards narrowly missed the playoffs after a late season surge that saw them win 5 of their final 6 games. Along with solid draft pick choices, a few bold trades and shrewd use of the waiver wire, Dugas set up his teams for success in 2021 and beyond.
Owner | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Steve Dugas | 10 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Anthony Aceto | 0 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
Mike Kinsman | 0 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
Kevin Sansone | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
Chris Davidson | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
* 1 person did not vote