The NFL regular season kicked off on September 9th, 2021. The first game of the season saw defending Super Bowl LV champion Tampa Bay win against Dallas. The season will end on January 9th, 2022. Additionally, this season was also the first one having 17 games in the regular season. This is because the league expanded the season from 16 games.
Nevertheless, this piece focuses on 2021 in its entirety to find out which players were the most influential. If you have been wagering on NFL events, these are the players that can affect NFL betting odds when their names appear on the team sheet. So, who were the most prominent NFL players of 2021? Let’s dig in.
7. Tom Brady
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position: Quarterback
Tom Brady made it to the top of the top 100 list a decade ago and starts at number seven on this list. The NFL star is fresh from winning his seventh Super Bowl, and his name has been present among NFL’s top players throughout the last 10 years.
Brady began his career with Tampa Bay on a high. He threw 4633 yards and registered 40 touchdowns, the second-best total for a 21-year old. Besides that, he has guided the Bucs through three road playoff wins and a Super Bowl for the first time. He has had an accomplished career with a lot of accolades.
6. Davante Adams
Team: Green Bay Packers
Position: Wide Receiver
Adams was the best wide receiver in 2020, which was also his most productive season. He also managed 115 receptions for 1374 yards as well as 18 TDs in 14 games. However, he is usually overlooked in conversations concerning NFL’s best wideouts. His 18 TDs and 98.1 receiving yards per game were the best in the league.
Moreover, Adams is a versatile pass-catcher that does it all despite being a top target from opposing defences. He overcomes this attention using unmatched awareness of running routes and the ability to play anywhere on the field. At 28, Adams is peaking five years in his career that has started to receive the attention he deserves.
5. Travis Kelce
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Position: Tight End
Kelce is staking his claim as NFL’s best pass-catching tight end. For instance, he set an all-time mark for tight ends in a single season after recording 1426 receiving yards in 2020. Moreover, his 105 receptions and 11 TDs were career-highs. He also continued his remarkable year in the playoffs, where he registered 31 catches for 360 yards and three TDs.
At 31, Kelce has been consistently producing and has now entered NFL’s history books. For example, he is not the only TE in the NFL to log five 1000-yard seasons. As if that was not enough, he is also the only player with several 100-catch seasons in NFL’s rich history. Moreover, he is the only player to register 90-plus receptions and 1200-plus receiving yards consecutively for the last three seasons.
4. Derrick Henry
Team: Tennessee Titans
Position: Running Back
Henry has joined the NFL’s 2000-yard club as the eighth member. This was after he registered 2027 rushing yards which are the fifth-highest of all time. He also managed 17 rushing touchdowns winning the NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year award.
Henry is an exceptional talent in the present pass-happy NFL. The 6-foot-3 and 247-pound Henry has the size and power to make him a menace to defences. He has also made the top 100 for three consecutive seasons and was also the first player to be named rushing champion in back-to-back seasons after LaDainian Tomlison.
3. Aaron Rodgers
Team: Green Bay Packers
Position: Quarterback
Rodgers, 37, re-established his place among the best NFL players claiming his third NFL AP Most Valuable Player award. He registered impressive numbers, including completing 70.7% of the 526 passes he attempted for 4299 passing yards. He also had 48 TDs and only five interceptions.
Under Rodgers, the team was averaging 31.8 points per game. He also scored TDs on 48 out of 60 red-zone trips, and both were league bests. He finished the year 2020 with a 121.5 QB rating. This was the second all-time, with the first all-time of 122.5 still being his.
2. Aaron Donald
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Position: Defensive End
Donald, 30, has registered remarkable performances after grabbing his third NFL AP Defensive Player Award in four seasons. He managed 13.5 sacks and forced opponents to make four fumbles in the 2020 season.
Moreover, he is a dominant player that muddles offenses and lets his teammates make plays. Donald’s peers have voted him as a top-three player for three consecutive years.
1. Patrick Mahomes
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Position: Quarterback
Mahomes has ranked fourth severally but is finally at the pinnacle of the most influential NFL player. He had an outstanding 2020 where he threw for 4749 passing yards and 38 TDs in 15 games. His performances helped the Chiefs to their third consecutive AFC West title.
He did not manage the numbers he registered in his MVP season, but he improved significantly in the advanced details of his position. For instance, his throwing accuracy improved, and he was able to make plays on the run. Everything he touches in the field turns to gold. He is only 25 and has a lot of room to improve.
