LogFAQs > #970124829

Breakout Player of the Year

Orcas QB Jameis Winston

A former 39th overall pick, Winston was a quality, if seldom-used, backup for the first six seasons of his career with the Vikings and Orcas before management in San Juan decided to override the QB battle results and hand the keys to Jameis. He responded by leading the league in passer rating and +10 TD/INT (24 to 14) ratio as he helped the Orcas offense rise from 16th to 7th in yards and 2nd in scoring even as HB injuries led to four different starters at the position (with none starting more than five games).

Buccaneers HB Knile Davis

A former 3rd round pick by the Jets, Davis was signed as an end-of-free agency roster hole filler after he failed to land on a team the previous three seasons. The Bucs had let Matt Forte walk and were ready to hand the job to their #2 overall pick from a season ago in Alvin Kamara. Davis, in his 8th season, surprisingly won the battle and management led it ride. Davis responded by finishing 6th in rushing (1581 yards), T-6th in rushing YPC (4.3), and only fumbled once as he helped the Bucs finish 7th in rushing en route to their first non-losing season since S12.

Falcons RT Dusty Swain

A seldom-used backup, the former 6th rounder by the Bengals was called to start 11 games for injured superstar Tony Ugoh. Instead of everything falling to pieces, Swain provided 60 blocks vs 5 sacks allowed as he helped HB David Johnson lead the league in rushing yards per game and rushing YPC, the Falcons to the #6 offense in the league, and the team to a 9-7 record and narrowly missing out on the playoffs.

Express DT Vernon Butler

Staying on the Express train, Butler was coming off of a rookie season as a rotational DT where he only managed 9 tackles. With Amobi Okoye's departue, he left vacant starting role. Butler won the job over Dana Dorsey and managed 38 tackles, a team-leading 10 sacks, 1 FF, and 2 FRs as he helped lock down the Express D in the second half of the season as the Express snagged a wild card spot.

Rams SS R.J. Schwartz

Backup SSs get a lot of playing time on defense and special teams, so a great number of teams get quality production from the spot. The Rams had been one of them with Schwartz' predecessor Skip McGrath nabbing what is currently the second-biggest contract for a SS in free agency. Schwartz did not follow up on the greatness of McGrath putting up just 13 tackles, a sack, and an INT with an elite defense like the Rams. His second season though has put him in rare air as a backup at any position slated to make the Pro Bowl. His 10 combined sacks and INTs (4 and 6 respectively) strictly as a backup were six more than any other backup and third overall among all defense players (OLBs Bradley Chubb and Markus Golden led with 12).