No. 2: Brandon Lloyd, WR (2010)
The 2010 Denver Broncos were, how do I put this nicely... not great. Ranking dead last in points against (29.4 per game) and 19th in points for (21.5 per game) will probably do that. This was also Josh McDaniels' last year as head coach, but that saga has already been well-documented.
If there's one thing to be proud of from that abysmal season, it was the eruption of seventh-year receiver Brandon Lloyd. Coming into the greatest one-and-done season in team history, Lloyd had never caught more than 48 passes or eclipsed 733 receiving yards.
As Kyle Orton's (and later Tim Tebow's) go-to target, Lloyd brought in 77 passes for 1,448 yards, nearly doubling his previous high, while also leading the league in that category. Part of Lloyd's success came from force-feeding (153 targets on a 50.3 catch percentage), but that's okay. Someone had to be the guy and Lloyd answered the bell.
Unsurprisingly, the Fighting Illini alum was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl, joining perennial selection Champ Bailey as the only Broncos to earn a nod.
For those who might still be wondering how he did it, I direct your attention to exhibit A:
Brandon Lloyd made some of the best catches you’ve probably never seen. @mrblloyd pic.twitter.com/3mf47q4w2A
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) May 15, 2020
2010 season stats
- 1448 receiving yards
- 77 receptions
- 153 targets
- 11 receiving touchdowns
- 18.8 yards per reception
- 90.5 receiving yards per game