Tavon Austin, WR/PR, St. Louis Rams
It’s difficult to pinpoint a true “Most Valuable Player” on a 5-8 Rams team, because there’s been so much inconsistent performance throughout the course of the season. While he’s been somewhat of a quiet playmaker during a breakout 2015 season, third-year offensive weapon Tavon Austin may be the Rams’ most consistent player this year and is their nominee for the St. Louis MVP award.
While playing in all 13 games to date, Austin is tied withTodd Gurleyfor the team lead in touchdowns with eight. But unlike Gurley, who has all his touchdowns on the ground, Austin has accomplished the unique feat of scoring his touchdowns as a triple-threat, and he has three TDs as a rusher, four as a receiver, and one as a punt returner this season. He has 991 all-purpose yards on the year: 358 as a runner, which ranks second behind Gurley on the team, 386 as a pass-catcher, and 247 as a returner.
Interestingly, though Austin was seen by many as a role-playing slot receiver entering the season, he’s emerged as the Rams’ leader in both receptions and targets during 2015, catching 41 passes on 68 targets. His relative consistency in hanging onto the ball has been a major relief for the Rams in a season whereKenny BrittandJared Cookhave had major problems with drops andBrian Quickhas failed to get himself involved in the offense.
Austin may not be the most productive athlete in St. Louis—or even on his own team—but his ability to do multiple things really well positions him a cut above the rest, and for that reason he deserves consideration as the St. Louis MVP.
Next: A Prolific Tackler
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