Looking back: 10 best and worst contracts from 2020

Free agent running back Mark Ingram had one of the worst 2020 seasons among highly-paid players.

“Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” so said some great man. “Hindsight is 20/20,” said another. “What the heck were people thinking?” says … um, me.

With the 2020 season in our rearview mirror, we can take a look back at some of the hits and misses of player personnel evaluations. Here’s a look at the Top 10 best and worst contracts from 2020.

The Best

Grading the best contracts was a mostly objective process with some subjective reasoning sprinkled in. To qualify for one of the best contracts:

  • Kickers and defenses were immediately withdrawn from consideration, as distinguishing a difference between contract value is an exercise in futility.
  • A player must have finished the season with starter-level points (i.e. they ranked 1-12 for quarterbacks and tight ends and 1-24 for running backs and wide receivers. FLEX positions were not considered.)
  • Ultimately, players must have had a high “points per dollar” average — the amount of points a player scored per dollar spent on him.

10. Nyheim Hines, RB/IND (Russia Renegades) — $0.50

The Renegades signed Hines to a 1-year, $0.50 million contract late in the auction as a depth option with potential FLEX appeal. Although he didn’t make his way into the Renegades lineup often, he turned in a very successful season, finishing as an RB2, ranking 19th among all running backs.

9. Josh Allen, QB/BUF (San Juan Scorpions) — $1.50

Drafted 30th overall in the 2018 MFFL Draft, Allen had a breakout performance in his third season in the league. He was good in 2019, but he was outstanding this past season. Allen tallied 450.14 points, averaging 28.1 per game, finishing as the second overall quarterback. He helped lead the Scorpions to a Super Bowl title.

8. Diontae Johnson, WR/PIT (Nagasaki Kamikazes) — $1.00

One could argue that Johnson’s teammate, Chase Claypool, might have been the bigger bargain at $0.50 million, but Claypool missed eligibility for this list by one spot, finishing as WR25. Johnson, meanwhile, had his own success story. Selected 27th overall in the 2019 Draft, Johnson had a breakout sophomore season. He finished as WR21, tallying 280 points and averaging 18.7 points per game.

7. Amari Cooper, WR/DAL (Turkey Jerky) — $1.00

For the second straight season, Cooper played on a front-loaded contract at the low cost of just $1 million. And for the second time in as many seasons, he found his way onto the list of top contracts. Cooper tallied 297.5 points, averaging 18.6 points per game as he finished as the WR15 on the season for the Jerky.

6. James Robinson, RB/JAX (Nagasaki Kamikazes) — $1.00

As an undrafted free agent, Robinson signed with the Nagasaki Kamikazes just days before the season opener. Signing the league-minimum $1 million deal, Robinson turned some heads around the league and became a first-year sensation. Robinson averaged 21.2 points per game and finished as the RB7 while helping lead the Kamikazes to the Super Bowl.

5. Terry McLaurin, WR/WAS (San Juan Scorpions) — $0.50

McLaurin was a real find for the Scorpions deep in the 2019 MFFL Draft. Selected with the second-to-last pick, McLaurin had a strong rookie season last year before breaking out for an even more outstanding 2020 campaign. McLaurin averaged 18.8 points per game and finished as the WR20 while helping lead the Scorpions to the Super Bowl.

4. Robert Tonyan, TE/GB (Nagasaki Kamikazes) — $0.25

Signed to a three-year, league-minimum deal in the 2019 Auction, Tonyan had a breakout season in 2020. He went from TE65 in 2019 to TE6 this past season. He averaged 13.9 points per game and scored 207.85. Finding a way on to the field proved to be difficult for Tonyan who played behind the best tight end in the game in Travis Kelce. But Tonyan’s contract was a real bargain.

3. Justin Herbert, QB/LAC (Russia Renegades) — $0.25

Drafted with the 31st pick in last year’s draft and playing behind Lamar Jackson, the last thing Herbert probably expected was to find his way onto the field. But the rookie defied expectations. Herbert filled in for Jackson while the veteran struggled midseason, and he went on to score five more points than his teammate, averaging 26 points per game, finishing as QB7, and leading all rookies in scoring.

2. Aaron Jones, RB/GB (Nagasaki Kamikazes) — $0.25

Finishing off the third year of a dirt-cheap contract, Jones once more played under a league-minimum salary this past season and found himself near the top of this list again. Jones racked up 299.1 points while averaging 21.4 per game and he finished as the fifth-best running back in the league while helping Nagasaki reach the Super Bowl.

1. Darren Waller, TE/LV (Ukraine Grainers) — $0.25

For the second-straight year, a Grainers tight end found his way onto this list, and it wasn’t George Kittle. Waller signed a three-year, league-minimum deal in the 2019 Auction and had an explosive 2019 season. He did even better in 2020, finishing with 347.5 points and averaging 21.7 points per game. With Kittle sidelined for a large portion of the season, Waller got to play a lot and show what he can do, proving to be one of the best tight ends in the league.

The Worst

Grading the worst contracts, like the best, was a mostly objective process with some subjective reasoning sprinkled in. To qualify for one of the worst contracts:

  • Kickers and defenses were immediately withdrawn from consideration, as distinguishing a difference between contract value is an exercise in futility.
  • Players who did not participate in at least half the season were disqualified from consideration. Obviously, the contracts of players who were injured or suspended for much of the season turned out to be bad, but it was to no fault of the owner.
  • A player must have had a contract that ranked as a “starter-level contract” (i.e. the contract ranked among the 12 highest for quarterbacks and tight ends or among the 24 highest for running backs and wide receivers.)
  • Ultimately, players must have had a low “points per dollar” average — the amount of points a player scored per dollar spent on him.

10. Zach Ertz, TE/PHI (San Juan Scorpions) — $4.25

Following a dominant 2018 season, Ertz experienced a setback in 2019 but was still considered a top tight end. As such, the Scorpions retained him and signed him to a three-year, $4.25 million deal last offseason. The deal made him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league. The 30-year-old is getting long in the tooth and had his worst season as a pro in 2020. Granted, he only played in 11 games, but it was enough to qualify for the list and he finished as TE28 with just 9.4 points per game.

9. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR/PIT (Bangkok Blitz) — $13.00

Smith-Schuster had a disastrous 2019 season when he finished as WR63. That didn’t stop the Blitz from tagging him and signing him to a three-year, $13.00 million deal last offseason. JJSS rebounded in 2020 and finished as a high-end WR2, ranking 16th at the receiver position. He might have earned his big payday considering he didn’t get much help from any of his receiver teammates. But his points per dollar production was considerably low.

8. Ezekiel Elliott, RB/DAL (Ecuador Ewoks) — $14.50

Elliott played the 2020 season under the exclusive franchise tag and had his worst season as a pro. Playing almost his entire career with the Ewoks, Elliott started the season with the Kamikazes before they sent him back to Ecuador. Despite his setback in production, he still finished as the RB9. But with a $14.50 million salary, he played under one of the worst contracts of the 2020 MFFL season.

7. Mike Evans, WR/TB (Free Agent) — $17.00

Evans spent most of last offseason as the MFFL’s highest-paid player, until Michael Thomas was signed to a $23 million deal in the NFT auction. In order not to make this list, he was going to have to have perhaps the best season of any receiver in the league. As it turned out, Evans played well and finished as WR13, averaging 19 points per game. But the contract was a bit much even for that production, and the Jerky cut ties with the receiver after the season.

6. Melvin Gordon, RB/DEN (Turkey Jerky) — $15.75

The Jerky, already possessing the highest-paid receiver last offseason in Mike Evans, acquired the highest-paid running back in Melvin Gordon. It’s not as if Gordon had a bad season, by any means. Gordon finished as the RB14, tallying 237.4 points and averaging 15.8 per game. But given his high contract, he was unable to match production to cost.

5. Chris Godwin, WR/TB (Ukraine Grainers) — $14.25

Godwin, ironically, made the “best contracts” list last season, finishing as the fourth-best receiver while playing on a league-minimum deal. He got paid handsomely last offseason, inking a three-year, $13 million extension with the Grainers and becoming one of the highest-paid receivers in the league. Godwin missed four games in 2020, but he finished as just a low-end WR3, dropping all the way down to 32nd at the receiver position. When healthy, he finished 15th in points per game at the position, so he’s not likely to land on this list again next year.

4. Julio Jones, WR/ATL (Wake Island Wookiees) — $14.75

When healthy, Jones finished 14th among receivers in points per game with 20.1. So, his output was certainly good when he played. But considering the Wookiees invested $14.75 million in him — which was actually reduced from the base $20.50 million he signed for in the 2018 Auction — Jones far underperformed his contract in 2020. He just barely made the cut for this list, appearing in two more games than he missed. But he finished as WR53 and did the Wookiees no favors.

3. Todd Gurley, RB/ATL (Wake Island Wookiees) — $11.25

Once upon a time, Gurley was one of, if not the best running back in the league. How quick the turnover at the running back position really is. Gurley signed a three-year, $11.25 million deal in the 2019 Auction with the Bangkok Blitz and he has already hopped two teams. The Wookiees acquired him midseason this past year and are now saddled with him for another year at $11.25 million. Gurley missed just one game this past year, but he finished all the way down at RB23.

2. Leonard Fournette, RB/TB (Switzerland Squirrels) — $12.00

Talk about an interesting rollercoaster of a season for Fournette. Acquired by Christmas Island for a whopping 1st Round pick, $4.50 million cash and the free agent rights to Kenny Golladay, he quickly got shipped away to Switzerland for Pick 8 in last year’s draft. Switzerland placed the EFT on him and Fournette proceeded to have his worst season as a pro. He averaged just 12.6 points per game and finished as RB38.

1. Mark Ingram, RB/BAL (Free Agent) — $10.00

Acquired by Ecuador last offseason and retained via the NFT tag, Ingram signed a one-year, $10 million deal. Jamaica acquired him from Ecuador midseason in a trade, and then later cut him after the season. Ingram had an atrocious season. He did miss six games, but was horrible in the 10 games that he did play. Of those ten games, he scored double digits just twice. Ingram finished as RB75 in total points, and was even worse in points per game, averaging a measly 6.7.