NFL wide receivers that should have been league MVP: 12. Randy Moss, 2003
It had to come sometime. Randy Moss had some of the most impressive seasons in the history of football. He was all over the place when it came to distractions, but when it came to his skills on the field, he might be the most talented player in the history of the game.
That was never more clear than in 2003 when Moss was the best player in the league. He led the league with 17 touchdowns. He had more than 1,600 yards, and his 111 catches were a career-high. He was always a big-play maker, but this season he became an every-down receiver. 77 of his 111 receptions went for a first down. He was the go-to player on a team that lost its starter Daunte Culpepper for a few games.
Moss was always a deep threat, but this season Moss was every threat. Instead of putting someone over the top on every play, Moss made the defense worry about the underneath. There’s the joke that Moss would never cross the middle, but that wasn’t the case this season. He would go anywhere it took to move the chains, and he would go to the really hard areas to get a touchdown.
Moss was always a controversial receiver, but it’s not controversial to call him the best player in the league this season.