Who is Washington’s best-kept secret in 2021?
The Washington Football Team wasn’t very good on offense in 2020. While the WFT won the NFC East, it was largely behind the performance of a stingy defense.
Offensively, Washington was one of the worst teams in the league. However, not everything was bad on offense for Washington.
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin had another big year, tight end Logan Thomas broke out as one of the league’s more underrated tight ends, and rookie running back Antonio Gibson was a key cog for the Football Team.
Another big-time performer for Washington in 2020 was running back J.D. McKissic.
McKissic, who signed a two-year deal with Washington in March 2020, set career-highs in rushing yards, receptions and receiving yards last season. The former undrafted wide receiver out of Arkansas State rushed for 365 yards and caught 80 passes for the WFT in 2020.
Bleacher Report recently named the best-kept secret on every NFL team, and McKissic received that honor for Washington.
Wideout Terry McLaurin and tight end Logan Thomas were the faces of the Washington Football Team’s receiving corps in 2020. However, running back J.D. McKissic was an underappreciated piece of the passing game.
McKissic finished second on the team with 80 receptions and third with 589 receiving yards in his first season with the franchise. He also added 365 rushing yards and three total touchdowns. McKissic averaged 4.3 yards per carry and 7.4 yards per reception in 2020.
One could easily argue that McKissic, who never previously topped 500 scrimmage yards in a season, was vastly underutilized during stints with the Seahawks and Lions. With more than 900 scrimmage yards last year, he’s found the right fit in Washington.
Complementary backs rarely get the recognition of their workhorse brethren, but make no mistake: McKissic is a weapon, and opposing defenses know it.
McKissic is quietly one of the better receiving backs in the league. Offensive coordinator Scott Turner carved out an important role for McKissic in 2020, and he figures to be an even bigger part of Washington’s offense in 2021.
