Sometimes a player puts together a season that has fans believing it is the start of big things for that athlete. They never reach those heights again, though.

Previously, we looked at examples of one-year wonders in MLB. Here are ten running backs and ten wide receivers that can be considered one-year wonders in the NFL.

Only players who debuted in 1990 or later were considered. The player must have gone over 1,000 yards in his best season and never over 800 in any other year (except for the last player whose highest yardage total is more than double his second-highest).

Running backs

  • 1. Reggie Cobb

Best season (1992 - Buccaneers): 1,171 rushing yards

Second best (1991 - Buccaneers): 752

Cobb was a workhorse in 1992 as his 310 carries were the fifth-most that year. He went on to average just 3.3 yards per attempt after that season.

  • 2. Harold Green

Best season (1992 - Bengals): 1,170

Second best (1991 - Bengals): 731

Named to the Pro Bowl in 1992, Green had over 100 yards on the ground five times that year. Much like Cobb, his ensuing seasons in the league saw him average only 3.3 yards per rush.

  • 3. Reggie Brooks

Best season (1993 - Redskins): 1,063

Second best (1996 - Buccaneers): 368

It was a superb rookie season for Brooks as he rushed for 1,063 yards averaging 4.8 yards per carry.

It went downhill after that as he totaled just 663 rushing yards for the rest of his career.

  • 4. Anthony Johnson

Best season (1996 - Panthers): 1,120

Second best (1992 - Colts): 592

After receiving 35 carries in 1994 and 1995 combined, Johnson had 300 in 2016. He would get just 186 more in the four years after.

  • 5. Olandis Gary

Best season (1999 - Broncos): 1,159

Second best (2003 - Lions): 384

Despite missing four games in his rookie season of 1999, Gary still ran for 1,159 yards. He would go on to rush for only 839 more yards for the rest of his career.

  • 6. Kevin Jones

Best season (2004 - Lions): 1,133

Second best (2006 - Lions): 689

A first-round pick in 2004, Jones lived up to his draft position during his rookie year, averaging 4.7 yards per carry.

His rushing average dipped to 3.7 over the following four seasons, and he was out of the league after 2008,

  • 7. Steve Slaton

Best season (2008 - Texans): 1,282

Second best (2009 - Texans): 437

It was a superb rookie season for Slaton, who not only ran for 1,282 yards but also caught 50 passes. He played just three more seasons accumulating 614 yards on the ground.

  • 8. Peyton Hillis

Best season (2010 - Browns): 1,177

Second best (2011 - Browns): 587

Likely the most nondescript player to ever grace the cover of Madden, Hillis came out of nowhere in 2010 with 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. He barely surpassed that yardage total over his next four seasons (1,258).

  • 9. Stevan Ridley

Best season (2012 - Patriots): 1,263

Second best (2013 - Patriots): 773

Strictly a runner (only 30 career receptions), Ridley had four games with at least 100 rushing yards and 10 with at least one rushing score in 2012.

In other three other games in his career other than that season did he surpass the 100-yard mark.

  • 10. Justin Forsett

Best season (2014 - Ravens): 1,266

Second best (2015 - Ravens): 641

Forsett had already turned 29 when he put together his career-best starter, making him a very late-bloomer for his position. He would play just two more seasons.

Wide receivers

  • 1. Marcus Robinson

Best season (1999 - Bears): 1,400 receiving yards

Second best (2000 - Bears): 738

While he did have other productive years, none was close to Robinson’s 84 catch, 1,400-yard season in 1999. In his nine-year career, he ended up with 325 receptions for 4,699 yards.

  • 2. Germane Crowell

Best season (1999 - Lions): 1,338

Second best (1998 - Lions): 464

Crowell was just unable to stay healthy after his spectacular second year in the league.

He went on to play just 24 games over three seasons for the rest of his career.

  • 3. Michael Westbrook

Best season (1999 - Redskins): 1,191

Second best (1998 - Redskins): 736

The 1999 season was just one of the two seasons out of 18 in which Westbrook played all 16 games. What also didn’t help is he had a reception on less than half of his targets (49.5 percent).

  • 4. Patrick Jeffers

Best season (1999 - Panthers): 1,082

Second best (1998 - Cowboys): 330

Amazingly, Jeffers only started one game in his career when taking away his 1999 season. He totaled just 35 catches for 481 yards, not counting his breakout year.

  • 5. Drew Bennett

Best season (2004 - Titans): 1,247

Second best (2005 - Titans): 738

In Week 14 of 2004, Bennett’s 233 receiving yards are tied for the 49th-most ever in a game according to Pro Football Reference.

He had 11 touchdowns in 2004 but totaled just 10 for the rest of his career over four seasons.

  • 6. Michael Clayton

Best season (2004 - Buccaneers): 1,193

Second best (2008 - Buccaneers): 484

Drafted 15th overall in 2004, Clayton put together one of the best rookie seasons ever by a receiver with 80 catches for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns. After that year, he went on to average less than two catches per game for the remainder of his career.

  • 7. Brandon Stokley

Best season (2004 - Colts): 1,077

Second best (2007 - Broncos): 635

Stokley went on to have a 15-year career in the NFL and was a three-time Super Bowl winner. He started just 44 games at that time, though, including only three in the 2004 season that was easily his best.

  • 8. Sidney Rice

Best season (2009 - Vikings): 1,312

Second best (2012 - Seahawks): 748

Named to the Pro Bowl in 2009, Rice caught 83 passes for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns. Just one of his four leagues in the league after that did he appear in all 16 games.

  • 9. Steve Smith

Best season (2009 - Giants): 1,220

Second best (2008 - Giants): 574

The 2009 season brought Smith to the top of the Giants’ record book as his 107 receptions are the most in a single-season in franchise history. He caught just 73 more passes for the rest of his career.

  • 10. Josh Gordon

Best season (2013 - Browns): 1,646

Second best (2012 - Browns): 805

Gordon looked like a superstar in 2013 as he was a First-Team All-Pro and led the league with his 1,646 receiving yards. Unfortunately, suspensions have kept him off the field way more frequently than he’s been on since then.
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