Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims played a limited offensive role as a rookie, but made a big impact on special teams.
Mims was voted to the Pro Bowl by players, coaches and fans after catching 19 punts for 312 yards, 15 kickoffs for 397 yards and a touchdown in his first season as a pro. Mims will now handle the punt return duties for the AFC during next month’s Pro Bowl.
“How cool is it that Marvin is coming into the new school year and is selected as the starting pitcher?” Broncos safety Justin Simmons said last week. “You deserve it.”Among double-digit returners, Mims ranks fourth in the NFL with an average of 26.5 yards per kickoff return (first in the AFC).
He averaged 16.4 yards per return, the best in the league among eligible players. Three players ranked higher than Mims as a starter: KaVontae Turpin (29.2 YPR), Velus Jones Jr. (27.2 YPR) and Raheem Blackshear (26.9 YPR). Let’s take a quick look at where Mims ranks among 2,023 starters and punt returners.