Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice has capped a memorable 2009 season with his first Pro Bowl selection. Rice will represent the NFC in the Jan. 31 event in Miami.

Rice, the NFL’s breakout player of the year in 2009, has 77 catches for 1,200 yards (15.6 per catch) and six touchdowns with one regular-season game left in his third year in the NFL.

Rice joins Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals, DeSean Jackson of the Eagles and Miles Austin of the Cowboys as wide receivers on the NFC squad. Fitzgerald and Jackson are the starters.

Rice, who has become Brett Favre’s favorite target in the Hall of Fame quarterback’s comeback year, had just 46 catches for 537 yards in his first two years in the NFL.

Rice, a second-round draft pick (44th overall) by the Vikings in 2007 out of South Carolina, has become known for his big-play ability, and at 6-4, 208 pounds, can out-leap and out-muscle most cornerbacks.

Sidney has earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors once this season. His yardage total is second in the NFC.

Vikings receiver Sidney Rice, the NFL’s breakout player of the year in 2009, cleared the 1,000-yard mark for the season on Sunday – in just the 12th game of the year.

With seven catches for 72 yards in a loss to Arizona, Rice now has 63 catches for an NFC-leading 1,036 yards (16.4 yards per catch) on the season with four games left to play. Rice, who has become Brett Favre’s favorite target in the Hall of Fame quarterback’s comeback year, had 46 catches for 537 yards in his first two years combined.

Rice, a second-round draft pick (44th overall) by the Vikings in 2007 out of South Carolina, has become known for his big-play ability, and at 6-4, 208 pounds, can out-leap and out-muscle most cornerbacks.

Sidney has earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors once this season. His yardage total leads the NFC and is fourth in the NFL.

Through two seasons in the NFL, one ability has stood out for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice – besides his superior leaping ability, speed and size, that is.

It’s his ability to make big plays.

Rice, who won’t turn 23 until Sept. 1, has 46 catches for 537 yards (11.7 yards per catch) in 26 games in his NFL career thus far. But the statistic that stands out: 8 touchdowns.

Rice said his size and determination have helped him in that area.

“I’m just a competitor like everyone else out there on the field,” he said. “I always want to do the best I can, so whenever I get the chance to make a play, I’m going to try to take advantage.

“At 6-4, 205 pounds, I have an edge over some of the smaller DBs.”

Rice, a second-round draft pick (44th overall) by the Vikings in 2007 out of South Carolina, scored four touchdowns on 31 catches as a rookie in 2007 and had four more TDs on just 15 catches this past season. His longest play was a TD on a 60-yard bomb against the Giants on Nov. 25, 2007.

He also attempted two passes in 2007, completing them both, one for a 79-yard gain—the longest pass completion for a non-quarterback in Vikings history.