Every NFL Team's Offensive Weapon Situation Ranked
Updated: Jun 16
Every NFL Team's Offensive Weapon Situation Ranked
Written by: Aaron Ussery
Heading into training camp, now is a great time to check in on the state of each team's overall roster. Below I rank all 32 teams' current offensive weapon situations from the worst to the best. Read below to see how your team stacks up against the rest of the league.
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32. Chicago Bears
Key Players: RB David Montgomery, WR Darnell Mooney, TE Cole Kmet
The offseason plan for Chicago was pretty obvious: tear it all down. The previous regime had left behind a grizzly-sized mess for GM Ryan Poles, so many big name players had to go. Chief among those big names were the likes of Allen Robinson and Jimmy Graham, two players that had been staples in the Windy City for most of Matt Nagy's tenure (for better or for worse).
Both are gone, and there isn't much proven talent here to replace them. Montgomery has had some nice moments thus far, but is far from the league's most dynamic back. Mooney still projects as more of a secondary target than a true WR1, and unless he can take a major step forward this is still looking like one of the worst wideout corps in the league. Cole Kmet caught 60 targets for 612 yards last season but didn't have a single touchdown.
There's a chance that Mooney and Kmet can continue progressing and break out in 2022, but all the projection and uncertainty makes it easy for me to call this the worst set of offensive weapons in the NFL right now.
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31. Houston Texans
Key Players: RB Marlon Mack, WR Brandin Cooks, TE Brevin Jordan
Houston took a small step in the right direction this offseason, but glancing over their offensive depth chart shows you there's still quite a ways to go. There's a few interesting pieces here, but as a whole it's still lacking in elite playmakers.
The rushing offense was abysmal last season, so Marlon Mack was added in the offseason to give the RB room a bit of a boost. Given his recent injury history, however, his actual contribution may wind up being less than what the team would like. Expect a committee approach, with Rex Burkhead and rookie Dameon Pierce getting plenty of carries as well.
Cooks still looks like a one-man show at wide receiver, but there's still a chance Nico Collins could step up in his second year and grow into more of a sidekick. The team may also get some help from rookie John Metchie when he's able to return from his ACL injury. TE Brevin Jordan will most likely be contending with Pharoah Brown and Teagan Quitoriano for the starting job, though none of them really jump out as exciting options.
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30. New England Patriots
Key Players: RB Damien Harris, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, TE Hunter Henry
There's a lot to like with the starting RB tandem of Harris and Stevenson, and both James White and newcomer Pierre Strong can serve as chance of pace options to the powerful duo.
The team got a ton of red zone production from Hunter Henry last season, but next to nothing from fellow free agent pickup Jonnu Smith. The hope will likely be for both to step up more in 2022, given their contracts, but there's worse tight end situations in the league.
There is not, however, a worse wide receiver room in the NFL right now than the one in Foxboro. A unit consistent of Devante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, and Jakobi Meyers just isn't gonna get it done. Rookie WR Tyquan Thornton will have to be the second coming of Tyreek Hill just to lift this group into league average territory.
Tyquan Thornton is also most certainly not going to be the second coming of Tyreek Hill, so... yeah.
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29. Jacksonville Jaguars
Key Players: RB Travis Etienne, WR Christian Kirk, TE Evan Engram
I can't rank the Jags much higher than this, because most of their key contributors are shaping up to be players who have never suited up for them.
Etienne is the favorite to start over James Robinson, who is still working his way back from an Achilles injury. Etienne himself, of course, had a foot injury last preseason that wound up sidelining him for the year. There's a lot to like, but it's still all projection at this point.
Kirk essentially broke the wide receiver market, so you'd hope the team at least plans to use him like a number one wide receiver. He isn't one, of course, so we'll see how that plan goes. Zay Jones also joined the team this offseason, and I still have a lot of hope for Laviska Shenault as well -- but I still see a below average wideout corps when I look at everything here.
New TE Evan Engram can produce, but nobody should be losing their minds about him. He's a decent receiving threat who can't block and still struggles with drops even after five years in the league.
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28. New York Giants
Key Players: RB Saquon Barkley, WR Kenny Golladay, TE Ricky Seals-Jones
I think we're all starting to worry that Saquon Barkley may never go back to being the player that he once was. Lower body injuries have haunted him the past two seasons, which is never what you want to hear with a running back. Maybe an extra offseason removed from his 2020 ACL tear will help him get back into form. He still has the talent to be one of the very best RBs in the NFL.
Things don't look too great elsewhere either. Kenny Golladay has just 57 catches over the last two seasons combined, after posting 65 in 2019 alone. Nobody seems to have a clue what's going on with Kadarius Toney. Darius Slayton is fine, but hasn't lived up to the expectations he set back during his rookie year. It's an underwhelming wideout corps, and even Brian Daboll may not be able to make it look good.
Ricky Seals-Jones is the team's projected starting tight end. Ricky Seals-Jones has never had more than 35 catches in a season. He may end up breaking out in a big way come 2022, but I'm not holding my breath.
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27. Atlanta Falcons
Key Players: TE Kyle Pitts, WR Drake London, RB Cordarrelle Patterson
The good news is that Kyle Pitts is 110% who everyone thought he was. As a rookie, he had the world's quietest 1,000 yard season despite essentially having nobody around to take the pressure off of him. He's an ascending talent, and I won't be shocked if we're talking about him as the best TE in the game period come 2023.
The bad news is that everything else doesn't look too great here. The team took Drake London in the first round, but he'll be pulling a heavy sled in a wideout room that features Olamide Zaccheaus and Auden Tate as his main counterparts.
In the backfield, Patterson had a great season as the team's de-facto RB1 last season. For now, he looks in line to be so again in 2022 - but the additions of Damien Williams and Tyler Allgeier could help patch things up.
In all, Pitts does a lot to lift things here -- but the lack of proven, elite talent at either WR or RB makes it tough to place Atlanta any higher than this.
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26. Tennessee Titans
Key Players: RB Derrick Henry, WR Treylon Burks, WR Robert Woods
The Titans offensive weapon group, for now, is defined by the ghost of AJ Brown. His departure left the wideout room in flux. The hope is certainly that newcomers Woods and Burks can help fill the void, but each has question marks. Woods is 30 years old and coming off a torn ACL, whereas Burks is reportedly struggling with conditioning thus far early on in camp. Not necessarily what you want to be hearing about the unproven rookie you drafted to quite literally replace the Pro Bowler you just dealt away.
Elsewhere, Derrick Henry is still Derrick Henry. The injury he suffered in 2021 is concerning, but we can't write off somebody as good as him. I will say that I don't love what's behind him, with rookie Hassan Haskins appearing to be the "guy" if Henry goes down again.
TE Austin Hooper was quietly added in the offseason as well. He just had the least productive season of his career in 2021, but he's only 27 and has shown himself to be a reliable and steady player in the past. The team lacked a difference-maker at the position last season, so Hooper won't need to do much to be an improvement.
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25. New York Jets
Key Players: RB Breece Hall, WR Elijah Moore, WR Garrett Wilson
Things look better on paper for the Jets, but they're another example of a team where things are mostly unproven.
Breece Hall was considered by many to be the draft's best RB prospect, and his terrific burst and speed should work well in Mike LaFleur's wide zone offense. He and Michael Carter are an enticing 1-2 pairing, but again we'll have to see how it goes first.
Same goes with the pass catchers as well. Garrett Wilson was taken 10th overall to join up with Elijah Moore and Corey Davis. On paper, that could be an exciting trio. The tight end room got a complete overhaul, with CJ Uzomah, Tyler Conklin, and Jeremy Ruckert all added in the offseason.
The Jets, similar to the Jaguars, are relying on a bunch of unknowns. But I like these unknowns quite a bit more.
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24. Carolina Panthers
Key Players: RB Christian McCaffrey, WR DJ Moore, WR Robbie Anderson
We can probably go ahead and file Christian McCaffrey in the same bucket as Saquon Barkley. When he's healthy, he's one of the best in the league. But he hasn't been healthy for two straight seasons now, and it's fair to wonder if he ever will be again. D'Onta Foreman was signed in the offseason to add insurance. He and Chuba Hubbard make for decent depth behind the former All Pro.
DJ Moore is the best receiver who nobody talks about. He's produced at a high rate every year despite seldom ever having reliable QB play. He is elite, and his presence alone is enough to boost Carolina above teams who lack a player of his caliber. Robbie Anderson had the least productive season of his career in 2021 and has flirted with retirement this offseason, but if he's still in the fold I consider him a good number two option. Terrace Marshall Jr. was a massive disappointment as a rookie, but is still talented enough to make a difference and shouldn't be written off after one year.
The tight end room isn't terribly exciting. They overpaid Ian Thomas to keep him around, but may have a superior player to him in second year man Tommy Tremble.
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23. Green Bay Packers
Key Players: RB Aaron Jones, RB AJ Dillon, WR Allen Lazard
With Davante Adams no longer in the picture, the Packers skill-position group is currently defined by their excellent RB duo of Jones and Dillon. The two complement each other extremely well, and both may see something of an expanded role with the wideout corps looking a little barren.
Lazard, as the one big holdover, is likely the de-facto number one receiver until one of the newcomers takes the role away from him. He's got plenty of chemistry with Rodgers, but lets get real -- he's not Adams. Watson has a boatload of physical talent, but has reportedly been struggling with drops during mini camp. Rodgers won't throw his way much if he doesn't trust him to come down with the ball. Sammy Watkins is here as well, but he and Randall Cobb should both be considered little more than ancillary pieces at this point. I do have my eye on fourth round pick Romeo Doubs. He's more polished at this point than Watson is, and I wouldn't be shocked if he contributes more.
Robert Tonyan is still the TE1. Injuries derailed him last season, but he's shown chemistry with Rodgers before. I'm interested to see if Josiah Deguara will have more of a role this season. But in any case, I wouldn't describe the tight end room as very strong right now.
There's still some pieces to like here, but Adams' departure still leaves a dark cloud hanging over the Packers 2022 offensive weapon group.
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22. New Orleans Saints
Key Players: RB Alvin Kamara, WR Chris Olave, WR Jarvis Landry
It's a lot of the same old faces in New Orleans, but with vastly different circumstances.
Kamara is facing a likely suspension after his offseason arrest for assault. Reports in that vain aren't looking great, as there's a good chance it could be longer than six games. If that's the case, then Mark Ingram may have more on his plate than what he can currently handle given his age.
And then there's the wideout corps, where Michael Thomas still doesn't appear ready to come back from his ankle injury. The uncertainty with his status is a big reason why Jarvis Landry is in the picture now. He and rookie Chris Olave form a good pairing, and if they can get something from Thomas this year that should be considered a bonus.
Adam Trautman and Taysom Hill (yup, you read that right) highlight the TE room. Trautman likely gets the starting nod, but the team will likely want to see him step up in his third season. He hasn't caught more than 30 passes in either of his two seasons thus far. I'm not even going to speculate on what Hill will look like in this role.
I'm giving New Orleans a lot of benefit of the doubt here, but there's a high chance for this all to go terribly wrong this season.
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21. Detroit Lions
Key Players: RB DeAndre Swift, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, TE TJ Hockenson
Swift is trending towards an expanded role in 2022, particularly as a pass-catcher. He totaled over 1,000 net yards from scrimmage last season in only 13 games. If he can stay on the field just a bit more, there's a chance he could really shine. Jamaal Williams added over 750 plus yards from scrimmage of his own last year, the second highest mark of his career. They're a really solid RB tandem.
Things are trending the right way in the wide receiver room as well. St. Brown already showed as a rookie that he can make a difference in this NFL. He mainly thrives in the slot and as a possession receiver, so Detroit wisely added two others to the mix who can win as downfield threats in DJ Chark and Jameson Williams.
Hockenson hasn't lived up to his top ten selection in 2019, but he's still one of the better tight ends in the league when he's healthy. My main concern is that there isn't much behind him right now (2021 UDFA Brock Wright looks to be the main backup).
There's potential for this group to grow into one of the league's best, but they aren't there quite yet.
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20. Arizona Cardinals
Key Players: WR Marquise Brown, RB James Conner, TE Zach Ertz
The suspension of DeAndre Hopkins knocks Arizona down a bit, but not too much. He'll be back after six games, and if all goes well then you figure he and newcomer Marquise Brown can form a nice tandem. Beyond the two of them however, I don't love what's here. AJ Green is well past his prime, meaning second year man Rondale Moore likely will have an expanded role in 2022.
James Conner was second only to Jonathan Taylor in rushing touchdowns last season, with 15 total. However, he still only managed 3.7 yards per carry -- the worst mark of his career thus far. And yet for some reason, Arizona still looks to be relying on him as the main back. One of Darrel Williams, Eno Benjamin, or Keontay Ingram will need to step up or else the team will be lacking explosiveness in the backfield (beyond Kyler Murray, I suppose).
Zach Ertz was retained and will likely start the year as the starting tight end, but the team wisely invested in a younger player with second round pick Trey McBride. The two of them form a decent tight end combo on paper, but Ertz could easily hit a wall and McBride could easily face the typical struggles of a rookie tight end.
In general, this group of weapons can likely put up points - but there's a bit more reliance on aging players (such as Hopkins, Green, Conner, and Ertz) than what I am comfortable with.
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19. Baltimore Ravens
Key Players: TE Mark Andrews, RB JK Dobbins, WR Rashod Bateman
We have to start with the tight end room, since that's where the offense thrives. Andrews was the best receiving tight end in the league last season, and there's little reason to think he'll be anything less than a top five player at his position in 2022. I liked the selections of Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely to round out the room here. A deep and versatile tight end room was a big factor in this offense's success back in 2019 during Lamar's MVP season, and it looks like Greg Roman is trying to recreate that.
The season ending injuries to Dobbins, along with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, left the team's RB corps decimated in 2021. You figure that's not likely to happen again. If Dobbins is healthy, I consider him an easy candidate for 1,000 rushing yards. Edwards and Hill both have their roles in the offense as well, but lets not count out the additions of Mike Davis and Tyler Badie. The team could easily keep all five RBs on the roster.
And then... there's the wideouts. Obviously this isn't a priority for the team, but it's still a little nerve-wracking to see so much hinging on young players to break out. Somebody between Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, James Proche, and Tylan Wallace is going to need to step up and take on some of the production left by Marquise Brown's departure.
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18. Kansas City Chiefs
Key Players: TE Travis Kelce, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
It's a bit of a new era in Kansas City, with Tyreek Hill no longer in the picture.
Travis Kelce is still here, of course, and is still the league's best tight end. But beyond him it's all question marks.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdez-Scantling, Mecole Hardman, and rookie Skyy Moore will all try to fill the void left over by Hill's departure. It's a decent enough group, but obviously lacking in a true elite talent.
The running back room is the same story. Edwards-Helaire has been much maligned after being taken in the first round back in 2020. His talent is there, but it just hasn't shown up enough times. Ronald Jones was a sneaky good signing, as the former Buc offers a great contingency plan if CEH struggles again. And we also can't forget about Jerick McKinnon, who had some success for the Chiefs last season as well.
There's a lot to prove here, but I still think Kansas City will likely still be able to put up points this season.
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17. Denver Broncos
Key Players: RB Javonte Williams, WR Courtland Sutton, WR Jerry Jeudy
This might be lower than what people were expecting, but let's take a closer look.
At wide receiver, the team has Sutton, Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and KJ Hamler. On paper, that looks like a really good group. But Sutton has only put up one 1,000 yard season thus far in his career. Jeudy has struggled with consistency, drops, and injuries which have prevented him from reaching his ceiling. And Hamler has suffered two season ending injuries in two years. The most reliable player in this group over the past two seasons has actually been Patrick, who is definitely a solid player but probably someone you'd prefer to have as your third/fourth option more so than a number one/number two guy. For all the love that gets tossed at this receiving group, there really are a lot of question marks here...
The running back room looks to be on more solid ground, with Melvin Gordon back once again to split carries with Javonte Williams. Williams is someone I'm keeping tabs on, as I think there's a chance he could have a Jonathan Taylor-style breakout season in 2022. Mike Boone is an interesting third option. He hasn't gotten many carries in his career thus far, but he's never had a season where he's averaged under 4 yards per carry.
Tight end is in flux, with Noah Fant having been dealt to Seattle in the Russ trade. In his wake the team has a duo of Albert Okwuegbunam and rookie Greg Dulcich. Both have plenty of upside, but neither is a proven player.
Russell Wilson will probably come in and get a lot more out of this group than either Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater did, but that is still speculation at this point. Denver's group has a lot of potential to outperform this ranking, but going solely off of what we already know I couldn't put them above any of the following teams.
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16. Buffalo Bills
Key Players: WR Stefon Diggs, WR Gabriel Davis, TE Dawson Knox
Another ranking that some may find too low. I think in general Buffalo has a solid set of skill players at their disposal, but Josh Allen does a lot to raise the offense's ceiling.
Diggs is still an easy top-ten receiver, but the wideout corps has question marks outside of him. Gabriel Davis is going to be asked to step up in a big way as a "Robin" to Diggs' "Batman." I personally think Davis is poised to break out in a big way this season, but we have to see it first. Jamison Crowder was brought in to likely operate as the main slot receiver in replacement of Cole Beasley. He's still a good player, but it's worth noting that he's 29 years old and has had three straight seasons of declining production.
The RB room is also a bit of a head scratcher. Devin Singletary is still the lead back and is coming off his most productive season thus far, but still isn't an every down type of player. Zach Moss has been a disappointment, and will likely secede a lot of carries to James Cook this season. There isn't a true "difference maker" here.
Dawson Knox is growing as a player, and has the talent to become a top ten tight end. But I still wouldn't say he's quite there yet. OJ Howard was a fun signing, but we're getting to the point where I think we all love the "idea" of him more than the reality of him.
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15. Indianapolis Colts
Key Players: RB Jonathan Taylor, WR Michael Pittman, TE Mo Alie-Cox
Jonathan Taylor is the league's best RB right now, and his presence alone boosts Indy quite a bit up these rankings. He's well supported by a stable of productive players - including Nyheim Hines, Phillip Lindsey, and Ty'Son Williams.
The wideout corps is still growing, but Michael Pittman certainly looks like a number one wide receiver. He had his first 1,000-yard season in 2021. It's largely question marks beyond him, however, with Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell looking like the other options. Pierce brings a lot of speed and size to the table, but is obviously unproven. Campbell has never managed to stay healthy.
Jack Doyle's retirement leaves Mo Alie-Cox as the number one tight end. He's an excellent red zone target, but lacks the dynamism of the league's true difference makers at the position. Kylen Granson and Jelani Woods will be fighting for the number two spot next to him.
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14. Seattle Seahawks
Key Players: WR DK Metcalf, WR Tyler Lockett, RB Rashaad Penny
Russell Wilson may be gone, but all his go-to weapons are still here.
Metcalf and Lockett should still be thought of as one of the best wideout duos in the NFL. Lockett has consistently produced 1,000 yard seasons over the past three years, and hasn't shown signs of slowing down. Metcalf remains one of the scariest players to tackle with the ball in his hands. Beyond the two of them, the team will hope one of Freddie Swain, Dee Eskridge, or Bo Melton can step up as a reliable number three option.
Rashaad Penny blew the doors off the league during the last six games of the 2021 season, and will be the team's likely starter heading into 2022. His injury history makes it tough to project future success for him, however, which is likely why the team brought in Ken Walker as a second-round pick. Walker was neck and neck with Breece Hall in most people's draft rankings. He and Penny will likely split carries, as Chris Carson's career seems to be in doubt following his neck injury.
Noah Fant is now the team's starting tight end. He's been a solid player thus far in his career, but there's still room to grow. He pairs with Will Dissly to form a solid but unspectacular tight end duo.
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13. Washington Commanders
Key Players: RB Antonio Gibson, WR Terry McLaurin, WR Jahan Dotson
This ranking is obviously assuming Terry McLaurin plays football for this team in 2022. He's one of the best receivers in the league, and if Washington is smart they will pay him what he wants. Washington isn't smart, however, so I guess we'll see.
Rookie Jahan Dotson was seen as an overdraft at 16th overall, but has reportedly been making waves during minicamps. If that keeps up, then there's a scenario where we could be talking about him and McLaurin as one of the league's best duos by the end of this season. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Curtis Samuel didn't live up to expectations in 2021, but he's still a talented player and if he stays healthy in 2022 then the team could have a really nice set of triplets.
The RB room is well filled out. Antonio Gibson is a bonafide playmaker, and behind him the team still has JD McKissic to use as a pass catching weapon. They will be further supplemented by the addition of Brian Robinson, who adds some power and north-south ability to the mix.
The tight end room is the only real letdown here. Logan Thomas has struggled with injuries lately, and may never manage to build off his impressive 2020 season. John Bates saw a lot of action as a rookie, but mainly as a blocker. He may have a chance to see more passes thrown his way in 2022.
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12. Dallas Cowboys
Key Players: WR CeeDee Lamb, RB Tony Pollard, TE Dalton Schultz
Dallas dealt away Amari Cooper this offseason, leaving Lamb as the likely number one threat. He's talented enough to take on that role, having amassed over 1,110 yards last season, but outside of him, the wideout room is a little questionable. Michael Gallup is a very good player but will be coming back from an ACL tear. James Washington was a decent signing, but he shouldn't be asked to be anything more than a number 3/4 option. Jalen Tolbert is a name to watch, as he could easily out produce Washington while Gallup works his way back to full health.
The RB room is going through a transition. Ezekiel Elliot is still here, and is still listed a the starter. But everyone who pays attention to this team will tell you that Tony Pollard is a better player at this point. It doesn't really matter, however, as both are very good players. Elliot, for all the talk of his decline, still went for over 1,000 yards last season. Pollard went for over 700 on almost half as many carries.
Dalton Schultz was one of the league's breakout players last season. He should be considered a top ten tight end in the NFL right now, giving Dallas a well-rounded skill position group.
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11. San Francisco 49ers
Key Players: WR Deebo Samuel, TE George Kittle, WR Brandon Aiyuk
As with McLaurin, I'm assuming that Deebo will be with the team in 2022 for these rankings. He and George Kittle boost San Francisco quite a bit. Both are elite playmakers when healthy. But of course, "healthy" is the key word there.
Outside of them, the team has nice pieces with guys like Aiyuk and Eli Mitchell. In general, Kyle Shanahan's sporadic and mercurial use of his players makes it tough to project how everyone will perform in 2022, but going off of talent alone there's a lot to love for the Niners.
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10. Cleveland Browns
Key Players: RB Nick Chubb, WR Amari Cooper, TE David Njoku
The Browns crack the top ten of these rankings thanks in large part to boasting the best running back room in the NFL. Nick Chubb is nipping at Jonathan Taylor's heels for the title of best RB in the NFL right now. Behind him, the team still has Kareem Hunt and D'Ernest Johnson - both of whom can produce at a high level. And I haven't even mentioned rookie Jerome Ford.
Wide receiver is a less stupendous situation. Amari Cooper is a stud, and his addition helps things quite a bit. But after him they are going to be asking Donovan Peoples-Jones or rookie David Bell to step up and blossom into a number two threat. Neither has proven themselves in that regard just yet.
Austin Hooper was released, paving the way for David Njoku to have his contract extended. He was certainly overpaid, but there's no doubt he's a solid receiving threat. He and Harrison Bryant form another solid tight end pairing, but this position isn't the strength it looked to be back in 2020.
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9. Los Angeles Chargers
Key Players: WR Keenan Allen, WR Mike Williams, RB Austin Ekeler
Allen and Williams continue to form one of the best wideout duos in the NFL. The team got decent production from Josh Palmer last year as well and could see him step up as more of a true wideout number three in 2022. Jalen Guyton is largely inconsistent, but his speed is hard to argue with. Having him as a fourth option who can take the top off of defenses has worked well over the past two seasons.
Ekeler is a top ten back in the league right now, as he still offers great production both as a runner and a receiver. The team may finally have a reliable player behind him as well in fourth-round rookie Isaiah Spiller. His upside definitely surpasses that of Joshua Kelley and Larry Roundtree, but we'll need to see it before really factoring that in.
The tight end position looks to be in okay shape with the addition of Gerald Everett. The sixth year pro has sturggled with drops and fumble so far in his career, but he is still coming off the most productive season of his career thus far. Donald Parham suffered a terrifying head injury last season, but he looks to be ready to return. He and Tre McKitty both possess a ton of upside as pass-catching threats, but still, need to prove themselves.
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8. Miami Dolphins
Key Players: WR Tyreek Hill, WR Jaylen Waddle, TE Mike Gesicki
Things are trending WAY up in Miami. The addition of Tyreek Hill in the offseason obviously helps put the wideout corps over the top. He and Waddle form the most electric receiving duo in the league. They'll be joined by Cedrick Wilson, who made a few splashes of his own during his time in Dallas.
Mike Gesicki stuck around, helping maintain the solid state of affairs in the tight end room. Between him, Durham Smythe, Hunter Long, and Adam Shaheen, the Dolphins have plenty of contributors here.
The RB room got an overhaul as well, with Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert, and Sony Michel all joining the fold. New coach Mike McDaniel will likely be able to get the most out of this group, as his track record with devising running schemes is a major plus.
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7. Philadelphia Eagles
Key Players: WR AJ Brown, WR Devonta Smith, TE Dallas Goedert
Like Miami, the Eagles got a major boost in this department over the offseason. The addition of AJ Brown was a windfall, and pairing him with Devonta Smith gives the Eagles one of the better duos in the NFL. It doesn't stop there, either, as Quez Watkins and his playmaking speed are still in the picture -- as is the reliable Zach Pascal, who was obtained in free agency.
Tight end is also a huge plus, as the Eagles have one of the best starters in the league with Dallas Goedert. He'll likely continue producing at a high level now with a full offseason to prepare as the de-facto starter.
Miles Sanders has been a good player when healthy, but the team would still love to see some more consistency from him. But even if he doesn't, there are interesting pieces behind him in Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott.
The Eagles have all the pieces in place to put up points in 2022.
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6. Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Players: WR Chase Claypool, RB Najee Harris, WR Diontae Johnson
The Steelers have plus starters across the board.
Najee Harris showed out as a rookie, proving himself to be a top ten back. He's a true every down player, with the strength to handle a large number of carries and the hands and route running finesse to be a major factor in the passing game.
The wideout corps is an embarrassment of riches, with Johnson and Claypool being joined by and exciting pair of rookies in George Pickens and Calvin Austin.
I'm also keeping a close eye on TE Pat Freiermuth, who could sneak his way into being one of the league's top ten tight ends by the time the 2022 season comes to an end. He's everything you want in a modern tight end, with excellent pass catching skills and plus value as a blocker.
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5. Minnesota Vikings
Key Players: WR Justin Jefferson, WR Adam Thielen, RB Dalvin Cook
The Vikings continue to boast a strong group in this department.
Justin Jefferson is, for my money, the best receiver in the NFL right now. His production over his first two seasons has been insane, and when you watch him you understand why. Few players can match his route-running savvy right now. Don't let that distract you from Thielen, however, who remains a great player even heading into his age 32 season. KJ Osborn is a name to watch out for as well. He very quietly put up over 650 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns for the team last season.
In the backfield, Dalvin Cook remains one of the better runners in the NFL. And even when injuries rear their head with him, the team has consistently gotten good production out of backup Alexander Mattison. And going even further down the depth chart, the Vikings possess a pair of very explosive runners in Kene Nwangwu and Ty Chandler.
Tight end is a bit of a question mark, with Irv Smith expected to take back over as the starter after missing the 2021 season. He's still very talented, but has never produced more than 400 yards in a season. A full year as the main starter could certainly change that, however.
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4. Los Angeles Rams
Key Players: WR Cooper Kupp, WR Allen Robinson, RB Cam Akers
This continues to be a major strength for the defending champs.
Cooper Kupp tore the league to shreds last season, proving himself to be a Larry Fitzgerald-like combination of size, poise, sure hands, and devastating yards-after-catch ability. His old running mate Robert Woods is no longer in the picture, but newcomer Allen Robinson and ascending third-year man Van Jefferson both look poised to make up for that.
Akers has proven to be a very effective runner when healthy. His size and power combined with absurd slipperiness between the tackles makes him a true every-down back. Darrell Henderson remains a very strong backup option, and the addition of Kyren Williams via the 2022 draft provides an intriguing third down pass catching option.
At tight end, Tyler Higbee continues to be a reliable option for the team. There isn't much to write home about behind him, but his presence combined with what L.A. has everywhere else still gives the Rams a top five set of weapons.
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3. Las Vegas Raiders
Key Players: WR Davante Adams, WR Hunter Renfrow, TE Darren Waller
The Raiders are suddenly overflowing with talent on the offensive side of the ball. Adams comes over to join his old college teammate and form a very intimidating pair of pass catchers alongside Hunter Renfrow. The team also poached Demarcus Robinson from Kansas City, who provides a very solid third option.
At tight end, Darren Waller struggled with injury last season but still remains one of the most dangerous weapons in the league when he's on the field. He, along with Foster Moreau and Jacob Hollister, gives Vegas one of the better tight-end units in the NFL.
Josh Jacobs might be in his final year with the team, but don't let that fool you: he's still a very good player. He's maintained an average of over 4 yards per carry in his three seasons thus far. Kenyon Drake is still a solid depth piece, despite not doing too much with the team in 2021. And I loved the addition of Zamir White in the 2022 draft. He has the physical upside to eventually supplant Jacobs as the team's main back, and should still contribute quite a bit in the meantime.
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2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Key Players: WR Mike Evans, WR Chris Godwin, RB Leonard Fournette
Tampa continues to boast one of the best receiving units in the league. Mike Evans has been playing in the NFL since 2014 and has never had less than 1,000 yards in a season. That's eight years in a row, just FYI. He'll still be just 29 years old at the start of the season as well, so there's little reason to think he'll be slowing down any time soon. Chris Godwin may not be available at the start of the season, but once he returns he and Evans will continue to form one of the best pairings in the league. More attention should be paid to the addition of Russell Gage as well. He's amassed over 700 yards two seasons in a row, and could break out in a big way with Tom Brady now feeding him passes. The corps is well rounded out as well, with the likes of Breshad Perriman, Tyler Johnson, Cyril Grayson, and Scotty Miller backing up the main trio
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They also wisely prepared for Rob Gronkowski's retirement, drafting Cade Otton to pair with new starter Cameron Brate. They should form a serviceable duo to help make up for the loss of the future Hall of Famer.
Leonard Fournette should continue to churn out tough yards for the team, and will now be backed up by an exciting rookie in Rachaad White. The former Arizona State star is a bonafide receiving weapon coming out of the backfield, offering a great complementary skillset.
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1. Cincinnati Bengals
Key Players: WR Ja'Marr Chase, WR Tee Higgins, RB Joe Mixon
We've only seen one season of this group playing together, but it's hard to argue with the results.
At the receiver position, Ja'Marr Chase walked right into the NFL and established himself as one of the best pass catchers in the league. He's a threat in every phase, possessing incredible toughness in contested catches, elite downfield speed, and dynamic yards after the catch ability. Don't let his success distract you from Higgins, however. The former Clemson standout took a major leap last season, going for over 1,000 yards on 74 catches and getting the better of Jalen Ramsey several times in the Super Bowl. And then there's Tyler Boyd, who remains one of the best third options in the NFL and still managed to go for over 800 yards last season despite so many balls going to Chase and Higgins. This is the best trio of receivers in the league right now, and it's not that close.
Let's not forget about Joe Mixon, however. He put up the best numbers of his career in 2021, amassing over 1,500 total yards from scrimmage and finding the end zone a total of 16 times on the year. He's easily a top ten back in the league right now, and a good argument can be made for the top five.
And while former starter CJ Uzomah is no longer in the mix, the team made a savvy free agent pickup with veteran Hayden Hurst. The 2018 first rounder has typically been a secondary option thus far in this career, but he did put up over 500 yards in his one season as the Atlanta Falcons' main starter back in 2020. He can pair with Drew Sample to give Cincy a pair of reliable options, and since so much focus will go towards Mixon and their wideouts that's all they really need.
Cincinnati made it to the Super Bowl last season largely on the strength of this set of weapons, and nearly everyone is back for another go around. They're my current pick for the best in the business right now.