When it comes to discussing the best NFL player at every position, several debates are slam-shut cases. But what about the wide receiver? Cornerback? Safety? Who would you take if you could only pick one at each position? We tried to do our part in setting the debate, so let’s dive into the best player at every NFL position heading into 2024.
Who are the best players in each position in the NFL in 2024?
Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes
Like there was any debate about this one…
One year after becoming the first quarterback to win regular season MVP honors AND the Super Bowl since Kurt Warner in 1999, all Patrick Mahomes did was lead the Kansas City Chiefs to the first Super Bowl repeat in 19 years.
Mahomes had to do this on a Kansas City offense that was held back by costly wide receiver miscues, from dropping gimme passes or game-winning touchdowns to that stupid offensive offside penalty.
The Chiefs’ struggles on offense cost them the AFC’s top seed. Mahomes and company had to win two playoff games — at Buffalo and Baltimore — to get to the Super Bowl. And even with a lackluster wide receiver core, Mahomes got the job done against the star-studded San Francisco 49ers.
Since Mahomes became the Chiefs’ starting QB in 2018, they’ve played in four Super Bowls and won three of them. They’ve gone to the AFC title game every year.
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Mahomes has two league MVP awards, three Super Bowl MVPs, 28,140 passing yards, and 219 passing touchdowns.
It’s No. 15’s world, and we all live in it.
Wide Receiver: Justin Jefferson
You can also make a case for the likes of Tyreek Hill or Davante Adams here. But it’s awfully hard to go against Justin Jefferson, who’s truly been in a class of his own since bursting onto the NFL scene in 2020.
Over his first four seasons, Jefferson has racked up 392 receptions for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns. In Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles last year, JJ tied Lance Alworth’s record for the fastest receiver to hit 5,000 receiving yards — having done so in career game No. 52.
Even after missing seven games in 2023, Jefferson still finished with 68 catches for 1,074 yards and five touchdowns. Incredibly, he averaged more yards per game in 2023 than in 2022, when he led the NFL with 1,809 receiving yards.
When he’s healthy, Jefferson is the best non-QB offensive player in the game. Something tells us he’ll soon become the first wide receiver in NFL history to win MVP honors…
Tight End: Travis Kelce
Since 2018, the Chiefs’ superstar has really been in his own tier of NFL tight ends.
A model of consistency, Kelce has posted more than 60 catches and over 800 yards receiving every year since he became a starter in 2014. If he didn’t miss two games in 2023, Kelce would have had eight straight 1,000-yard seasons.
The perennial Pro Bowler has shown zero signs of slowing down as he enters his age-35 season. Once again, he saved his best for the playoffs — racking up 32 receptions for 355 yards and three touchdowns as the Chiefs completed the first Super Bowl repeat in 19 years.
Kelce is the most productive wide receiver practically every year. He’s also the most clutch. And the most accomplished.
There’s only one Kelce brother remaining in the NFL in 2024, but this one has plenty of football left in him.
Running Back: Christian McCaffrey
Like the Mahomes and Kelce entries, there isn’t much debate on this one.
Saquon Barkley can’t stay healthy. Ezekiel Elliott exited his prime years ago. Derrick Henry is still a 1,000-yard threat, but not an MVP candidate anymore. Nick Chubb missed practically all of last year with a gruesome knee injury, and it remains to be seen if he’ll return to his elite form.
Even though he missed one game last season, Run CMC ran away with the rushing title by racking up 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns.
That’s especially amazing when you consider he also had to share the ball with Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle…and when you consider that McCaffrey also dominated as a receiver with 67 catches, 564 yards, and seven rushing scores.
McCaffrey led the league with 2,023 yards of offense and 21 total touchdowns last season. He was also a beast in the postseason with 420 total yards and five touchdowns, nearly leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl victory.
McCaffrey missed most of 2020 and 2021, but he has since re-asserted himself as the NFL’s best all-around running back. Remember, he’s just one of three players to put up 1K rushing and 1K receiving in a single season.
It’s no wonder that the 49ers have been in two straight NFC title games and one Super Bowl since Run CMC’s arrival. All they need now is that long-awaited Lombardi Trophy.
Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk
The fullback position is hardly a thing anymore…unless you’re Kyle Juszczyk.
The eight-time Pro Bowler continues to play a valuable role in Kyle Shanahan’s offense on the West Coast. He remains an elite blocker but also an underrated contributor to their offense, having put up 119 receiving yards and two rushing scores last season.
His box score will never be high, but his performance as a run-blocker and third-down security blanket makes Juszcyzyk the league’s best fullback by a country mile.
Offensive Tackle: Trent Williams
Let’s stay on the 49ers’ side of things, shall we?
This was a tough call between Williams and Detroit Lions’ star Penei Sewell, but the former’s body of work gives him a slight advantage here.
Williams is a surefire Hall of Famer who belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of offensive tackles. Aside from missing the entire 2019 season, he has been named to the Pro Bowl every year since 2012.
The three-time First-team All-Pro has allowed two total sacks since 2021, according to Pro Football Focus. He didn’t allow a single QB takedown in 2023, helping the 49ers get oh-so-close to a Super Bowl.
And by the way, he had a 92.5 run-blocking grade for 2023 at PFF. No wonder McCaffrey ran away with the rushing title last season…
Center: Frank Ragnow
This was a tough call between Ragnow and Creed Humphrey, but the Detroit Lions star has been just a little more consistent over these past three years.
For starters, Ragnow finished 2023 as Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded center with a ridiculous 91.3 run-blocking grade. And according to PFF, the guy has only allowed two total sacks since the 2020 season. Ridiculous, we know.
Thanks to Ragnow’s efforts, the Lions almost had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers last year in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, who combined for 1,960 yards and 23 rushing scores. And if it weren’t for Ragnow and Detroit’s o-line, the Lions wouldn’t have reached their first NFC title game in 32 years.
With Jason Kelce retired, it feels like the title of football’s best center will be a battle between Ragnow and Humphrey for years to come. In the 2024 NFL season, the nod goes to Ragnow by a hair.
Guard: Chris Lindstrom
The Atlanta Falcons’ 2019 first-round pick has been greatly overlooked because, well, the NFC South club has been completely mediocre since his arrival.
But Lindstrom has been an absolute rock on the Falcons’ o-line. With all due respect to Dallas Cowboys star Zack Martin, Lindstrom has taken his spot as the best all-around guard in the game.
Lindstrom was PFF’s highest-graded guard at 87.6 for 2023. He allowed just two total sacks over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, and he’s finished with a PFF grade of 83.7 or better every year over the last three years.
Lindstrom is rock-solid as a pass-blocker, but it’s his work in the run-blocking game that sets him apart from most other Pro Bowl-caliber guards. Kirk Cousins and Bijan Robinson are gonna have a lot of fun playing behind him this year.
Defensive End: Myles Garrett
At long last, the first overall pick of 2017 finally won his first Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2023 after racking up 14 sacks and four forced fumbles.
Since Garrett’s NFL arrival, only TJ Watt has tallied more sacks at 96.5. Garrett, with 88.5, is well ahead of the next active player on that list, Chris Jones, who has 73.5.
If it weren’t for Garrett’s MVP-like season in 2023, the Cleveland Browns wouldn’t have made a surprise return to the postseason. As long as he’s patrolling the D-line, Cleveland will always have a shot.
Defensive Tackle: Chris Jones
With Aaron Donald retired, we have an obvious No. 1 that doesn’t require any second-guessing.
The Chiefs’ perennial Pro Bowler had another ridiculous year in 2023, tallying 10.5 sacks in 16 regular season games. Jones was again a menace in the postseason, helping Kansas City repeat as Super Bowl champions.
With 75.5 career sacks, 37 pass defenses, and 12 forced fumbles, Jones essentially has a spot in Canton locked up. Unfortunately for 31 other teams, he’s far from finished as a one-man wrecking crew and ultimate game-wrecker.
Off-Ball Linebacker: Fred Warner
The 49ers struck gold when they selected Warner in the third round at No. 70 overall in 2018. Since then, San Francisco has played in two Super Bowls and four NFC title games.
The three-time Pro Bowler and first-team all-pro does it all on the 49ers’ star-studded defense. He has eight interceptions, 46 pass breakups, 11 forced fumbles, nine sacks, and 766 combined tackles.
Warner is a one-man wrecking crew in run defense and rarely fails to finish his tackles. And according to Pro Football Reference, Warner has allowed a passer rating of just 76.6 or lower in three of the last four years.
Outside Linebacker: T.J. Watt
As previously noted, Watt leads the NFL in sacks since his arrival in 2017. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ superstar has led the league in sacks in three of the last four years — including 22.5 back in the 2021 season that tied Michael Strahan’s record set in 2001.
The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year had 19 sacks, eight pass breakups and four forced fumbles last season. Seeing how much the Steelers’ have struggled offensively – particularly at QB — you can argue that Watt is the most valuable non-QB player in football.
Cornerback: Sauce Gardner
The fourth overall pick of 2022 didn’t require much time to assert himself as a Darrelle Revis-like shutdown corner.
Nevermind the fact he only has two career interceptions. Opposing QBs are smart enough to not throw in his direction, though Gardner still led the league with 20 pass breakups during his rookie year.
According to Pro Football Reference, Gardner has allowed just two touchdowns in coverage. Per PFF, Gardner allowed a hilarious 0.44 yards per cover snap. So yeah, we advise opposing quarterbacks to stop throwing at him for crying out loud.
Free Safety: Jessie Bates III
In 2023 free agency, the Falcons signed the ex-Cincinnati Bengals star to a four-year contract worth $64.02 million. It felt like a giant overpay at the time for a player with one great season on his resume, but now we see why the Falcons did it.
Bates earned his first Pro Bowl nod after tallying a career-high six interceptions, 11 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and 132 combined tackles. Bates also allowed just a 67.1 passer rating.
With Kirk Cousins coming to town, Atlanta is the heavy favorite to win the NFC South. So maybe Bates will see more recognition of his name here in the 2024 NFL season…
Strong Safety: Kyle Hamilton
Hamilton followed up a superb rookie year with a true breakout season that puts him in the conversation for the best all-around defensive back in football.
The No. 14 pick of 2022 lived up to his pre-draft hype as a “unicorn”, tallying four interceptions, 13 pass breakups, three sacks and 81 combined tackles. Opposing QBs combined for a horrible 38.4 passer rating when targeting Hamilton, who allowed just a single TD in coverage.
A beast in the ground game, Hamilton has quickly reminded all those other teams why he should have been a top-five pick in the 2022 draft. It’s ridiculous that this all-world talent fell to the Ravens, who have enough superstar talent on defense as is.
Kicker: Justin Tucker
Heading into 2024, Tucker still holds the best career field goal percentage at 90.183 in the NFL. Who else were we gonna use here?
Tucker made 51 of 52 extra-point attempts last season. He was 32-of-37 on field goal attempts last year, but keep in mind that four of those missed were from 50-plus yards out. Mr. Automatic, in crunch time, didn’t miss a single kick or extra point in the postseason, either.
Punter: A.J. Cole
Cole has been a weapon for the Las Vegas Raiders since joining them as an undrafted free agent back in 2019.
He earned his third straight Pro Bowl nod and a second career first-team all-pro nod in 2023 after averaging 50.4 yards per punt. Only six of Cole’s 75 punts in 2023 went for touchbacks, with 34 of them falling inside the 20.
Kick Returner: Keisean Nixon
Even in an era where the NFL continues to try and discourage kick returns for player safety, the Green Bay Packers star racked up 782 kick return yards in 2023. The next closest was Xavier Gibson with 511.
Nixon averaged 26.1 yards per return last season. His explosiveness and speed were an underrated factor in Jordan Love’s breakout NFL season in 2024.
Punt Returner: Britain Covey
Another undrafted commodity, Covey led the NFL with 417 punt return yards last season — adding another weapon to Nick Sirianni’s star-studded group. Covey averaged 14.4 yards per punt return — second-best mark in football.
