NFL Player Rankings by Position 2022

Ranking the best NFL players by position in the 2021-2022 season at Quarterback, Tight End, Defensive End, Middle Linebacker, and more

By admin | August 4, 2022

NFL Player Rankings by Position

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers

Team(s): Green Bay Packers

2021 Stats: 4,115 YDS, 37 TD, 4 INT, 68.9 CMP%, 111.9 QB Rating

Aaron Rodgers finished with 4,115 passing yards and also threw for 37 passing touchdowns all in just 16 games after being suspended one game because of breaking Covid-19 protocols.

While those numbers look great on paper, his four interceptions thrown looks even more impressive. Aaron Rodgers also led all NFL quarterbacks in QBR with a 69.1 mark and rating with a mark of 111.9 during the 2021 NFL schedule.

Runner Up: Tom Brady – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Running Backs

Jonathan Taylor

Team(s): Indianapolis Colts

2021 Stats: 332 ATT, 1,811 YDS, 18 TD, 5.5 AVG

Jonathan Taylor lacked a top tier quarterback as some on the list but was a workhorse while carrying the Colts offense. Taylor averaged 5.5 yards per carry on 332 total attempts while finishing with 1,811 total rushing yards.

In addition, Taylor led all RBs with 18 rushing touchdowns while also adding 360 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions.

Runner Up: Nick Chubb – Cleveland Browns

Wide Receivers

Cooper Kupp

Team(s): Los Angeles Rams

2021 Stats: 145 REC, 1,947 YDS, 16 TD, 13.4 AVG

Cooper Kupp finished the NFL season with the Triple Crown of receiving statistics that was nearly impossible to stop on the defensive side of the ball.

Kupp finished with 145 receptions to go along with 1,947 receiving yards and 16 touchdown receptions.

His play wouldn’t stop during the regular season as his heroics also helped him take home the Super Bowl MVP.

Runner Up: Davante Adams – Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders

Tight Ends

Mark Andrews

Team(s): Baltimore Ravens

2021 Stats: 107 REC, 1,361 YDS, 9 TD, 12.7 AVG

Mark Andrews is as talented as any TE in the NFL, while also ranking near the top among all blocking tight ends against both the pass and the run.

The former Oklahoma Sooners tight end led all tight ends in plays over 15 yards with 33 on the year. Andrews also finished the season with 107 receptions to go along with 1,361 receiving yards and nine touchdown receptions.

As the debate over who is the best tight end in the NFL will continue in the 2022-2023 regular season, for now Mark Andrews lands at the top.

Runner Up: Travis Kelce – Kansas City Chiefs

Offensive Guards

Zack Martin

Team(s): Dallas Cowboys

Zack Martin has been an anchor on the Dallas Cowboys offensive line, helping the team post the highest number of yards in the league and most PPG among all teams in the NFL in the 2021-2022 season.

Martin took home an overall grade of 93.4 with a pass blocking grade of 87.6 and a run blocking grade of 92.5 from PFF.

His play on the field earned him his 5th first-team All-Pro selection during the 2021-2022 NFL season and his 7th Pro Bowl selection.

Runner Up: Joel Bitonio – Cleveland Browns

Offensive Tackles

Trent Williams

Team(s): San Francisco 49ers

Last regular season Trent Williams posted the highest grade among all tackles in the NFL according to PFF with a 96.6 while also scoring 82.7 in pass blocking and 97.7 in run blocking. His success over the past few seasons ranks him as the best Left Tackle in the league.

Runner Up: David Bakhtiari – Green Bay Packers

Centers

Creed Humphrey

Team(s): Kansas City Chiefs

Creed Humphrey, whom the Kansas City Chiefs selected with their second round pick from the Oklahoma Sooners, jumped right in at the center position while performing like an All-Pro despite being a rookie.

Humphrey’s strong performance earned him a 92.5 PFF grade while ranking the highest among any Kansas City Chiefs player graded.

The Kansas City Chiefs rookie outperformed Jason Kelce in pass blocking and run blocking, as well as Linsley in run blocking. Creed Humphrey posted a 79.1 pass blocking grade and a 93.1 run blocking grade after his great rookie season.

Runner Up: Jason Kelce – Philadelphia Eagles

DEFENSE

Defensive Ends

Myles Garrett

Team: Cleveland Browns

2021 Stats: 33 Solo, 16 Sacks, 1 FF, 0 INT

Myles Garrett, who lands at number one on the Top 10 Defensive Ends in NFL 2022 Rankings list, also leads all edge players in the NFL according to PFF based on his 2021 NFL performance.

The Cleveland Browns DE ranked first among defensive ends in total defensive metrics, as well as first in pass rush while posting an overall score of 92.0.

Garrett finished last season ranked 3rd in the NFL with 16 sacks to go along with three passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.

Runner Up: Nick Bosa – San Francisco 49ers

Defensive Tackles

Aaron Donald

Team(s): Los Angeles Rams

2021 Stats: 38 Solo, 12.5 Sacks, 4 FF, 0 INT

Donald is a 3 time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a seven-time First-Team All-Pro, Made the 2010 NFL All-Decade Team, and was one of the main reasons that the Rams won Super Bowl 56.

In Super Bowl 56 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Donald recorded two sacks, three quarterback hits and made the game-sealing pressure play that sealed the victory. Donald has 98 sacks in his eight-year career just turning 30 years old.

Runner Up: Cameron Heyward – Pittsburgh Steelers

Outside Linebackers

T.J. Watt

Team(s): Pittsburgh Steelers

2021 Stats: 48 Solo, 22.5 Sacks, 5 FF, 0 INT

TJ Watt carried the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs last season with his single-season tying/ record-tying 22.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries.

What is so impressive for TJ Watt tying the sack record is that he missed two games due to injuries and left the game early in two other games. The only thing that can stop Watt from getting his single-season sack record is injuries.

Runner Up: Micah Parsons – Dallas Cowboys

Middle Linebackers

Fred Warner

Team(s): San Francisco 49ers

2021 Stats: 79 Solo, 0.5 Sacks, 1 FF, 0 INT

Fred Warner, whom turned in an overall grade of 75.2 from PFF, continued his dominance at the position for the San Francisco 49ers. Warner posted 137 total tackles to go along with 1forced fumble, 3 fumble recoveries and 4 passes defended.

In addition, Fred Warner stepped up big during the playoffs, recording 21 tackles to go along with 1 forced fumble.

Runner Up: Bobby Wagner – Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks

Cornerbacks

Jalen Ramsey

Team: Los Angeles Rams

2021 Stats: 62 Solo, 1 FF, 4 INT, 16 PD

Jalen Ramsey is the best cornerback and is in his prime right now. He was worth the two first-round draft picks that the Los Angeles Rams gave up for him in 2019.

The way he shut down Deebo Samuel in the NFC Championship game and Ja’Marr Chase in the Super Bowl was one of the main reasons the Rams took home the Lombardi trophy. He is another person on the Super Bowl Champions like Aaron Donald that is on a Pro Football Hall of Fame trajectory.

Runner Up: Trevon Diggs – Dallas Cowboys

Free Safeties

Kevin Byard

Team: Tennessee Titans

2021 Stats: 57 Solo, 2 FF, 5 INT, 13 PD, 1 TD

Kevin Byard, whom played his college football at Middle Tennessee State led the NFL in interceptions during the 2017 NFL regular season while also posting at least 5 interceptions in 3 of his first 6 seasons.

PFF handed Kevin Byard the highest grade among all safeties including ranking him the overall best cover safety in the NFL to go along with an overall grade of an A. Also, we had him ranked at just honorable mention going into last season. What an amazing leap.

Byard posted 88 tackles to go along with 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 5 interceptions including 1 returned for a touchdown and 13 passes defended.

Runner Up: Antoine Winfield Jr. – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Strong Safeties

Derwin James

Team: San Diego Chargers

2021 Stats: 75 Solo, 3 FF, 2 INT, 5 PD, 0 TD

The San Diego Chargers star strong safety Derwin James ranks among the best safeties in the NFL while landing at number one on the Top 10 NFL Strong Safeties 2021-2022 Rankings list.

James, who has battled injuries over the course of his career is a true playmaker while on the field and that was the case last season for the San Diego Chargers.

James played in 15 games last season while earning him a second Pro Bowl selection and recorded 118 total tackles including 7 for a loss. In addition, James recorded 3 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions over 15 games played.

Runner Up: Adrian Amos – Green Bay Packers

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kick Returners

Kene Nwangwu

Team(s): Minnesota Vikings

2021 Stats: 579 Yards, 99 Long, 32.2 Yards Per Return, 2 TD

When a player who returns not one, but two kickoff returns for a TD in a season, it is easy to make a case for them as the best kick returner in the NFL.

That is the case with Kene Nwangwu who was the only player in the National Football League to post 2 kickoff return touchdowns. The Minnesota Vikings kick returner finished the season with 5789 yards while averaging 32.2 yards per return.

Runner Up: Andre Roberts – Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers

Punt Returners

Jakeem Grant

Team(s): Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns

2021 Stats: 309 Yards, 97 Long, 11.9 Yards Per Return, 1 TD

Jakeem Grant Sr. who split time between the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears finished the regular season with 309 total punt return yards to go along with a 11.9 punt return average.

In addition, he posted a 97-punt return touchdown while only posting 2 fair catches compared to 26 total punt returns.

Runner Up: Devin Duvernay – Baltimore Ravens

Kickers

Justin Tucker

Team(s): Baltimore Ravens

2021 Stats: 94.6 FG%, 100 XP%, 66 Long, 137 Points

When asking “who is the best 2021 NFL kicker” or “who is the best 2022 NFL Kicker” or just who is the “greatest NFL kicker of All-Time”, Justin Tucker is in that conversation.

The Baltimore Ravens kicker led all kickers with a 94.6 field goal percentage mark making 35 out of 37 kicks. This includes making all six of his kicks over 50 yards and 13 of his 15 kicks between 40-49 yards.

He is as reliable as any kicker in the history of the league and it showed as he nailed a game winning and record breaking longest FG of 66 yards in week 3 against the Detroit Lions.

Runner Up: Matt Gay – Los Angeles Rams

Punters

Michael Dickson

Team(s): Seattle Seahawks

2021 Stats: 83 Punts, 46.9 AVG, 68 Long, 40 IN20

Michael Dickson who plays for the Seattle Seahawks was called on second most in the NFL to punt while recording 83 total punts on the season.

Dickson was brilliant in dropping punts inside of the 20, recording an NFL high 40 total punts inside of the 10-yard line ranking atop all punters in the NFL.

In addition, Michael Dickson averaged 41.7 net punt yards per upunt and held punt returners to just 7.3 yards per return.

Runner Up: Matt Haack – Buffalo Bills

Coaches

Head Coach

Mike Vrabel

Team: Tennessee Titans

2021 Record: 12-5

Playoff Record: 0-1

After losing the NFL’s top running back in Derrick Henry who the Titans have built their entire offense around, the Titans did not lose a beat and Mike Vrabel kept the team rolling as one of the best teams in the NFL.

Despite not having Derrick Henry, the Tennessee Titans pulled out 3 clutch wins to end the season earning them the best record in the AFC, a Playoff bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

In the end the Tennessee Titans would get knocked off in the playoffs, but his performance still earned him the 2021-2022 NFL Coach of the Year award.

Runner Up: Sean McVay – Los Angeles Rams