Who is the best Kick Returner in the NFL?

The 2024 NFL schedule is fast approaching as teams around the NFL slowly start arriving for training camps around the country. One aspect of the upcoming NFL season that got a dramatic face lift is the kickoff/return which continues to be one of the most exciting and electrifying plays in the game of football. With the new rules, the importance of the kick returner position elevates leading into the 2024 NFL season making the need for dominant kick returners even higher. One of those dominant kick returners landing at the top of the Top 10 Best NFL Kick Returners 2024 Rankings list is the Green Bay Packers Kisean Nixon. 

The former South Carolina Gamecocks star and current member of the Green Bay Packers is coming off a second straight First-Team All-Pro selection as a kick returner.

Nixon who started his career with the Oakland Raiders joined the Packers leading into the 2022 NFL season and has returned the team in each of his first two seasons with the team including leading all kick returners in yards in each season.

As Nixon lands atop the Packers returner is joined by Cordarrelle Patterson of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Marvin Mims Jr of the Denver Broncos, Velus Jones Jr of the Chicago Bears, and Raheem Blackshear of the Carolina Panthers.

Here is a look at the Top 10 NFL Kick Returners 2024 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Derius Davis

Team: Los Angeles Chargers

Position: Wide Reciever

Another young offensive weapon is the second-year wide receiver and kick returner Derius Davis of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Davis who played his college football with the TCU Horned Frogs was a key weapon within the Chargers special teams both within punt returns and kick returns.

The first-year weapon finished the season with 17 total returns for 374 yards while ranking among the leaders in yards and average kick return yard per return.

Kene Nwangwu

Team: Minnesota Vikings

Position: Running Back

Just missing the Top 10 NFL Kick Returners 2024 Rankings list is the Minnesota Vikings backup running back and kick returner Kene Nwangwu. The former Iowa State Cyclones star is coming off a season finishing fourth among all returners with at least 10 returns with a 25.3 average return mark.

After a dynamic 2022 season that included 920 return yards, Nwangwu was limited to just nine games last season and a total of 15 returns. Despite the limited number, the Vikings returner finished the season with 380 return yards bringing his career total to 1,879 yards.

With the new rules and the past success including three kick off return touchdowns over between 2021 and 2022 a healthy 2024 could be big, huge for Nwangwu and the Vikings.

Top 10 NFL Kick Returners

10. Antonio Gibson

Team: New England Patriots

Position: Running Back

Sliding in at number 10 on the Top 10 NFL Kick Returners 2024 Rankings is the versatile threat Antonio Gibson who will be starting off fresh with the New England Patriots during the upcoming 2024 NFL schedule.

Gibson, who is a two-way threat in the running and passing game, has also started to use his speed and quickness within the return game over the past two seasons with the Washington Commanders.

Antonio Gibson finished 2023 with 340 kick return yards over 14 returns while bringing his total over 35 total attempts to 826 yards while posting a career average of 23.6 yards per return.

9. Jamal Agnew

Team: Free Agent

Position: Wide Receiver

When it comes to big play potential, current free agent kick returner and wide receiver Jamal Agnew ranks among the best kick returners in the NFL.

Agnew capped off his seventh NFL season posting his fifth straight season with at least 391 kick return yards while also posting five consecutive seasons with at least one kick return of 53 yards or longer.

Overall Agnew who is still looking for a new home finished with 391 return yards over 15 total kick returns while averaging the second most kick return yards per return (26.1) among returners with at least 10 returns.

8. Braxton Berrios

Team: Miami Dolphins

Position: Wide Receiver

Since entering the NFL during the 2019 NFL season, Braxton Berrios has been one of the best return specialists in the NFL while using his speed to help set up field positions for both the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.

During his first season with the Dolphins last season Berrios continued that trend topping the 400 (441) kick return yard mark for the third straight season while posting 18 total kick returns.

While his overall returns were down, the former Miami Hurricanes returner still managed to finish third in the NFL in total kick returns trailing only Keisean Nixon and Xavier Gipson. To go along with the strong numbers Berrios finished seventh in the NFL in average kickoff return posting 24.5 among returners with at least 10 kick returns.

7. Xavier Gipson

Team: New York Jets

Position: Wide Receiver

Entering the NFL as an undrafted rookie last season with the New York Jets, Xavier Gipson showcased his overall abilities as a potential solid playmaker both in the team’s passing game as well as in the return game.

Gipson who played his college football with the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, did a little bit of everything for the Jets last season including posting 229 receiving yards, one rushing touchdown, 319 punt return yards, as well as acting as the team’s primary kick returner.

Over 222 returns, Gipson finished second in the NFL with 511 kick return yards while averaging 23.2 yards per return. The talented offensive weapon will look to build on that success during his second season during the upcoming 2024 NFL schedule.

6. Deejay Dallas

Team: Arizona Cardinals

Position: Running Back

One kick returner to watch entering the 2024 NFL season is the Arizona Cardinals Deejay Dallas who has spent time over his first four seasons returning both punts and kicks for the Seattle Seahawks.

Now making the move to the NFC West with the Cardinals, Dallas will look to continue his strong performance within the kick return game while the rules have opened the possibilities of big returns on each kickoff.

Over 17 returns last season Dallas posted 440 total yards and finished fourth in the NFL in kick return yards and fourth in average kickoff return (25.9) among returners with at least 10 returns. During the 2021 NFL season, Dallas racked up 764 kick return yards on a career high 33 returns in his second season in the league.

5. Raheem Blackshear

Team: Carolina Panthers

Position: Running Back

Rounding out the top five kick returners in the NFL is the Carolina Panthers running back and kick returner Raheem Blackshear. Blackshear, who joined the Panthers as an undrafted rookie during the 2022 NFL season, has showcased his speed and playmaking abilities over 35 kick returns over those two seasons.

This includes a strong 2023 NFL season posting 430 kick return yards on 16 total attempts including a season long 52-yard return.

Despite posting just 16 total returns, Blackshear finished the season sixth in the NFL in kick return yards (430), first in average kick return yard per return (26.9) among returners with at least 10 returns, and ninth in longest kick return (52).

4. Velus Jones Jr.

Team: Chicago Bears

Position: Wide Receiver

As you start to look around at the young kick returners in the NFL, Velus Jones Jr of the Chicago Bears is one that has been on the rise since entering the league during the 2022 NFL season.

Over two NFL seasons, the Bears kick returner has posted 38 total kick returns for 1,042 yards including a career long 63-yard return doing his rookie season.

Jones Jr who was drafted during the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of the Tennessee Volunteers should improve those kick return numbers this season as the league looks to introduce more opportunities for returns and big play returns on each kickoff.

3. Marvin Mims Jr.

Team: Denver Broncos

Position: Wide Receiver

Another outstanding kick returner landing among the best in the NFL is the Denver Broncos wide receiver and returner Marvin Mims Jr. While the overall totals don’t stack up to Keisean Nixon, the numbers are strong enough while returning only 15 total kick returns over 16 games last season.

Over those returns the Broncos returner who also ranks among the best punt returners in the NFL posted 397 total yards while averaging 26.5 yards per return and one kick return for a touchdown.

Mims Jr finished the season ranked tied for first in the NFL with one kick return touchdown, led the NFL with the longest kick return of the season (99 yards) and finished seventh in kick return yards (397).

2. Cordarrelle Patterson

Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Position: Running Back

While the overall return numbers have been down over the past two seasons for Cordarrelle Patteson, much of that has to do with only returning 16 returns over the previous two seasons.

However, with the signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the changes to the kickoff rule, look for Patterson to return to an elite level that allowed him to top the 1,000-kick return yard mark in three different seasons and return nine total returns for a touchdown. Last season, Patterson averaged 21.9 yards per return over seven total returns.

1. Keisean Nixon

Team: Green Bay Packers

Position: Cornerback

In at number one on the Top 10 NFL Kick Returners 2024 Rankings list is the Green Bay Packers kick returner and reigning First-Team All-Pro kick returner Keisean Nixon.

Nixon is coming off a strong season both as a cornerback as well as the top ranked kick returner. The former South Carolina Gamecocks star will look to build on a 2023 NFL season that included the Packers star leading the NFL with 782 return yards while averaging 26.1 yards per return over 30 kick returns.

Nixon will enter the upcoming season looking to build on the performances over the past two years while taking advantage of the new rules set in place leading into the 2024 NFL schedule.

How would you rank these kick returners going into the 2024-2025 NFL season? Rank below to be added in the NFL Power Rankings.

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