NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: Every team’s best position group

The NFL set a new bar for itself with Week 15’s mix of insane comebacks, whacky finishes, and instant classics. Starting on Saturday, we witnessed the largest comeback in NFL history with the Vikings erasing a 33-0 deficit in an overtime thriller over the Colts, followed by maybe the most iconic game of the decade so far when Buffalo finished off the Dolphins in a 4th quarter that featured a driving snow storm at Orchard Park.

Sunday didn’t hold back either! The lowly Texans took the AFC heavyweight Chiefs to overtime, Jacksonville had a walk-off pick six in overtime against the high-flying Cowboys, and Raiders swiped one from the Patriots with zeros on the clock after Chandler Jones picked off Jacoby Meyers (yeah, I know) in one of the craziest plays of all time.

On top of all that, your Pittsburgh Steelers are winners again, putting Week 14’s gut-wrenching loss to Baltimore behind them with a dominant performance in the trenches on the road against Carolina. For Pittsburgh, it’s likely “too little, too late” for a playoff run, but it was highly encouraging to see the defensive and offensive lines decimate the opposition and grind out a truly dominant team performance. It shows growth in the coaching staff, which has gotten less than their fair share of the credit for the team’s turnaround since Week 9. It shows growth in the execution, as both offense and defense worked together as a unit for 60 minutes. This team needs games like this to show that what they are building can work in the future. Steelers fans should be very encouraged by Sunday’s development for their team.

So lets take a look at where each team falls in this week’s edition of my Power Rankings, where I’ll be highlighting each team’s best position group of 2022. Let’s dive into it!

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1. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (13-1)

Best Unit: OL

The Eagles continue to fly high, and this offensive line is a big reason why. The group is one of the best run blocking units in the league, and they know how to keep the ever-improving Jalen Hurts clean in the pocket as well.

2. BUFFALO BILLS (11-3)

Best Unit: QB

There are only a few teams who boast a truly elite, game-changing QB in the NFL in 2022, and the Bills are one of them. Josh Allen is the heartbeat of the Bills, and I would be remiss not to list a QB room with him in it as his team’s best unit.

3. CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-4)

Best Unit: WR

This one was tough. I wanted to go QB here as well, but this WR room is truly unmatched in the league in 2022. Sure, you can point to Ja’Marr Chase as one of the best pass-catchers in the entire league, but it’s the two guys behind him, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, that really make this group elite. Either one of them could be the number 1 receiver on 10 other teams.

4. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-3)

Best Unit: QB

Another one of those game-altering signal callers, Patrick Mahomes is still the gold standard at QB, and has been since 2018. Don’t overthink it, don’t get distracted by the other flashy passers out there. With the exception of being a true running QB, Mahomes can do everything they can do and more. As the kids say, he’s him.

5. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (10-4)

Best Unit: Off-ball LB

It’s close between this group and that DL, led by current NFL sack leader, Nick Bosa. But Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner are the league’s best LB tandem, and every week one or both of those boys are making game-changing plays.

6. DALLAS COWBOYS (10-4)

Best Unit: DL

I’m including the incomparable Micah Parsons in this group because he spends more time terrorizing passers of the edge than he does as a traditional off-ball LB, and when you combine him with DeMarcus Lawrence and Neville Gallimore and company, you’ve got arguably the best Front 4 or 5 in the entire NFL.

7. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (11-3)

Best Unit: WR

Justin Jefferson is stamping his claim as the league’s most dynamic wideout, but JK Osborn sets this unit apart for this team as a do-it-all number two receiver taking advantage of all the attention JJ is getting.

8. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (8-6)

Best Unit: QB

The secondary has the pieces to be the team’s best unit, but it just hasn’t quite put it all together in 2022. Running back and wide receiver could certainly make a case as well, but I’m riding with Justin Herbert, who is another one of those rare QBs that can make every throw and is as clutch as they come.

9. MIAMI DOLPHINS (8-6)

Best Unit: WR

I mean, what did you want me to say for a team that with both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle running routes? That front four has a case, but you gotta ride with the Cheetah and the Penguin (elite nickname game in Miami).

10. DETROIT LIONS (7-7)

Best Unit: RB

I really believe that DeAndre Swift can still be a top 5 RB in this league, and when you combine what he can do with the league’s best goal line back in the game in Jamaal Williams, you’ve got a top tier duo.

11. BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-5)

Best Unit: Off-ball LB

The addition of Roquan Smith changed this entire defense, but most of all it made Patrick Queen better. As in, playing at a true Pro-Bowl level since the arrival of the former All-Pro.

12. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (6-8)

Best Unit: WR

Outside of Duval County, who would’ve believed before the season that Christian Kirk and Zay Jones would be one of the NFL’s most effective WR tandems in 2022? Not this Power Ranker, who had these signings, specifically the big-money Kirk deal, labeled as terrible decisions at the time. I’ll eat that slice of crow right now.

13. NEW YORK GIANTS (8-5-1)

Best Unit: OL

Evan Neal and Andrew Thomas could end up as one of the league’s best OT duos quickly. Both have been good and getting better in 2022.

14. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (7-6-1)

Best Unit: DL

Jonathan Allen. Daron Payne. Chase Young. Montez Sweat. Fear them.

15. NEW YORK JETS (7-7)

Best Unit: DL

Quinnen Williams played most of the season as a real DPOY candidate, and he leads a group of maulers that absolutely wreck opposing offensive game plans.

16. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (7-7)

Best Unit: WR

A lot of teams have good WR corps, but DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett continue to play high level football together for the Seahawks. The rise of Geno Smith can be attributed in part to the consistency of these two receivers.

17. GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-8)

Best Unit: RB

Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are a legit old-school lightning and thunder combo in the backfield and one of the best duo’s in football.

18. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (6-8)

Best Unit: WR

When healthy, this group is one of the NFL’s elite. That can be attributed to the arrival of the league’s best receiver over the last 2-3 years in Davante Adams, but the rise of Mack Hollins and the steady Hunter Renfrow round out a deep, complimentary group.

19. TENNESSEE TITANS (7-7)

Best Unit: DL

Denico Autry, Bud Dupree, and Jeffrey Simmons are all dynamic athletes and stalwarts on one of the better front sevens in the league.

20. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-8)

Best Unit: Safety

Minkah Fitzpatrick gets all the TV time, and deservedly so, but Terrell Edmunds has turned into one of the NFL’s best in-the-box Strong Safeties. Add in Damontae Kazee and even Tre Norwood, and this is a deep and versatile safety group. Keep ‘em together, Omar!

21. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (7-7)

Best Unit: RB

Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris make a terrific 1-2 punch for the Patriots attack, and are the catalyst for the entire offense.

22. CLEVELAND BROWNS (6-8)

Best Unit: OL

The Browns can still line up in front of you and push you around with the “Big Uglies” up front.

23. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (6-8)

Best Unit: Off-ball LB

Despite the Buc’s struggles in 2022, Lavonte David and Devin White are still elite athletes that can play both the run and the pass well.

24. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-9-1)

Best Unit: DL

DeForest Buckner leads a tough Colts front four that can make passers uncomfortable and shut down running games.

25. CAROLINA PANTHERS (5-9)

Best Unit: Secondary

Jaycee Horn and Jeremy Chinn are an impressive duo on the back end. One of the more physical secondaries in the league.

26. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-9)

Best Unit: Pass Catcher

Chris Olave is as good as advertised, and with the rise of Juwan Johnson and Rashid Shaheed, the Saints are looking good on the perimeter on offense for years to come, even if Michael Thomas is done in the bayou.

27. ATLANTA FALCONS (5-9)

Best Unit: RB

Cordarrelle Patterson, Tyler Allgeier, and Caleb Huntley are the league’s deepest RB unit.

28. DENVER BRONCOS (4-10)

Best Unit: Secondary

Justin Simmons, Kareem Jackson, Pat Surtain II, and Damarri Mathis are a ridiculous secondary group and lead one of the NFL’s best overall defenses.

29. LOS ANGELES RAMS (4-10)

Best Unit: DL

When Aaron Donald is on the field and healthy, this group is totally different. He’s that much of a difference maker.

30. ARIZONA CARDINALS (4-10)

Best Unit: WR

You have to start with WR on this team when you’ve got D-Hop, Hollywood Brown, and Rondale Moore making spectacular plays on a weekly basis. It really is something that this team is so bad with such a dynamic cast of weapons.

31. CHICAGO BEARS (3-11)

Best Unit: QB

How can you talk about the Bears without talking about Justin Fields? He’s the most dynamic all-round athlete at QB in a league that currently boasts talents like Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and even Lamar Jackson. Fields is the future of the QB position.

32. HOUSTON TEXANS (1-12-1)

Best Unit: Secondary

The Texans have a ton of youth on the back end, but it’s apparent that group is the building block for any growth the Texans will be doing in the future. Derek Stingley, Jr. and Jalen Pitre are going to be good for a while.

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