The Best Players In The NFL In 2024
At any given time, there are more than 1,600 players on NFL rosters. These players are the cream of the crop, the best of the best football players on the planet. That said, only a select few are truly considered to be elite at the NFL level.
With new kickoff rules and an exciting array of skill players, the 2024 NFL season promises to be one of the best yet. Whether you're scouting for your fantasy squad or just want to know who the best players are to watch, here are some of the best in the league — all voted on by their fellow players, courtesy of the NFL Network.
Davante Adams - WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Longtime Packers and now Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams had a comparatively down year by his standards in 2023. That said, Adams is still an elite player and managed to finish in the top ten for receptions, yards, and touchdown catches.
Now 31 years old, Adams is still in excellent shape and hopes for a bounce-back year with the Raiders in 2024. This should be possible if the silver and black are able to remedy their inconsistent quarterback play.
Joe Burrow - QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals pivot Joe Burrow remains one of the best in the league, but he has a little something extra to prove in 2024 after his 2023 season was cut short by a torn wrist ligament in Week 11.
Joe Cool still brings plenty of firepower to a talented Bengals roster, and hopes to bounce back in 2024. As a former AP Comeback Player of the Year winner, he's well equipped to come through with a strong showing following a tough injury.
Sauce Gardner - CB, New York Jets
It seems that the sky is the limit for Sauce Gardner, as the Jets star is already one of the best cornerbacks in the league entering his third season. He's revolutionized the Jets' pass coverage, with Gardner stifling the best wide receivers in the league.
In 2023, his sophomore campaign, Gardner finished with 57 total tackles, 11 passes defended, and first team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
Quinnen Williams - DT, New York Jets
Another critical component of Gang Green's defense is defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who's become an intimidating presence on the Jets' defensive line. He's racked up 33 sacks over the past five years, and the big man has also shown impressive athleticism with fumble recoveries, deflections, and even an interception.
After a disastrous 2023 campaign that began with quarterback Aaron Rodgers going down with an injury, stars like Williams and Gardner hope to lead a resurgent Jets squad back into contention.
Tua Tagovailoa - QB, Miami Dolphins
Tagovailoa's NFL career got a slow start after the Dolphins selected the Alabama QB, but by his sophomore season in 2021, he became the team's starter. In 2022, he led the league in passer rating, and in 2023 he earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
Tua's 2023 success carried over to the rest of the team, as he helped the 'Phins to their first 11-win season in 15 years. He signed a big four-year, $212.4 million contract extension in the summer of 2024, so he'll be in Miami through 2028.
Josh Hines-Allen - LB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Not to be confused with Bills quarterback Josh Allen (we'll get to him later), Jags defensive end Josh Hines-Allen has emerged as one of the better defenders in the league ever since he was picked seventh overall in the 2019 NFL draft.
Hines-Allen picked up a Pro Bowl nod in his rookie season, adding a second in 2023. In 2023, his fifth season in the league, he picked up 17.5 sacks — more than he'd managed in the previous three seasons combined.
Jordan Love - QB, Green Bay Packers
While some teams go through quarterback and quarterback in an effort to find their star (we're looking at you, Cleveland), other teams seemingly have a knack for finding franchise QBs. After Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, it seems the Packers have found a third consecutive franchise quarterback in Jordan Love.
2023 marked Love's first season as a starter, a season in which he seemed to get better and better with each passing week. Fresh off a surprising playoff berth, Love will hope to carry this positive momentum into 2024.
Puka Nacua - WR, Los Angeles Rams
Nacua wasn't seen as a blue chip prospect when the Rams selected him in the fifth round in 2023, but the BYU product made an impact in his rookie season with a Pro Bowl nod as well as a spot on the All-Pro second team.
Nacua also set a rookie record for catches with 105 and receiving yards with 1,486. While he suffered an injury in training camp, he was able to bounce back and play in the season opener.
Quincy Williams - LB, New York Jets
Along with his brother Quinnen, Quincy Williams is one of the anchors of the New York Jets defense. The linebacker blossomed in 2023, his sixth season in the league, with 95 solo tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and an interception — all career highs.
Williams took a big step forward in 2023 and is still firmly in his prime, so it'll be interesting to see what he does in 2024 as an encore performance.
DaRon Bland - CB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland deserves a spot on this list for his ballhawking abilities alone, as he's shown an impressive ability to intercept opposing quarterbacks since making his debut in 2022.
After making five interceptions in his rookie season, he picked up nine interceptions in 2024 to lead the league. Five of these picks were pick-sixes, with Bland taking them all the way into the endzone. The 25-year-old will hope to score his second Pro Bowl appearance in 2024.
Deebo Samuel - WR, San Francisco 49ers
One of several talented stars on a stacked 49ers roster, Deebo Samuel has been a mainstay in San Francisco ever since making his debut in 2019. Entering his sixth season, Samuel is now firmly established as one of the best receivers in the game.
While Samuel had a down year by his standards — missing the Pro Bowl, only dressing in 15 games, and dealing with injuries — he still picked up seven touchdown receptions and 225 yards across 37 rushing attempts.
Khalil Mack - OLB, Los Angeles Chargers
Veteran linebacker Khalil Mack has been intimidating NFL offences for a decade now, and if recent results are indication, he shows no signs of slowing down. With eight Pro Bowl selections to his name, Mack is rapidly becoming one of the best linebackers of the 21st century.
He's racked up 25 sacks in his three seasons with the Chargers, with 17 of those happening in 2023 alone. Along with teammate Joey Bosa, Mack helps anchor a ferocious Chargers defence.
Brock Purdy - QB, San Francisco 49ers
When it's all said and done, Brock Purdy will probably go down as the best Mr. Irrelevant (the name given to the last player selected in the NFL draft) of all time. The 49ers struck gold when they picked the unheralded Iowa State quarterback 262nd overall in 2022.
Purdy's surprising rookie campaign in 2022 was followed up with an even more dominant season in 2023 in which he threw for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns, picking up his first Pro Bowl nod.
Nick Bosa - DE, San Francisco 49ers
Defensive end Nick Bosa is a part of the Bosa dynasty, as his father John, and older brother Joey have found success in the NFL as well.
Nick Bosa won the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award — and while he wasn't able to repeat in 2023, he still had an excellent season with 10.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl appearance. He's still one of the best pass rushers in the game.
Mike Evans - WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Evans has been one of the NFL's best wideouts for years now, winning Super Bowl LV with Tom Brady and racking up five Pro Bowl nods during his decade in the league.
Evans had a typical year by his standards, with more than a thousand receiving yards (the tenth consecutive season he's done so), with 13 receiving touchdowns and 1,255 receiving yards. He'll be quarterback Baker Mayfield's primary target this year for the Bucs.
Jalen Ramsey - CB, Miami Dolphins
Questions abounded about whether the 28-year-old Dolphins cornerback would be able to rebound from a meniscus tear prior to the 2023 season. Ramsey was able to silence his doubters by returning early from the injury and having an elite season.
While Ramsey missed seven games with his injury, he still racked up three interceptions and five passes defended. It'll be fun to see what he can do with a full campaign in 2024.
Dexter Lawrence - DT, New York Giants
The Giants' D-line still has plenty of question marks, but none of these questions relate to defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The punishing nose tackle had 53 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two pass deflections in 2023, good enough for the highest PFF grade of any interior d-lineman.
Lawrence even tied a league record in Week 8 of the 2023 season, matching the mark for most pressures in a single game by any interior defender.
Amon-Ra St. Brown - WR, Detroit Lions
Amon-Ra St. Brown was seen as a middling prospect when the Lions selected the USC wideout in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft — but he's proven with each passing year to be one of the best at his position.
He followed up on his 2022 Pro Bowl selection with the best season of his young career, setting career highs in virtually every category. He's one of the main reasons the Lions are seen as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Penei Sewell - OT, Detroit Lions
Another crucial part of the Lions' resurgent offense is offensive tackle Penei Sewell, who's been nothing but consistent ever since he was selected seventh overall in 2021.
Sewell has been a starter ever since his very first NFL game, and already has two Pro Bowls (and one First-team All-Pro) to his name. He re-upped his contract for four years at $112 million total back in April of 2024.
A.J. Brown - WR, Philadelphia Eagles
The Titans' loss is the Eagles' gain, as Philly has looked like geniuses for trading for the star receiver in 2022. While Brown made it to one Pro Bowl as a Titan, he's emerged as one of the league's best for the Eagles and is coming off of two consecutive Pro Bowl appearances.
Brown is the main target for Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, and his 194 receptions, nearly 3,000 yards, and 18 touchdowns across two seasons with the Eagles certainly proves it.
C.J. Stroud - QB, Houston Texans
One of the youngest players on this list, C.J. Stroud enters his sophomore campaign with high expectations on his shoulders. As a rookie in 2023, he led the league in passing yards per game and touchdown-interception ratio (an impressive 23 touchdowns with just five interceptions).
Stroud emerged as one of the best rookie QBs in recent history, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. He enters 2024 as Houston's franchise quarterback.
Roquan Smith - ILB, Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have some of the best defenders in the game, and anchoring their blitz-heavy D is inside linebacker Roquan Smith. Smith is fresh off of First-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections in 2022 and 2023, and enters 2024 in his athletic prime.
Smith can tackle, intercept passes, and chase down opposing running backs with equal aplomb. As the Ravens look to make a deeper playoff push in 2024, Smith will be an integral leader.
Justin Jefferson - WR, Minnesota Vikings
Justin Jefferson is still one of the league's best receivers, but he comes into 2024 with something to prove after a somewhat disappointing 2023 season. After winning Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2022, injuries limited Jefferson to just ten games in 2023.
While 2023 was technically the worst season of Jefferson's career, he still has three Pro Bowl selections to his name. The fact that the Vikings made him the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history shows what they think of his talents.
Micah Parsons - LB, Dallas Cowboys
Parsons has been a force in the NFL ever since the Cowboys selected the Penn State linebacker twelfth overall in the 2021 Draft. He immediately won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award and was named to his first of three Pro Bowls.
Entering his fourth season, Parsons is already one of the best linebackers in the game. His incredible quickness as a pass rusher saw him lead the league in quick pressures according to Next Gen Stats.
Dak Prescott - QB, Dallas Cowboys
On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys have a franchise quarterback — something they'd been searching for for a long time — in Dak Prescott. Now entering his ninth season in Dallas, Prescott is fresh off a dominant season in which he finished second in MVP voting.
Prescott has been perhaps the most reliable passer in the NFL in recent years, and he's quickly climbing the list of all-time great Dallas quarterbacks. With a little bit of playoff success, he'll ensure a place with Staubach and Aikman.
Jalen Hurts - QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts doesn't look quite as good going into 2024 as he did going into 2023, as his 2023 campaign was blighted by turnovers and nagging injuries.
Regardless, Hurts still tied a single-season record for rushing TDs by a quarterback with 15, and stepped up his deep game with a good success rate on long bombs. He finished the season with 3,858 yards — his third consecutive season eclipsing the 3,000-yard mark.
George Kittle - TE, San Francisco 49ers
The good-natured 49ers tight end put up another masterclass season in 2023, with 65 receptions for more than a thousand yards and six touchdowns. Kittle was named to his fifth career Pro Bowl in 2023, along with earning a first-team All-Pro nod for the second time.
Without the ball, Kittle is one of the better run-and-pass-blocking tight ends in the league and forms a potent component of an elite 49ers offense.
CeeDee Lamb - WR, Dallas Cowboys
Lamb was viewed as a blue-chip prospect coming out of Oklahoma when he was drafted by the Cowboys in 2020. While he showed promise in his early seasons, he stepped things up to another level in 2023.
He was an absolute workhorse in 2023, leading the league in receptions, scrimmage yards, and total touchdowns. He wasn't just Dak Prescott's favorite target — he was the favorite target league-wide. Unsurprisingly, he picked up his third consecutive Pro Bowl nod in 2023.
Josh Allen - QB, Buffalo Bills
Allen is already one of the best players in Bills history, but the 28-year-old still has lots to prove. After an excellent 2023 season in which he led the league with 44 total touchdowns, Allen and the Bills fell in the Divisional Round of the playoffs for the third straight season.
Regardless, if the Bills find success in 2024, they'll do so on the back of their talented pivot. Few quarterbacks in NFL history have shown such a knack for finding the endzone, either through the air or on the ground.
Fred Warner - MLB, San Francisco 49ers
Warner's been regarded as a pretty good middle linebacker ever since his rookie season in 2018. His career has seen steady growth, with Pro Bowl selections in 2020, 2022, and 2023.
It was in 2023 that Warner elevated his game to another level, setting career highs in forced fumbles, interceptions, and passes defended. He also racked up 132 tackles. The 49ers are still one of the odds-on favorites to win the Super Bowl, and Warner is a big part of this.
Maxx Crosby - DE, Las Vegas Raiders
Maxx Crosby has proven himself to be one of the best pass rushers of the 2020s, with elite athleticism and dogged determination. While he was a Pro Bowl selection in 2021, 2022, and 2023, it could be said that 2023 was his true breakout campaign.
It was in 2023 that Crosby picked up career best tallies in sacks, QB pressures, QB hits, tackles for loss, and tackles in general. He's the unquestioned leader of an improving Raiders D.
Travis Kelce - TE, Kansas City Chiefs
Kelce became a household name to the wider world in 2023 thanks to his association with Taylor Swift, but NFL fans have known about Kelce's excellence for more than a decade now.
Now 34 years old, the Chiefs tight end shows no sign of slowing down. He's still the best tight end in the league, and with three Super Bowl championships and nine Pro Bowls to his name, he'll be a surefire Hall of Famer someday.
TJ Watt - OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers
For many years, J.J. Watt was one of the best defensive players in the NFL — and now that he's retired, it's time for his younger brother T.J. to shine.
T.J. Watt is a four-time finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year (he won the award in 2021), and holds (along with Michael Strahan) the single-season sack record with 22.5. He's currently on track to hit 100 sacks in his 108th game, an incredible pace.
Trent Williams - OT, San Francisco 49ers
At 36 years old, Trent Williams is not just the oldest player on this list — he's one of the oldest players in the NFL. Regardless, Father Time has not slowed down the 49ers offensive tackle, who's racked up an incredible 11 Pro Bowl selections in his legendary career.
Williams still displays impressive quickness off the snap, and his run-and-pass-blocking skills have helped facilitate an energetic 49ers offensive attack.
Chris Jones - DE, Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs' dynasty is built largely around the offensive talents of players like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, but the elite defense has also played an integral role — and, since 2016, that D has been centered around defensive tackle Chris Jones.
Jones picked up 10.5 sacks, 39 QB pressures, 29 QB hits, and 13 tackles for loss in 2023, en route to his fifth Pro Bowl nod and third Super Bowl ring. At the age of 30, he still has at least a few years of dominance left.
Myles Garrett - DE, Cleveland Browns
Garrett's blistering start to the 2023 season was slowed down significantly by a shoulder injury, but he was still the main reason that the Browns' defense was ranked best in the league.
Garrett finished the campaign with 14 sacks, 30 AB hits, and 17 tackles for loss. Even though he would have put up better numbers if he'd stayed healthy, he was still good enough to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Patrick Mahomes - QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes is probably the highest-profile player in the NFL, picking up the mantle of the league's best quarterback since the retirement of Tom Brady. Mahomes had an off-season by his standards with 4,183 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and a Super Bowl win. These numbers would, of course, be a career year for virtually anyone else.
While Mahomes had trouble with interceptions during the season, he locked it in for the Chief's playoff run. Mahomes has three Super Bowl rings and two MVP awards, and he isn't even 30 yet.
Christian McCaffrey - RB, San Francisco 49ers
Through his seven seasons in the NFL, running back Christian McCaffrey has proven that his elite college stats were no fluke. McCaffrey started with the Carolina Panthers but elevated his game further following a 2022 trade to the 49ers.
McCaffrey's scintillating 2023 numbers speak for themselves: 1,459 rushing yards, 2,023 yards from scrimmage, and 21 touchdowns — all of these leading the league. It came as no surprise that the speedy back was named Offensive Player of the Year.
Lamar Jackson - QB, Baltimore Ravens
Jackson was already established as an elite dual-threat QB entering the 2023 season, but the Ravens quarterback proved throughout the year that he'd reached another level as a passer.
He set career highs in completions, attempts, and passing yards, good enough for 24 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. While Super Bowl success continues to elude Jackson, his 2023 MVP award proves that getting a ring is more a matter of when, not if.
Tyreek Hill - WR, Miami Dolphins
The Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins in 2022, and Hill promptly signed a four-year extension with Miami. The deal paid off, as he led the league with 1,799 receiving yards the following season.
Hill's 2024 season started with controversy, as he was detained and handcuffed in a traffic stop prior to his first game. He didn't let this slow him down as he picked up a touchdown and followed up with a "handcuff" celebration — one that was immediately iconic.
