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Every NFL team has a notable player that steps up to make a play when the team needs it most. A player that will drag the team to wins. A player that will create a spark, or produce a moment of magic out of nothing.
Here is one notable player for each NFL team heading into the 2021-22 season.
#1. Arizona Cardinals – Kyler Murray, quarterback
Kyler Murray has rejuvenated the Arizona Cardinals offense since being drafted number 1 overall in the NFL draft. The 2018 Heisman Trophy winner earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019 before going to the Pro Bowl in 2020. The dual-threat QB is sure to cause more headaches for defenses in 2021.
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#2. Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan, quarterback
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"Matty Ice" is going into his 14th NFL season as the Atlanta Falcons starter, having been the driving force of the offense ever since his rookie season in 2008. Ryan was the NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 2016 and is the Falcons' main hope of leading a bounce-back season after they went 4-12 in 2020.
#3. Baltimore Ravens – Lamar Jackson, quarterback
Lamar Jackson came into the NFL as the final pick of the 2018 NFL draft's first round and made an instant impact after claiming the Baltimore Ravens' starting quarterback jersey from Super Bowl-winner Joe Flacco. After starting seven games and going 6-1 in year one, Jackson led the NFL in touchdown passes in 2019 with 36 and set an NFL record of 1,206 rushing yards for a quarterback.
#4. Buffalo Bills – Josh Allen, quarterback
Fourth-year starter Josh Allen established himself as the NFL's most dangerous dual-threat quarterback in 2020, passing for a career-high 4,544 yards and 37 touchdowns. Allen has also scored at least eight rushing touchdowns in each of his three NFL seasons – and his dangerous partnership with WR Stefon Diggs last year led to Allen placing second in MVP voting and reaching his first Pro Bowl.
#5. Carolina Panthers – Christian McCaffrey, running back
Christian McCaffrey became the third player in NFL history to record 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season in 2019. Wherever he lines up, McCaffrey is a weapon the Carolina Panthers desperately missed in 2020. An injury-filled year meant he only started three games and new quarterback Sam Darnold will be desperate to keep the Panthers' star player on the field in 2021.
#6. Chicago Bears – Khalil Mack, edge rusher
Khalil Mack has been one of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL since being drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 2014. The six-time Pro Bowler earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2016 before being traded to the Chicago Bears in 2018. Mack has recorded a total of 70.5 sacks in his seven seasons and was graded as the NFL's best edge rusher in 2020.
#7. Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow, quarterback
It has been 31 years since the Cincinnati Bengals last won a playoff game, but when Joe Burrow was taken with the first overall pick of the 2020 draft, hope returned to the Jungle. The LSU product's rookie season had its highs and lows, with an ACL tear ending it prematurely, but the quarterback showed enough flashes to keep the Bengals believing. Burrow must take another step in year two.
#8. Cleveland Browns – Myles Garrett, edge rusher
The jewel in the crown of the Cleveland Browns defense, Myles Garrett is starting to live up to the hype of being taken as the number one overall selection in the 2017 draft. A two-time Pro Bowler, Garrett has hit double figures in sacks for the past three seasons and earned his maiden first-team All-Pro selection following a 2020 season where he claimed a career-high 48 combined tackles.
#9. Dallas Cowboys – Dak Prescott, quarterback
The way the Dallas Cowboys folded after their talismanic quarterback Dak Prescott was ruled out for the 2020 season shows how important the sixth-year passer is. The two-time Pro Bowl nominee signed a new contract in March to make him the NFL's third highest-paid player despite spending the off-season recovering from multiple surgeries. All that matters for the Cowboys now are: Dak is back.
#10. Denver Broncos – Von Miller, outside linebacker
After 11 years in the NFL, Von Miller has built a reputation as a game-wrecker. The eight-time Pro Bowler has more than 100 sacks in his nine seasons played. Miller missed the 2020 season with a dislocated peroneal tendon and may return as more of a situational pass rusher, but the Super Bowl 50 MVP will no doubt remain a feared presence in the Denver Broncos' loaded defense.
#11. Detroit Lions – T.J. Hockenson, tight end
In a rapidly revolving Detroit Lions offense, one diamond stands out in the rough heading into 2021. The Eighth overall selection in the 2019 draft, T.J. Hockenson needed a season to settle in the NFL. The Iowa graduate made the leap in 2020, taking 67 catches for 723 yards and six touchdowns and grading as a top-five run blocker. Expect Hockenson to be a key component of the Lions' offense in 2021.
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#12. Green Bay Packers – Aaron Rodgers, quarterback
If this is the last dance, Aaron Rodgers has left a legacy in Green Bay that will last forever. The Packers will reportedly allow Rodgers to be traded in 2022 following a dispute and a contract restructure this offseason. After succeeding Brett Favre as the Packers starter in 2008, Rodgers has reinvented the quarterback position with his relentless production, scrambling ability, and accuracy throwing on the move.
#13. Houston Texans – Deshaun Watson, quarterback
The hole that the Houston Texans find themselves in is partly due to their most notable player effectively being sidelined. Deshaun Watson had already cast doubt over his Texans future by demanding a trade in the offseason. Since then, 22 women have filed civil lawsuits accusing Watson of coercive sexual behaviour, two of which allege sexual assault. Watson is still on the Texans roster.
#14. Indianapolis Colts – Darius Leonard, outside linebacker
Despite only being a fourth-year player, Darius Leonard is the leader of the Indianapolis Colts defense and recently signed a five-year, $99.25 million deal to make him the NFL's highest paid linebacker. After being drafted in the second round in 2018, Leonard exploded in the NFL – leading the league in tackles, named a first-team All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year.
#15. Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence, quarterback
After 12 losing seasons in the past 13 years, the Jacksonville Jaguars put their faith in Trevor Lawrence to turn the franchise around by selecting the Clemson alumni with the number one overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft. Lawrence will need more pieces around him for the Jags to find the winning formula, but the 21-year-old rookie could be the first big step towards a change of fortunes in Duval County.
#16. Kansas City Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes, quarterback
Since making his Week 17 debut in 2017, Patrick Mahomes' rise to quarterback sensation has been nothing short of spectacular. In his first year as a starter, Mahomes threw for more than 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns, joining Peyton Manning as the only other player to do so. In four years, he has been NFL MVP, won a Super Bowl as Super Bowl MVP and signed a $503 million, 10-year deal.
#17. Las Vegas Raiders – Derek Carr, quarterback
Derek Carr splits opinion in NFL circles, but Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has committed to the quarterback he inherited since returning to the NFL four years ago. Carr has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times and has broken every franchise passing record during his seven years in silver and black. Having only guided the team to a winning record once, 2021 is a big year for Carr.
#18. Los Angeles Chargers – Justin Herbert, quarterback
The Los Angeles Chargers expected big things from their sixth-overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, but Justin Herbert's rookie year blew all projections out of the water. The 23-year-old Oregon alumni threw for 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on his way to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. The sky is the limit for the Chargers over the coming years, with a franchise quarterback in place.
#19. Los Angeles Rams – Aaron Donald, defensive tackle
Three players in NFL history have won Defensive Player of the Year three times –Lawrence Taylor, J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald. That's the type of company the Los Angeles Rams' wrecking ball keeps. Donald has seven Pro Bowl selections in seven years and no defensive player comes close to his numbers in the past half decade. There's an argument that Donald is the best player in the NFL.
#20. Miami Dolphins – Xavien Howard, cornerback
The Miami Dolphins showed Xavien Howard the money to keep their star lockdown corner happy after he requested a trade this offseason. Six-year pro, Howard was named as a first-team All-Pro for the first time in 2020 and signed a restructured contract as he finally got the recognition he earned. In 2020, Howard led the NFL with 10 interceptions and received the second-best cornerback grade.
#21. Minnesota Vikings – Kirk Cousins, quarterback
Kirk Cousins is another signal-caller that gets mixed reviews, but his numbers speak for themselves. The former Washington QB has thrown for over 4,000 yards in five of his six years as a starter, and last year he posted a career-best 35 touchdowns. Cousins gained his first post-season win in 2019 to answer another question about his abilities. As he once famously screamed – do you like that?
#22. New England Patriots – Dont’a Hightower, linebacker
There was perhaps no player more missed in 2020 than the New England Patriots defensive centerpiece Dont’a Hightower. After opting out last season, the three-time Super Bowl winner gives a major boost to Bill Belichick's defense. A versatile playmaker, Hightower recorded the game-changing strip-sack that swung the tide in the famous Super Bowl comeback against the Falcons with the score at 28-12.
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#23. New Orleans Saints – Alvin Kamara, running back
Once part of the NFL's most dangerous trio, Drew Brees' retirement and Michael Thomas' uncertain future leaves Alvin Kamara as the top dog in the Saints offense. Dual-threat back Kamara is their go-to guy, with quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill scrapping for a new contract. Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2017, Kamara logged a career-best season in 2020 of 1,688 yards from scrimmage.
#24. New York Giants – Saquon Barkley, running back
Another player who is a duel-threat out of the backfield, Saquon Barkley is the player who fires the New York Giants offense. The Giants struggled to move the ball without their powerhouse runner, with Barkley coming off an ACL operation that limited him to two games in 2020. The Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 with 1,307 rushing and 721 receiving yards, a healthy 2021 is key for Barkley.
#25. New York Jets - Zach Wilson, quarterback
As the New York Jets moved on from their latest false dawn, the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Zach Wilson, stepped into the spotlight. The Jets have not made the playoffs in 10 seasons but early signs from training camp and preseason suggest BYU product Wilson could be the man to revive the struggling franchise. Wilson can bring positive vibes back to Florham Park in 2021.
#26. Philadelphia Eagles – Fletcher Cox, defensive tackle
One of the core features of the Philadelphia Eagles in recent years is a fearsome defensive front, and the most disruptive of that group is Fletcher Cox. An eight-year Eagles veteran, Cox has been selected to the Pro Bowl six times due to the nonstop interior pressure he brings. The 30-year-old has recorded a top-five pass rusher grade for five straight years, and still has juice in the tank going into 2021.
#27. Pittsburgh Steelers – T.J. Watt, edge rusher
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been banging the drum for T.J. Watt to get paid during preseason, and the fifth-year pro finally settled on a four-year, $112m contract on Thursday to become the NFL's highest paid defensive player. Watt's numbers back up the bumper payday. In 2020 the three-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher led the NFL in sacks (15), tackles for loss (23) and quarterback hits (41).
#28. San Francisco 49ers – Nick Bosa, edge rusher
The San Francisco 49ers' 2020 NFL season was a nightmare for a number of reasons, none worse than losing second-year pass-rusher Nick Bosa to a torn ACL in Week 2. Bosa was awarded the NFL Defensive Rookie of Year prize in 2019 after claiming nine sacks and powering the 49ers to the Super Bowl. Now back fit and healthy, the 23-year-old Ohio State alumni are back for more in 2021.
#29. Seattle Seahawks – Russell Wilson, quarterback
Noises coming out of Seattle in the offseason were the relationship between star quarterback Russell Wilson and the organization were fractured. A Chicago Bears' trade offer was turned down and all parties moved forward. If there are still any issues, the Seahawks need a long-term resolution. The eight-time Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl 48 winner, Wilson, is the heartbeat of the franchise.
#30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tom Brady, quarterback
Heading into year 22, what can be said about Tom Brady that hasn't been said before? An all-time NFL great at 44 years of age, who knows how many more years Brady can play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? It seems like the seven-time Super Bowl winner has no intention of walking away. Enjoy, because you never know when you could be watching the history-maker for the final time.
#31. Tennessee Titans - Derek Henry, running back
"King Henry" is the NFL's ultimate unstoppable object. A mountain of a man with explosive quickness, Henry has the ability to carry the Titans offense on his shoulders. He led the NFL in rushing yards for the last two years and was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2020 after rumbling for more than 2,000 yards. No player has ever done that in back-to-back years. Henry could be the first.
#32. Washington Football Team - Chase Young, defensive end
The Washington Football Team had a desperate need at quarterback heading into the 2020 NFL draft, but with the number two pick, they took Chase Young – because he is just that good. Young stormed to the Defensive Rookie of Year award in 2020, leading all rookies in a range of categories including sacks and forced fumbles. Expect more big things from the 22-year-old in 2021.
