Subtitle: From Rushing Kings to Defensive Demons, These Players Are Taking Over the NFL in 2024
The NFL is filled with top-tier talent all around, from quarterbacks and receivers to edge rushers and cornerbacks. In today’s league, some players are highly overpaid, like Dak Prescott, who is the highest-paid player in the NFL, with a salary of $86 million in 2024. However, many players have gone above and beyond this year, bringing their team one step closer to a Super Bowl win in 2025. This list includes the best NFL players in 2024, a trend to follow in your NFL betting analytics.
Alvin Kamara continues to be one of the best all-purpose running backs in the NFL player rankings. Kamara leads all running backs in receiving yards (421), while also having a very respectable 715 rushing yards this season.
Kamara is third in the NFL player stats with 1,136 yards from scrimmage, and he is the best deep-ball receiving running back in the NFL. He is the ultimate workhorse that has been overlooked in 2024 due to the Saint’s horrible season they are having, on top of dealing with an injured quarterback and an inept backup quarterback. Still, he remains one of the most dynamic players in the NFL.
Myles Garrett is being somewhat overlooked this season because the Browns have been so utterly bad, but he still remains as one of the top-edge rushers in the NFL. Trey Hendrickson has had a better season statistically, but part of that is because Garrett is the most doubled player in the NFL on the edge, and he has also played in one less game due to injury.
Garrett is the leader of the Cleveland defense and sets the tone on every play. He is tied for third in quarterback pressures and is tied for third in quarterback knockdowns. Garrett is one of those guys that you can see makes a big difference to the defense when he is off the field and on it.
Saquon Barkley has been by far the second-best running back in the NFL, right behind Derrick Henry. After being traded to the Eagles in the offseason, he has been flourishing on his new team.
Barkley is second in the NFL with 991 rushing yards and is barely behind Derrick Henry (112) with 110 rushing yards per game. Barkley has been the most influential piece to the Eagle’s offense in 2024 and they wouldn’t be 7-2 without him.
The Bengals are 4-6, yet they have three players in my top seven overall. The Bengals have been a much different team since their 0-3 start, and I think Joe Burrow has gotten way too much slack for how he has performed in 2024.
Burrow leads the NFL with 2,672 passing yards and also has thrown the most touchdowns this season, tied with Baker Mayfield (24). He has done all this while only throwing four interceptions all season.
Burrow remains one of the clutchest and most accurate quarterbacks in the NFL and earns a spot in the top 10 despite the Bengal’s record being below .500.
I bet many people would expect Patrick Mahomes to lead the list of best NFL players in 2024, but the only reason he isn’t higher is because of his touchdown-to-interception ratio. Mahomes has only thrown 12 touchdowns and has 9 interceptions. He is tied for second-most interceptions this season, but he still makes number six on this list because the Chiefs are 9-0 and he is the quarterback.
Despite struggling for much of the season, Mahomes has found ways to win. He leads the NFL with four game-winning drives, and he constantly puts his team in good positions to win games in the fourth quarter, which is why he is number six on this list with not-so-great stats. Mahomes is Mahomes, and I would still take him over any other quarterback in the NFL if it’s late in the fourth quarter and you need a field goal or touchdown to win the game.
Kerby Joseph has set the bar for defensive backs in 2024, tied for the lead in interceptions with 6 on the season. He has allowed just a 26 passer rating when targeted in the process, which leads the NFL.
Joseph has been a key playmaker on defense for the Detroit Lions, a defensive unit that has struggled at times this season allowing explosive plays. Still, Joseph has held his own and been a leader in the backfield while helping the Lions to an 8-1 record so far this season.
It’s a close race between Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson for the best wide receiver in the NFL for 2024, but the current race has to be given to Chase. Chase leads all wide receivers with 10 touchdowns and also leads in receiving yards (981) and receptions (66).
It was a slow start to the season for Joe Burrow and the Bengals, but the Burrow/Chase connection didn’t take long to heat up. Chase’s best game of the season was against the Ravens, with Chase exploding for 264 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, which is the best game any receiver has had in 2024.
Derrick Henry has all but secured the Offensive Player of the Year award in 2024, barring a major injury. Henry is by far the leader in rushing yards this season with 1,120, but he also leads the NFL in touchdowns, with 14 total (12 rushing, 2 receiving).
Henry has already surpassed his rushing total from last season in just over half the amount of games. Henry has a real chance to rush for 2000+ yards for the second time in his career this season, and his five games of 100+ rushing yards are tied for the most. Henry has easily been the best running back in the NFL in 2024, leading the way in the most explosive rushing offense in the NFL.
There are few other edge rushers in the NFL as scary as Trey Hendrickson in 2024. Not only does he lead the NFL in sacks (11) by far, but he also leads the NFL in quarterback knockdowns, meaning even if the quarterback is saving themself from a sack by throwing the ball away, Trey was still there and made an excellent defensive play.
No one has been better at getting to the quarterback than Trey Hendrickson this year, and his presence on the Bengals’ defensive line often draws double teams, making it even more difficult for offensive lines to contain the Bengals’ pass rush, and it is all thanks to Hendrickson. He is the most influential defensive player in the NFL right now.
Lamar Jackson is a heavy favorite to win the MVP award this year, and for good reason. Jackson is second in the NFL with 2,669 passing yards, while also leading all quarterbacks in rushing yards with 538.
Lamar has been the most dynamic quarterback in the league in the 2024 season, while also throwing only two interceptions through 10 games. The Ravens are playing winning football this year, and Lamar looks like he could secure another MVP award at the end of the season. Lamar Jackson is currently the best player in the NFL.
