The Best Player at Every Position in the NFL This Season

As the midpoint of the 2024 NFL season fades into the background, the leaguewide hierarchy at each position is mostly clear.

Now, that's not to suggest there is a single deserving player at every spot. While most positions have multiple worthy candidates, those conversations are generally focused on just two or three players.

In short: There are a couple of "correct" options, but no position around the league is completely wide open.

Although box-score numbers are objective, the choices ultimately are subjective because impact on team success and individual excellence are never completely explained by stats.

This season's edition of "that dude is completely unfair" has a familiar name: Lamar Jackson.

Through 10 weeks, he's averaging career-best marks in a bunch of categories. Most notably, he leads the NFL in passing touchdowns (24), yards per attempt (9.3) and several efficiency ratings. Jackson boasts a 69.1 completion percentage with two interceptions in 288 attempts.

By any metric, the reigning MVP is the elite of the elite.

Factor in his 538 rushing yards, and Jackson remains the NFL's most electric dual-threat QB. Baltimore started slowly, but Jackson has carried the Ravens to a 7-3 record and makes them a Super Bowl contender.

Do you believe it should be Derrick Henry? I have zero objection to that preference, since "Tractorcito" has been incredible.

Bijan Robinson, meanwhile, is again showing off his versatility with the Atlanta Falcons. He's rushed for 748 yards at 4.8 per carry, adding 41 receptions for 331 yards while totaling seven touchdowns to date.

New quarterback Kirk Cousins has brought much-needed stability, but the offense is still built around Robinson. While his playing time has risen from 68 percent as a rookie to 72, his combined touch and target rate on those snaps has climbed from 38.9 percent to 42.4.

Henry and Robinson are plenty deserving; I'll simply lean toward the latter as the offense's key player. Jackson holds that title in Baltimore.

Nico Collins, at his pre-injury pace, would've had a strong case for this position. Justin Jefferson remains an elite receiver, and plenty of other wideouts have put up excellent half-season numbers.

But the production for Ja'Marr Chase is simply undeniable.

Aided by his recent explosion against the Ravens, he leads the league in receptions (66), yards (981) and touchdowns (10). Chase has found the end zone in six separate contests, which only trails the seven of Amon-Ra St. Brown from the Detroit Lions.

Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals could not hammer out an extension before the season, and he's only getting more expensive.

Yes, stats are a significant part of this conversation.

George Kittle, nevertheless, is a prime example of bringing value outside of a box score. He's a relentless and effective blocker who is part of the reason the San Francisco 49ers' running game thrives.

Of course, the actual pass-catching part of the tight end's repertoire is his main appeal. Kittle has collected 43 receptions for 560 yards—just 20 yards behind Brock Bowers for most among his position—and is tied for second in the league with seven touchdowns.

Already a four-time AP All-Pro selection, the 31-year-old Kittle is trending toward another such honor in 2024.

LT: Terron Armstead, Miami Dolphins
LG: Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts
C: Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs
RG: Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons
RT: Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions

There are probably zero surprises in this quintet, which features some longtime stars of NFL offensive lines.

Finally healthy again, Terron Armstead has been dominant at left tackle—even despite the Miami Dolphins' issues with and without Tua Tagovailoa on the field. Fourth-year Detroit star Penei Sewell has continued his rise to becoming an absolute force at right tackle.

Chris Lindstrom, similarly, remains a top-tier guard for the third straight year in Atlanta. Quenton Nelson has regained his superstar form with the Indianapolis Colts after a few years of being merely great.

Lastly, center Creed Humphrey has again been a rock-solid presence for the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL's last unbeaten team.

Aidan Hutchinson stormed out to a sensational start in Detroit before a leg injury potentially ended his season. Trey Hendrickson has done a darn-near heroic job on Cincinnati's front, and Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt, as usual, is a nightmare to defend.

That's the long version of saying you might prefer someone else, and I wouldn't argue that feverishly about it.

I still cannot go away from Myles Garrett.

Even though the Cleveland Browns are...well...straight-up bad, Garrett has powered through the team's struggles. He's notched seven sacks with 26 pressures, 15 QB hits and a pair of forced fumbles.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is squarely in the discussion to bring home the award in 2024.

Most interior defenders are tasked with plugging gaps, occupying blocks and being more a deterrent than a playmaker.

Dexter Lawrence is not most interior defenders.

Now that Aaron Donald has retired, someone else can be considered here. Donald basically held the crown for a decade straight, but Lawrence has quickly staked a claim to the title with Pittsburgh's Cam Heyward close behind.

The sixth-year tackle ranks second in the NFL with nine sacks, the highest mark among defensive tackles. So far, he's gathered 38 tackles with 17 pressures and 15 QB hits, helping the New York Giants showcase what truly is a stellar front despite the team's overall issues.

Lawrence is a two-time second-team AP All-Pro, but he's heading toward first-team recognition this season.

Surprise, surprise, it's this guy again.

At just 27 years old, Fred Warner is already has a trio of first-team All-Pro linebacker honors. He finished sixth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, too.

Warner, in short, is an all-around superstar. In nine outings, he's tallied 75 tackles with six pass defenses, two interceptions and an NFL-best four fumbles forced. Warner, who returned one of those picks for a touchdown, has ceded just 6.2 yards per target in coverage.

Every other position has a worthwhile debate; Warner, in my opinion, is the only correct choice at linebacker.

Long viewed as a top-tier corner, Jalen Ramsey has sustained an elite level of performance into his age-30 campaign.

Ramsey has yielded just 20 receptions for 191 yards, allowing only 5.8 yards per attempt when targeted. His totals of four pass defenses and one interception aren't amazing, but that's largely a product of Miami's opponents just avoiding Ramsey in coverage.

Additionally, he's quietly a very efficient blitzer. He's generated five pressures and three hurries on only 10 attempts.

Ramsey is a physical, all-around weapon.

The headline of Xavier McKinney's resume, as you can imagine, is all about interceptions. He snagged a pick in five consecutive games to begin the season and leads the NFL at six.

Big deal! Incredible pace.

McKinney, though, is also outstanding as a tackler. He's missed just two attempts while gathering 42 stops, bolstering the back end of a Green Bay Packers defense that struggled badly at safety in 2023. McKinney has recovered a fumble, too.

Green Bay shelled out a ton of money to sign McKinney in free agency, but the 26-year-old has been worth the price so far.