The 10 Fastest Teams in the NFL

Speed kills. At least that's what legendary Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis would have you believe.

In practice, the 2016 season may be evidence that runs counter to the old adage. For example, by at least one measure, the quarterback-optional New England Patriots are the slowest team in the NFL. Yet, they're 3-1 and atop the AFC East.

On the other hand, you have the Chicago Bears. By the same measure, they're the fastest team in the league and are on track for a third straight losing season.

The measure, you ask? It comes from Grantland's Bill Barnwell. He combined teammates' times in the 40-yard dash into a formula he explained in 2014:

"

It’s still the best number for speed that’s publicly available, so it’s what we’ll be working with here. Since we’re really not thinking about how fast a left guard or a nose tackle are in determining a team’s speed, I decided to focus on skill-position players and the guys who stop them. I took each NFL team and grabbed 10 players from each: their likely starters at quarterback (1), running back (2), wide receiver (2), tight end (1), cornerback (2), and safety (2). I used a player’s 40 time from the combine when available, and when one wasn’t, I used that player’s pro day. To adjust for the ravages of time, I added two-hundredths of a second for each year since a player’s arrival into the league. So, with 15 years under his belt, Champ Bailey’s 4.28 40 from the 1999 combine becomes a 4.58 40-yard dash. Some players will have been affected by injuries and age more than others, but I think it’s a reasonable best-fit assumption to make.

"

Barnwell then took those times and added them together for all 32 teams. We'll do the same here. What follows are the 10 fastest teams in the NFL, according to the above calculation and 2016 depth charts from Rotoworld.

It's not a perfect method, but in the absence of all 32 teams lining up for a 53-man relay race, it will do.

The rankings for all 32 teams are in the final slide.

10. Houston Texans

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Combined 40 Times: 45.98

The Houston Texans got a big boost in the rankings from rookie wide receiver Will Fuller, who ran a scorching 4.32-second 40-yard dash at this year's combine.

Thanks in large part to that speed, Fuller is on pace for 64 receptions, 1,291 receiving yards and five touchdowns. And opposing defenses are starting to take notice, which has drawn some attention away from his Pro Bowl teammate, DeAndre Hopkins.

"I guess that just means I'm doing my job," Fuller said, per the Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson. "I'm going to continue to do my job. The more recognition I get, the more I'm helping the team."

9. Philadelphia Eagles

Associated Press

Combined 40 Times: 45.94

When the Philadelphia Eagles signed cornerback and return specialist Leodis McKelvin, NJ.com's Matt Lombardo wrote, "Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's system is predicated on speed at the cornerback position, which McKelvin can provide."

Thanks to a hamstring injury, McKelvin hasn't been able to show off his speed, but Philly's special teams should get a boost when he does. In 2012, McKelvin led the NFL in punts returned for a touchdown with two and average yards per punt return with 18.7.

8. Green Bay Packers

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Combined 40 Times: 45.94

Since the Green Bay Packers' Sam Shields entered the NFL in 2010, only nine players have more interceptions than his 18. That's not bad for a guy who played wide receiver until his senior year at Miami.

Despite lacking some of the fundamentals that more experienced defensive backs have, Shields' speed still allows him to be a game-changer.

"He doesn’t have the discipline or technique to frustrate top receivers all game with his positioning," Kevin Culligan wrote for Packers' blog Lombardi Ave. "But Shields’ speed allows him to take chances that other players can’t. He can peek into the backfield, allow huge cushions to receivers and generally take riskier angles in coverage than would be advisable for most players."

7. Tennessee Titans

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Combined 40 Times: 45.93

In terms of Barnwell's age-adjusted 40-yard dash times, the Tennessee Titans' Marcus Mariota is the fastest quarterback in the NFL. And in this formula, a fast quarterback makes a huge difference (the discrepancy between fast and slow players is much larger there than at other positions).

Mariota has been showing off his electrifying speed since his first game in the league. NFL.com's Chris Wesseling broke it down after Week 1 in 2015:

"

Mariota recorded the two fastest speeds by a quarterback in Week 1, blazing across the gridiron at 21.42 mph on a scramble and 20.35 mph on a designed run.

For perspective, Cardinals running back David Johnson (22.05 mph on 55-yard touchdown), Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin (21.74 mph on 54-yard touchdown) and Steelers wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey (21.43 mph on a 43-yard reception) were the only ball carriers to clock faster times than Mariota.

"

Because teams want to keep their quarterbacks upright, QB speed isn't valued at quite the same level it once was. That doesn't mean a speedy quarterback is no longer an asset, though. As Mariota grows more comfortable in the pocket and learns when to run, Tennessee's offense should develop right along with him.

6. Detroit Lions

George Gojkovich/Getty Images

Combined 40 Times: 45.93

When Detroit Lions' Darius Slay saw his rating in Madden 17, the star cornerback had a bone to pick with the developers, per Kyle Meinke of MLive.com:

"

I need to boost my speed. That's the only thing I need to worry about—my speed. My speed needs to be 99.

I'm way faster than 93 speed. I run 93 speed backpedalling. I need to be 99 speed. That's all I'm saying. I need to be 99 speed. That's it. They need to change it. That's the only thing I need them to do. Put me 99 speed ... and have me back there returning a couple kicks.

"

Slay compared himself to Devin Hester, the only player to ever earn a speed rating of 100 in a Madden game.

"He is fast...but I am faster than him," Slay said, per Meinke. "I remember Devin Hester now—who don't remember Devin Hester? I think he ran a 4.4-something. I'm just saying.

"He's fast, though. He's game-speed fast. I'm just fast."

5. Cleveland Browns

Associated Press

Combined 40 Times: 45.87

As if the Cleveland Browns don't already have it bad enough, the injury bug has already bitten, stung and generally pestered them in 2016.

They lost speedy quarterback Robert Griffin III in Week 1, and now they'll be without Corey Coleman for four to six weeks.

"I was mad and sad because I really wanted to play,'' Coleman said after breaking his hand in practice, per Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot. "I thought it was just jammed or a sprain. I was going to fight through it. I was going to play if they would've let me. But everything happens for a reason, so I'm going to be good. I'm going be back healthy and full speed.''

And full speed for Coleman is something to behold. Even without a top-tier quarterback to deliver him the ball, Coleman had seven catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns in just two games.

4. Buffalo Bills

Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Combined 40 Times: 45.7

As a high school student, Buffalo Bills cornerback Ronald Darby was the nation's fastest runner in both the 100- and 200-meter sprints for indoor track, according to ESPN.com's Jamie Newberg.

His speed helped carry him through college at Florida State and into the NFL, where he's been dubbed the "Next Big Thing" by Bleacher Report's Mike Tanier:

"

Darby was ready for NFL-caliber competition when the Bills drafted him in 2015. At Florida State, he played in a secondary that also featured Jalen Ramsey, LaMarcus Joyner, Terrance Brooks and P.J. Williams, all of whom have been drafted in the first three rounds over the last three years. During any given practice, Darby was likely to cover Kelvin Benjamin or Rashad Greene, with Jameis Winston trying to get them the football.

"

The pro-like atmosphere in which Darby practiced at FSU helped the young corner, but he still has a ways to go. Combining his speed with a little refinement in the technical areas could make Darby one of the league's top defensive backs.

3. Oakland Raiders

Associated Press

Combined 40 Times: 45.7

It seems fitting that the Raiders would show up on this list. It's been five years since the passing of Davis, but he would be proud of the speedy roster that's been constructed since.

Of the 10 skill players plugged into Barnwell's formula, four have 4.5 speed or better for the Raiders. The top two running backs, Latavius Murray and DeAndre Washington, both made the cut. Wide receiver Amari Cooper did too. And on the other side of the ball, cornerback David Amerson comes in at 4.5 even.

On the offensive side of the ball, all that speed has translated into one of the league's most dynamic attacks. The Raiders rank fourth in total yards per game (392.2), fourth in rushing touchdowns (5) and fourth in passing touchdowns (8).

2. Chicago Bears

Associated Press

Combined 40 Times: 45.69

When you think of the 2016 Chicago Bears, "one of the fastest team in the NFL" probably isn't the first thing to come to mind. But thanks to a good distribution of speed across the roster, that's exactly what they are.

The Bears had the fastest receiving corps (including tight end), fourth-fastest running back duo and ninth-fastest secondary.

The fastest individual player included was rookie wide receiver Kevin White, who posted a blistering 4.35 in the 40-yard dash at the 2016 combine.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Peter Aiken/Getty Images

Combined 40 Times: 45.61

The Kansas City Chiefs took the top spot on this list thanks in large part to having the fastest secondary in the league.

The combined 40-yard-dash times of their top two corners and safeties is 17.94. No other team has those four players coming in less than 18 seconds.

If you want to know what it's like to try to throw against that, just ask Ryan Fitzpatrick. Entering his Week 3 matchup with the Chiefs, the New York Jets quarterback had three touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 96.5.

After the game, Fitzpatrick had three touchdowns, seven interceptions and a passer rating of 59.3.

Full Rankings

LM Otero/Associated Press

Here are all 32 teams' combined 40 times:

Rank	Team	40 times
1	Chiefs	45.61
2	Bears	45.69
3	Raiders	45.7
4	Bills	45.7
5	Browns	45.87
6	Titans	45.93
7	Lions	45.93
8	Eagles	45.94
9	Packers	45.94
10	Texans	45.98
11	Rams	46.04
12	Vikings	46.09
13	Cardinals	46.09
14	Panthers	46.13
15	Falcons	46.2
16	Colts	46.23
17	Seahawks	46.25
19	49ers	46.28
18	Cowboys	46.28
20	Broncos	46.38
21	Dolphins	46.41
22	Redskins	46.42
23	Giants	46.51
24	Jaguars	46.51
25	Jets	46.61
26	Saints	46.61
27	Chargers	46.62
28	Bengals	46.64
29	Steelers	46.65
30	Ravens	46.7
31	Buccaneers	46.88
32	Patriots	47.4