NFL Rankings: Picking Each Team's Most Consistent Playmaker

No matter how good or bad, each NFL team has a playmaker.

The best teams out there, like the Green Bay Packers, have a plethora of them while the worst, like the St. Louis Rams, may only have one. Regardless, there is always someone who the fans look to for the game-winning touchdown or the game-saving tackle.

Let's take a moment to look at the 32 most consistent playmakers in the NFL, one from each team.

Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald
Wide Receiver  

For a few years now, Larry Fitzgerald has been saddled with a bad quarterback. Despite having the ball thrown to him by Kevin Kolb and John Skelton, who have combined to throw for 19 touchdowns and 21 interceptions, Fitzgerald is fifth in the league in receiving yards.

Fitzgerald has 1,262 receiving yards this season and ranks third with 22 receptions of 20 or more yards. He is one of the most electric receivers in the game thanks to his size, speed, athleticism and route-running ability. 

He will make his sixth Pro Bowl appearance in January.

Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan
Quarterback 

Matt Ryan has propelled the Falcons to the seventh-ranked passing offense in the NFL. It doesn't hurt that he has Roddy White and Julio Jones lined up wide, but they need someone to get the ball to them—they need Ryan.

Matty Ice has a 90.7 passer rating, eighth in the NFL to go along with his 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Ryan has thrown for the seventh most yards in the league, 4,071. He also averages 271 yards per game.

Baltimore Ravens

Terrell Suggs
Outside Linebacker

Terrell Suggs, out of Ball So Hard Universi—I mean Arizona State University, has been an absolute beast for the Baltimore Ravens defense.

Suggs has 13 sacks, tied for 16th in the league, and six forced fumbles, both career-highs. He also has 64 tackles.

Suggs, a 2011 Pro Bowler, has helped lead the Ravens to the fourth-best passing defense and the second-best rushing defense in the league. 

Buffalo Bills

Fred Jackson
Running Back 

After being undrafted in 2003, Fred Jackson took the long route to the NFL—he played in the National Indoor Football League, United Indoor Football League and in NFL Europa before making it with the Bills in 2006.

In 2011, Fred Jackson took the league by storm, along with quite a few fantasy football leagues, before his unfortunate fibula injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

In only 10 games, Jackson rushed for 934 yards and six touchdowns. He also had 442 receiving yards. 

Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton
Quarterback 

Cam Newton has quite possibly had the best 2011 out of anyone in the world.

He started off the year by leading his Auburn Tigers to a victory in the BCS National Championship against the Oregon Ducks.

Then, he was the first man out of the green room when the Carolina Panthers selected him first overall in the 2011 NFL Draft.

And now he holds countless records in the NFL. The two most notable are the record for most passing yards by a rookie quarterback, 3,893, and the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season, 14.

Something tells me he'll be a member of this list for a long time.

Chicago Bears

Matt Forte
Running Back 

Before getting injured against the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 4, Matt Forte was a man on a mission.

He ended his season with 997 rushing yards and 490 receiving yards in only 12 games. On that pace, he would have destroyed his career-best 1,238 rushing yards and 547 receiving yards. 

Forte was selected to this year's Pro Bowl roster but will obviously be unable to play. Hopefully he can come back from an injury to his MCL and return to his dominant form in the future.

Cincinnati Bengals

Andy Dalton
Quarterback 

Andy Dalton has played at a high level for only being a rookie. He is one of only five rookie quarterbacks to throw for at least 20 touchdowns.

On the season, he has thrown for 3,166 yards and has a completion percentage of 58.9 percent. While those numbers aren't spectacular, he has led the Bengals to a possible playoff appearance with the help of a very solid defensive unit. 

And remember, he's only a rookie. His best football is ahead of him.

Cleveland Browns

D'Qwell Jackson
Middle Linebacker

The Cleveland Browns have been one of the NFL's worst teams but that doesn't mean they can't have one of the best tackling linebackers in the NFL.

Middle Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson is currently second in the league with 145 tackles, 107 of them solo. He is also tied for second on the team with 3.5 sacks and has one interception, a forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.

On a very bad team, Jackson is one of the few bright spots.

Dallas Cowboys

DeMarcus Ware
Outside Linebacker 

DeMarcus Ware has been a quarterback's worst fear for years and 2011 is no different. 

This season, Ware has 18 sacks, only one-half sack behind league leader Jared Allen. He also has 53 tackles and is arguably the best linebacker in the NFL, along with Patrick Willis and James Harrison. Ware has also made his sixth-straight Pro Bowl appearance.

For his huge size, 6'4" 260 pounds, he is quick off of the ball and can get through any offensive line, just look at what he did to Alex Smith right there. 

Denver Broncos

Von Miller
Strongside Linebacker 

Von Miller was drafted second overall by the Broncos in the 2011 NFL Draft. In the 2011 season, he has shown why he was drafted so high.

Miller can do just about everything on the defensive end and has played a vital role in the turnaround that the Broncos have seen in the second half of the season. His dominance hasn't gone unnoticed—the rookie will be starting in the Pro Bowl.

He is currently fifth on the team with 64 tackles, second with two forced fumbles and leads Denver with 11.5 sacks. 

As safety Brian Dawkins and cornerback Champ Bailey both get older and start looking towards retirement, Miller will be the defensive leader in Denver.

Detroit Lions

Calvin Johnson
Wide Receiver 

Let's start off with this: Calvin Johnson accounted for 92 yards on a 98 yard game-winning drive in Oakland in Week 15. 

If that doesn't convince you that he's the man in Detroit, then I don't know what will.

Johnson has the second most receiving yards with 1,473 to go along with his league-leading 15 receiving touchdowns.

The two-time Pro Bowler's secret? His amazing speed, athleticism and hands to go along with his 6'5" frame. 

Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers
Quarterback 

Aaron Rodgers is arguably the best quarterback in the game today. He has confidence and poise to go along with his amazing talent—and an arsenal of weapons in Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson and company.

How amazing is that talent? He leads the NFL with a 122.5 passer rating and 45 touchdowns. The Pro Bowler has also thrown for 4,643 yards and has led the Packers to the best record in football.

Brett Favre, who?

Houston Texans

Arian Foster
Running Back 

It's hard to believe that Pro Bowl-starter Arian Foster went undrafted in 2009 when you look at where he is now.

Foster has been an integral part in securing the Texans' first ever playoff appearance by rushing for 1,224 yards, the third most in the NFL. He also has 10 touchdowns and will look to be an even bigger playmaker in the playoffs.

Indianapolis Colts

Pat Angerer 
Middle Linebacker 

Pat Angerer has been someone the Indianapolis Colts can be proud of in what is one of their worst seasons ever.

The 24-year-old Angerer is currently fourth in the NFL with 137 tackles and has helped keep the Colts close in various games. In fact, he logged 12 tackles and a forced fumble in the Colts first win of the season against the Tennessee Titans. 

He, along with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis have been the only reasons to watch the Colts this season.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Maurice Jones-Drew
Running Back 

The Jacksonville Jaguars have the worst offense in the league; it's so bad not even Maurice Jones-Drew can save it.

Jones-Drew has the most rushing yards in the NFL with 1,437, already a career-high. MJD also has eight touchdowns. The most surprising thing is that he has played so well all while defenses really only have one thing to focus on—him.

Jones-Drew has now made it to three consecutive Pro Bowl rosters.

Kansas City Chiefs

Tamba Hali
Outside Linebacker/Defensive End 

Tamba Hali has been a monster for the Kansas City defense, racking up four solo tackles and three sacks against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Week 15. 

Overall, he ranks eighth in sacks with 12 and has 64 tackles and four forced fumbles for the Chiefs. If Kansas City ever needs a big defensive stop, you can count on Hali to be in the middle of it. 

Hali will be appearing in his second Pro Bowl in January.

Miami Dolphins

Reggie Bush
Running Back 

What a comeback.

After never living up to they hype he received coming out of USC, Reggie Bush is officially back.

Bush is ninth in terms of total rushing yards with 1,086 and heading into Week 17, he has rushed for over 100 yards in four straight games.

Bush has become the electric playmaker he once was in college and it has turned him into a must-watch player again.

Minnesota Vikings

Jared Allen
Defensive End

Jared Allen is leading the league with 18.5 sacks, a career high. That alone is Pro Bowl-worthy.

The eccentric defensive end also has forced four fumbles and recovered four, has an interception and recorded 61 tackles. 

If he gets four sacks in Sunday's game against the Bears, he could tie Michael Strahan's record for most sacks in a season, 22.5.

New England Patriots

Tom Brady
Quarterback 

You can almost always count on Tom Brady to find a way to win the game for the Patriots.

The perennial Pro Bowl quarterback has a passer rating of 105.1 and has thrown for 4,897 yards and 36 touchdowns this season.

He knows exactly how to use the weapons around him—Wes Welker is leading the NFL in receiving yards with 1,518 and Rob Gronkowski holds the record for most touchdowns by a tight end with 15.

New Orleans Saints

Drew Brees
Quarterback 

Drew Brees just passed Dan Marino for the most yards ever thrown in a single season in Week 16.

Brees now holds the record with 5,087 yards and will add more to that total in his final game of the regular season. On top of that, Brees has thrown for 41 touchdowns and has a 108.4 passer rating.

Brees turned the Saints around when he arrived in New Orleans, so it's easy to see why he is their most consistent playmaker and will be making another Pro Bowl appearance this season.

New York Giants

Jason Pierre-Paul
Defensive End

Jason Pierre-Paul has slowly been transitioning into one of the best defensive ends in all of football.

This season, he his fourth in the league with 15.5 sacks and is third on the Giants with 81 tackles. Those 15.5 sacks have combined for 100 total yards lost and he also has eight tackles for a loss.

Pierre-Paul has also defended six passes, forced two fumbles and blocked a kick.

New York Jets

Darrelle Revis 
Cornerback

Darrelle Revis has been the premiere shutdown cornerback in the NFL for a few years now and as a result, we haven't heard a whole lot about him. But if you never hear about a cornerback, that's a good thing. It means they aren't being thrown to and they aren't messing up.

Revis is still getting a few headlines here and there. He had four interceptions, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown and was just named to his fourth Pro Bowl.

Oakland Raiders

Sebastian Janikowski
Kicker 

Al Davis and the Raiders were ridiculed for taking a kicker, Sebastian Janikowski, in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft. But only five players taken ahead of him are still in the league: Thomas Jones, Plaxico Burress, Brian Urlacher, Shaun Ellis and John Abraham.

Janikowski has been really the only consistent player on the Raiders; despite suffering a hamstring injury most of the season, he has still managed to make the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. 

He has made 27 of 31 field goal tries, including an NFL record 63-yarder (pictured). Janikowski has also made every extra point opportunity this season. 

Philadelphia Eagles

LeSean McCoy
Running Back 

And then there was one.

The "Dream Team" wasn't as dreamy as people thought it would be, but it certainly wasn't because of LeSean McCoy—he held up his end of the bargain.

McCoy has already set a career high in rushing yards with 1,309 yards (first in the NFL) and has rushed for more touchdowns in 2011, 17, than in his entire career—combined.

The Pro Bowler has rushed for an NFL-most 84 first downs and 14 rushes of over 20 yards.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger
Quarterback

Ben Roethlisberger has put together another very nice season in 2011.

This year, he has thrown for 3,856 yards and 21 touchdowns in only 14 games. Big Ben has also averaged 275.4 yards per game and has a passer rating of 91.5.

Roethlisberger is also a member of the 2011 Pro Bowl team.

San Diego Chargers

Philip Rivers
Quarterback

Philip Rivers has put up some pretty insane numbers in 2011. 

Rivers has thrown for 4,314 yards to go along with 24 touchdowns, 287.6 yards per game and a 86.6 passer rating.

That being said, for almost every single great play he has made for the Chargers, he has made a bad one. He leads the league with 19 interceptions, 19 sacks and has fumbled the ball seven times.

Despite all that, he can still throw the ball with the best of them and is a 2011 Pro Bowler. 

San Francisco 49ers

Patrick Willis
Inside Linebacker

Patrick Willis is one of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL today.

The five-time Pro Bowler has 93 tackles this season and only played in 12 games because of a hamstring injury. 

Willis also has forced four fumbles, two sacks and one interception.

Seattle Seahawks

Marshawn Lynch
Running Back

After looking like he could possibly be on his way out of the NFL, Beast Mode is back.

Marshawn Lynch announced the football world that he could still play on his famous 67-yard touchdown run where he broke eight tackles that led to seismic activity at the stadium in last year's playoffs.

Since then, he has rushed for 1,118 yards and 12 touchdowns, eating Skittles all the way.

St. Louis Rams

Steven Jackson
Running Back 

With Sam Bradford not living up to the high expectations in 2011, the spotlight has been on Steven Jackson in St. Louis.

Jackson is 10th in the league with 1,069 rushing yards and has also caught the ball for 318 yards.

The powerful back has rushed for over 1,000 yards seven straight times in his eight-year career.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Josh Freeman
Quarterback 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have put together a very bad season thanks to the underwhelming play of Josh Freeman (14 touchdowns, 19 interceptions) and the injuries to key players on the defense like Gerald McCoy and Aqib Talib.

Despite that, Freeman is still the team's most consistent playmaker.

Freeman has thrown for 3,318 yards with an average of 237 yards per game. That's not a good sign when those are the best numbers being put up for your team.

Tennessee Titans

Matt Hasselbeck
Quarterback

While his numbers haven't been spectacular, Matt Hasselbeck has helped put the Tennessee Titans in a position where they could possibly make it to the playoffs.

Hasselbeck has thrown for 3,274 yards and 16 touchdowns. He has only been sacked 16 times and has a passer rating of 80.5. 

Washington Redskins

London Fletcher
Inside Linebacker

You would think that at 36 years old, London Fletcher's best football would be behind him.

Wrong.

Fletcher is leading the league in tackles with 162. He also has three forced fumbles, two interceptions and one-and-a-half sacks.

Somehow, he was left off of the 2011 Pro Bowl roster.