The Most Dominant Player at Every Position Heading into the 2022 NFL Season
When you think about the NFL's most dominant players, record-breaking numbers, recent accolades and overall impact should come to mind.
How does a player's production change the complexion of his team, the opposing club's game plan and where does he stack up against his peers in certain statistical categories?
We must also look at consistency. A player cannot establish dominance in one season, though he can put the league on notice with a breakout year. Nonetheless, the most prominent playmakers have shown their best across multiple campaigns in succession.
We've separated players by position and highlighted the most dominant within a group using the aforementioned criteria.
This isn't a list of NFL stars with the most career achievements, but in some cases, we used recent All-Pro honors as well as Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards to settle a close call between the top two candidates.
Lastly, each selection is expected to produce at the highest level in 2022.
Quarterback: Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Somehow, the NFL's oldest active player who briefly dabbled in retirement this offseason takes the title of the most dominant quarterback.
At 44 years old, Tom Brady still has a lot left in his arm and in the tank. He proved it last season, leading the league in multiple passing categories: completions (485), attempts (719), yards (5,316) and touchdowns (43).
Though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers failed to make consecutive trips to the Super Bowl, Brady posted gaudier passing numbers in 2021 than he did in 2020. He's still moving the ball up and down the field and outdueled Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen in Week 14 last year.
In the upcoming campaign, Brady won't have tight end Rob Gronkowski, who retired, and wide receiver Chris Godwin could miss some time while on the mend from a torn ACL. But don't bet against him. At his age, he's an anomaly who posted some of his best career numbers last year. Plus, Brady still has four-time Pro Bowl wideout Mike Evans and a new receiver in Russell Gage.
Brady gets the nod over Aaron Rodgers, who's won league MVP in back-to-back years, because of the latter's poor showing in the 2021 playoffs. A dominant signal-caller must perform at his best in the biggest moments, and Rodgers had one of his worst performances at home in the divisional round against the San Francisco 49ers.
Honorable Mention: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Running Back: Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
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After an impressive rookie season, Jonathan Taylor established consistency in emphatic fashion, winning the 2021 rushing title with 1,811 yards to go along with a league-leading 18 touchdowns.
Taylor doesn't fit in the same mold as the top dual-threat running backs such as Alvin Kamara and Austin Ekeler, but he's one of the few workhorse ball-carriers around the league.
Last year, the Colts fielded a top-10 scoring offense mostly because of what Taylor can do on the ground. In 2021, they had the sixth-fewest passing attempts and ranked 26th in yards through the air.
Though Indianapolis didn't have its best offensive lineman in guard Quenton Nelson for four games, the ground attack ranked second leaguewide with Taylor racking up 71 percent of those yards.
Among running backs, Taylor surpasses Derrick Henry, who missed nine games because of a broken foot but still led all ball-carriers with 117.1 rushing yards per contest in 2021.
Perhaps Henry will bounce back to contend for his third rushing title, but he falls to second place as an honorable mention because the wear and tear of playing the position may have caught up with him.
Honorable Mention: Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
Wide Receiver: Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
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This offseason, the Green Bay Packers traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, but we'll see the same dominant wide receiver in a different uniform.
In 2020, Adams led the league in receiving yards per game (98.1) and touchdown receptions (18). He followed that up with career highs in catches (123) and receiving yards (1,553) for the 2021 season, which shows a pattern of elite-level consistency.
Adams should continue to flourish with his former Fresno State teammate Derek Carr, who's an accurate passer (65 percent career completion rate) and an underrated deep-ball thrower.
Though Hall of Famer Brett Favre thinks Adams' numbers will dip in a shift from Aaron Rodgers to Carr, the presence of consistent pass-catching threats in tight end Darren Waller and wideout Hunter Renfrow should open up the field for the two-time All-Pro wide receiver.
Adams may not reach new career highs in Las Vegas, but he can still rack up 1,200-plus receiving yards and record double-digit touchdowns for a third consecutive term.
Adams edged Cooper Kupp, who won the triple crown for receiving categories in 2021, leading the league in catches (145), yards (1,947) and touchdowns (16). Adams had back-to-back first-team All-Pro campaigns in 2020 and 2021. If Kupp has another remarkable year with league-leading numbers, he would move into the top spot.
Honorable Mention: Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
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Tight End: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
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Travis Kelce has eclipsed 1,037 receiving yards in six consecutive terms. He's in a realm of his own among tight ends. More impressively, he's posted those numbers while sharing targets with All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill since 2016.
Following the departure of Hill via trade to the Miami Dolphins, Kelce could see a slight increase in target volume. Though the Kansas City Chiefs added wideouts JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and rookie second-rounder Skyy Moore, Kelce has a battle-tested five-year rapport with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
If the newcomers on offense struggle, Kelce could push for career highs in receptions and receiving yards as Mahomes' most trusted pass-catching option.
In his first All-Pro campaign, Mark Andrews captured the Baltimore Ravens' single-season receptions (107) and receiving yards (1,361) records last year. He could post even bigger numbers with the departure of wideout Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals, but he's still well behind Kelce in consistency.
However, Andrews gets the honorable mention over George Kittle because the former is coming off his best pro campaign, while the latter has missed 11 games over the last two seasons and is four years removed from his most productive term.
Honorable Mention: Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Offensive Tackle: Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers
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Anyone who wants to know how well Trent Williams blocks on run downs needs to check social media during a San Francisco 49ers game because sometimes he goes viral for his physical style of play.
In his second season with the 49ers, Williams only gave up one sack, per Pro Football Focus, though he's also a big part of head coach Kyle Shanahan's effective zone-blocking scheme.
In January, Shanahan commented on a play from the NFC Divisional Game against the Green Bay Packers in which Williams moved across the line of scrimmage and mowed over Rashan Gary to create space for running back Elijah Mitchell:
"We did it in walkthrough the night before we left here. It’s not something Trent had to practice too much. He had to time out the motion with the snap count and run full speed through the D-gap and clean up whoever shows, and when they showed, they got out of there pretty fast. I can't believe it’s legal. It's scary for me to even watch."
If that's scary for Shanahan to watch, imagine how opposing defenders feel when they see No. 71 headed in their direction.
Williams, who's coming off his first All-Pro campaign and ninth consecutive Pro Bowl year, gets the nod over Tristan Wirfs. The latter allowed two sacks last season, per Pro Football Focus, and earned his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro honor in 2021.
Honorable Mention: Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Interior Offensive Lineman: Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
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In 2020, Zack Martin's reign of dominance took a hit as he sat out six games because of a concussion and a calf injury. Last year, he bounced back and earned his fifth All-Pro honor and seventh Pro Bowl nod. Once again, the elite guard played a key role as an interior blocker for a top-10 ground attack.
According to Pro Football Focus, Martin only allowed one sack and committed just two penalties through 1,101 snaps, which highlights his ability to thwart interior pass-rushers as well.
Because of Martin's availability, his pass-blocking numbers and his low penalty count, he beats out Quenton Nelson, who allowed one sack and committed five penalties through 767 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. The latter missed four games because of an ankle injury and a one-week stint on the reserve/COVID-19 list last season.
For the foreseeable future, Martin and Nelson will likely rank Nos. 1 and 2 in some order among guards, but the former is back on top after showing his dominance while healthy for 16 out of 17 outings in 2021.
Honorable Mention: Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts
Interior Defensive Lineman: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
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Though we didn't use accolades to solely determine the most dominant player at each position, you cannot overlook a Defensive Rookie of the Year and three-time Defensive Player of the Year. On top of that, Aaron Donald has been a Pro Bowler in all eight of his campaigns and earned seven first-team All-Pro nods.
Beyond votes for prestigious honors, Donald charts in a different stratosphere from other defensive tackles in his ability to rush the passer.
As illustrated by ESPN's Seth Walder, Donald is head and shoulders above fellow interior defenders in pass-rushing win rate against double-teams. He's a supreme threat to opposing quarterbacks while going up against two 300-plus-pound offensive linemen.
Because of Donald's pass-rushing ability, he doesn't garner as much praise for his run-stopping production. Every year since 2014, the star defender has recorded double-digit totals in tackles for loss and led the league in that category for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
In a distant second, Cameron Heyward doesn't compare to Donald. Per Walder's chart, he doesn't see nearly as many double-teams and has a significantly lower pass-rushing win rate, but the 33-year-old has logged at least eight sacks and 10 tackles for loss in four of the last five campaigns. Heyward has also earned first- or second-team All-Pro honors in each of the last three terms.
Honorable Mention: Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers
Edge-Rusher: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
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T.J. Watt has led the league in sacks and tackles for loss in each of the last two seasons, which sets him apart from all defensive players. He's also garnered first-team All-Pro honors for each of the last three campaigns and won the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year.
Last year, Watt nearly broke Hall of Famer Michael Strahan's sack record, tying the former New York Giant at 22.5. When comparing the two spectacular seasons, Watt played one fewer game than Strahan, which makes his 2021 pass-rushing performance extraordinary.
Watt doesn't just impact the game with tackles and sacks. He's recorded 32 pass breakups (at least seven in four out of five terms) and four interceptions, which shows great athleticism for a 6'4", 252-pounder.
Opposing teams may not want to believe this, but at only 27 years old, Watt may continue to improve in his prime. Even if he's reached his peak, the elite-level defender could remain just a step above his peers at the position.
Watt put his name in the record books next to a Hall of Famer in the sack category, giving him the edge (pun intended) over Myles Garrett, who's recorded double-digit sacks in each of the last four years.
Garrett is coming off back-to-back All-Pro campaigns, but he's one short of Watt and doesn't have a recent Defensive Player of the Year honor on his resume.
Honorable Mention: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Linebacker: Darius Leonard, Indianapolis Colts
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Darius Leonard had one of the most impressive 2021 seasons because he played through an ankle injury. According to The Athletic's Zak Keefer, the Indianapolis Colts linebacker underwent surgery last offseason but dealt with lingering effects:
"The midsummer surgery the Colts' Pro Bowl linebacker had on his ankle didn't keep the pain away once the season started. Leonard wasn't himself — wasn't close to himself — the first six games. So he changed his routine, dug into more film, scheduled nightly rehab sessions at his home and slogged through it."
Keefer also pointed out that Leonard had experienced some family hardships. In May, the 26-year-old said he "fell out of love for the game."
Despite the physical and mental obstacles, Leonard only missed one contest while on the reserve/COVID-19 list in 2021, registering 122 tackles, four tackles for loss, eight pass breakups, four interceptions and a league-leading eight forced fumbles in his third first-team All-Pro year.
If Leonard can do that while hampered with injury and a lack of passion for the game, he's a special playmaker who will reach another level when healthy and refocused.
Per Keefer, Leonard underwent back surgery, which is connected to his calf issues from the previous campaign, but he's expected to be ready for the regular season. Assuming that's the case, pencil him in as the most dominant player at linebacker.
Leonard beats out 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons because he's played at a high level for a longer period at the pro level and put together an All-Pro campaign with a great degree of difficulty with his injury. Parsons is exceptional, though. He's a linebacker who's also a productive edge-rusher with 13 sacks and 47 pressures last year.
Honorable Mention: Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
Cornerback: Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles Rams
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You must watch the games to understand why Jalen Ramsey belongs atop the list among cornerbacks because his coverage numbers don't show the full picture. He's not a ball hawk with eye-popping interception numbers or league-leading totals in pass breakups.
However, Ramsey blankets the field wherever he lines up, whether on the boundary, in the slot or in the box. Sharp Football Analysis' Dan Pizzuta made the case that Ramsey excelled at the Los Angeles Rams' "Star" position last year, shutting down his area of the field.
With the ability to cover outside or inside, Ramsey can move across the back end of the defense and strengthen weak spots in coverage. Opposing quarterbacks cannot simply minimize the cornerback's impact by targeting the opposite side of the secondary. Ramsey's versatility allows the Rams to make instant in-game adjustments.
In 2021, Ramsey made plays all over the field, recording 77 tackles (62 solo), nine tackles for loss, 16 pass breakups and four interceptions. For each of the last two years, he's provided air-tight coverage, allowing completion rates below 60 percent and passer ratings below 72.
Ramsey has a legitimate claim as the most complete cornerback in the NFL. The three-time All-Pro can take over a game, covering a top receiver or multiple pass-catchers over the course of a contest.
J.C. Jackson hasn't shown versatility that's comparable to Ramsey's skill set, but he's arguably the league's top ball-hawking cornerback with more interceptions (25) than any other active player through the first four years of a pro career. In 2021, he led all defenders in pass breakups (23). The budding star cover man deserves an honorable mention.
Honorable Mention: J.C. Jackson, Los Angeles Chargers
Safety: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Steelers
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In June, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Minkah Fitzpatrick to a four-year extension that made him the highest-paid safety in total contract value ($72.99 million) and average annual value ($18.2 million), per Over the Cap. As a playmaker who's provided tremendous impact in the secondary, he deserves that record-setting deal.
Since Fitzpatrick's arrival in Pittsburgh via trade in September of 2019, he's strengthened the team's back-end coverage. In his first year with the Steelers, he recorded five interceptions and nine pass breakups.
In 2020 and 2021, the Steelers have ranked within the top 10 in passing yards and touchdowns allowed. During that period, Fitzpatrick registered six interceptions, 18 pass breakups and allowed passer ratings below 82 for both terms. Last year, he sharpened his physical technique, logging his lowest missed-tackle rate for a single season (9.5 percent) while leading the team in tackles with 124.
With two All-Pro seasons in the last three years as a key cog in Pittsburgh's defense, Fitzpatrick has shown why he's the most dominant player at the position.
In a close second, Justin Simmons gets an honorable mention with 14 interceptions since 2019. He's also finished top-three on the Denver Broncos in tackles, with a missed-tackle rate at or below 8.5 percent in three of the last four campaigns.
Honorable Mention: Justin Simmons, Denver Broncos
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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