Ranking the NFL's Top 10 Offensive Skill-Position Units Entering 2025

It all matters, but so much of the modern NFL comes down to who's throwing the ball and who's catching and/or running with it.

That's why there is so much focus on the four offensive skill positions: Quarterback, wide receiver, tight end and running back. 

With that in mind, let's take a midsummer look at the top 10 skill-position units in the league entering the 2025 campaign.

10. Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Key players: QB J.J. McCarthy, WR Justin Jefferson, WR Jordan Addison, TE T.J. Hockenson, RB Aaron Jones

What makes them great: Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in the NFL and coming off a third career 1,500-yard season at age 26. The other three weapons are ideal complementary pieces, and McCarthy has tons of upside as a sophomore top-10 pick. 

Growth opportunity: Addison has scored 19 touchdowns in his first two pro seasons, and he had two 130-yard games in the second half of 2024. 

The downside: McCarthy has yet to attempt a regular-season pass, and Hockenson hasn't been consistently productive of late. Jones is also on the wrong side of 30, which isn't ideal for a back. 

Bottom line: They don't need much more than Jefferson alone to get on this list, and the upside attached to McCarthy and Addison makes it a no-brainer.

9. Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson

Key players: QB Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb, WR George Pickens, TE Jake Ferguson, RB Javonte Williams

What makes them great: Lamb, 26, and Pickens, 24, have both flashed elite ability. That could do wonders for Prescott, who in odd-numbered years since 2019 has remained healthy while posting a 103.3 passer rating. 

Growth opportunity: Ferguson was a Pro Bowler with a healthy and productive Prescott in 2023 and could break out in his fourth season. Pickens' presence could help the 26-year-old tight end. 

The downside: Prescott has lacked durability and consistency, there's no telling how Pickens will acclimate to his new workplace, and Ferguson and Williams are not stars. 

Bottom line: Could another odd-numbered campaign be "the year" for the soon-to-be-32 quarterback? If Prescott can become an MVP candidate again like in 2023, this unit will be top-five in football. 

8. Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Key players: QB Matthew Stafford, WR Puka Nacua, WR Davante Adams, RB Kyren Williams

What makes them great: Stafford is one of the league's most accomplished active franchise quarterbacks, Adams is a potential Hall of Famer replacing Cooper Kupp, and Nacua and Williams are young stars who already have Pro Bowls on their resumes. 

Growth opportunity: Head coach Sean McVay has compared rookie second-round tight end Terrance Ferguson to Travis Kelce and Chris Cooley. 

The downside: Stafford and Adams are beyond their primes at 37 and 32, respectively. 

Bottom line: There's a good mix of veteran talent, experience and young skill, but nobody is a true superstar right now.

7. Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

Key players: QB Tua Tagovailoa, WR Tyreek Hill, WR Jaylen Waddle, RB De'Von Achane

What makes them great: Hill was a first-team All-Pro in 2022 and 2023; Waddle was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2021, 2022 and 2023; Achane put up nearly 1,500 scrimmage yards in 2024; and Tagovailoa is the league's fourth-highest-rated qualified passer since the start of 2022. 

Growth opportunity: Young depth backs Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II both have starting potential if called upon, and Achane is still just 23. 

The downside: Tagovailoa has a spotty injury history and hasn't delivered in big spots, and an aging Hill appeared to be disgruntled this offseason.

Bottom line: There is plenty of talent, experience and upside here, but there's also plenty of room for things to blow up. It's all or nothing in Miami.

6. Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Key players: QB Michael Penix Jr., RB Bijan Robinson, WR Drake London, WR Darnell Mooney, TE Kyle Pitts

What makes them great: Four of the five guys listed above are former top-10 draft picks, and none of the four are over the age of 25. Robinson ranked fourth in the NFL with 1,887 scrimmage yards as a sophomore in 2024, and Penix showed promise in limited action as a rookie. 

Growth opportunity: They're everywhere, especially with Penix after he put together three extremely encouraging performances late in his maiden campaign. 

The downside: The jury is still out on the quarterback; Pitts has just 10 touchdowns in four seasons and could well be a bust; and Mooney probably found his ceiling with a sub-1,000-yard, five-touchdown 2024 showing. 

Bottom line: This is undoubtedly the best young skill-position unit when it comes to raw talent and potential, but not enough has come to fruition yet. There's a chance some of it never will. 

5. San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn

Key players: QB Brock Purdy, RB Christian McCaffrey, WR Brandon Aiyuk, TE George Kittle, WR Jauan Jennings, WR Ricky Pearsall

What makes them great: Purdy is off to one of the hottest starts ever for a quarterback, and the five other guys complement each other with an ideal combination of talent, experience and upside. 

Growth opportunity: A first-round pick a year ago, Pearsall's 210 yards and two touchdowns in the final two weeks of the 2024 regular season made it easier for the team to trade Deebo Samuel despite Aiyuk's knee injury. 

The downside: Samuel is gone, and Aiyuk is recovering from a torn ACL. Kittle is a star but will soon be 32, while McCaffrey is a star but a huge injury risk at this point. Purdy came back to earth a fair bit in his third season, and nothing is promised with Jennings and Pearsall. 

Bottom line: There are a lot of question marks surrounding a very talented and accomplished group.

4. Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Key players: QB Lamar Jackson, RB Derrick Henry, WR Zay Flowers, WR DeAndre Hopkins, WR Rashod Bateman, TE Mark Andrews, TE Isaiah Likely

What makes them great: Perennial MVP candidate Jackson, superstar Henry in the offensive backfield, and a deep group of pass-catchers with varying degrees of experience. 

Growth opportunity: Flowers and Likely are both still on rookie contracts and have flashed enough to make people notice, while a 25-year-old Bateman is coming off a breakout season with 756 yards and nine touchdowns. 

The downside: None of those youngsters have truly taken off, while Hopkins (33) and Henry (31) are closer to the finish line than the starting blocks. A 29-year-old Andrews also had some glaring issues in 2024. 

Bottom line: It likely comes down to what Henry can do after killing it as a 30-year-old in 2024. If he and Jackson can keep on rolling, it won't take much from the rest of the guys to make this an elite unit.

3. Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Carlos Osorio

Key players: QB Jared Goff, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, RB David Montgomery, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR Jameson Williams, TE Sam LaPorta

What makes them great: Their primary four offensive pieces at the four skill positions (Goff, Gibbs, St. Brown and LaPorta) have been absolute terrors in each of the last two seasons, proving there are no flukes here. 

Growth opportunity: The 24-year-old Williams is coming off his first 1,000-yard campaign as well. And Montgomery is healthy again after missing significant time late in 2024. 

The downside: They have lost offensive mastermind Ben Johnson to the division-rival Chicago Bears.

Bottom line: It's got to feel unfair if you're anyone else in the NFC North. As long as Goff can keep it rolling, this unit is almost unstoppable.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Emilee Chinn

Key players: QB Joe Burrow, WR Ja'Marr Chase, WR Tee Higgins, RB Chase Brown

What makes them great: Burrow played at an MVP level in 2024 and is an established megastar under center, while Chase and Higgins scored a combined 27 touchdowns despite the fact that the latter missed a handful of games in 2024. 

Growth opportunity: The big three are in their prime, but Brown is coming off a breakout season and could build on that in his third pro campaign. All four are 28 or younger. 

The downside: There really isn't a lot beyond that (tight end Mike Gesicki is solid but not spectacular, and no other receivers hit the 500-yard mark last year) so that expensive core had better stay healthy. 

Bottom line: This is the top offensive three-headed monster in the NFL, and there's room for a fourth in 2025.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Key players: QB Jalen Hurts, RB Saquon Barkley, WR A.J. Brown, WR DeVonta Smith

What makes them great: Hurts is the reigning Super Bowl MVP, Barkley is the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, and Brown and Smith have seven combined 1,000-yard seasons under their belts at ages 28 and 26, respectively. 

Growth opportunity: Extremely limited at this point, but healthier seasons from Brown and Smith could lead to even more production out of the passing game. 

The downside: All of the above have faced injury questions at various points in their careers, with Brown and Smith missing four games apiece in 2024. And just like with Cincinnati, there isn't much depth beyond these guys and a veteran tight end (in this case, Dallas Goedert). 

Bottom line: There isn't a QB-RB-WR trio on the same level as Hurts-Barkley-Brown. Throw in Smith and the defending champions reign in this exercise, too.