Projecting Which NFL Players Will Lead the League in Each Statistical Category in 2026

It's a time of great hope and optimism across the NFL.

With free agency and the draft in the rearview mirror, fans of the league's 32 teams are awash with good feelings.

And with the NFL schedule set to be released Thursday, it is officially time to focus on the 2026 campaign and which players are about to have massive years statistically.

Here, we're going to predict which players will set the pace in the NFL in 2026, whether it's the quarterback with the most passing scores or the edge-rusher set to record the most sacks.

Passing Yards: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez

2025 Leader: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (4,707 yards)

In a decade in the NFL, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys has made it to four Pro Bowls. He has thrown for just under 36,000 career yards, including a career-best 4,902 yards in 2019. Last season, his 4,552 yards ranked third in the league.

However, in those 10 professional seasons, the 32-year-old has never led the NFL in passing yards...until this season.

Prescott has everything at his disposal to pace the NFL in that category. He's an immensely talented passer in his own right. CeeDee Lamb is one of the NFL's best wide receivers. As No. 2 wideouts go, George Pickens ranks toward the top of the list. Jake Ferguson is a solid pass-catcher at the tight end position.

Perhaps most importantly, though, Dallas has a defense that should leave the Cowboys in more than a few shootouts. That unit should be better than the sieve that was 30th in total defense and dead last in scoring defense a year ago.

Passing Touchdowns: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/David Dermer

2025 Leader: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (46 touchdowns)

The 2025 season was a massive disappointment for Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.

The quarterback played in just eight games due to a toe injury and threw for a career-low 1,809 yards. He was back on the practice field for the first round of voluntary workouts this year, and head coach Zac Taylor told reporters the 29-year-old is raring to go.

"Great leader. Great to have him here on the field." he said. "He looks great. He's in shape and ready to go."

We have already seen Burrow put up some gaudy numbers when healthy—a feat that isn't all that Herculean when you have arguably the NFL's best receiver in Ja'Marr Chase and another pass-catcher in Tee Higgins who would be the WR1 on multiple teams.

In 2024, Burrow led the NFL in pass attempts, completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns with 43. When healthy, he is as prolific as any signal-caller in the league.

Two years ago, the LSU product posted a touchdown percentage of 6.6, and before injuring his toe last season, he was again at 6.6 percent, matching that peak efficiency.

Rushing Yards: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

2025 Leader: James Cook, Buffalo Bills (1,621 yards)

It has been a while since we saw a repeat rushing champion—in 2019 and 2020, Derrick Henry paced the league in that category. But that's just one of the things working against James Cook's chances of leading the NFL on the ground again in 2026.

It's something of a golden age at running back in the NFL. There are any number of wildly talented runners who could lead the league this year, whether it's veterans like Henry, Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers and Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles or younger players such as De'Von Achane of the Miami Dolphins and Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions.

At 24 years old, Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons fits into the latter group. But after checking in fourth in the league with 1,478 yards on the ground a year ago, this is Robinson's time to shine.

Among qualifying backs last year, only Achane averaged more yards per carry than Robinson. Pro Football Focus ranked Atlanta's offensive line in the top half of the NFL last year. And while the Falcons replaced Tyler Allgeier with Brian Robinson Jr. in free agency, Robinson could easily see a career-high in carries in 2026.

This is the season of Bijan's breakout.

Rushing Touchdowns: Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Matt Ludtke

Ravens RB Derrick Henry

2025 Leader: Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts (18 touchdowns)

By the time running backs approach and then pass their 30th birthday, their level of play generally declines. Apparently, Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens never received the memo.

Last year, in his age-31 season, he carried the ball 307 times for 1,521 yards and 16 touchdowns. Only James Cook of the Bills had more rushing yards, and only Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts found the end zone on the ground.

Henry told reporters he still thinks he has something left in the tank:

"Yeah, I don't see myself stopping, not any time soon. But if I feel like Father Time has caught up with me, and I feel like my body's telling me it's probably time to shut it down, then yeah, I would do that. I'm not going to try to overdo it. But if I feel good, and I feel I can still compete and play at a high level, I'm going to go out and do that. But I'm definitely not going to overdo it, for sure."

Henry has peeled off double-digit rushing touchdowns in each of the last eight seasons. He has led the league in that category three times, including as recently as 2024.

No. 4 comes this year.

Receiving Yards: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

2025 Leader: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks (1,793 yards)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has been a revelation from the moment he was selected in the fifth round in 2023.

As a rookie, he caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards. Last year, the 24-year-old led the league with 129 catches and averaged 107.2 receiving yards per game. However, he missed a game and came up just short of Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the lead in receiving yards.

In news that surprised no one, Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Nacua looked good in early workouts.

"Great to be able to see him," he said. "Looks great. He's doing really well."

Only Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings had more receiving yards over his first three seasons than Nacua's 4,191.

Nacua plays for one of the most explosive offenses in the league on a Rams team that faces the brutal grind that is the NFC West. Davante Adams is an excellent receiver in his own right, but he will turn 34 during the 2026 season.

Matthew Stafford is going to lean on Nacua more than ever this year, and the result will be the first receiving yardage crown of Nacua's career.

Receiving Touchdowns: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

2025 Leader: Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams (14 touchdowns)

You know the bar has been set high when a player catches 84 passes, tops 1,000 yards and his season is still viewed as a major disappointment.

That was Justin Jefferson's reality last year with inconsistent quarterback play from J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer.

Now, Kyler Murray is in the Twin Cities, and while the Vikings have stated there will be an open competition under center this year, Jefferson told reporters he's looking forward to playing with Murray.

"I'm definitely looking for those big, exciting plays [from Murray]," he said. "I'm definitely looking forward to his speed, his quickness, his arm strength that he's shown countless times over the years."

To be clear, unless Murray's right arm falls off next month, he's going to be the Week 1 starter for the Vikings—and that's good news for the prospects of a rebound season from Jefferson in 2026.

Jefferson has never had a huge touchdown season—his career high in scores is 10, set in 2021 and 2024. But there's no denying he is in the discussion as the NFL's best wideout.

And in 2026, he's going to have a career year that includes 15 touchdown catches—and flirting with the single-season receiving yardage record before he comes up just shy of Nacua.

Tackles: LB Sonny Styles, Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Nick Wass

2025 Leader: LB Jordyn Brooks, Miami Dolphins (183 tackles)

It has been a while since a rookie led the NFL in total tackles—the last time it happened was 2018, when Shaquille Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts went from second-round selection to 163 stops and 111 solos.

That drought is going to end this year.

Sonny Styles was a much higher pick than Leonard—the Ohio State product was selected seventh overall by the Washington Commanders. Per Zach Selby of the team's website, he wasted no time making an impression at rookie minicamp:

"Styles stood out among Washington's defensive players, both physically and from a performance standpoint. He was easy to spot with his 6'5", 244-pound frame, and he was around the ball on almost every play. He's already showing his ability to quickly identify and pursue ball carriers, and he was often the first to make a play."

The talent is not in question. He should start from Day 1 and will likely wear the "green dot" helmet communicator, which would put him in an every-down role. There is not much competition around Styles for tackles, and the Commanders defense could be on the field a lot in 2026.

Add it all together, and you have the recipe for a massive first season statistically for Styles.

Sacks: Edge Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

2025 Leader: Edge Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns (23 sacks)

Like there's any other answer.

Cleveland Browns edge-rusher Myles Garrett plays like a cyborg from the future, relentlessly punishing opposing quarterbacks.

Last year, Garrett won his second Defensive Player of the Year award in the past three years and set a new single-season record for sacks with 23. It marked the eighth straight season that Garrett has hit double-digit sacks. In each of the past five seasons, Garrett has logged 14 or more sacks—also an NFL record.

Garrett is simply an unstoppable force. This is a player who doesn't have another elite talent on the defensive line like Will Anderson Jr. does in Houston. He is regularly among the most double-teamed and chipped pass-rushers in the league. And it doesn't matter even a little bit.

At 6'6" and 275 pounds, Garrett has the power to overwhelm blockers. His burst and bend on the edge have to be seen to be believed. He will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and he is in the conversation among the greatest edge-rushers to ever play in the NFL.

Interceptions: CB Kamari Lassiter, Houston Texans

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

2025 Leader: S Kevin Byard III, Chicago Bears (7 interceptions)

Trying to forecast the NFL's interceptions leader is like trying to hit triple-20 on a dartboard while blindfolded and spun in circles. Of the seven players who had five or more interceptions last year, more were safeties than cornerbacks.

With that said, there is something to look for. You want a cornerback who is good but not so good he won't be targeted. Preferably the No. 2 CB on his team opposite a big name. Kamari Lassiter of the Houston Texans checks all those boxes.

After topping 90 total tackles and logging four picks in 2025, Pro Football Focus named Lassiter one of the top 101 players in the NFL:

"Lassiter was the seventh-highest-graded cornerback in the league (79.8) in his second NFL season. His combined 18 pass breakups and interceptions in the regular season and playoffs led all cornerbacks, and he also posted the third-best PFF run-defense grade at the position (84.9)."

Lassiter also ranked inside the top 10 in targets among cornerbacks last year, and every one of those targets is a chance to pick one off.

Derek Stingley Jr. may be the team's top corner, but 2026 will be Lassiter's year.