NFL Power Rankings Skill Positions: Houston Texans' Fab Five Surprisingly Strong
Football games may be won in the trenches, but the football fans are won in the open field. Electrifying players like Titans running back Chris Johnson and Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson can be a boon to the revenue streams and the SportsCenter airtime for even bad teams. Franchise quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Drew Brees are the first step toward success for rebuilding teams.
Which NFL teams have the best depth at the offensive skill positions? Which ones could get over the hump with one more game-breaking piece? Some of the answers might surprise you. The following are power rankings based upon each team's five best players at the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end positions. To simplify a bit, each team needed to have one QB, one back, and one receiver in their top five. The last two slots go to each squad's two best remaining guys at any position.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1 of 32
Josh Freeman, QB
Carnell Williams, RB
Mike Williams, WR
Sammie Stroughter, WR
Kellen WInslow, TE
In his rookie season, Freeman looked lost at the helm and threw 18 interceptions in 10 games. This year, he has been much better, beginning to deliver on his dual-threat promise. Still, Freeman has a long way to go before fulfilling his athletic potential.
With the exception of the young Stroughter, the rest of the Bucs' ball-handling corps comprises those whose careers have washed out because of injuries, stupidity or both.
31. Buffalo Bills
2 of 32
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB
C.J. Spiller, RB
Lee Evans, WR
Steve Johnson, WR
Fred Jackson, RB
Not a lot of explosiveness here. The Bills indulged a certain glamor impulse by drafting Spiller, instead of going after some much-needed help on the defensive side of the ball. It has paid off somewhat, but Spiller is the lone bright spot in a group that includes the aging ex-Pro Bowler Evans and career backup Fitzpatrick as key cogs. Barring a return of the old Green Bay power sweep, the Bills just aren't strong enough on the outside to score consistently.
30. Cleveland Browns
3 of 32
Jake Delhomme, QB
Jerome Harrison, RB
Mohamed Massaquoi, WR
Brian Robiskie, WR
Joshua Cribbs, WR
Recently, rumors have persisted that Cleveland could be among the teams interested if the Eagles try to trade quarterback Kevin Kolb. That's great, because what Cleveland has really lacked lately is a highly-touted pocket passer with a history of injuries.
Harrison had a game for the ages against Kansas City late last season, but 2010 has exposed him as a well-rounded but unspectacular back.
The Chiefs got their revenge this year, holding him to just 33 yards on the ground.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
29. Oakland Raiders
4 of 32
Bruce Gradkowski, QB
Darren McFadden, RB
Michael Bush, RB
Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR
Zach Miller, TE
If this were a power rankings list of the teams with the most wasted potential, the Raiders would be perennial winners. As it is, though, this team is a shambles.
Admittedly, it's hard to look good behind an offensive line as leaky as Oakland's: Just ask Jason Campbell, the deposed quarterback. Still, the confusion that has reigned over the team's offense has held the team back since day one. Much of the reason is a lack of balance: McFadden and Bush never seem to get it going until the Raiders are too far behind to run the ball consistently.
28. St. Louis Rams
5 of 32
Sam Bradford, QB
Steven Jackson, RB
Laurent Robinson, WR
Danny Amendola, WR
Mark Clayton, WR
Bradford will be great someday, but this season, he is a rookie just a year removed from a season-ending injury, miscast as a starter on a team with few other options. Steven Jackson is obviously a prodigal talent, but the turf at the Edward Jones Dome has taken its toll and it has been a long time since Jackson put together a fully healthy season.
Despite his age, Clayton offers hope, especially if St. Louis can keep him around long enough for Bradford to gel with him.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars
6 of 32
David Garrard, QB
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB
Mike Sims-Walker, WR
Marcedes Lewis, TE
Mike Thomas, WR
That the Jags are not closer to the bottom is an indicator of just how good Jones-Drew is on his own, because that is essentially the way he operates. Garrard got his job largely on the strength of half a season of impressive fill-in work he did five years ago, and has managed to hold onto it only because Jacksonville lacks any other serious candidate for the gig.
Sims-Walker and Lewis have size and promise better things for the passing game, but it will be a while before the Jags completely turn around this messy unit.
26. Seattle Seahawks
7 of 32
Matt Hasselbeck, QB
Justin Forsett, RB
Deion branch, WR
Mike Williams, WR
GOlden tate, WR
Speed is paramount in the Pete Carroll offense, and Seattle has that. Unfortunately, their quarterback is aged and their wide receivers immature as players, and the mix makes the team seem to be out-running itself at times.
25. Detroit Lions
8 of 32
Matthew Stafford, QB
Jahvid Best, RB
Calvin Johnson, WR
Nate Burleson, WR
Brandon Pettigrew, TE
It's almost surprising that the Lions could climb this high, but then the skill positions aren't their area of need. Johnson is the kind of receiver that lets a quarterback (be it Stafford or injury fill Shaun Hill) throw the ball with more confidence when the blitz arrives. Best is a versatile back with the shiftiness to catch the ball out of the backfield and make people miss. The team just needs to let its young guns grow a bit.
24. Denver Broncos
9 of 32
Kyle Orton, QB
Knowshon Moreno, RB
Brandon Lloyd, WR
Eddie Royal, WR
Jabar Gaffney, WR
The Broncos have a decently balanced attack, but lack anyone really special. Moreno is a solid young back, but the wide receiving corps would have been more impressive had Denver assembled it in 2006. All are past their prime, and profile basically as possession receivers. When a team's best bet to hit a home run is handing the ball off, that team's passing game is missing something.
23. Washington Redskins
10 of 32
Donovan McNabb, QB
Clinton Portis, RB
Santana Moss, WR
Chris Cooley, TE
Joey Galloway, WR
Once again, we see a talented group that came together two years too late. McNabb has plenty left in the tank: He's a legitimate Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback. The rest of the crew, though, shows signs of inevitable and irrevocable aging. Already, Portis and Galloway look tired, and Moss never developed the route-running discipline that might have made him great. Cooley has the best chance to sustain his success for a while, given McNabb's predilection for tight ends as downfield targets.
22. San Francisco 49ers
11 of 32
Alex Smith, QB
Frank Gore, RB
Michael Crabtree, WR
Vernon Davis, TE
Josh Morgan, WR
Gore is an established superstar and Crabtree could rapidly become one. The rest of the team, however, cannot seem to put together consistent performances. Smith is on the razor's edge of being a bust under center, and Davis remains immature despite his strides since head coach Mike Singletary took over.
21. Carolina Panthers
12 of 32
Jimmy Clausen, QB
DeAngelo Williams, RB
Steve Smith, WR
Jonathan Stewart, RB
Brandon LaFell, WR
Remember when Steve Smith was the most dangerous speed receiver in football? Neither does he. Smith is getting old in a hurry these days, and LaFell may soon be the Panthers' top target after a strong opening to his rookie season.
Of course, unless the team can find a way to accelerate Jimmy Clausen's development, all that may be moot: Clausen is not able to consistently deliver the ball where either man needs it to be, anyway.
Stewart and Williams are both lightning in a bottle, capable of taking one to the house from any point on the field. The problem is that neither has done it much this season.
20. Tennessee Titans
13 of 32
Vince Young, QB
Chris Johnson, RB
Nate Washington, WR
Justin Gage, WR
Bo Scaife, TE
Young can't seem to win the Titan's trust, despite a very good 2009. It must be difficult, given the receivers from whom he has to choose each time he drops back to pass. Washington was Pittsburgh's fourth receiver before stepping in as the Titans' best, and Gage is past his utility—a one-time speedster whose speed has all but deserted him.
19. Arizona Cardinals
14 of 32
Derek Anderson, QB
Tim Hightower, RB
Larry Fitzgerald, WR
Steve Breaston, WR
Beanie Wells, RB
Fitzgerald is a stud whenever he can stay on the field, and Hightower has emerged as a legitimate every-down back. Someone (either Breaston or Early Doucet) will need to step up and fill the void left by Anquan Boldin's departure, though. Anderson is enigmatic and not especially trustworthy, and the team may look to upgrade the quarterback spot this offseason, or even via trade.
18. Miami Dolphins
15 of 32
Chad Henne, QB
Ronnie Brown, RB
Brandon Marshall, WR
Brian Hartline, WR
Anthony Fasano, TE
Say what you will about his attitude, but Marshall is a special talent. His presence makes Henne and Brown much better: Henne can make some mistakes, because Marshall often reaches out and grabs the ball anyway. Brown can run more freely knowing teams will respect the pass more.
The group is not deep, and Henne must prove he is a serious option as a starting quarterback in this league. Still, the team has some firepower.
17. Chicago Bears
16 of 32
Jay Cutler, QB
Matt Forte, RB
Devin Hester, WR
Johnny Knox, WR
Greg Olsen, TE
The Bears have surprised a lot of people on their way to an undefeated start, largely because this corps has overcome a consistent lack of real protection. Mike Martz's system seems to fit well with the skill sets of (especially) Cutler and Forte, the latter of whom has looked like a poor man's Marshall Faulk this year.
16. Cincinnati Bengals
17 of 32
Carson Palmer, QB
Cedric Benson, RB
Chad Ochocinco, WR
Terrell Owens, WR
Jermaine Gresham, TE
Skilled and experienced, this crew has the sheer talent to win every time they set foot on the field. Unfortunately, Palmer and Benson have trouble staying on the field, and Owens and Ochocinco often lose focus while on it. Still, this attack will only get more potent through the season, so look out for these five (and especially Owens and Ochocinco) in November and December.
15. New York Jets
18 of 32
Mark Sanchez, QB
Shonn Greene, RB
Braylon Edwards, WR
LaDanian Tomlinson, RB
Dustin Keller, TE
The Jets might rise higher if more depth came into the picture: Jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith are talented receivers and Santonio Holmes will be back at some point. Sanchez's instability at quarterback hurts, though. So does Greene's disappearing act, which has Tomlinson taking on a bigger role than he has had since 2008 and may have the Jets vaguely regretting their choice to get rid of Leon Washington.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
19 of 32
Dennis Dixon, QB
Rashard Mendenhall, RB
Hines Ward, WR
Mike Wallace, WR
Heath Miller, TE
The men in black would obviously rank higher if they had Ben Roethlisberger at their disposal, but they will be without him for another two weeks. In the meantime, Dixon will try to find the accuracy to deliver the ball to Ward, whose possession receiver mentality works best with a QB who can put the ball on the money.
The running game is bruising, with Mendenhall leading the way. Once Big Ben returns, teams will be forced to back off the line a bit and more room will open up for the ground game.
13. Atlanta Falcons
20 of 32
Matt Ryan, QB
Michael Turner, RB
Roddy White, WR
Michael Jenkins, WR
Tony Gonzalez, TE
Gonzalez's veteran presence and football IQ help young studs Ryan and White develop faster than they otherwise might. Turner got into shape this season and has all the tools at running back, and Jenkins is a complete if not stellar receiver.
This team has a sturdy and balanced attack, with all five major contributors pulling their weight.
12. New York Giants
21 of 32
Eli Manning, QB
Ahmad Bradshaw, RB
Mario Manningham, WR
Hakeem Nicks, WR
Steve Smith, WR
The Giants have surrounded Eli Manning with big and athletic receivers, and that makes New York's passing game dangerous. It would be more so if the team could develop a consistent identity in their ground attack, but in the meantime, Manning can keep working to get Nicks and Manningham matched up with smaller defensive backs and throw jump balls to them all day.
11. Minnesota Vikings
22 of 32
Brett Favre, QB
Adrian Peterson, RB
Percy Harvin, WR
Bernard Berrian, WR
Visanthe Shiancoe, TE
Peterson finally busted loose this week, and showed that Minnesota still has the ability to light up its opponents. Favre will have to be better over the next few weeks for the team to complete its recovery, but the passing game will get a big shot in the arm when Sidney Rice returns around midseason.
10. San Diego Chargers
23 of 32
Philip Rivers, QB
Ryan Mathews, RB
Malcolm Floyd, WR
Antonio Gates, TE
Darren Sproles, RB
Because San Diego has struggled to keep itself together off the field, it is easy to forget how much talent remains on it, especially at the skill spots. Rivers is perpetually underrated; Mathews has almost no ceiling. Gates and Floyd are getting older but remain steady and reliable targets, and Sproles is perhaps the league's best pure backup. Imagine where this team would be if Vincent Jackson were playing the receiver slot opposite Floyd.
9. Dallas Cowboys
24 of 32
Tony Romo, QB
Marion Barber, RB
Miles Austin, WR
Roy Williams, WR
Jason Witten, TE
Romo has as many weapons in his arsenal as at any time in his career, with Williams and Austin on the outside and Dez Bryant working out of the slot. Add the versatile Felix Jones to both the running and passing games, and you get an explosive offense.
Barber is the metronome for that offense, and the Cowboys have always struggled to score when he sputters. If he can make consistent headway in the ground game, though, the team will run like a well-oiled machine.
8. Kansas City Chiefs
25 of 32
Matt Cassel, QB
Thomas Jones, RB
Dwayne Bowe, WR
Chris Chambers, WR
Jamaal Charles, RB
The Chiefs' 3-0 start has surprised more people than it should have: This team can score. Jones and Charles can wear people down on the ground, and Dexter McCluster can break games open in the rushing or passing attack, or on returns. Chambers' veteran presence and great hands keep this team steady, and Bowe makes the big plays on which Chambers once relied to be valuable.
7. Baltimore Ravens
26 of 32
Joe Flacco, QB
Ray Rice, RB
Anquan Boldin, WR
Derrick Mason, WR
Todd Heap, TE
Rice is banged up, but has proved able to participate actively in both the rushing and passing assaults. Boldin is obviously a huge pickup, giving the Ravens the first elite wide receiver in the history of the franchise. That said, Mason is as steady and dependable as they come, somehow flying under the radar throughout a career as good or better than Donald Driver's in Green Bay.
The biggest question mark may be Flacco. So far, he has shown poise and a very good arm, but he has to be a top 10 quarterback for the Ravens to merit this ranking. Whether or not he will do so remains to be seen, but he is on the right track.
6. Green Bay Packers
27 of 32
Aaron Rodgers, QB
Brandon Jackson, RB
Greg Jennings, WR
Donald Driver, WR
Jermichael Finley, TE
At the outset of the season, the Pack was in the conversation as the best skill position group in the league. The loss of star running back Ryan Grant in Week 1 was a massive blow.
Still, the team has more available weapons on the outside than anyone in football. Rodgers can throw to Jennings, Driver or solid complementary options like Jordy Nelson and James Jones. Failing that, he has Finley—who is more or less a massive wide receiver himself—as a safety valve.
The Packers may look to trade for a replacement back, and if they succeed, it could set their season back on track fast.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
28 of 32
Michael Vick, QB
LeSean McCoy, RB
DeSean Jackson, WR
Jeremy Maclin, WR
Brent Celek, TE
The Jackson-Maclin tandem on the outside might have put the Eagles inside the top 10 to begin the season, but with Vick replacing Kevin Kolb and proving to be as good as he ever was before his prison sentence, they leap-frog into the top five. Opposing defenses' attention to Vick opens up the field so much that almost any other offensive player can create and use space themselves.
4. New England Patriots
29 of 32
Tom Brady, QB
Fred Taylor, RB
Randy Moss, WR
Wes Welker, WR
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB
Bill Belichick and company still can't seem to find a way to use the running game effectively within the confines of their spread offense, but New England rises this high anyway thanks to the Brady-Moss-Welker aerial attack. It's distinctly possible that all three of those men will reach the Hall of Fame someday. In the meantime, they'll have to settle for this honor.
3. Houston Texans
30 of 32
Matt Schaub, QB
Arian Foster, RB
Andre Johnson, WR
Kevin Walter, WR
Owen Daniels, TE
Don't laugh. It's true. With Schaub finally having some time to survey his options, he has emerged as a very good and accurate passer. Johnson is the NFL's best receiver, and Walter became a solid secondary target last season. Foster delivered the final piece of the puzzle by forcing teams to focus more on the running game, and then by beating them anyway. Add a middle-of-the-field presence like Owen Daniels and an elite NFL offense is born.
2. New Orleans Saints
31 of 32
Drew Brees, QB
Pierre Thomas, RB
Marques Colston, WR
Jeremy Shockey, TE
Lance Moore, WR
The Saints probably had the best skill players in the league before losing Reggie Bush. Still, thanks to Thomas, they have a steady running game and a bevy of options for Brees if passes intended to go down field fall apart. Moore is a great home run threat, but the Saints also trot out Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson for a bit more size on possession-type passes. There is no stopping the Saints.
1. Indianapolis Colts
32 of 32
Peyton Manning, QB
Joseph Addai, RB
Reggie Wayne, WR
Dallas Clark, TE
Pierre Garcon, WR
It's the Colts' title, and although they seem vulnerable in this position, someone is going to have to take it from them.
Manning is the man, a masterful operator who makes all his compatriots look better. He leads Addai so well on screen and swing passes that Addai has become perhaps the best receiving back in football. Wayne isn't dead just yet, and even when he does begin to succumb to age, Indy has Anthony Gonzalez and Austin Collie waiting in the wings. Clark must maintain his sensational pass-catching for the Colts to keep their offensive rhythm going, but until he proves unable to do so, the road to number one goes through Lucas Oil Stadium.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")