The Most Explosive Player on Every NFL Team

The word "explosive" refers to a substance that can be made to explode.

Throughout NFL history, there have been many explosive players that have come and gone.

Lawrence Taylor, Jim Brown, Barry Sanders and Jerry Rice are just a few of the many that belong in this class.

Here are the most explosive players on every NFL team as of today.

Arizona Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald

Others considered: Beanie Wells

Fitzgerald is considered to be one of the best wideouts in the league today.

He has already had five or more seasons with 1,000-plus yards and appears headed toward that mark again in 2011.

There aren't many wide receivers in the game that run better routes and can make tougher catches than the former University of Pittsburgh star.

Atlanta Falcons: Roddy White

Others considered: Julio Jones, Michael Turner

Roddy White is one of the most talented offensive players to ever wear a Falcons uniform.

He has helped put his Atlanta offense back on the map with numerous sensational catches, and great all-around play at the wide receiver position.

Even though he has struggled at times this year, he is still the most explosive player on his team.

Baltimore Ravens: Ed Reed

Others considered: Ray Rice, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata

Ed Reed has been one of the best safeties that the league has seen over the past 10 years.

He has made a living reading quarterbacks' eyes and also laying punishing hits on opposing offensive players.

Even at age 33, he is still the Ravens' most explosive player on their roster.

Buffalo Bills: Steve Johnson

Others considered: Fred Jackson

Bills wideout Steve Johnson is one of the most exciting, young players that the Bills currently possess.

He's already had a knack for making the spectacular catch, and has also been burning some pretty good defensive backs as of late.

He is the go-to guy on Buffalo's offense, and without him, their passing game would be nonexistent.

Carolina Panthers: Steve Smith

Others considered: Cam Newton, DeAngelo Williams

It's hard to find a hotter receiver in the league right now than Carolina's Steve Smith.

The 11th-year veteran already has 675 receiving yards and three touchdown catches in just six games this season.

Even at 32 years old, he is proving that he is still one of the most explosive wideouts in the NFL.

Chicago Bears: Devin Hester

Others considered: Matt Forte, Julius Peppers

Chicago's Devin Hester might just be the best return man in NFL history.

He's taken numerous kicks and punts to the house in his career and seems to only be getting better with each passing year.

There's no question that he pumps the most energy into this Bears team, and it seems like every time he has the ball in his hands, a big play is just right around the corner.

Cincinnati Bengals: A.J. Green

Others considered: Cedric Benson

The Bengals' A.J. Green has been the best rookie receiver in the league this season.

He is also one of the most explosive first-year players as well.

The former Georgia Bulldog has already racked up 453 receiving yards and four TDs this year, thanks to his speed and excellent set of hands.

Cleveland Browns: Josh Cribbs

Others considered: None

If there was one word to sum up Josh Cribbs other than explosive, it would be electric.

The Browns WR/KR is practically the AFC version of Devin Hester.

He's also the player that gives defensive coordinators headaches when he gets the ball in his hands.

Dallas Cowboys: DeMarcus Ware

Others considered: Dez Bryant, Miles Austin

Ware has to be the most feared outside linebacker in today's game.

He already has 87 sacks in his seven-year pro career, including seven more in just five games this season.

His elite speed off the edge is what makes him such a dominant and explosive defensive player for the Cowboys.

Denver Broncos: Von Miller

Others considered: Willis McGahee

Miller was selected by the Broncos with the second overall pick in this April's draft with the hope that he could give them another playmaker on defense.

So far, he has given them much more than that.

The rookie already has five sacks and two forced fumbles through his first handful of games, and is already gaining that title as one of the most explosive pass-rushers in the AFC West.

Detroit Lions: Calvin Johnson

Others considered: Ndamukong Suh, Jahvid Best

Nicknamed "Megatron" because of his 6'5", 236-lb frame, Johnson is arguably the best wide receiver currently playing in the NFL.

If you don't believe me, watch this catch in triple-coverage earlier this season.

He is also on pace to break the all-time single-season touchdown record, which could be his by the end of the season.

Green Bay Packers: Clay Matthews

Others considered: Charles Woodson, Greg Jennings

Is this really a surprise? 

Packers stud linebacker Clay Matthews has game-changing ability every time he takes the field.

Just ask the opposing offense who have given up 25.5 sacks in two-plus seasons to this talented player.

Houston Texans: Andre Johnson

Others considered: Arian Foster

Johnson is one of the most physical wideouts in the league today.

Like many other receivers on this list, he has great hands and really explodes in and out of his routes with the best of them.

It's usually a defender's worst nightmare to guard this guy on Sundays.

Indianapolis Colts: Reggie Wayne

Others considered: Dwight Freeney and Pierre Garcon

I would have had Peyton Manning as the Colts' most explosive player, if he wasn't out with a career-threatening neck injury.

However, Wayne fits the mold pretty well.

The former University of Miami star has picked up 1,000-plus receiving yards in each of past seven seasons and is still a deep threat for this Colts offense after 11 years in the league.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Maurice-Jones Drew

Others considered: None

The long-time Jaguars RB isn't one of the fastest backs in the league, but he is one of the hardest to tackle at his position.

The Oakland, CA native has rushed for over 1,300 yards in each of his last two seasons in the league, and already has 572 for Jacksonville in 2011.

When the Jags need a big play on offense, this is the guy that they call on most of the time.

Kansas City Chiefs: Jamaal Charles

Others considered: Dwayne Bowe, Eric Berry and Tamba Hali

Jamaal Charles is one of the most explosive running backs in the entire league.

Last season, he had at least eight rushes for 20-plus yards or more on the year.

Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in the second game of the '11 season, so the explosiveness from Charles will have to wait until 2012.

Miami Dolphins: Reggie Bush

Others considered: Brandon Marshall

This was another tough call, as it really could have gone either between Marshall or Bush.

While Marshall is very explosive in the passing game, Bush has the ability to be explosive in both the passing and running games.

He showed this at times while playing with the Saints, and possibly a change of scenery can really get him going this season.

Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson

Others considered: Percy Harvin, Jared Allen

You know a guy is explosive when his dad gave him a nickname of "All Day" when he was younger.

Peterson is arguably the most complete running back in the league, as he gets it done with speed, power and vision.

Every time he gets a touch, you just wonder if this is going to be the play when he breaks a big one, like he has done so many times already in his young career.

New England Patriots: Wes Welker

Others considered: BenJarvus Green-Ellis

What more can you say about this guy?

He has been one of the most consistent wideouts in the league over the past five seasons.

He has also made play after play for the Pats offense and is great at using his speed and elite route-running skills to find openings in defenses throughout his career.

New Orleans Saints: Darren Sproles

Others considered: Marques Colston

This was another tough choice, but I decided to go with Sproles, who might just be the shortest player in the league at just 5'6", and also one of the fastest as well.

However, he is also one of the most explosive as well, either from returning kicks or getting the ball in the backfield.

Once he gets the ball in his hands, the former Charger is always a threat to score from anywhere on the field.

New York Giants: Hakeem Nicks

Others considered: Victor Cruz, Ahmad Bradshaw and Jason Pierre-Paul

Nicks is easily the best receiver and arguably the best offensive player on the Giants roster.

He is known for making big plays in the passing game, including two 60-plus-yard grabs already this year.

Like many others on this list, he's the type of player that can change the outcome of a game in the blink of an eye.

New York Jets: Darrelle Revis

Others considered: Santonio Holmes, Joe McKnight

One of the best shutdown corners in the game is also one of the most explosive as well.

Revis has taken on talented receiver after talented receiver and has passed just about every major test.

He's also shown the ability to be a ball hawk, as he already has three INTs this years and now has 17 in his five-year NFL career.

Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden

Others considered: Jacoby Ford

Raiders back Darren McFadden is the type of explosive player that every GM would want to build around for their franchise.

After a slow start to his career, Run DMC has rattled off nearly 1,800 yards in his last one-plus NFL seasons.

At 6'2" and 210 lbs, he has rare size and speed that is hard to teach at the running back position.

Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Vick

Others considered: DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin

The Eagles signal-caller is the best dual-threat QB in NFL history.

In his career, he has already passed for over 16,000 yards and rushed for over 5,000 yards, while racking up 134 total touchdowns in his eight-plus seasons in the league.

He might just be the most explosive player in the game today.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Wallace

Others considered: Troy Polamalu, Rashard Mendenhall and LaMarr Woodley

This was another tough pick for me.

The Steelers have one of the best safeties in all of football, but they also have one of the fastest players in the game as well in Mike Wallace.

In his third year in the league, Wallace already has over 600 yards through just six games on the season and continues to a very explosive threat for QB Ben Roethlisberger.

San Diego Chargers: Vincent Jackson

Others considered: Ryan Mathews, Shaun Phillips

The Chargers wide receiver is one of the best deep threats in the game.

He's used his 6'5" frame many times throughout his career to help himself haul in high passes from smaller defenders.

The explosive ability of Jackson also helps Philip Rivers to become a better overall QB as well.

San Francisco 49ers: Patrick Willis

Others considered: Frank Gore, Aldon Smith

Willis is considered by many as the best, and most explosive, inside linebacker of his time.

After watching several 49ers game, it just seems like this guy is in on every play.

He's also known for laying the wood, and is one of the hardest-hitting linebackers in the league as well.

Seattle Seahawks: Sidney Rice

Others considered: Marshawn Lynch

Rice was acquired by the Seahawks via free agency to do one thing: make plays in the passing game.

So far, he has done just that in this three games with his new team.

He already has 226 receiving yards and one touchdown grab, while showing off some of the same explosiveness that he had while playing for the Vikings over the past four seasons.

St. Louis Rams: Steven Jackson

Others considered: Chris Long

Doesn't it seem like this guy has been in the league forever?

Well, he has, and he's still as explosive as he was when he was drafted in 2004 by the Rams.

Jackson is not going to win many foot races, but he excels in finding holes in the defense and breaking tackle after tackle as well.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LeGarrette Blount

Others considered: Mike Williams

LaGarrette Blount was not supposed to be as good as he has been through one-plus seasons in the NFL.

The former University of Oregon star punched an opposing player and didn't play another down in his final year at the school in 2009.

However, after going undrafted, he rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie season with the Bucs and is slowly starting to show everyone why they shouldn't have passed on this explosive back.

Tennessee Titans: Chris Johnson

Others considered: None

CJ2K is arguably the fastest running back in the league today.

He had over 2,000 rushing yards back in 2009, and is exciting to watch when he gets in the open field.

Just listen to these comments made by former CBS analyst Gus Johnson about Johnson during one of his touchdown runs in the '09 season.

Washington Redskins: Brandon Banks

Others considered: Santana Moss

Redskins KR/PR Brandon Banks is like Darren Sproles 2.0.

He is only 5'7", 155 lbs, but don't let his small stature fool you into thinking that he is not a very good returner.

In his rookie season, he gave excitement to many 'Skins fans by averaging over 25 yards per kick return and also brought one back to the house in his first year in the league.