Jordan has been an elite defensive lineman for a while now, but his stats finally started to reflect it in 2017. The 13 sacks were a career-best, and even when he wasn’t taking down the quarterback, he was causing havoc — his 11 passes defended are a testament to that. He even added a defensive touchdown. He’s really come into his own as one of the NFL’s best, and was a big part of New Orleans’s improved defensive unit.
Limited by erratic quarterback play early in his career, Hopkins showed last season what he can do when he was catching passes from another playmaker, Desean Watson (at least on a limited basis). Hopkins led the NFL with 13 touchdown receptions, and he averaged roughly 92 yards per game, meaning he wasn’t just catching a few short passes. Six of those 13 touchdowns were receptions of at least 25 yards. He has four touchdowns of 50-plus yards in his career. We can’t wait to see what his stats look like when he gets a full season to work with Watson.
Another double-digit sack season is in the books for Mack, who remains one of the most disruptive defensive players in the game. His 2017 wasn’t quite as good as his 2016, but he did have 61 tackles and 10.5 sacks, so even a step back was not to be dismissed. A return to his 2016 numbers, when he forced five fumbles, is certainly within the realm of possibility.
Few players had more to do with the Saints’ turnaround than Kamara. His 6.1 rushing yards per carry led the NFL. He had eight rushing touchdowns and five more receiving. He had a 106-yard kick return touchdown. He is the rare triple threat, capable of changing a game on special teams, on the ground, and through the air. There might not be a more exciting player in the league.
As exciting as Kamara is as an all-around player, Tyreek Hill may have him slightly beat. As a rookie in 2016, we saw Hill score touchdowns as a rusher, receiver, kick returner and punt returner. He scored 12 total touchdowns in 2016 despite not being a primary receiving or rushing option for the Chiefs, which is truly incredible. Last season he was used much more often as a receiver, and he caught 75 passes for 1,183 yards and seven touchdowns. And though he no longer returned kicks, he continued to return some punts and had one for a touchdown.
You can’t leave Mr. Hail Mary off a list of impact playmakers. If you ever doubted his importance to the Packers — and you shouldn’t — their struggles after he got hurt last year should put that aside. Now healthy, another 4,000-yard season is well within reach, and 30 touchdowns should be easy. The fact that he got to 16 last season despite playing in just seven games while backup Brett Hundley could only manage nine in 11 shows you just how much he makes the offense better.
Jones’ numbers went from otherworldly to merely great in 2017. It still meant over 1,400 yards receiving, but with just three touchdowns, defenses kept him out of the end zone more effectively. That doesn’t change anything about his skillset. Jones has a rare mix of size and athleticism that allow him to make amazing catches. He appears poised for another big season — provided he and the Falcons can sort out his contract issue.
The Seahawks as a team may have taken something of a step back, but this certainly hasn’t happened to Wilson himself. He fell just 17 yards short of his third consecutive 4,000-yard passing season, but he still led the league with 34 touchdown passes. The unpredictability remains as it ever was, with his 586 rushing yards coming in as the second best tally of his career, adding three touchdowns on the ground. He was an MVP candidate for a reason.
2) Antonio Brown, Steelers
Brown reclaimed his spot atop the receiving yardage charts in 2017, eclipsing the 1,500-yard mark for the third time in his illustrious career. His nine touchdowns only strengthened his resume. He’s Ben Roethlisberger’s favorite target, and although his reputation as a playmaker would take a bit of a hit if the Steelers play it safe with his punt return duties, his credentials are well-established. He makes all the catches you need him to, and sometimes they’re spectacular.
1) Odell Beckham Jr., Giants
Beckham’s career is so frustrating for so many reasons. He’s dealt with health problems. He’s had issues with his conduct both on and off the field. It is also a simple fact that he is a freak of nature capable of making some of the best grabs you’ll ever see on a football field. We can only help that he puts the noise aside and stays healthy, because if he can do that, he’ll probably reassert why he deserves his spot atop this list.
