Who are the most talented players in the NFL? (1 Viewer)

[mr roboto]

It's easy to look at stats when determining the best FF players. One thing I've heard repeatedly is that Foster is not as talented as his stats reveal. I don't want this to be about Foster. Just using him as an example.

So for the offensive skill positions, who has the most talent?

QB: Manning, Rodgers, Brees, Brady, someone else?

RB: Peterson, Rice, Foster, MJD, someone else?

WR: Calvin, Fitz, Julio, AJ Green, Harvin, someone else?

TE: Gronk, Graham, Hernandez, Gates, someone else?

Also, who's vastly more and less talented than their recent production?

 

[werdnoynek]

It's easy to look at stats when determining the best FF players. One thing I've heard repeatedly is that Foster is not as talented as his stats reveal. I don't want this to be about Foster. Just using him as an example.

So for the offensive skill positions, who has the most talent?

QB: Manning, Rodgers, Brees, Brady, someone else?

RB: Peterson, Rice, Foster, MJD, someone else?

WR: Calvin, Fitz, Julio, Jones, Harvin, someone else?

TE: Gronk, Graham, Hernandez, Gates, someone else?

Also, who's vastly more and less talented than their recent production?

i take it you like julio jones more than aj green huh?

 

[TheFootballJesus]

At running back I'd argue Steven Jackson.

He's put up great fantasy numbers for some time...but imagine him behind a decent passing attack accompanied by an offensive line.

 

[Badgers Fan]

Marcel Reece is #1 at fullback. Incredible weapon.

 

[SproutDaddy]

Tony G is more talented than all those TEs.

 

[SameSongNDance]

Trend Richardson and Jonathan Stewart. Great combination of speed, power and both have good hands.

 

[Drop]

Shady McCoy

 

[asuterlowe]

Look at what Jamaal Charles is doing both in a time share the past years and recently with the ruin of a team around him. How he is excluded in this conversations about RBs confounds me.

Julio is good but AJ Green is on his way to being considered in the same conversation with Megatron. Nicks is one healthy year away from that as well.

 

[mr roboto]

It's easy to look at stats when determining the best FF players. One thing I've heard repeatedly is that Foster is not as talented as his stats reveal. I don't want this to be about Foster. Just using him as an example.

So for the offensive skill positions, who has the most talent?

QB: Manning, Rodgers, Brees, Brady, someone else?

RB: Peterson, Rice, Foster, MJD, someone else?

WR: Calvin, Fitz, Julio, Jones, Harvin, someone else?

TE: Gronk, Graham, Hernandez, Gates, someone else?

Also, who's vastly more and less talented than their recent production?

i take it you like julio jones more than aj green huh?

Fixed

 

[EBF]

A lot of the guys are obvious. You don't have the success that MJD, Brady, Fitzgerald, Wayne, and even Witten have had without freakish talent (which doesn't necessarily = freakish workout numbers or obvious physical traits), but there are some players whose success is at least partially due to system/usage. Apart from the obvious names, here are some rising stars that are situation-proof.

QB - Andrew Luck

RB - Trent Richardson

WR - Demaryius Thomas

Luck and Richardson aren't bold calls. I don't know if the general public really knows how good Thomas is yet. I always liked him coming out of Georgia Tech, but watching him play this season it's clear that he's one of the most gifted WRs in the league. Just an unstoppable athlete because he's ~6'3" 225, but runs and cuts like a 5'11" WR. Put the two traits together and he's destined for long term stardom.

And yea, Jonathan Stewart is an awesome talent. Unfortunate how his career has panned out.

 

[Drop]

Vernon Davis

 

[Run It Up]

In no order.

QB: Brees, Brady, Rodgers, Manning, Newton, RG3

RB: MJD, Rice, SJax, Mccoy, Foster, Charles, Peterson, Sproles

WR: Megatron, Julio, Welker, Nicks, Wallace, Fitzgerald, A. Johnson, A.J. Green,

TE: Gronk, Graham, Hernandez, V. Davis, A. Gates, Gonzo

KR/PR: Hester, Cribbs

DB: E. Berry, P. Chung, E. Reed, T. Polamalu, P. Peterson, D. Revis, C. Bailey, N. Asomugha, A. Samuel

LB: R. Lewis, P. Willis, D. Ware, J. Harrison, B. Cushing, T. Suggs,

DE: J. Peppers, J. Pierre-Paul, J. Allen, M. Williams, J. Tuck, J.J. Watt, H. Ngata, N. Suh, V. Wilfork

 

[otb_lifer]

Laid some coin on a couple Chiefs games this year; Jamaal Charles is fun to watch. Wow. Most electrifying player in the game

.... is kinetic energy a talent? Either way, dude can flat out motor.

 

[Billy Bats]

Shady McCoy

Top 3 in the league.

 

[machineo]

Does talent refer to actual application of athletic ability? Because so far this is a list of the best performers, who are making the most of their talents. Some excel extremely well in a certain area and in a favorable system(Sproles' elusiveness and "foot frequency"), while others are all around physical specimens that have dominated their competition (Andre, Davis). Gonzo is still regarded as a top talent because from his experience, he knows how to always get open in single coverage, and he's a health freak that keeps himself nutritionally in peak form. And of course the superhuman healing of your Adrian Petersons and Jamaal Charles's.

And linemen too, rookie OG Brandon Brooks ran a 4.99s 40 time. He's 6'5, 346 pounds. The 2nd fastest 40 time for a guard came from a guy 50 pounds lighter than him. It was brought up on one of the podcasts during the draft, but I think they (Bloom or Lammey) called it the world theory, where in all the world there's maybe 3 guys who can do what he does at that size.

 

[Sabertooth]

Rodgers, Brady, Brees

Adrian, Arian, McCoy

Calvin, Larry, AJ

Graham, Gronk, Gonzo

 

[Demian]

Shady McCoy

Top 3 in the league.

I don't know about top 3 but he has an uncanny ability to always make the first man miss.

 

[solorca]

QB - Brees

RB - Peterson

WR - Harvin

TE - Vernon

 

[FF Ninja]

This is waaay too fantasy football based. I know these guys are getting a bit old, but AJ and Steven Jackson were stuck in bad situations most of their careers. Easily some of the most talented guys in the NFL. AJ's early career was more like Fitzgerald this year...

Vernon Davis is another guy stuck in a bad situation.

Peterson was a rare combination of top talent in a top situation for most of his career.

 

[mr roboto]

This is waaay too fantasy football based. I know these guys are getting a bit old, but AJ and Steven Jackson were stuck in bad situations most of their careers. Easily some of the most talented guys in the NFL. AJ's early career was more like Fitzgerald this year...Vernon Davis is another guy stuck in a bad situation.Peterson was a rare combination of top talent in a top situation for most of his career.

Then give us some underproducing highly talented examples.

 

[Ryan99]

Peyton Manning. As good as he's been on paper, he's so much more talented than that. He was basically running the offense in Indy for years. When he was on Indy he arguably did more than any other QB ever in the NFL, and while he was doing all that extra work he managed to win 4 MVPs and a Super Bowl.

It's amazing to me how much more athletic Jamaal Charles is than the guys trying to tackle him. Some of the best athletes in the world and he makes them look terrible.

As an Eagles fan, I think Trent Cole is criminally underrated (although he's started to get more recognition in the past year or two). The guy gets held on every single play and still manages to lead his team in sacks most years, and he's good against the run as well (unlike someone like Babin or Jared Allen).

 

[Stitch]

RG3

 

[Drop]

DeSean Jackson

 

[Drop]

This is waaay too fantasy football based. I know these guys are getting a bit old, but AJ and Steven Jackson were stuck in bad situations most of their careers. Easily some of the most talented guys in the NFL. AJ's early career was more like Fitzgerald this year...Vernon Davis is another guy stuck in a bad situation.Peterson was a rare combination of top talent in a top situation for most of his career.

Then give us some underproducing highly talented examples.

Terrell PryorTed Ginn Jr

 

[Run It Up]

This is waaay too fantasy football based. I know these guys are getting a bit old, but AJ and Steven Jackson were stuck in bad situations most of their careers. Easily some of the most talented guys in the NFL. AJ's early career was more like Fitzgerald this year...Vernon Davis is another guy stuck in a bad situation.Peterson was a rare combination of top talent in a top situation for most of his career.

Then give us some underproducing highly talented examples.

Terrell PryorTed Ginn Jr

Danny WoodheadCJ2K, lol

 

[donkshow]

SJAX. His talent deserves a ring.

 

[FF Ninja]

This is waaay too fantasy football based. I know these guys are getting a bit old, but AJ and Steven Jackson were stuck in bad situations most of their careers. Easily some of the most talented guys in the NFL. AJ's early career was more like Fitzgerald this year...Vernon Davis is another guy stuck in a bad situation.Peterson was a rare combination of top talent in a top situation for most of his career.

Then give us some underproducing highly talented examples.

I thought that I did AJ is currently being under utilized but he's still a top talent. Jackson doesn't look like he's slowed down, either. Vernon Davis is putting up decent numbers but they'd be better if he was fully utilized.

 

[Assani Fisher]

The correlation between top FF producers and top overall talents is strong enough that imo most people are already well aware of who the most talented players are. However, if you're asking what skillset(s) are underrated, then blocking is a big one. For example, most FF owners keep crying about "Why doesn't CJ Spiller get more carries" ignoring that Fred Jackson is one of the best blocking RBs in the NFL while Spiller is below average.

 

[Bruno2]

I always thought Brandon Lloyd was one of the more talented WRs in the league. He never seems to get enough credit for his hands. Going back to his days with SF, he's made some incredible catches throughout the years. Every year he seems to make the highlight reels with a circus catch or two, the guy has some serious skills.

 

[Yolkix]

Under Performing but extremely talented:

Steven Jackson, Andre Johnson, Larry Fitz (yes he is doing solid right now but in the right situation his numbers would be right there with Calvin last year imo), Antonio Gates (this one is really pretty puzzling because he actually looks good out there to me, I think he gets it going soon).

 

[Khy]

Every person that hasn't said Percy Harvin is not paying attention. In terms of pure talent at any position? The kid is a freak, has has to be the most dynamic player I see in the NFL right now. He can do so many things and all of them he does at levels most people being mentioned here can barely perform at. He has speed, agility, quicks, can break tackles, can run routes, has great hands, one of the best return men in the league. The guy literally can do whatever the Vikings ask him to do at a Top 5 level. It's unbelievable. I wouldn't be shocked if the kid could play corner pretty effectively too.

 

[just_want_2_win]

Every person that hasn't said Percy Harvin is not paying attention. In terms of pure talent at any position? The kid is a freak, has has to be the most dynamic player I see in the NFL right now. He can do so many things and all of them he does at levels most people being mentioned here can barely perform at. He has speed, agility, quicks, can break tackles, can run routes, has great hands, one of the best return men in the league. The guy literally can do whatever the Vikings ask him to do at a Top 5 level. It's unbelievable. I wouldn't be shocked if the kid could play corner pretty effectively too.

Excellent post. I was going to say some of this. Harvin gets my vote as far as offensive players go. And we're only thinking WRs, QBs, RBs, TEs. OL, DL, LB, K, etc. -- lots of incredible talent there, too.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

Patrick Peterson... incredible at 6'0, 220 lbs that he ran an official 4.34 forty at the combine. He is developing as an elite DB, but he has unreal return ability too. He had some huge returns last year, scoring on 5 of them, as he broke tackles, spun off guys and out runs others. He has to be up there.

 

[bostonfred]

I believe talent is separate from skill. Michael vick is probably the most talented qb in the nfl, but he is not the most skilled. If vick could learn how to run an offense like brady and manning, learn how to read defenses and adjust plays at the line of scrimage and manage the clock and all those things, he would be better than they were. Imagine if manning or brady had his wheels and still had that arm strength.

Similarly Id take size over talent if I had to pick a defensive lineman. You can line up an o line of karate champions and ill take the sumo wrestlers. Albert haynesworth had the size, talent and skill, but his desire faded, and he was also kind of a jerk.

Randy moss was enormously talented, and well skilled, but didn't have enough want to. Terrell owens was talented, skilled and had the desire, but he just didn't get how to be a good teammate. Wes welker is not as talented, but he's very skilled, has all the desire in the world and is a great teammate, but he's not on their level because of the size and talent disparities.

If I were going to pick one guy who has all of those things, it would be fitzgerald. He's probably the best combination of talent, size, desire, skill and leadership. But if we are talking about the best talent, and only talent, I probably go with vick. I just don't remember anyone who could move like he did, and had the arm strength, and still had the elusiveness. Its a shame we will never see the best version of what he could have become.

 

[Abspara]

K: Greg Zuerlein

 

[coolnerd]

JJ Watt

 

[Chazzhawk]

Going with guys that aren't on the fantasy radar.

Julian Edelman

Marcel Reece

James Casey

Clay Harbor

Joel Dressen

Devin Hester

Tim Tebow, not as a quarterback though

Danny Woodhead

Percy Harvin even though he is on the radar, he just does so much.

 

[BoltBacker]

Patrick Peterson... incredible at 6'0, 220 lbs that he ran an official 4.34 forty at the combine. He is developing as an elite DB, but he has unreal return ability too. He had some huge returns last year, scoring on 5 of them, as he broke tackles, spun off guys and out runs others. He has to be up there.

That's the guy that jumps off the screen to me as well. Another guy that most people probably don't realize is playing at an elite level is Donald Butler of SD. When he's playing great they win, when he's only playing solid they lose so far this season.

 

[Bri]

<br />Laid some coin on a couple Chiefs games this year; Jamaal Charles is fun to watch. Wow. Most electrifying player in the game  <img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/thumbup1.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='<img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/thumbup1.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=' ' />' /><br /><br />.... is kinetic energy a talent?   <img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/shrug2.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='<img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/shrug2.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=' ' />' />   Either way, dude can flat out motor.<br />

<br /><br /><br />more than mccluster?<br />I think those two are both exciting...just askin

 

[mr roboto]

<br />Laid some coin on a couple Chiefs games this year; Jamaal Charles is fun to watch. Wow. Most electrifying player in the game  <img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/thumbup1.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='<img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/thumbup1.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=' ' />' /><br /><br />.... is kinetic energy a talent?   <img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/shrug2.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='<img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/shrug2.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=' ' />' />   Either way, dude can flat out motor.<br />

<br /><br /><br />more than mccluster?<br />I think those two are both exciting...just askin

What the hell happened here?

 

[Native]

QB: Aaron Rodgers

RB: Deangelo Williams

WR: Calvin Johnson

TE: Jared Cook

 

[Nucker101]

As of right now...

QB: Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck

RB: Arian Foster, Ray Rice, Maurice Jones-Drew, LeSean McCoy, Darren McFadden, C.J. Spiller

WR: Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Julio Jones, Percy Harvin

TE: Vernon Davis, Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham

Defense: J.J. Watt, Ndamukong Suh, Patrick Willis, DeMarcus Ware, Ed Reed, Patrick Peterson, Darrelle Revis

No particular order, but those guys all stand out to me.

 

[Bri]

<br />Laid some coin on a couple Chiefs games this year; Jamaal Charles is fun to watch. Wow. Most electrifying player in the game <img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/thumbup1.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='<img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/thumbup1.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=' ' />' /><br /><br />.... is kinetic energy a talent? <img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/shrug2.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='<img src='http://forumimages.footballguys.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/shrug2.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=' ' />' /> Either way, dude can flat out motor.<br />

<br /><br /><br />more than mccluster?<br />I think those two are both exciting...just askin

What the hell happened here?

I don't know. Got all this HTML code jumbled injust clicked reply like always

 

[Bri]

Every person that hasn't said Percy Harvin is not paying attention. In terms of pure talent at any position? The kid is a freak, has has to be the most dynamic player I see in the NFL right now. He can do so many things and all of them he does at levels most people being mentioned here can barely perform at. He has speed, agility, quicks, can break tackles, can run routes, has great hands, one of the best return men in the league. The guy literally can do whatever the Vikings ask him to do at a Top 5 level. It's unbelievable. I wouldn't be shocked if the kid could play corner pretty effectively too.

Cobb can do all that and play QB too

 

[Bri]

I believe talent is separate from skill. Michael vick is probably the most talented qb in the nfl, but he is not the most skilled. If vick could learn how to run an offense like brady and manning, learn how to read defenses and adjust plays at the line of scrimage and manage the clock and all those things, he would be better than they were. Imagine if manning or brady had his wheels and still had that arm strength. Similarly Id take size over talent if I had to pick a defensive lineman. You can line up an o line of karate champions and ill take the sumo wrestlers. Albert haynesworth had the size, talent and skill, but his desire faded, and he was also kind of a jerk. Randy moss was enormously talented, and well skilled, but didn't have enough want to. Terrell owens was talented, skilled and had the desire, but he just didn't get how to be a good teammate. Wes welker is not as talented, but he's very skilled, has all the desire in the world and is a great teammate, but he's not on their level because of the size and talent disparities.If I were going to pick one guy who has all of those things, it would be fitzgerald. He's probably the best combination of talent, size, desire, skill and leadership. But if we are talking about the best talent, and only talent, I probably go with vick. I just don't remember anyone who could move like he did, and had the arm strength, and still had the elusiveness. Its a shame we will never see the best version of what he could have become.

Well said.Years ago when Titans were the top D for much of the year, Haynesworth hunting down Reggie Wayne or Greg Jennings and tackling them from behind would surely be enough to make ya wonder. I doubt I'll ever see a 350lb DT do that again. That right there was LT like.College affects my view of "talent" in the NFL. I mentioned Cobb and...his ability to do just about anything and do it well is uncanny-a WR, RB, QB, returnman. It makes you think.I think it's the Pats and Jackie Slater's son. Didn't he switch from WR to DB in the NFL a while back. That doesn't seem too great.The Texans have a former college QB and NFL TE, now playing FB. That's impressive but it makes me think what's the difference between well-rounded and talented.Back to Cobb, in college he looked like a RB or QB or WR. He filled the roles in a very unique way, not like some out of position player. That takes an extremely high level of understanding of the game, but then I'm onto knowledge not talent.It's very tricky.Randall running around, throwing off one leg, leaping, throwing darts and touch passes, doing everything a QB can do...then adding punting to that...that's gotta be talent. IF IF IF Cobb plays a couple downs at QB and a handful at RB, I'm probably going to roll with him as most talented.I had a post earlier quoted poorly with some HTML code mixed in for some weird reason. I was asking if Charles seems more exciting than McCluster. Both those guys are "something else" if they get space. Dante Hall will forever be my favorite player "in space" but those two are excellent.

 

[Buffaloes]

Champ Bailer, Von Miller, JJ Watt