NFL Offensive Player Rankings, Week 16: Building the AFC 2024 Pro Bowl Games roster on offense

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense have evolved under coordinator Todd Monken. Depending on what the situation calls for, the recently paid quarterback can sling it 50 times in a given contest or help the rush attack carry the game plan. Leading his team to 11 wins with three games remaining, Jackson is just 21 yards short of his previous season high for pass yards (3,127), and he leads both the Ravens and NFL quarterbacks in rushing yards with 741. He is an MVP candidate and has Baltimore among the favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, thanks to his ability to elevate the offense in every way. Tua Tagovailoa has never looked better. He is at the center of a dynamic Dolphins offense that ranks first in passing offense, total offense and scoring offense, and he’s done an exceptional job getting the ball into the hands of his playmakers. Tagovailoa currently paces the NFL with a 71.0 completion percentage and 3,921 passing yards, but most importantly, he has stayed healthy enough to help lead the team to the top of the AFC East (the Dolphins can clinch the division in Week 16) and double-digit wins for the first time since 2020. The Bills have had a bumpy season and are now scratching and clawing for a playoff spot, but Josh Allen has played some of his best football in 2023, notably since Joe Brady was named offensive coordinator in November. In four games with Brady calling plays, Allen’s Bills have averaged nearly 30 points. He has also set the record for the most games with at least one pass TD and one rush TD in a single season in NFL history, with 10, per NFL Research — and there’s still time to add to that total.

The second of four Dolphins in this list, Raheem Mostert has had a somewhat surprising 2023; he’s on the precipice of reaching 1,000 rushing yards in a season for the first time in his nine-year career, and he leads the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns — four more than he had in all prior years combined. He’s shared the backfield with multiple backs (De’Von Achane, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Salvon Ahmed) this season but has proven to be most reliable, especially in the red zone. Hey — a player not named Josh Allen is leading the charge for the Bills on the ground! James Cook‘s 221 scrimmage yards against Dallas extended his streak of games with 100-plus scrimmage yards to five. He currently ranks second in the league in rush yards (968), thanks to an impressive stretch over the last two months. With Cook performing this way, the Bills have a real chance to go deep in the postseason — that is, if they make it in. Gus Edwards leads the Ravens’ top-ranked rushing attack in carries (163) and rushing touchdowns (11). If they are near the goal line, No. 35 is likely getting the rock. 

Patrick Ricard has played the most offensive snaps of any AFC fullback (373). While that puts him on track to finish with the fewest in a season since 2020, the four-time Pro Bowler has played a huge role in helping the Ravens become the top-ranked rushing unit. 

Even after missing Week 15 with an ankle injury, Tyreek Hill sits atop the NFL ranks in receiving yards (1,542) and TDs (12). His speed is always on display; 601 of his total receiving yards have come after the catch (most in the league). Hill has talked about reaching 2,000 yards ad nauseum, but to do so, he’ll need to average about 153 yards over the last three games — then again, he’s surpassed that mark five times in 2023. The Cincinnati Bengals have been on quite the roller coaster ride in 2023, but there’s no doubt (at least to me) that the most consistent player on the team has been Ja’Marr Chase. Even after missing time last week with a shoulder injury, Chase ranks seventh in the league in receiving yards (1,156) and seventh in catches (93) and is tied for eighth in TDs (seven). He has been instrumental in the Bengals’ late-season push to the playoffs; whether or not the shoulder injury costs him time will be critical to Cincinnati’s success. Courtland Sutton has come on strong after a slow start to the season. He has posted at least one TD in 10 games — tied for the most with Tyreek Hill and Mike Evans — while also leading the Broncos in targets (85), catches (58), receiving yards (770) and receiving TDs (10). The Colts have surged toward a playoff spot after winning five of their last six games. Two of Michael Pittman Jr.’s three 100-yard games this season came during that stretch. Accounting for 32.2 percent of the team’s receptions this season, second-highest in the NFL, Pittman has elevated a pass game with a backup quarterback and helped open up space for his teammates to shine, setting franchise records along the way.

This has been in no way, shape or form one of Travis Kelce’s best seasons — well, unless you count his popularity. Regardless, he is the top performing tight end in the NFL, with 924 receiving yards — meaning he’s just 76 shy of reaching the 1,000-yard mark for the eighth consecutive season. David Njoku is reaching new heights in Year 7. In Cleveland’s win over Chicago, he recorded a career-high 10 receptions and caught his fifth touchdown of the year — also a single-season career high. With Joe Flacco taking over under center, Njoku has hauled in three TDs in his last two games, the most in a two-game span in his career. 

The Indianapolis Colts boast Pro Football Focus’ seventh-best offensive line through 15 weeks. A big part of their success in the trenches has been the play of tackles Bernhard Raimann and Braden Smith. Protecting the blind sides of both Anthony Richardson and Gardner Minshew this season, Raimann has a pass block proficiency of 96.7 percent across his 489 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF. Smith, who has missed six games due to a knee injury, has played well when healthy, earning PFF’s eighth-highest overall grade (80.8) and second-highest run-blocking grade (86.9) among tackles. He hasn’t allowed a sack on 264 pass-blocking snaps. Though Morgan Moses has struggled a bit of late, he has primarily been a consistent presence in Baltimore’s front in 2023, helping pave the way for an offense that ranks first in rushing and fifth in overall yards. 

The Kansas City passing attack hasn’t been as electric as it typically is in the Patrick Mahomes era, but it’s not because of Joe Thuney. The three-time Super Bowl champion has earned an 88.2 pass-blocking grade from PFF over the past four weeks (third among all O-lineman) and holds the top pass-blocking grade (84.3) among guards through 15 weeks. Greg Van Roten has been the Raiders’ top offensive lineman in 2023, thanks to his exceptional pass blocking. His 80.6 pass-blocking grade ranks third among guards this season. Robert Hunt snags the final spot here, as he has been a very consistent player for Miami when healthy. He has missed four games this season but has thrived when on the field, allowing just one sack in nearly 300 pass-blocking snaps and earning the eighth-highest run-blocking grade among guards, per PFF.

Connor Williams’ season-ending injury is a huge blow to Miami’s interior offensive line — and to his chances at making the Pro Bowl for the first time in his six-year career. Creed Humphrey, a Pro Bowler in his 2021 rookie season, has once again played well for the Chiefs. He hasn’t been great at any one thing, but he has been equally solid as a run- and pass-blocker, earning an overall grade from PFF 80.5, fifth-highest among centers this season. The third Colts’ offensive lineman on this list, Ryan Kelly, has posted the top pass-blocking grade (79.2) among centers through 15 weeks thanks to the fact that he has allowed zero sacks on 401 pass-blocking snaps.