NFL 2022: The top 10 most important players as league prepares for compelling new season
The NFL has a unique system where one player is bigger than the team. The most important players of the 2022 season are quarterbacks. Stats Perform ranks the most influential players. It is estimated that the top 10 players will have a defining influence on the campaign.
Robert Hainsey will replace Ryan Jensen as the center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. Ryan's injury last month was a blow to the team's hopes of reclaiming the Lombardi Trophy. Hainssey was drafted in the third round in 2021. He played only 29 snaps as a rookie. Tom Brady has enjoyed a great relationship with Jensen in his two seasons in Tampa.
Nick Chubb is the most important player in the NFL. He is a running back for the Cleveland Browns. Deshaun Watson is suspended for first 11 games. Jacoby Brissett will start at quarterback for them. Chubbs was third in yards before contact per rush and 10th in after contact. The Browns finished second in rushing yards last season. They have Super Bowl aspirations. They will play the Miami Dolphins next season, but Brisett has a poor record as a starter.
A.J. Brown was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round. He played for the Tennessee Titans for three seasons. The Eagles are looking to make Jalen Hurts their franchise quarterback. Brown will be under pressure to succeed with the loaded offense. His biggest challenge will probably be avoiding injury. It is a good time to be a wide receiver. There are many teams looking for a new quarterback this year. Philadelphia is one of them.
Davante Adams signed a five-year, $141.25m contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. He is reuniting with college quarterback Derek Carr. Adams is second in receiving yards (3,924) and touchdowns (34) over the past three seasons. Last season he was fifth in burn yards per route ( 3.5) among receivers with a minimum of 100 targets.
Aaron Donald is the most important player in the NFL. Los Angeles Rams' star quarterback Matthew Stafford is injured and may miss the start of the season. Donald's impact is similar to that of Stafford. Rams play in NFC West division with San Francisco 49ers. Donald led all defensive tackles in pressure rate (28.1%) and run disruption rate (37.2%) last season, but he is also as impactful as Stafford when it comes to deciding games.
Von Miller signed a six-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. Miller has 115.5 sacks since entering the league in 2011. His stunt-adjusted pass rush win rate of 43.4% was the fifth-highest among edge rushers with at least 100 one on one matchups. The Bills can be confident Josh Allen and the offense will put them in a position to contend. It is Miller's addition to a defense with few holes that may be the move to get them over the top.
Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs. Tyreek Hill was traded to the Miami Dolphins. The Chiefs will have to replace Hill's impact. Mahomens will need to adapt to a new defensive scheme. The team won the AFC Championship Game last season. They averaged 283.6 net passing yards per game in the final five weeks. It was the fourth-most in NFL. Their performance hit a speed bump in second half of AFC title game.
Lamar Jackson is the Baltimore Ravens' starting quarterback. He is an unrestricted free agent in 2023 unless he and the Ravens agree on a contract extension. Jackson's success in harnessing the dual-threat upside will decide if the team returns to prominence in the AFC after the frustration of 2021. If Jackson performs close to his MVP season, he could be the highest-paid player in NFL by a massive margin in 2022.
Aaron Rodgers signed a three-year, $150.8m deal with the Green Bay Packers. He will play without his top receiver, Adam Adams. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are the new receivers. The Packers built up their defense in the draft. Rodgers has no excuse. He is 38 years old and his time to win a second Super Bowl is running out. NFL 2022: The top 10 most important players as league prepares for compelling new season.
Trey Lance will take over the San Francisco 49ers' offense. The team traded three first-round picks to the Dolphins to move up to third in the 2021 draft to select Lance. Lance has only made two starts in his career, but he has a good combination of efficiency and accuracy. San Fran's offense finished the season first in Efficiency Versus Expected. Jimmy Garoppolo had eight pass plays of 40 yards or more across 15 games in 2021. The 49er's roster is filled with Pro Bowlers on offense and the defense. If Lance is successful, the team could become Super Bowl favourites.
