Projecting the most explosive NFL offenses, from first to worst

What's not to like about the Chiefs offense? With 2018 MVP and reigning Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes leading the way, Kansas City is never out of a game. Speedy wide receiver Tyreek Hill stretches the field, and tight end Travis Kelce has been named an All-Pro two of the last four years. The Chiefs also just added versatile running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire to their backfield. In the playoffs, Kansas City became the first team to orchestrate three double-digit comebacks in the same postseason. And with coach Andy Reid at the helm, the sky is the limit with this offense in the 2020s.

It took a truly special Chiefs offense to push the Ravens down to No. 2. Reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes and set a new record for a quarterback with 1,206 rushing yards. He accounted for 43 total touchdowns and averaged 6.9 yards per carry. He alone makes the Ravens a dangerous offense, but their commitment to the ground game gives them an argument for the top spot. The Ravens averaged 206 rushing yards per contest last season, which was also a new NFL record. Running back Mark Ingram and tight end Mark Andrews are perfect complements to the star quarterback. The continued development of receiver Marquise Brown and the arrival of rookie back J.K. Dobbins could give this unit the opportunity to be just as good, if not better, than last year.

While the Chiefs and Ravens are relatively new members to the top-three group, the Saints have been here for years. Quarterback Drew Brees is annually among the leaders in completion percentage and yards per attempt as one of the most efficient signal-callers ever. Brees isn't racking up the yards like he used to because of fewer attempts, but the Saints running game has improved dramatically over the last few years. Running back Alvin Kamara has averaged 5.0 yards per carry and scored 37 touchdowns in 45 regular-season games during his career. Michael Thomas is one of the three best receivers in the league and posted a record-setting 149 catches with an NFL high 1,725 receiving yards last year. Add in Sean Payton's wrinkle of Taysom Hill coming off the bench to run the pass-option or trick plays, and the Saints own the most dangerous offense in the NFC.

The team with the offense closest to the Saints in the NFC, though, is quite possible in the same division: the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay was ranked in the top four in yards, passing yards and points last season, and then this winter, the Buccaneers replaced Jameis Winston with Tom Brady. Turning 43 in August, Brady is definitely not the same quarterback he was three years ago, but he will have every opportunity to prove he can still compete for a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay offers him top receiver Mike Evans, who's posted six straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons to start his career, and Chris Godwin, who quietly recorded 86 catches, 1,333 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2019. The icing on the cake is Tampa Bay trading for Brady's old reliable tight end, Rob Gronkowski, who is coming out of retirement. The Buccaneers figure to be just as explosive as last year without the bonehead mistakes from Winston. With Brady behind center instead, Tampa Bay might average one fewer giveaway per game in 2020.

The Cowboys were a lethal running team with a game manager at quarterback early in the Ezekiel Elliott-Dak Prescott era, but Prescott shredded that label in 2019. Prescott passed for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions. More importantly, his yards per attempt jumped from 7.4 in 2018 (it was 6.8 in 2017) to 8.2 last season. A big part of that increase is receiver Amari Cooper, who has become a star since arriving in Dallas, and he isn't going anywhere after signing a huge deal this offseason. Opposite Cooper, Michael Gallup is developing nicely, and the team added first-round pick CeeDee Lamb to the mix. With Elliott and still a good offensive line to boot, Dallas can pound the rock with the best of them.

The San Francisco offense doesn't have the same name recognition across the country that the top five offenses do on out list, but the 49ers could easily finish the 2020 season as a top five offense. That's because Jimmy Garoppolo is still getting better, and coach Kyle Shanahan is brilliant at using the "lesser-known" talent on his roster. Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert and Matt Breida combined to make up the second-best rushing offense in 2019. Coleman and Mostert will be back along with Jerick McKinnon. The 49ers also added first-round receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the mix with 2019 second-rounder Deebo Samuel. But what really stirs the drink in the 49ers offense is tight end George Kittle, who made his first All-Pro team last year, recording his second straight season with at least 85 catches, 1,000 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

The Falcons aren't quite the same lethal offensive unit as when Matt Ryan won MVP and took the team to the Super Bowl, but their offense has the potential to be a top-five group. Even at 31, Julio Jones remains one of the best wide receivers in the league. Last season, he registered 99 receptions and 1,394 receiving yards in 15 games. The emergence of fellow receiver Calvin Ridley gives the Falcons two wideouts with the talent to reach 1,200 receiving yards. Ryan can still sling it with the best of them too. He's posted nine straight 4,000-yard passing seasons, but he needs more help from his running game and offensive line. Ryan has been sacked 90 times the last two years. Atlanta hopes its focus on offensive line the last two offseasons, and Todd Gurley can help the Falcons become a top-three offense again.

Seattle makes the top 10 on our list for one main reason: Russell Wilson. He's posted three straight years with at least 30 touchdown passes, and last year, he threw a career-low five interceptions. He also recorded another campaign with 8.0 yards per pass. Throw in the fact he's good for 300 yards rushing and a few more rushing touchdowns each year, and Wilson is a bona fide MVP candidate The rest of the unit, though, is improving dramatically to complement its quarterback. Running back Chris Carson rushed for 1,230 yards last year, and rookie wideout D.K. Metcalf emerged as a legit playmaker opposite fellow receiver Tyler Lockett. Seattle added a few pieces to its offensive line and veteran tight end Greg Olsen this offseason to give the unit more "oomph."

Talk about a unit that is ranked in our top 10 primarily because of one player, that's Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Of course, Green Bay also has wide receiver Davante Adams and running back Aaron Jones, but with an MVP candidate and future Hall of Fame quarterback in his prime, the Packers offense arguably should be higher than No. 9. But the unit lacks the depth it had from 2010-14 to be considered a truly elite offense. Green Bay chose to add quarterback Jordan Love in the first round rather than another playmaker. Second-round choice A.J. Dillon will join Jones and Jamaal Williams in the backfield, but it's not obvious who will be the Green Bay No. 2 receiver, and the Packers don't have a major playmaking tight end.

This unit will feel the loss of wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who was shipped to Buffalo this winter. That move almost knocked the Vikings offense outside our top 10, but Minnesota will replace Diggs with rookie Justin Jefferson, and there's so much else to like with the unit. Quarterback Kirk Cousins didn't reach 4,000 yards for the first time as a starter in his career last year, but he was far more efficient with 26 touchdowns vs. only six interceptions and 8.1 yards per pass. He also may have exercised some demons by winning a playoff game on the road last season. Even without Diggs, the Vikings have a top receiver in Adam Thielen, who will be looking to rebound from injury. He made the Pro Bowl with a pair of 1,000-year seasons in 2017 and 2018. But the health of Dalvin Cook is the biggest key to the Minnesota offense, as he rushed for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns during his third season last fall.

This is probably our biggest surprise so far. The Cardinals finished 21st in offensive yards and 17th in points last season. However, former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray should continue to develop and make the unit better. Plus, he will now throw passes to three-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins. Over the last three years, Hopkins has 315 receptions, 4,115 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns. He's every bit the No. 1 receiver Murray needs on the outside, and he should draw so much attention, that other targets such as Christian Kirk and Larry Fitzgerald will have an easier time finding holes in the opposing defense. Arizona lost running back David Johnson in the trade for Hopkins, but the Cardinals will still have fellow back Kenyan Drake. Murray is arguably the team's most dangerous runner anyway.

Here's another unit that was below average in 2019, but due to the help of free agency, the Colts offense has a chance to become a top 10 unit in 2020 because of the arrival of Philip Rivers. The future Hall of Fame quarterback experienced a rough 2019 with 20 interceptions. He's done that before, though, and always bounced back the next season with a much better year. The question in 2020 is whether Rivers can do that again at 38 years old, but Indianapolis has the pieces for Rivers to prove he can. Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton has been a deep threat for most of his career, and he's looking to bounce back in 2020 as well. The Colts also added running back Jonathan Taylor to a backfield that already features Marlon Mack and Nyheim Hines. Rivers won't have to worry about the Indianapolis offense line either, which has improved tremendously in recent years mostly behind All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson.

Philadelphia's offense has a lot of pieces to like, but it appears to still be missing that one key ingredient to take it to the next level. The Eagles are hoping that is veteran receiver DeSean Jackson, who even at 33, can still be among the league leaders in yards per reception. Jackson was injured for almost all of last season, so he only finished one game, but during that contest, he posted eight catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Wideout Alshon Jeffery is still a reliable possession receiver, and running back Miles Sanders became a pleasant surprise with 818 rushing yards as a rookie last year. Of course, the team's best weapon is Zach Ertz, who has at least 74 catches and 800 yards in five straight seasons. Quarterback Carson Went still isn't back to his pre-2017 injury form, but there's reason to hope he's close. Pinning the offense's hopes on a 34-year-old receiver isn't the best plan, but Jackson really can still be a significant difference marker and take the Eagles offense to the next tier in 2020.

Go figure that the Lions are a better offensive team than defensive despite having former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as head coach, but that's where Detroit is entering 2020. Quarterback Matthew Stafford played in only half the 2019 season, but at the midway point, he was nearly on pace for 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns. With him behind center, the Lions went 3-4-1. Without him, they were 0-8. Clearly, Stafford's health is the biggest concern for the Lions offense and the team, but he as much to work with at this point as any other time in his career. Wide receiver Kenny Golladay has emerged as a legit top wideout, and Marvin Jones along with Danny Amendola are nice complements in the passing attack. Plus, over the last three drafts, Detroit has added backs Kerryon Johnson, D'Andre Swift and Bo Scarbrough and tight end T.J. Hockenson. It will be fun to see this group's potential if a majority of the players stay healthy.

The Steelers offense went from a perennial top-five group to a bottom-five unit in the matter of about a year. Pittsburgh first lost running back Le'Veon Bell to a holdout, receiver Antonio Brown to trade demands and then quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to injury. The good news, though, is the Steelers will get back "Big Ben." Assuming he's healthy and with the replacements for Brown and Bell, the Pittsburgh offense has the potential to be a good group in 2020. Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is looking for a huge bounce back season in a contract year, while running back James Conner is hoping to stay healthy as well. If Conner struggles, the Steelers have depth to turn to in the backfield, including new fourth-round pick Anthony McFarland Jr. Pittsburgh also added second-round wide receiver Chase Claypool and tight end Eric Ebron this offseason. Both should be great red-zone targets for Roethlisberger.

It's a real shame the Texans are this low because Deshaun Watson is a terrific player. He figures to be an MVP candidate for the next decade, but without receiver DeAndre Hopkins, quantity and not quality as his replacement at wideout and a pair of solid but not explosive veteran running backs, Houston's offensive ceiling appears to be at about league average. To fill the void from the Hopkins trade, the Texans acquired Brandin Cooks, Kenny Stills and Randall Cobb. At one point, they were all underappreciated wideouts, but only Cobb posted more than 600 receiving yards last year with 828. They'll have to work together to replace an All-Pro wideout. In return for Hopkins, the Texans landed David Johnson, but pairing him with Carlos Hyde is more of the same — quantity over quality. Johnson rushed for 345 yards last year and hasn't averaged more than 4.0 yards per carry since 2016. Hyde is coming off his first 1,000-yard season, but he's not explosive, as he's averaged 4.1 yards per rush in his career and turns 30 in September. It will be up to Watson to move the Texans offense each and every week.

Major question marks kept the Titans just outside our top half, but if those are answered, Tennessee could have the best offense in the AFC South. The first question is what quarterback Ryan Tannehill does for an encore during his first full season as a starter with the Titans. He went 7-3 with a 70.3 completion percentage, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions while averaging a league-leading 9.6 yards per attempt. Outside of last year, Tannehill has averaged 7.0 yards per pass through his career, so if he drops back to that career norm, the Titans offense looks a lot different. His top playmaking receiver, A.J. Brown, will go a long way to making sure that doesn't happen. He posted 20.2 yards per reception and eight touchdowns as a rookie last year and could be due for even more as a second-year player and with Tannehill throwing him passes from Week 1. Of course, running back Derrick Henry will be back too. He's a flashback to the bell cows of yesteryear, as he wears down defenses as the game goes. Henry led the NFL with 1,540 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns last year, but he's also coming off a year with 401 touches including the playoffs. Can he survive another year of punishment? Offensive depth is also a concern for the Titans. Free agent signee Adam Humphries wasn't a huge splash like anticipated, and receiver Corey Davis is close to being a bust. Tennessee needs one more playmaker to emerge to become a truly elite offense.

The Raiders made marginal offensive improvements in Jon Gruden's second year as head coach, but remember: This team thought it was adding four-time All-Pro wideout Antonio Brown last summer. That was short-lived. Even without him, the Raiders finished 11th in total yards. This season, the goal will be turning that into points because despite all those yards, they finished 24th in points scored. Rookie receivers Henry Ruggs III, Lynn Bowden and Bryan Edwards should help. Running back Josh Jacobs was a great addition to the offense last year and should have won the Rookie of the Year Award. The playmakers are there for the Raiders, so the question now is whether quarterback Derek Carr is the right guy behind center. This could be a pivotal year for No. 4.

If they reach their potential, the Browns could be much higher on this list at the end of the season or heading into 2021. That's because Cleveland has a lot of the pieces in place to become a great offense. Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry make a lethal combination at receiver on paper, and running back Nick Chubb is one of the brightest young stars in the league. The Browns also added Pro Bowl tight end Austin Hooper in free agency. Having Kareem Hunt for a full season in the backfield should help too. But quarterback Baker Mayfield needs more assistance from his offensive line. He was under siege a lot of last season and took 40 sacks. Cleveland hopes drafting rookie left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. and signing right tackle Jack Conklin will keep Mayfield up right more often in 2020. Protecting the pocket will be key to Mayfield returning to his late rookie season form.

Adding receiver Stefon Diggs should be huge, and running back Devin Singletary appears ready for a bigger role in 2020, but the Bills offense taking that next step, like almost all in the NFL, depends on their quarterback — Josh Allen. He greatly improved his touchdown-to-interception ratio in his second season, but he's still struggling with accuracy. Allen posted a 58.8 completion percentage, which was lowest among the 32 primary starters behind center last year. His yards per completion average also dropped nearly a whole yard. Without a doubt, Buffalo is trending in the right direction, and the Bills don't need a great offense to win the AFC East this year, but Allen has a lot to prove before Buffalo becomes known as an elite offensive unit.

The Chargers went from rags to riches and then back to rags from 2017-19, and it's hard to explain exactly why. One reason is the play of Philip Rivers, but as much as he struggled last year, it's hard to see the Chargers being better in the short term with Tyrod Taylor behind center. Maybe Justin Herbert finds himself into the lineup by opening day. In addition to Rivers, the Chargers also lost running back Melvin Gordon in free agency, but wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams still make a pretty solid duo, and Austin Ekeler is an excellent dual-threat runner out of the backfield.

As expected, a couple of straight offseasons of wild free-agent spending have come back to hurt the Rams. Los Angeles parted ways with running back Todd Gurley and wide receiver Brandin Cooks — partially due to performance and also because of salary cap concerns. The Rams offensive line has also seen key members leave or age over the last two years. That leaves offensive guru Sean McVay and quarterback Jared Goff a committee of mostly average or good but not great weapons to use. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who posted his first 1,000-yard season and 10 touchdowns last year, is borderline great, but he can't do it alone. Without Cooks, the Rams don't have a deep threat at wideout. Receivers Robert Woods and Josh Reynolds will be mostly counted upon to fill the void. At running back Malcolm Brown, Darrell Henderson and rookie Cam Akers will try to account for all of what Gurley produced in half a decade with the Rams. It's quite possible that the Rams will struggle the most offensively of the four teams in the NFC South.

No. 23 obviously isn't all that high, but it's a number that should get Denver fans excited after more than half a decade of Broncos offenses that have often appeared to be sleep walking. The Broncos seem to have their answer at quarterback now with Drew Lock, who led the team to a 4-1 finish after missing the beginning of the season with a thumb injury. Joining Lock as a member of the core to the offense moving forward is running back Phillip Lindsay and tight end Noah Fant. In the 2020 draft, the Broncos also added wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler along with tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, who played with Lock at Missouri. Throw in that Denver signed running back Melvin Gordon away from a division rival in free agency, and the Broncos now look to have the tools to make major leaps offensively this fall.

One player is keeping the Panthers away from being much closer to the bottom of this list: running back Christian McCaffrey. The 23-year-old back has been a star for a few years, but he turned into an All-Pro with a league-leading 2,392 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns in 2019. The only question is how he'll hold up after 403 touches last season. As for the rest of the offense, the Panthers are starting a completely clean slate with new head coach Matt Rhule. Former Carolina stars Cam Newton and Greg Olsen are gone, and in comes Teddy Bridgewater along with wide receiver Robby Anderson. Bridgewater went 5-0 in the absence of Drew Brees last season, but the Saints had him insulated with great players everywhere. The Panthers will be asking for more from Bridgewater, but at least he has perhaps the best running backs in the league.

How the mighty have fallen. The Patriots offense would have dropped on this list anyway, but the departure of quarterback Tom Brady and the failure to replace him with anyone in free agency other than Brian Hoyer has New England falling significantly among any rankings of NFL offenses. The coaching staff is still in place, but it's hard to envision quarterback Jarrett Stidham orchestrating the New England offense anywhere close to as efficiently as Brady did for years. Bill Belichick will likely have to reinvent the offense, perhaps committing to a power running game in 2020 with the offensive line and running backs Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead and James White leading the way. The good news is wideouts Julian Edelman and Mohamed Sanu are still in the fold, and receiver N'Keal Harry is itching to get started after an injury-plagued rookie campaign.

The Eli Manning era is officially done. Enter Daniel Jones, who went 3-9 as a starter last season. He showed signs of growth down the stretch, throwing for 18 touchdowns and only five interceptions in his final seven games, but he averaged just 6.6 yards per pass. Jones will be the key to the Giants becoming a surprise contender in 2020, but running back Saquon Barkley is the reason the Giants are outside the bottom five on this list. In two seasons, the former No. 2 overall pick has posted a pair of 1,000-yard seasons and 4.8 yards per carry. It would be nice if the Giants could get Jones more help than Barkley, though, because veteran receivers Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard can't cut it as a No. 1 wideout. Tight end Evan Engram is talented, but he's yet to live up to his first-round expectations.

At this point of the list, the rankings become a projection of how a lot of rookies could perform. However, No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow is as sure of a bet as any draft picks. The return of wide receiver A.J. Green should also go a long way in helping the young signal-caller develop into a franchise quarterback. The Bengals offense was also better than most gave it credit for last year, finishing outside the bottom six in passing yards, rushing yards and total yards. They need to get better in the red zone and eliminate costly turnovers. The arrival/return of Burrow and Green should immediately help those areas. At running back, the Bengals still have Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard. Newly drafted Tee Higgins will join a crowded receivers corps that also features John Ross and Tyler Boyd.

The Dolphins still have major issues on defense, but things are starting to come together a little bit on offense. Miami has wide receivers DeVante Parker, who finally broke out with a 1,000-yard season in 2019, and second-year wideout Preston Williams to build its passing game around in the coming years and added Allen Hurns in free agency. In the running game, Ryan Fitzpatrick led the team in rushing with 243 yards. That's all one needs to know about their putrid running game, but the Dolphins signed Jordan Howard in free agency and traded for Matt Breida during the draft. That should help things improve from last year. If Tua Tagovailoa starts, the Dolphins offense might actually be watchable. Should it be Fitzpatrick again, then Miami can still say its improving offensively. 

The Nick Foles era was a short one in Jacksonville. Gardner Minshew seized the starting role behind center and played well, throwing 21 touchdowns and six interceptions, but he struggled down the stretch after defenses had more game film to study from his play. Minshew completed under 60 percent of his throws and averaged only 6.2 yards per pass in his final six games. Jacksonville drafted two defensive players and then selected receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. in the second round. He joins an average wide receiver group made up of Dede Westbrook, D.J. Chark and Chris Conley. At running back, Leonard Fournette remains with the team, but rumors have circled again about his future with the Jaguars. He's coming off his best NFL season with 1,152 rushing yards and three touchdowns, but he still averaged only 4.3 yards per attempt.

It's hard to believe the Bears have fallen so far as an offense in the span of a year. Head coach Matt Nagy won Coach of the Year in 2018, but last season nothing went right for the offense, and Mitch Trubisky has one year left on his contract to prove he can still be the guy. He may not even be the starter in 2020, with Nick Foles arriving as competition. Trubisky saw a 3.0 percent drop in his completion percentage last year, but even worse, his yard per attempt average fell from 7.4 to 6.1. Trubisky also threw seven fewer touchdowns in 2019 compared to 2018. Chicago seemed to miss Jordan Howard even with David Montgomery stepping into the backfield to accumulate similar stats. Receiver Allen Robinson is underrated, but he needs more help from Trubisky and third-year wideout Anthony Miller. At tight end, the Bears have parted ways with Trey Burton and signed veteran Jimmy Graham.

Running back Le'Veon Bell didn't have the impact the Jets hoped when they signed him to a major deal in free agency last offseason. Even with the star back, the Jets finished last in total yards and second to last in points. Bell turned in his worst season of his career after a year off, as he averaged 3.2 yards per carry. Quarterback Sam Darnold actually led the Jets to a winning record (7-6), but he showed only marginal improvement in most areas under offensive guru Adam Tase. Darnold had 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with a 6.9 yards per attempt average. It won't help Darnold that the Jets lost Robby Anderson in free agency, but second-round pick Denzel Mims will replace him. The Jets also still have Jamison Crowder and are taking fliers on draft busts Breshad Perriman and Josh Doctson.

The bottom five offenses are somewhat interchangeable...except for the final spot. By no means is this a knock on defensive end Chase Young, who was the consensus best player in the NFL Draft, but by choosing him at No. 2 and with no second-round pick, Washington is setting itself up for another rough offensive year. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins should start from the beginning of the season this year, and he struggled mightily as a rookie, completing 58.6 percent of his passes for seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. He'll be handing off running plays to Father Time — Adrian Peterson — and Derrius Guice (if he can stay on the field). Washington also drafted back Antonio Gibson in the third round. At receiver, Terry McLaurin was a pleasant surprise as a rookie, but he's probably better suited for a No. 2 role in the NFL. But no other pass catcher on Washington's roster besides McLaurin had more than 370 receiving yards last season. Washington's lack of playmakers and its inexperienced signal-caller easily make it the least explosive offense in the NFL.