nfl special teams rankings 2022

The combination of Carlson and 2021 first-team All-Pro punter AJ Colealong with whats likely to be a solid coverage and return teamcould make for one of the most consistent and reliable units in the NFL. Most concerning, the punter lost 0.3 seconds off his hangtime (4.24), which gave teams a better chance to return the ball. Seattle, 276 4. Houston will likely split return duties between Tremon Smith and Desmond King. As of now, Austin Seibert seems to hold the edge in training camp after going 10-of-12 in field goals last season before hitting injured reserve. Darden has explosive speed and is a threat to take a kick to the house at any given time. 2022 Team DVOA Ratings: Special Teams Updated 01/16/2023 02:24 PM EST Year 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 Harty also averaged 9.5 yards per return on punts and muffed just one of 36 attempts. (Want to see the rest of our position group rankings series? -- Jake Trotter, The Panthers have been much more efficient since interim coach Steve Wilks took over and committed to the running game. Who has the most career 150 rushing yard games? The constant is the traditionally strong special teams, led by one of the best kickers in NFL history, Justin Tucker. Mitch Wishnowsky continued to provide solid play from the punter position. -- Rob Demovsky, Offense: 22 Bullock continued the trend that has taken root during his nine-year career: hes extremely accurate from inside 40 yards and struggles with consistency anywhere deeper than that. Bailey will need to be better for the Patriots to climb the list. Lee posted the lowest hangtime (4.14) and fewest punts inside the 20-yard line (12) since he became a full-time player in 2013. Gonzalez was his usual reliable self on extra points (94.8%) but set a career-high field goal success rate (90.9%). Abdullah has a career kick return average of 25.4 yards and finished last season with 29 returns for 646 yards while playing for both the Vikings and Panthers. Much of that determination comes down to whether or not star wideout CeeDee Lamb is back to return punts. Full schedule | Standings During those nine years, he coached the offensive line, tight ends, wide receivers, and running backs. Dallas finished fifth in kick return yards (764) by averaging 23.2 yards per return. The league's 32 teams are ranked in 22 kicking-game categories and assigned . Kicker Jake Elliott one of the most consistent in the league from inside of 45 yards will look to maintain the success hes had thus far in his career. Kicker: Cairo Santos, Punter: Trenton Gill*, KR: Khalil Herbert, PR: Dazz Newsome. By PFF.com. Kicker: Rodrigo Blankenship, Punter: Rigoberto Sanchez, KR: Isaiah Rodgers, PR: Nyheim Hines. Bass made all 51 of his extra-point attempts while also improving his accuracy on field goals (87.5%) in his second season. McManus historically struggles with kicks over 50 yards (54.2% success rate) but is a dependable kicker inside that range (91.3% success rate). The Hawks' defense has gone from awful to good to awful again, and it is now mired in a stretch of four straight games in which it has allowed at least 150 rushing yards. Of players who had at least 10 punt returns, Raymond finished seventh in average yards per punt return (11.2). Hekker had just one season with a net punting average below (42.0) and has never had fewer than 20 punts downed inside the 20. The Falcons have some flexibility with their kickoff and punt returners that depends on Cordarrelle Pattersons role on offense. Due to this, the Broncos have taken most of their core special teams players and put them on offense or defense, leaving special teams scrambling to fill spots week to week. Isaiah Rodgers was successful as the Colts kick returner in 2021, averaging 26.4 yards per return. Despite posing the lowest average hangtime of his career (4.10), Kern still had a net punting average over 40.0 for the ninth time in his ten-year career. Through two years in Buffalo, Bass is 31 of 41 in field goal attempts from 30-plus yards. Kicker: Evan McPherson, Punter: Kevin Huber, KR: Chris Evans, PR: Trent Taylor. The 49ers also added Ray-Ray McCloud to the team in free agency to serve as their kick and punt returner. SEA | TB | TEN | WSH, It's been a special year for the Eagles on both sides of the ball. The Dolphins also roster two of the leagues best coverage specialists in Brandon Jones and Clayton Fejedelem. Butker has been less efficient from over 40 yards (56-of-70) but had his most successful season last year. The 2022 NFL regular season is over. Pollard was exceptional as a kick returner in 2021, averaging 28.8 yards on 17 returns. Chicago will split their return duties between Dazz Newsome and Khalil Herbert. 2022 Best NFL Special Teams Players (0) 2022 . Matthew Slater, Justin Bethel and Cody Davis all figure to be major contributors to a unit that is regularly one of the leagues best. ESPN's weekly defense/special teams (D/ST) fantasy football rankings are an aggregate of our four rankers, listed alphabetically. Punter Cameron Johnston will, however, likely maintain the high level of play the team has come to expect of him. FTN's Dan Fornek ranks all 32 NFL special teams units heading into the 2022 football season. They are Mike Clay, Tristan H. Cockcroft, Eric Karabell and Eric . An error occurred. But that isn't nearly enough to overcome an inept offense that has a league-worst minus-14 turnover margin and ranks 31st in scoring (16.1 PPG). It's easy to point to a significant number of injuries, despite the Bolts saying weekly that it's not an excuse. Kicker: Cade York*, Punter: Corey Bojorquez, KR/PR: Demetric Felton. Given the Buccaneers' offense, Succop needs to keep being good from short distances to remain effective. Tyler Bass, meanwhile, has the kicker position all but locked down. The special teams spot -- particularly with Avery Williams as one of the league's best punt returners (17.4 yards per return) and Cordarrelle Patterson as the team's kick returner (33.5 yards per return, one touchdown) -- seems specifically low. Gray offers the Chiefs incredible versatility as one of the few NFL tight ends adept in special teams coverage. During his nine-year career, Tucker has only made fewer than 89% of his field-goal attempts in a season just twice (2014 and 2015). Veteran punter Thomas Morstead should be a reliable option and part-time returner Jaylen Waddle has the speed and shiftiness to take the ball to the house from anywhere on the field. The seven-year veteran now has three straight seasons with a 90.0% conversion rate on field goals. For returners, the focus lies on average return yards and explosiveness as a runner. Dallas, 301 7. Kicker: Matt Gay, Punter: Riley Dixon, KR/PR: Brandon Powell. C.J. Punter Tress Way ranks seventh in net punting and first in punts placed inside the 20. The Bills took a flyer on punter Matt Araiza in the 6th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Sanchez had the lowest net punt average of his career last season (39.7), but still found a way to have the second-most punts landed inside the 20 in his career (26). Two factors could explain it: upheaval at quarterback (three different starters) and offensive tackle (six different starters). McCloud has historically struggled to secure punts, logging six career muffs in his career. Tennessee's offense has had its share of struggles, especially in the second half, during which it has averaged an NFL-worst 5.2 points. Few kickers have been more dependable than Robbie Gould throughout his career. Veteran Kicker Chris Boswell returns for his eighth season in the black and yellow to battle the swirling winds that come standard in the AFC North. Chris Boswell has only gotten better during his last three years with the Steelers. It was the second consecutive season the veteran kicker made over 93% of his field-goal attempts. Agnew is a dynamic returner and is truly a special team's weapon for the Jaguars. On defense, the Bolts have been without edge rusher Joey Bosa, cornerback J.C. Jackson and several key defensive linemen -- all of whom are on injured reserve. Fairbairn had his worst season in terms of pure accuracy (78.9%) but continued to be highly effective past 50 yards (4-of-6 attempts). Matt Gay had the best season of his career in Los Angeles in 2021. After spending the last few seasons looking for consistency at the kicker position, the Chargers turn to veteran Dustin Hopkins this year. They've had to carry most of the load, especially of late, as Seattle has seen less production out of running back Kenneth Walker III, who is now sidelined with an ankle injury. The offense has set a team record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 27, and Jalen Hurts ranks first in quarterback rating (108.4) and fourth in completion rate (68%) to pace the air attack. Linebacker Tony Fields II is the Browns most adept player in kick coverage and should lead that unit in 2022. ), Kicker: Daniel Carlson, Punter: AJ Cole, KR: Ameer Abdullah, PR: Hunter Renfrow. Kansas City's special teams are usually outstanding, but not this season: They've fumbled three punts, and their field goal rate of 77.8% is the fourth worst. And the biggest drop? The Browns decided to overhaul their entire special teams unit heading into the 2022 season, investing cap space and draft capital into all three phases. Kicker Jason Myers is having a Pro Bowl-worthy season, hitting 24 of 25 field goal attempts and going 36-of-37 on PATs. 2022 fantasy football rankings Overall standard Overall PPR Quarterback Running back standard Running back PPR Wide receiver standard Wide receiver PPR Tight end standard Tight end PPR D/ST Kickers The trouble with D/ST scoring is the emphasis on touchdowns and turnovers, which are impossible to predict. Hopkins saw his extra point success rate (93.8%) jump 10% and his field goal success rate (90.0) increase 5% during his time with the team. The latest NFL Standings by Division, Conference and League The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. Offensively, coach Kevin O'Connell has boosted wide receiver Justin Jefferson to the top of the league's production charts. The defensive-minded head coach traditionally values consistency at the kicking position over a big leg. In four years, Johnston has averaged a 41.9 net punt average. Though his placekicking counterpart has yet to be singled out. Pittsburgh also has one of the stronger kick coverage units in the league. Berry has never had fewer than 25 punts land inside the 20 in his career. Philadelphia also got solid production out of rookie punterArryn Sipossin his first season with the team. Experienced returner Desmond King II and a coverage unit led by MJ Stewart will look to keep a rebuilding Texans team out of poor field position. Today, we look to the third part of the game special teams. A lot of that has to be because the defense has hemorrhaged of late. NFL Defense/Special Teams Rankings: Week 14. Cleveland tookCade Yorkout of LSU in the fourth round of the NFL draft. Though heas many have beforestruggles as the weather picks up in Chicago and the winds become harder to deal with. Board. Linebacker Jonas Griffith and safety PJ Locke provide value in kick coverage while punter Sam Martin and returner Kendall Hinton will look to keep the Broncos in good field position. Welcome to Week 15 of the NFL regular season. We've covered every group on offense and every group on defense. Fairbairn isnt the most trustworthy leg in the NFL, but he has shown the ability to convert from deep. The Jets also saw improvement out of Braden Mann in his second year with the team. The Chargers hope to get above-average production out of their kicking and punting this season. But the fact that the offense is seventh after Dak Prescott missed five games with a fractured thumb is telling. Kicker: Tyler Bass, Punter: Matt Araiza*, PR: Tavon Austin, KR: Isaiah McKenzie. Buffalo has the highest floor of any team simply because of its league-best scoring . Kicker: Lirim Hajrullahu, Punter: Bryan Anger, KR: Tony Pollard, PR: CeeDee Lamb. Zach Wilson's regression, and eventual benching, is a big reason for the quarterback instability. Lamar Jackson and the offense started off hot before struggling in the red zone recently, which is why the Ravens are averaging 16.5 points in their past four games. Hardman has been a weapon as a punt returner throughout his career (12.1 yards per return in 2021). In the past two seasons, Carlson has made over 90% of his extra points and 63% of his field goals. Today, we look to the third part of the game special teams. Greg Josephwill return to the Vikings after playing for three teams in his first three years in the NFL. Justin Tucker remains the gold standard when it comes to kickers in the NFL, but the Ravens will be finding a new punter after Sam Koch retired this past offseason. The Raiders will use Ameer Abdullah as their primary kick returner andHunter Renfrowas the punt returner. His only miss was also his only attempt past 50 yards. The return game, though, has not produced -- 15th on kickoffs; 21st on punts -- and that drags the Commanders' ranking down. A strong punterJack Foxand an underrated return man in Kalif Raymond who makes up for his diminutive size with elite quickness should also help lead the unit to success. The defensive rankings can be attributed to a pass defense that hasn't lived up to expectations, allowing 245.4 yards per game and 6.72 yards per play. The Ravens have finished in the Top 5 in these rankings in eight of the last nine seasons, also winning in 2015. Santoso played in four games for the Panthers and Lions last season, converting on just 75% of his extra points and 80% of his field goals. Camp reports indicate that Alex Erickson has the advantage when it comes to returning kicks for Washington, especially since Brian Robinson and Jahan Dotson will have roles on the Commanders offense. Please contact support. Siposs pinned 17 of his 55 punts inside the 20-yard line and finished with a net average of 38.8 punt yards per season. Ihmir Smith-Marsette will be the teams punt returner since K.J. The Panthers also dipped into the free agency well to bring Andre Roberts in as their primary returner. Kicker: Chris Boswell, Punter: Pressley Harvin, KR/PR: Gunner Olszewski. The Packers also invested in Pat O'Donnell to serve as their punter in free agency. While the field goals dont seem impressive, it's worth noting that 15 of his attempts came from 40-plus yards and he missed only five of them. General manager Brian Gutekunst bet that linebacker De'Vondre Campbell and cornerback Rasul Douglas could repeat their 2021 performances and paid them big, while also not fortifying the edge positions behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith. Ranking all 32 NFL teams at every position group. Dixon only has one career season with a net punting average above 42.0 yards in his career. Reagor has struggled as a wide receiver but is still an extremely effective kick returner. Denver let last years primary returner (Diontae Spencer) walk in free agency, so there are questions over who will take over that role. Zuerlein gained recognition for his powerful leg early in his career with the Rams but has struggled to consistently make field goals. The Rams have played at least part of this season missing quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receivers Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson II and Van Jefferson, and most of the starting offensive line. Kicker: Mason Crosby, Punter: Pat O'Donnell, KR/PR: Amari Rodgers. Kicker Cairo Santos is exceptionally talented from inside the 40. That could potentially put an already strong unit over the top. Evan McPherson was one of many Bengals who made a name for themselves during the 2021 postseason. -- Jeff Legwold, The main reason for the Texans' poor offensive output is their quarterback play, which is one of the worst in the league. Defensively, the Bucs can be lights out, when healthy. The Jets head into 2022 hoping veteran kicker Greg Zuerlein can find some consistency to help put points on the board. Kene Nwangwuwas absurdly efficient as a kick returner in his rookie season. In his rookie season, Herbert had 27 returns for 670 yards. Additionally, he has just two career seasons with fewer than 82.0% of his field goals made. The special teams committed some costly gaffes early in the season, but it has evened out since then. Week 14 ranking: 3 Offense: 3 Defense: 6 Special teams: 1. -- Ben Baby, The Dolphins' defense has picked up since adding linebacker Bradley Chubb at the trade deadline, but Miami can't overcome below-average defensive play. Kicker: Zane Gonzalez, Punter: Johnny Hekker, KR/PR: Andre Roberts. NFL Football Player Stats & Stats Leaders - Special Teams Total Tackles Who's your favorite NFL team? Today, we look to the third part of the game special teams. Kicker: Wil Lutz, Punter: Blake Gillikin, KR/PR: Deonte Harty. In this year's edition of Rick Gosselin's NFL Special Teams Rankings, the Panthers. Cincinnati will likely stick with a two-headed approach with their returners by letting Chris Evans handle kick return duties and Trent Taylor field punts. Find out who the leaders are in standard scoring formats and see which players are available in your fantasy football league. Tress Wayalso continued to provide a consistent effort flipping the field as a punter in his eighth season as the teams punter. These two teams may possess the most disappointing offenses this season. He has three seasons with at least 29 punts downed inside the 20 and has never posted a hangtime below 4.31. Christian McCaffrey is a top play, but that nudges Elijah Mitchell into the top-15 of Wild Card rankings. An exceptional talent from inside the 45, Vizcaino should get a real shot to win the role. Jason Sanders has put together inconsistent campaigns during his four-year career with the Dolphins. Stout was extremely effective in pinning opponents inside the 20-yard line while averaging 46 yards per punt during the 2021 season. Dan utilizes his experiences as a coach and player to break down the game from a unique perspective. This service is intended for adult audiences. Myers is a strong kicker at reasonable distances, but just cant be trusted at 40-okys. Kicker Harrison Butker will be looking to maintain his success. The third-year veteran finished with 30.4 yards per return and had a touchdown. But special teams is surprising. Joey Slyebounced around the NFL in 2021 before finding a home with the Commanders the last nine weeks of the season. There are three NFL deep-snappers who played even more games than Mannelly - Trey Junkin (281), Don Muhlbach (260) and L.P. Ladouceur (253). Special teams: 24, It's been a while since the Jaguars had an offense that ranked in the top half of the league, and it's mainly because of how well QB Trevor Lawrence has played from November on. Williams averaged 21.3 yards per kick return and 7.7 yards per punt return last season. If they decide to run it back, then expectTony Pollardto serve as the primary kick returner andCeeDee Lambto be the punt returner. The more surprising stat is their defense, which has fallen from a yearly top-five unit to middle of the road, mostly due to a once-stout run defense not being as good as it was when Dennis Allen was the D-coordinator instead of the head coach. The four-year veteran has made 20-of-20 attempts from 30-39 yards, 15-of-18 attempts from 40-49 and 10-of-11 from 50-plus yards. And Week 14's game was the first this season in which wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams were both available from start to finish. Head Coach Bill Belichick will let inexperienced kicker Tristan Vizcaino compete with veteran Nick Folk for the starting kicking job. Using Justin Fields' dynamic rushing ability to its advantage has kept Chicago battling down the stretch of games despite sitting on a six-game losing streak. Hekker should provide stability to a Panthers unit that had three players attempt ten or more punts last season. Newsome has apparently reported to training camp in excellent shape and earned the first shot as the teams punt returner. So, again, no surprise. The Buccaneers also invested a fourth-round pick in punter Jake Camarda out of the University of Georgia. Their defense blew three fourth-quarter leads early in the season, but Baltimore has allowed the second-fewest points (13.4) since acquiring middle linebacker Roquan Smith in Week 9. Kicker: Austin Seibert, Punter: Jack Fox, KR: Godwin Igwebuike, PR: Kalif Raymond. The Jets decided to bring in Greg Zuerlein to compete with Eddy Pineiro for the starting job. Kicker: Randy Bullock, Punter: Brett Kern, KR: Dontrell Hilliard, PR: Kyle Phillips*. Thank the red zone offense (20 touchdowns in 28 trips since Prescott's return). McManus has the leg to make kicks from deep and could give the Broncos more scoring opportunities. Sign up for everything FTN Fantasy has to offer. Offensively, the Commanders have issues, ranking 25th or worse in scoring, third downs and yards per play. Defense: 26 The rookie will compete with veteran Matt Haack for the starting job this season. 38-year-old kicker Matt Prater will return to the Cardinals this season hoping to find more consistency to go along with his big leg. After converting to guard, he put together a five-year career that included being a three-year letter winner and two-year starter on an offense that averaged 35 points per game. Maher made 88.9% of his attempts with the Saints last season. JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN The Dolphins have plenty of explosive players on their team, but Jaylen Waddle figures to get the first shot at return duties. Hes done enough in camp to earn the role in the pros, giving him a shot at making the teams 53-man roster. It's so bad that the team used a two-quarterback system against the Cowboys to generate a spark. Veteran kicker Randy Bullock will compete with Caleb Shudak for the starting job to open camp. Punter Tress Way, along with returners Dax Milne and Curtis Samuel, also figure to help a Washington team with playoff hopes. Cincinnati D-coordinator Lou Anarumo's mantra of "yards don't equal points" has been a staple during his four-year tenure. Punter Logan Cooke will be a solid option first-year head coach Doug Pederson can rely on. Offensively, the numbers have taken a hit because of Atlanta's recent inability to score or move the ball (fewer than 20 points scored in four of the past five games and fewer than 200 yards passing in all five). The five-year veteran made all 44 of his extra-point attempts and missed just three field goals in 33 attempts. Sanders uncharacteristically suffered on attempts above 50 yards, hitting just 2-of-6 attempts. Instead of reading my Week 15 fantasy football defense/special teams (DST) rankings, come . Without many impact players on special teamsaside from linebacker Isaiah McDuffieGreen Bay needs to find more consistency from a unit that struggled last season. D-coordinator Joe Barry likely will take the fall for his lack of innovative game plans and playcalls, but there are others at fault too. Defense: 14 And with the exception of a couple of big plays, special teams has been a consistent fiasco. Unfortunately, a league-average punter is what keeps the Bengals on the lower end of the top-10. When it comes to the best kicking combination in the league, Las Vegas edges out the field thanks to the high-level consistency of bothDaniel CarlsonandAJ Cole. Roberts split his time between the Texans and Chargers last season and led the league in kick return yards (1,010) while also scoring a touchdown. With a career field goal percentage above 90 percent. Gonzalezs only two misses on the season came from 50-plus yards out, but he still finished the year 3-of-5 from that distance. Sanders has been excellent on extra points (97.8% conversion rate), but now has two seasons above a 90.0 success rate on field goals and two seasons below a 77.0% success rate. Rondale Moore struggled to get on the field on offense for the Cardinals last season, but he flashed his game-breaking ability plenty as a returner for the Cardinals. After spending years as the leagues premier unit behind legendary returner Devin Hester, the Bears are in something of a special teams rebuild. Kicker: Ryan Succop, Punter: Jake Camarda*, KR/PR: Jaelon Darden. That is one of several key categories on offense in which they have struggled, and it has contributed to them being unable to complement the defense and special teams -- both of which have made more game-changing plays. Baltimore Ravens . Return man Rondale Moore will look to take a step forward in his second season with the club. To combat his struggles, the Packers didnt attempt a field goal past 39 yards between Weeks 12 and 18. Townsend improved his net punt average (47.2) but saw his hangtime drop by over one-tenth of a second (4.34) after his first year. Offensive Line | Quarterback | Backfield | Pass-Catcher | Defensive Line | Secondary | Linebackers), (* Denotes a rookie. Meyers hit 93.6% of his extra points but made only 73.9% of his field goals during the 2021 season. The second-year receiver fielded 50 total punts last year and had only one muffed catch. Also hoping to make major contributions will be return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud IIIsupplemented by Brandon Aiyukand talented coverage man Deommodore Lenoir. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER. Carolina also went into free agency to get Johnny Hekker in free agency after nine excellent seasons with the Rams. Betting analysis for the 2022 NFL Football season matchup between Tampa Bay and San Francisco. They've averaged 154.6 yards rushing and scored 10 rushing touchdowns in their past seven games, a big reason they are 4-4 under Wilks. The Chargers also added one of 2021s most dynamic returners to their team in DeAndre Carter. Depth corners CJ Goodwin and Kelvin Joseph, meanwhile, are likely to lead a steady coverage unit. All those decisions burned him. If Patterson is more of a role player, he will likely return to his role as one of the more prolific kick returners in NFL history. Rex Ryan is highly disappointed in the Buccaneers and says Tom Brady is not the only one who deserves blame. Darden finished the year averaging 19.9 yards per kick return and 7.5 yards per punt return in his first year. Another asset to the unit will be tight end, Noah Gray. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Tampa Bay will rely on Giovani Bernard in the return game and hope that standout coverage specialist Ross Cockrell can bring stability to a unit that will need to improve if the Bucs are going to make another deep playoff run. Sep 5, 2022. The offense has been on a decided upward trajectory since acquiring running back Christian McCaffrey, as San Francisco has averaged 28.7 points per game since McCaffrey took on a full-time role in Week 8, up eight points from before he arrived. Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne have combined for 36 tackles for loss and 16 sacks. The Baltimore Ravens special teams unit enters the 2022 season with sky-high expectations. Punter Arryn Siposs should pair with Elliot to form a reliable kicking tandem. Chicago hopes rookie punter Trenton Gill and rookie return man Trestan Ebner can join coverage specialist Caleb Johnson in helping to breathe life into this developing unit. Thanks in large part thanks to the emergence of kicker Daniel Carlson late last season, the Raiders special teams have the potential to be one of the leagues best next season.

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