Clay's annual NFL position group rankings: How all 32 teams compare at 10 spots
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- Clay's annual ranking project grades all 32 NFL teams across 10 offensive and defensive position groups for the 2026 season, with an overall ranking weighted by positional importance.
- Buffalo Bills topped the QB group behind 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen, who has finished no lower than seventh in QBR for six straight seasons and led all QBs in carries, rushing yards, and rushing TDs last season.
- Arizona Cardinals landed as the shakiest QB unit after Kyler Murray's departure, with Jacoby Brissett — who ranked 24th among 28 qualified QBs in QBR last year — as the probable Week 1 starter.
- Indianapolis Colts took the best RB unit behind Jonathan Taylor, who led the NFL in carries (323), touchdowns (18), and finished third in rushing yards (1,585) in 2025.
- Cincinnati Bengals earned top WR honors, with Ja'Marr Chase becoming the first player in NFL history to record 1,700-plus receiving yards and 17-plus TD catches in a single season (2024).
- Miami Dolphins were tagged shakiest at both WR and TE, having moved on from Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and absorbed a record $99.2 million in dead money to part with Tua Tagovailoa.
- Denver Broncos were the top OL group — the same starting five for the third straight season after leading the NFL in both pass block and run block win rate in 2024.
Why it matters: The rankings crystallize where each franchise stands relative to its 31 rivals at every premium position — Buffalo and Cincinnati topping QB and WR reflects MVP-tier investments at the league's most valuable spots, while Miami landing shakiest at WR and TE alongside its $99.2 million Tua dead-money hit shows the steep short-term cost of their rebuild. For contenders and retoolers alike, the gaps Clay flagged at each spot define the positions where trades, drafts, or extensions will move the needle most in 2026.
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