The Pittsburgh Steelers have some stiff competition this year. Here is the best player from each AFC North team entering the 2022 season.
With an up-and-coming generation of NFL superstars on the rise, it appears we are at the beginning of a new era in the AFC North. Not so long ago, this division was run by elite defenders (primarily on the Steelers and Ravens). Now, the AFC North is suddenly flooded with franchise quarterbacks and offensive talent.
Perhaps second to only a stacked AFC West, the AFC North might be the strongest division in football entering the 2022 season. There are multiple star players on each team in the division. Obviously, there’s nothing more important than the quarterback in football, but here is the best player from each team in the AFC North — regardless of positional value:
Bengals: QB Joe Burrow
This one was a tossup between Joe Burrow and his number one receiver, Ja’Marr Chase. In his first season, Chase was absolutely electrifying — earning 81 receptions, 1,455 yards, and 13 touchdowns as a rookie. Most would already consider him to be a top-5 receiver in the NFL.
However, I would also label Burrow as a top-five quarterback. Despite suffering a torn ACL late in his rookie season, Burrow came back with a vengeance. In year two, he completed 70.4 percent of his passes for 4,611 yards to go with 34 touchdowns and 14 interceptions (chipping in 5 more touchdowns during the post-season).
His most impressive statistic, however, was the fact that he led the NFL in yards per attempt (8.9) and adjusted yards per attempt (9.0). Despite being knocked for having average tools, his big-play ability was through the roof and he was just a few plays away from leading his team to a Super Bowl victory.