As we look ahead to Week 17 of the season, where do each of the 32 teams stand in our 2024 NFL offense rankings?
PFN’s offense rankings combine statistics such as yards per play, points per drive, turnover percentage, success rate against the run and pass, third-down conversion rate, red-zone efficiency, pressure percentage when not blitzing, and various expected points added (EPA) measures against both the run and pass. These are then weighted accordingly to produce our rankings for each season.
Each team will be given a numerical score that we convert to a traditional letter grade. While some teams may share a letter grade, the order below is presented in order. That’s to say that not all “B” grades are exactly the same — those teams reside in the same tier, but the order in which they are listed serves as an indicator as to who sits atop that specific tier.
The top spot has been ping ponging between the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens over the past month. The leader of the NFC North takes the top spot by two tenths of a point as we enter the 17th week of the regular season.
Which offense do you think is the best in the NFL? Where does your team sit? Let’s dive in!
1) Detroit Lions
All stats referenced in this article are from TruMedia unless stated otherwise.
- Grade: A
The Lions were able to take over the top spot after a Week 16 win over the Chicago Bears, their first game in the post-David Montgomery era.
What they’ve put on paper is close to impossible, as Detroit owns the top offense in the sport in both rush and pass success rate. Jared Goff has put on a masterclass in efficiency all season long, sans the five-interception game against the Houston Texans, and Jahmyr Gibbs has taken that next step into superstardom.
Whether the Lions finish the regular season first or second in our grading system, one thing has become very clear — this offense gives Detroit a chance to overcome a variety of injuries on the defensive side of the ball and challenge for a spot in New Orleans this February.
2) Baltimore Ravens
- Grade: A
The Ravens lead the league in EPA per play and red-zone efficiency — not a surprise when you consider that they have an MVP candidate flanked by an Offensive Player of the Year contender, a tandem that puts defenses in a position to decide between bad and worse near the goal line.
The Diontae Johnson trade never panned out, but Todd Monken’s creativity has Mark Andrews thriving and Rashod Bateman posing as a legitimate threat next to the ever-improving Zay Flowers.
How are defenses supposed to game plan for this offense? The secondary can be a liability at times, but your offense needs to be near flawless when facing Lamar Jackson’s high-functioning bunch, and that’s a lot to ask.
3) Buffalo Bills
- Grade: A-
For the first time this season, we have a trio of teams in the “A” category. Josh Allen, the MVP front-runner, is doing a bit of everything to make his group of lesser-known players one of the most formidable units in the game.
The Buffalo Bills’ offense ranks second in the league in points per drive and EPA per play, which is a scary thought when you consider that Dalton Kincaid and Keon Coleman are nearing full strength.
James Cook (14 rushing touchdowns this season after pushing just four carries across the line in his first two seasons) has shown great growth this season. Plus, the backup tandem of Ty Johnson and Ray Davis gives Buffalo’s offense a level of balance that we didn’t expect.
Allen is the heavy favorite to win 2024 MVP honors and is seemingly making history weekly. The Bills may not be perfect, but they have every chance to give this franchise its first championship.
4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Grade: B+
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a setback in Week 16, which highlighted some of their flaws. But when evaluating this season as a whole, it’s impossible not to be impressed.
How are they doing it?
Baker Mayfield is playing at the highest rate of his career, and that has allowed Tampa to post a top-five ranking in both EPA per rush and pass success rate. Bucky Irving has allowed Tampa to balance the run with the pass (not to mention flex Rachaad White into a more comfortable role), and the Buccaneers are clicking on all cylinders right now.
If the past month proves predictive of the future in terms of Jalen McMillan’s development, Tampa Bay will be tough to beat, even if its record suggests it’s not a top-tier team.
5) Washington Commanders
- Grade: B
The Hail Mary to beat the Bears will be one of the season’s highlights, but that fortunate play undershoots just how good the Washington Commanders offense has been. Jayden Daniels was in the MVP conversation, and while the splash plays get the attention of TV shows, how about his ability to do simple things at an elite level?
Through 16 weeks, the Commanders rank seventh in turnover rate (lowest), which puts the offense in position to succeed as often as any — fueling their fourth-place ranking in points per drive.
The Commanders put themselves in a bind with three straight losses (Weeks 10-12), which created pressure for a quick rebound, but they’ve managed to right the ship and remain a versatile unit that can give any defense trouble.
The future is bright for this franchise, and the present is giving us a glimpse of what’s possible.
6) Arizona Cardinals
- Grade: B
The Arizona Cardinals drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. with the intent to make this offense a powerhouse. While the rookie has had an up-and-down season, the balance of this unit is nothing short of elite.
Despite some recent struggles, the Cardinals rank in the 80th percentile in yards per play, points per drive, rush success rate, and third-down avoidance through 16 weeks.
This may not be the perfect team, but the offense gives Arizona the ability to contend with anyone in the NFL. That is evident by its topsy-turvy season: a 2-4 start, four straight wins, and three consecutive losses.
Arizona’s win over the New England Patriots in Week 15 was expected, though it was good to see the Cardinals take care of business in an efficient manner (6.2 yards per play and 21 first downs on nine drives).
It’s nothing if not exciting, and Arizona’s offense is the driving force behind this team’s competitive nature. Michael Wilson is again showing signs of being a nice third option as a field stretcher, and the young receiver’s ability to add depth to this unit could hold the key to their upward trajectory.
7) Green Bay Packers
- Grade: B
Jordan Love isn’t afraid to take a chance. While that creates some downside, his style of play has paid off more often than not up to this point in the season.
The Green Bay Packers rank third to only the Ravens and Lions in yards per play, a result of Love’s potential and Josh Jacobs’ nice welcome to Wisconsin (13 rushing touchdowns alongside a plus-80% catch rate).
The Packers are now flirting with a top-10 red zone offense after spending most of the season ranked below average in that category, a nod to Jacobs’ efficiency. Green Bay’s offense seems to be hitting its stride at the perfect time and should be considered a threat to hang with any NFC team in January.
8) Cincinnati Bengals
- Grade: B
The 6-8 Cincinnati Bengals might be the most explosive team in the history of the sport with such a record. They’ve put at least 27 points on the board in five of their past six losses, and Joe Burrow is playing as well as he ever has despite the lack of team success, something he admitted during an interview ahead of Week 14’s win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Through 16 weeks, Cincinnati ranks second in pass success rate (Lions), with Burrow pacing for a career-high touchdown total. He’s been nothing short of great despite a run game that hasn’t been very supportive (28th in success rate).
Chase Brown’s versatility has helped facilitate the eye-popping numbers from this passing game and creates a level of underneath production that can serve as a supplement to a traditional run game.
So much about this offense looks the part of a playoff team (fourth in third-down conversion rate and third in red-zone efficiency), but there are two sides of the ball, which is what has Cincinnati struggling to find its footing.
9) Los Angeles Rams
- Grade: B-
The Los Angeles Rams have a pair of elite receivers, and with Puka Nacua putting his name in the ring for the best pass catchers in the sport after his standout Week 14 performance in the win over Buffalo, counting this team out is simply irresponsible.
This season, Kyren Williams has Los Angeles’ offense ranking sixth in rush success rate, behind only the mighty Lions. The respect Williams demands from opposing defenses has allowed the Rams to rank fifth in third-down avoidance — they are constantly operating from ahead of the chains, a common trait of successful offenses.
With both Nacua and Cooper Kupp operating at full strength and regularly accounting for the vast majority of this team’s receiving yards, Los Angeles has plenty of upward mobility in its quest for the division title.
10) Kansas City Chiefs
- Grade: C+
The Kansas City Chiefs are the target of more criticism than praise because they aren’t as explosive as our eyes want them to be. But championships aren’t won through highlight shows.
The Andy Reid/Patrick Mahomes tandem has KC’s offense picking up third downs at the NFL’s highest rate while ranking fifth in pass success rate, a ranking that will surprise most.
For this experienced bunch, simply staying on the field is a means to a very positive end.
Of course, this fragile offense could see its numbers regress significantly should the team elect to take a cautious approach with Mahomes nursing an injury after Week 15. He’s playing through the injury, but it’s something worth monitoring.
11) Minnesota Vikings
- Grade: B-
The Minnesota Vikings were the big mover in the top half of the rankings following their Week 15 win over the Bears, and they’ve kept the momentum going as they enter a critical two-set of games to close out the regular season.
Minnesota’s Week 15 win serves as a good reminder that it isn’t always the flashy Josh Allen lighting up of a scoreboard that grades well. The Vikings simply took care of business at an efficient level (50% on third down and 75% in the red zone), and that’s the sort of stat sheet that the high-end offenses cobble together on a consistent basis.
This was a game that embodies what they do, and that’s be consistent. Justin Jefferson is the big name, but Sam Darnold is guiding a unit with a floor that ranks among the best in the sport.
12) Miami Dolphins
- Grade: C+
Tua Tagovailoa has been an efficient passer since returning to the field outside of a three-interception game in Houston (do the Texans have the cheat code for breaking these pocket-passing savants?).
That level of efficiency has resulted in the Miami Dolphins digging out of a points-per-drive hole that was created with their QB1 sidelined, though they still only check in at 17th.
No NFL offense allows pressure less often when not blitzed than the Dolphins, a scheme that allows Tagovailoa to get the ball in the hands of his playmakers. De’Von Achane has looked nothing short of special since Tua’s return, but when trying to project forward, the scattered health of the star receivers has proven prohibitive.
Jonnu Smith has authored a great year, but when looking forward to 2025, this offense’s potential likely sits with its left-handed QB, who has struggled both outdoors and against strong competition.
The talent is on this roster to think they can earn a top-third of the league grade next season.
13) San Francisco 49ers
- Grade: C+
Brock Purdy is leading the fourth-best yards-per-play offense, an incredible accomplishment given the injuries that he had to navigate in the first half of the season.
Christian McCaffrey made his season debut in the San Francisco 49ers’ Week 10 win but was lost for the remainder of the regular season in the Week 13 loss to Buffalo. The All-Pro RB was joined on injured reserve by featured backup Jordan Mason, leaving San Fran’s offense a shell of itself.
The 49ers were as efficient as any last season, and Jauan Jennings’s impressive season allowed San Francisco to keep its head above water most of the season. He helped the team hang 38 points on the Bears in an easy Week 14 win in their first game post-CMC reinjury. However, the results have been humbling since and they won’t get a chance to defend their NFC crown this winter.
There’s plenty of firepower on this roster and that has us optimistic that they will finish 2025 with a better offensive grade than where they end this season.
14) Atlanta Falcons
- Grade: C+
Thus far, the Atlanta Falcons rank fourth in the NFL in rush success rate and 10th in yards per play. Their versatile attack makes them an interesting team coming down the stretch if they can get even league-average play under center.
After an ugly win against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15, the Falcons made it official — they are putting the rest of their season in the hands of rookie Michael Penix Jr. over Kirk Cousins, a move that looked fine in Week 16.
Bijan Robinson is a special talent, and Drake London has proven to be a true alpha top target. Atlanta’s secondary pieces — Tyler Allgeier and Darnell Mooney — give this unit the upside it needs with a new QB and a favorable schedule remaining.
15) Philadelphia Eagles
- Grade: C+
Can the Philadelphia Eagles peak at the perfect time instead of falling off a cliff?
The highlight machine that is Saquon Barkley has opened up offensive versatility that simply didn’t exist last season. He has this squad ranking second in EPA per rush attempt, a rate that has been steady for most of the season.
The Eagles can produce against anyone, but if the offensive line remains a liability when it comes to pass blocking (they certainly have the running portion of things figured out), the upside will be capped.
Thus far, Philadelphia is the worst team at preventing pressure when not blitzed, a flaw that could undo all the good it’s capable of doing. That said, with playmakers at every level, counting this offense out isn’t a wise move as long as Jalen Hurts enters the postseason at full strength.
16) New York Jets
- Grade: C-
The New York Jets gave us a glimpse of what is possible in Weeks 13-15 coming out of their bye, but things came crashing back down to earth in a 19-9 loss to the Rams in Week 16.
Aaron Rodgers gets most of the headlines, but this is a bottom-10 unit in both rush success rate and rush EPA. If they can figure that out, their 30th-ranked red-zone offense likely takes a step forward and gives this unit a chance to rank inside our top 12 next season.
There might be movement this offseason, and that deserves monitoring, but with a few tweaks, this team has potential.
17) Jacksonville Jaguars
- Grade: C
The Jacksonville Jaguars have underachieved this season, and their offense, while not prohibitive, hasn’t taken the step we had projected under Trevor Lawrence. And to the surprise of no one, Mac Jones has been unable to showcase any improvement.
With Jones under center for the foreseeable future, color me pessimistic on Jacksonville improving its current grade.
Jacksonville is limping to the finish line, but not all is doom and gloom. The Jaguars have the 11th-best EPA-per-rush mark behind their tandem of Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne Jr. Meanwhile, WR Brian Thomas Jr. has looked like a star during his rookie season, giving this fan base something to hold on to.
If the play under center can be a tick above ordinary, the Jaguars’ offense has the potential to threaten our top 12 next season — this feels like something of a floor outcome for this unit.
18) Denver Broncos
- Grade: C-
Bo Nix is an exciting watch, but is that best when it comes to succeeding at a high level? The knock on Mahomes these days is that he leads a boring offense and — well, they never lose games.
Nix’s athleticism has the Denver Broncos posting the third-lowest sack rate, but that coin has two sides. As he looks to create, things can spiral out of control in a hurry, thus resulting in Denver ranking 20th in EPA per dropback, although that number is heavily impacted by early-season struggles.
Much like the Bears with Caleb Williams, I think there have been enough breadcrumbs laid thus far to give you long-term optimism, and that was the primary goal of 2024. Playoff contention is simply playing with house money.
It’s been an impressive run for Nix. If he can build on it, this unit will grade as an above-average one moving forward with the arrow pointing straight up for 2025, thanks to Sean Payton giving this offense creative upside that few franchises can offer.
19) Seattle Seahawks
- Grade: C-
The Seattle Seahawks offense as a whole is in a good spot with Jaxon Smith-Njigba amid a Year 2 breakout that gives them upside to round out this season and for years to come. JSN is performing like this team’s most reliable playmaker, and if that continues, this unit can score with anyone.
Kenneth Walker III, when healthy, has shown flashes, and with Zach Charbonnet churning out production in his absence, it’s easy to project this as a well-balanced offense for years to come.
There are talented skill players all over the field when Seattle comes to town, but consistency has been an issue over the past month. In the middle portion of these rankings, the Seahawks’ upside elevates them above the rest, even if the floor is low (they aren’t currently a top-10 team in a single metric in which we evaluate).
20) New Orleans Saints
- Grade: C-
The New Orleans Saints were tracking toward being the second coming of the Greatest Show on Turf through the first two weeks. Now, ranking 20th feels optimistic.
Alvin Kamara has overcome OL limitations to get New Orleans ranking ninth in rush success rate, but the injury bug (groin) has caught up to him like it has most of his skill position teammates this season.
Derek Carr was doing what he could to elevate the Saints’ offense, but a broken hand in Week 14 slowed down that progress, and while he is trying to return this season, it’s probably too late to improve this team’s 29th ranking in pass success rate in a meaningful way.
This will be an interesting team to evaluate heading into 2025, but in the scope of the remainder of 2024, further regression is to be expected.
21) Los Angeles Chargers
- Grade: D+
The Los Angeles Chargers are never going to grade out well for us because Jim Harbaugh doesn’t want them to. But he’s slowly opening things up, and it looks good on Justin Herbert.
Really good.
LA’s passing metrics have spiked a bit lately, but the design is a conservative one (lowest turnover rate). It figures to lean on its defense as long as it is having success in doing so.
J.K. Dobbins lit up the fantasy football world during the first few weeks, but his efficiency was regressing prior to him landing on IR with a knee injury. With the Chargers ranked 27th in rush success rate at reasonable health, there appears to be more downside than rebound potential moving forward.
Herbert is a well-above-average quarterback capable of moving Los Angeles up these rankings if he continues to be unleashed as we approach the postseason.
Given the recent trends, I’m intrigued by this offense and will be tracking it closely moving forward. The Chargers’ strong defense can put the offense in a position to succeed, and if that continues, a move inside our top 15 is certainly possible.
22) Dallas Cowboys
- Grade: D+
The Cowboys moved up five spots in our rankings after a 30-14 pounding of the Carolina Panthers as an underdog in Week 15 and then pulled off an upset of the Buccaneers in Week 16.
Cooper Rush has done enough to stabilize an offense that has a game-changer in CeeDee Lamb and a developing piece in Rico Dowdle who appears destined for a nice professional career.
It’s too late for the Cowboys to truly salvage this season, but the recent uptick in their efficiency metrics at least allows this fan base to enter 2025 with a level of hope that didn’t seem likely a month ago.
23) Pittsburgh Steelers
- Grade: D+
We are nine starts into the Russell Wilson era, and the hope is that the veteran improves the 30th-ranked red-zone offense, though we’ve yet to see that ranking change with this offense in his hands.
Everything else, however, was trending in the right direction prior to a George Pickens (hamstring) injury that has sapped this passing game of its upside.
Najee Harris is running as hard as he has at any point in his career, which gives the Pittsburgh Steelers offense the potential to move into the top half of the league by season’s end.
Pittsburgh does what Pittsburgh always does — not beat themselves under Mike Tomlin.
The Steelers added Mike Williams at the trade deadline to add upside to a unit that checks the basic boxes (13th in third-down rate and seventh in turnover percentage). He’s yet to make much of an impact, even with Pickens sidelined, but his profile is at least interesting in an offense that could be poised to peak at the right time.
The Steelers dropped 44 points on the Bengals in Week 13, and while the opponent certainly factored into that, the idea of Pittsburgh having that sort of ceiling can make them as dangerous as anyone in the final month of the regular season.
24) Indianapolis Colts
- Grade: D+
The Indianapolis Colts are about as much of a hit-and-miss offense as there is in the NFL from quarter to quarter, never mind game to game.
Jonathan Taylor has looked like himself over the past few weeks outside of dropping the ball prior to cross the goal line in Week 15. That’s encouraging for this season, but banking on a running back to stabilize an offense in this era is dangerous, to say the least.
In Week 15’s collapse against the Broncos, the Colts converted just 4 of 15 third-down opportunities and averaged a woeful 4.3 yards per play, an example of how sideways things can go.
Up to this point, this unit ranks 25th in EPA per play — a single stat that, in this case, essentially agrees with where they currently sit in our rankings.
This is a talented group, but raw talent gets you nothing in the NFL, and the execution portion of the equation is lagging in a significant way.
25) Houston Texans
- Grade: D
The C.J. Stroud brand has quickly become a safe offense, and with the league’s 12th-lowest turnover rate, that much has remained. For the season, Houston allows sacks at the eighth-highest rate, a flaw that caps its upside, especially with the receiver injuries that have limited the explosive nature of the offense.
With Joe Mixon running as well as he ever has, the hope is that Houston hits its stride as the weather turns and finishes the year as an above-average unit. This is a team that, for my money, has more upside than any team sitting in the bottom 10 of these rankings, and I’m not sure it’s close.
That said, if Stroud isn’t producing splash plays, the upward mobility that this roster has access to won’t be apparent, especially when you factor in the severity of Tank Dell’s knee injury.
26) Chicago Bears
- Grade: D
I think we’ve seen enough from Caleb Williams to say that he is Chicago’s QB of the future, but not all growth is linear. It’s certainly been a bumpy ride.
There have been moments, but the second-worst third-down offense is never going to grade well for us or have success at a high level. That flaw likely improves with time as Chicago’s rookie signal-caller adjusts to the speed of the pro game, but it’s been prohibitive up to this point.
On the bright side, this is already an elite red-zone offense (sixth-best), not typically a calling card for an offense with this many moving pieces. The current grade isn’t strong, but the Bears are playing for the future, and there are some pieces in place that I think are here to stay.
27) New England Patriots
- Grade: D
The Patriots are a unique case. Their 2024 numbers are a hot mess (28th in EPA per play and yards per play), but the willingness to admit as much and commit this season to developing Drake Maye is something that this fan base can get excited about.
The rookie has taken his lumps thus far, but he’s also shown promise by way of his athleticism and processing speed. Maye is far from a finished product, and there will likely be more downs than ups over the final stretch. But New England is making it clear that it’s willing to lose the battle of 2024 in the hope of winning the war of the next handful of seasons.
Of the teams toward the bottom quarter of our rankings, this is the one with the most upward mobility over the next 12 months. Given that winning big in 2024 was never in the cards for the Patriots, that trajectory makes this season a success.
28) Carolina Panthers
- Grade: D
The Panthers are struggling across the board and will soon have to make a long-term decision on Bryce Young. He’s looked better by our QB+ metrics since returning to the starting lineup, but the overall numbers suggest that Carolina is a long way away from fielding a competitive team, even if they label him as the man for the rebuild.
Through 16 weeks, Carolina ranks 28th on third-down conversion rate and 29th in EPA per dropback. I like the trio of young pass catchers on this offense, which gives me some optimism. However, Jonathon Brooks’ ACL retear is a tough pill to swallow, even if Chuba Hubbard appears to be a well above-average NFL running back for the next few seasons.
The cupboard isn’t bare, but the Panthers need to figure out how to cook properly with what they have in-house for the next three weeks. Young’s encouraging outing against Kansas City was a good start, and he seems to have righted the ship regarding his career trajectory over the past month.
29) Tennessee Titans
- Grade: D
The Tennessee Titans lack direction right now. Until that is rectified, there’s not much upward mobility here.
Is Will Levis the answer under center? We may have gotten that answer heading into Week 16, as he was benched in favor of Mason Rudolph, a move that might symbolize a new direction in the rebuild — Rudolph is a stopgap more than an answer.
The backfield metrics up to this point fuel a modest 20th ranking in rush success rate, a nice showing when you consider how little pressure this passing game has put on opposing defenses.
This offense is a ways away from fielding even an average offense, but a high first-round pick can flip the direction of a franchise in a hurry.
No pressure.
30) Las Vegas Raiders
- Grade: D
Without promise at the QB position, you’re drawing dead in the NFL these days, and the Raiders are as good an example of that as anyone.
Las Vegas ranks 31st in both turnover rate and rush success rate. Defenses have no reason not to be aggressive against them, especially following the Davante Adams trade, and that seems unlikely to change with Aidan O’Connell playing through injuries.
The Raiders’ offense doesn’t have a calling card, which makes moving much higher in these rankings anytime soon unlikely. Vegas fans would be wise to get a jump start on scouting the incoming QB class, as its 29th ranking in yards per play this season feels like a ceiling for the roster as currently constructed.
31) New York Giants
- Grade: F
The New York Giants had a Daniel Jones problem, and while they are now free of that, there’s still the matter of landing the right man for the job of leading this rebuild.
This season, the Giants are the worst offense in points per drive and yards per play, thanks in large part to the lowest red-zone TD rate in the league. They rarely get there in the first place, and when they do, it’s a struggle to capitalize.
Malik Nabers certainly looks like a special player at a position that is growing in value across the NFL. Yet, without consistent QB play, New York’s offense will be relegated to the bottom five in our rankings for the foreseeable future.
The Giants are fading fast, but the damage Deshaun Watson did early in this season makes them unlikely to fall to the bottom of these rankings …
32) Cleveland Browns
- Grade: F
At the very least, Jameis Winston has made this team a fun watch, and while he won’t overcome Watson’s statistical mess, this was a drastically different Cleveland Browns team whose offense, at the very least, offers a wider range of outcomes now than it did early on.
That was the case, at least. After another tough week on the Jameis-coaster, the Browns elected to leap off in favor of Dorian Thompson-Robinson ahead of Week 16, a change that has looked more like shuffling chairs on the Titanic than anything positive.
This team has seen its offensive efficiency decline in four straight weeks after the initial surge that resulted following the shift to Winston. They’ve now opted to evaluate the 25-year-old DTR, a quarterback who has been very conservative (the anti-Winston) in the little we’ve seen from him at the professional level.
This is a lost season for the Browns, and Nick Chubb’s injury (broken foot) serves as a final gut punch. There is some offensive talent on Cleveland’s roster, but it’s yet to find a way to consistently unlock it. It’s likely because their QB of the future is not currently a Brown.