To be a dynamic player in the NFL means to be a game-changer, someone who can affect the course of a game in one play. That can be a big play on offense, defense or special teams.
The following 10 players are the most dynamic in the league and have proven themselves worthy of that recognition in the past. They are ranked 10-1 on how dynamic they are heading into the 2016 season. Being able to make plays in in more than one phase of the game has been rewarded.
10. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
As a rookie, Lockett was among the top return specialists and one of just two players to have both a kickoff return touchdown and punt return touchdown last season. In addition to what he did on special teams, Lockett contributed to Seattle’s passing game, totaling 51 receptions for 664 yards and six touchdowns. He is expected to see more targets next season while continuing his work on special teams.
9. Patrick Peterson, CB, Arizona Cardinals
Peterson is probably the most versatile player in the NFL given his ability to contribute in all three phases of the game. The Cardinals feature him at corner, on special teams as a returner and they sprinkle him in on offense. Peterson being so athletic allows him to do a bit of everything. Having a guy like that on your team is rare, as he can affect the game in so many ways.
8. Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers
Kuechly doesn’t just play middle linebacker for the Panthers. The more appropriate term is defensive playmaker. Beyond making tackles, Kuechly can change the course of a game in one moment with his ability to create turnovers for himself and his teammates. The Carolina defense led the NFL with 39 takeaways last season, which led to more opportunities for Cam Newton and the offense. Kuechly may not seem as dynamic as the other names on this list, but you can’t deny the effect he has on games.
7. J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
Similar to the way Kuechly has an effect on games, so does Watt. The Texans defensive end wreaks havoc in the opposing team’s backfield, making it extremely difficult to get anything going on offense. Likewise, he has the ability to swing momentum with one big play. It will be interesting to see if Watt can still produce in that sense coming off back surgery. But when healthy, he is arguably the most dynamic player on defense.
6. David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Johnson did just about everything for the Cardinals last season. He returned kicks, caught passes out of the backfield and ran the ball. All in all, he totaled 1,636 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns. The second-year running back is being considered among the top fantasy players for the upcoming season, and for good reason. Cardinals GM Steve Keim believes Johnson is the best receiving-back he’s ever seen and compared him to Hall-of-Famer Marshall Faulk.
5. Jarvis Landry, WR, Miami Dolphins
Landry doesn’t get the recognition that his LSU teammate Odell Beckham Jr. does, but he’s been outstanding in his own right. Landry holds the NFL record for the most receptions in a player’s first two seasons with 194. He broke the franchise record for most receptions in a single season with 110 last season. On top of that, he finished second in all-purpose yards with 1,947 in 2015.
4. Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots
You don’t typically think of the tight end as the dynamic player on a team, but Gronkowski is just that for the Patriots. He is a big play waiting to happen. Last season, Gronkowski had 22 catches of 20 or more yards, and he racked up the fifth-most yards after catch with 565. The Madden 17 cover athlete is extremely difficult to defend one-on-one because of his size and speed, and having Tom Brady throw him the ball is just unfair.
3. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers
Newton is a dynamic player because he does more than the traditional quarterback. On top of being an effective passer, the Panthers quarterback can get it done with his legs too. In a season that saw him win the MVP, Newton threw for 3,857 yards and 35 touchdowns, while rushing for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had a lot to do with his team getting to the Super Bowl last season, and he should continue to be that game-changer for the Panthers offense for the foreseeable future.
2. Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
There’s probably no receiver more important to his team than Brown, who was targeted 204 times last season. The Steelers playmaker caught 136 passes for 1,834 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also returned a punt for a touchdown, giving him at least one special teams touchdown in four of the last five seasons. You could make the case that Beckham or Julio Jones have earned the right to be the best receiver in the NFL, but there’s been no stopping Brown the last three seasons. He’s as consistent as he is great.
1. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants
Beckham has developed quickly into an elite receiver, shattering NFL and team records along the way. In only 27 games, the Giants wideout has caught 191 passes for 2,755 yards and 25 touchdowns, which is mind-boggling at age 23. But the thing that separates OBJ from most receivers is his ability to make impossible catches look easy. More often than not he’s going to make the catch in tight coverage, and that’s a quality you love to see in a No. 1 receiver.
