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Unlocking Secrets: What Opta’s New NFL Player Ratings Reveal That Will Change How You See the Game Forever
Ever wonder if the usual football stats—yards, touchdowns, sacks—really tell the whole story? Well, turns out there’s a whole other layer beneath the surface. Opta Analyst’s latest NFL player ratings dig deep into those less obvious skills—the stuff that most folks barely put under the microscope. It’s not just about who scores the most; it’s about who blocks like a wall, rushes with surgical precision, or plays with an underrated versatility that changes games quietly but profoundly. As someone who’s followed the game for decades, I can tell you these insights aren’t just numbers—they’re revelations. So who’s the unsung hero propping up a powerhouse? Which rookie is stepping up like a seasoned pro? And why should you care about blocking wide receivers? If these questions pique your curiosity, stay tuned as we unpack four big takeaways from this data goldmine. LEARN MORE
Opta Analyst’s NFL player ratings are out, and there is a lot of knowledge to be gleamed from them by measuring skills that aren’t commonly quantified in football. Here are four of our biggest takeaways.
NFL fans spend hours debating which players are the best at certain things. Who is the best pass rusher or coverage cornerback?
Last week, we added to this conversation by unveiling our NFL player ratings.
These ratings take into account our 1-on-1 matchup data and rank players based on how well they perform in different skills, many of which fall outside of the traditional measures we consider with football statistics. They have expansive utility and can be used to rank players or ascribe credit to why a particular unit is playing well.
The best way to learn from the data is to, well, look at the data. We’ve made it easy to sort by position, team and skill, so you can answer the exact questions you have.
Like, who is the best run-blocking tight end in the NFL? Brenton Strange. Or which of the Giants’ talented defensive linemen has been the best at rushing the passer? Dexter Lawrence.
There are so many things to learn from the player ratings that help explain what’s happened in the NFL this season and what is yet to come. Here are four of our biggest takeaways.
The Patriots’ Injuries on the Offensive Line Are a Big Deal
The New England Patriots have been one of the biggest surprises this year. After going 4-13 last season, they are an NFL-best 10-2 and have a 2.5 game lead over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.
Drake Maye’s breakout has been the driving force for New England, and he’s been aided by an improved offensive line.
Upgrading the line was one of the most important jobs of the offseason, and, after spending a lot of money on defensive players in free agency, the Patriots used a lot of draft capital to protect Maye’s blind side.
Will Campbell was selected No. 4 overall and has been as advertised at left tackle. There were concerns he would struggle at tackle with smaller arms, but he’s been the best pass-blocking rookie in the NFL so far with an 83.6 pass-block rating.
Jared Wilson hasn’t been as heralded at left guard, but he was a key addition as well. He’s been about league average as a rookie as both a pass blocker (74.9) and a run blocker (75.9), which is no small feat.
In Week 12, the Patriots lost both rookies to multi-week injuries. Losing one starting lineman in a given week is a concern. Losing two can be a disaster for a positional grouping that relies on cohesion more than any other on the field.
Ben Brown will likely fill in at guard, and his one start in place of Wilson earlier this year went well. Vederian Lowe was a starter for the Patriots last year and he’ll take over at left tackle. He’s capable, but not an anchor in the passing game like Campbell has been.
The Patriots will rely even more on the starters on the right side of the line who are both having good years. Right tackle Morgan Moses has been even better than Campbell in pass protection (85.1), and right guard Mike Onwenu has been the ninth-best run blocker among interior linemen (91.7). The injuries to their rookies will prove challenging, but they have the pieces to hold down the fort for the next few weeks.
Jeffery Simmons is the Forgotten Superstar
Myles Garrett has rightfully gotten a lot of attention for being one of the best players in the NFL despite being on the 3-8 Cleveland Browns.
But there’s another superstar who is on an even worse team that doesn’t get discussed enough when people are talking about the best defensive players in the league.
Jeffery Simmons currently has the best pass-rush rating for a defensive tackle (96.0) and the second-best run-defense rating (96.1) behind John Franklin-Myers (98.8).
Garrett’s Browns are 3-8 because of their offensive struggles but have some talent on defense to support their superstar on the defensive line. Maliek Collins is up to 6.5 sacks as a defensive tackle, and Shelby Harris is an excellent run stopper (87.0) who gives average pressure from the interior as well (75.0).
The 1-10 Tennessee Titans don’t have that kind of talent around Simmons. T’Vondre Sweat has been good against the run (86.0) but is a bit below-average as a pass rusher (71.4). The Titans don’t have a single other above-average pass rusher other than Simmons, (Arden Key is second on the team with a rating of 71.8). Simmons is on a sinking ship attempting to plug four holes at once on a lot of plays. The supporting cast around him needs to improve, but there’s no doubt that he’s one of the best defensive linemen in the league.
Do-It-All Offensive Linemen Are Among the Most Valuable Players in the NFL
It’s a lot easier to be a specialist on the defensive line than the offensive line.
While the true stars can defend the run and the pass, there are players who make a career out of only coming on the field in obvious pass-rushing situations. On offense, most linemen play the whole game, so it’s more imperative to find players who have a dual skill set.
So, teams should just find offensive linemen that are elite in both aspects of blocking. Sounds simple enough.
But obviously, those players are exceedingly rare. Multi-faceted anchors on the offensive line are among the most valuable players in the league.
The Detroit Lions have a ton of talent, but Penei Sewell might be the most talented player on the roster. He’s second in the league in both pass-block rating (93.5) and run-block rating (96.8) among tackles.
For the first time in a while, the Lions have some questions on the offensive line. The rest of the line rates from below average to above average in both pass blocking and run blocking, which is a downgrade from previous years. But having Sewell as the anchor still allows the offense to flourish.
The Indianapolis Colts have their anchor inside at left guard, where Quenton Nelson ranks first in both pass-block rating (86.7) and run-block rating (96.7) among interior linemen. While Jonathan Taylor has been the story in the Colts’ elite running game, Nelson’s ability as an anchor are a massive part of that success as well.
There aren’t many centers who can be called anchors to an offensive line, but Creed Humphrey is first among centers in both pass-block rating (83.2) and run-block rating (95.7). The pieces around Humphrey have fluctuated while the Kansas City Chiefs navigated the salary cap and some underperformance, but Humphrey has quietly been the rock for years and is one of the most valuable players on the Chiefs offense.
The Rams Make Blocking a Priority for Wide Receivers
Any time a new coach is hired, you’ll hear him talk about how important it is for wide receivers to block. One of the most popular idioms in coaching is, “No block, no rock.”
Yet, when it comes down to it, coaches don’t always stick to emphasizing that part of the game. There are plenty of starting receivers in the league that aren’t good blockers.
Sean McVay makes sure that dedication to receiver blocking goes beyond lip service. Of the receivers with the best run-block rating, two are on the Los Angeles Rams and one spent three years with the Rams before leaving for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.
Jordan Whittington is the quintessential Ram. He’s a good route runner, but he is on the field primarily to block. He’s a selfless receiver who will give maximum effort regardless of whether he’s getting the ball or not.
And while we see some examples of role players who block well, it’s rare for a star receiver to be an elite blocker as well. Among the 14 receivers who have a route rating of 90.0 or better, only Puka Nacua and the currently injured Mike Evans (73.2) have a run-block rating over 70.0.
Nacua’s a superstar that loves to do the dirty work. The Rams are lucky to have him and he’s a big reason why they have the best record in the NFC.
For more coverage, follow along on social media on Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook and X.
The post The Best of the Best: Four Takeaways From Opta Analyst’s New NFL Player Ratings appeared first on Opta Analyst.
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