Projecting the most explosive NFL offenses in 2023, from first to worst

The combo of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes appears unstoppable, finishing first in points and yards last season despite losing Tyreek Hill. The team will have to contend with the loss of JuJu Smith-Schuster this time around, but appear bullish with a young wideout room that includes Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, and Rashee Rice. It helps to have arguably the greatest tight end ever in Travis Kelce and a strong complementary running game led by Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon. The Chiefs have also worked to improve the offensive line, adding two new tackles to their elite interior.

While Buffalo lost offensive coordinator Brian Daboll last year, they remained second in points and yards. That speaks to how great Josh Allen has become as one of the most dynamic and unique quarterbacks the game has seen, while Stefon Diggs remains one of the elite receivers in the NFL. Gabe Davis didn't take the step forward Buffalo hoped, but perhaps Trent Sherfield or rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid will take the reins. After moving on from Devin Singletary, the team is trusting second-year back James Cook and his 5.7 yards per carry to close out games.

The astronomical improvement of Jalen Hurts allowed Philadelphia's offense to jump from 12th in points in 2021 to third last season. Hurts has a great support system that helped spur that improvement with Nick Sirianni calling plays, a great offensive line, and the wideout tandem of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Dallas Goedert remains a solid all-around tight end, and the running back committee with D'Andre Swift, Rashaad Penny, and Kenneth Gainwell should be just fine despite the loss of workhorse Miles Sanders.

What a whirlwind season it was from the 49ers offense in 2022, starting three different quarterbacks. Incredibly, seventh-round pick Brock Purdy won all seven games that he started and finished, and San Francisco scored over 30 points in five of those contests. That should lead to optimism if Purdy returns to 100% after elbow surgery, not the mention the presence of elite weapons Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle. Kyle Shanahan should have a top-five offense on his hands if the key players are able to stay healthy.

Cincinnati proved to the skeptics that they have staying power, finishing seventh in points for the second consecutive year last season. The main components of the offense from the last two years are still around with Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. The team has seen some changes on the margins, however, losing Samaje Perine and Hayden Hurst but signing left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Full health this season would allow the Bengals to move up the board, but the floor remains quite high in any case if Burrow is on the field for all 17 games.

Dallas was a top-five offense again last season, but head coach Mike McCarthy was apparently unsatisfied with coordinator Kellen Moore's play calling. The pressure is on McCarthy this season as he calls his own offensive plays in what's likely to be a more conservative offense. Leaning into Tony Pollard as the starting back should be a good thing if he can stay healthy, and the wideouts are even better this season after adding Brandin Cooks to CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. Better health from the offensive line would also be very helpful for Dak Prescott, who missed significant time early last season.

What a difference coaching can make, as Doug Pederson showed last season. The former Eagles Super Bowl winner got the Jags on track in his first year, with an offense that went from dead last in points in 2021 to 10th last season. There's reason to believe Jacksonville can take another step forward after adding former Falcons star Calvin Ridley, giving Trevor Lawrence an elite quartet along with Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Evan Engram. Travis Etienne also rebounded nicely from injury in the backfield. The only big question this year is the team's offensive line after losing right tackle Jamaal Taylor and being without the suspended Cam Robinson for the first four games.

The Chargers offense seemed to underachieve last season, though injuries were a big reason. Justin Herbert still appears on the cusp of joining the elite quarterbacks, and he has more help this year after the team drafted Quentin Johnston to join Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Austin Ekeler is the perfect receiving back for a pass-happy offense, and the team could be more creative with Kellen Moore now calling plays.

Baltimore's offense has faded over the last two seasons with Lamar Jackson missing significant time. The organization deserves credit for addressing the issues, signing Jackson long-term, hiring a more creative coordinator in Todd Monken, and giving Jackson the receivers he's been waiting for in Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers. Added to star tight end Mark Andrews and J.K. Dobbins one more year removed from knee surgery, the Ravens offense is on the upswing and should challenge their top 10 points finishes from 2019 and 2020.

Geno Smith's ability to more than adequately replace Russell Wilson was a surprise to many, with the offense back to a top-10 points finish for the fourth time in five years. They're taken clear steps to improve, adding first-round wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba to D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett while also giving Kenneth Walker III help with second-round pick Zach Charbonnet. Smith led the NFL with a 69.8% completion rate last season, but still has some skeptics to prove wrong.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is one of the hottest names among prospective head coaches after Detroit's improvement last season, from 25th in 2021 to fifth in points last season. He's successfully revitalized the career of Jared Goff, though the Lions had major turnover at the other offensive skill positions with David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, Marvin Jones Jr., and rookie Sam LaPorta now joining elite wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. Detroit took a hit when young speed demon Jameson Williams was suspended for the first six games of the season, but an elite offensive line should keep the unit moving forward in the meantime.

The additions of head coach Mike McDaniel and Tyreek Hill sent the Dolphins offense to much greater heights last season, from 22nd in points in 2021 to 11th last season. The finish would have been even better if Tua Tagovailoa was able to stay on the field. McDaniel proved as creative a run schemer as his tutor, Kyle Shanahan, while Hill and Jaylen Waddle were able to get open on command. The range of outcomes this season is big with questions about Tagovailoa's durability.

The Vikings remained an above-average offense under new head coach Kevin O'Connell, with Justin Jefferson continuing to produce at a historic rate. The team moved on from veterans Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen during the offseason, though the second-half addition of tight end T.J. Hockenson and rookie first-round pick Jordan Addison should help. The disrespected Kirk Cousins continues to put up strong numbers, and led the league with eight fourth-quarter comebacks last season.

There are high hopes in New York for the Jets offense following the addition of Aaron Rodgers. The four-time MVP struggled a bit in Green Bay last season, but has an excellent group of receivers in New York led by reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson and a familiar offense with coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Bringing former Packers receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb with him can only hope, and running back Breece Hall flashed as a rookie last season before getting injured.

The Browns are a major wild card dependent on Deshaun Watson's ability to rebound. He looked like a deer in the headlights in six games after returning from suspension last year, and the offense finished the year nearly as poorly as 2021. That's in spite of some elite weapons, including running back Nick Chubb, wideout Amari Cooper, and tight end David Njoku. The team has given Watson a couple more receiving options, including Elijah Moore, so there are no excuses for lack of improvement.

The Saints offense didn't do much marching last season following the loss of Drew Brees and Sean Payton in back-to-back years. Replacing Brees has been a task that the team finally answered by signing Derek Carr, and the team has a real keeper at wideout with Chris Olave. Legal issues and a possible suspension hang over star running back Alvin Kamara's head, so the team did well to add insurance with Jamaal Williams and rookie Kendre Miller.

Head coach Josh McDaniels turned Josh Jacobs into an elite runner in his first season, but the passing game took a big step back in the new system. It remains to be seen if Jimmy Garoppolo is an improvement on Derek Carr, but he does have a very nice trio of wideouts with Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Hunter Renfrow. The loss of tight end Darren Waller might not be as detrimental as it seems with his recent injuries.

Justin Fields emerged as one of the most entertaining players in the league last season, finishing with 1,143 yards rushing, but he has room to improve as a passer. The team tried to help that process along by improving the right side of the offensive line and acquiring No. 1 receiver D.J. Moore. He adds to Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, and Cole Kmet to make a formidable set of receivers, while Khalil Herbert and D'Onta Foreman should be a fine one-two tandem in the backfield. How much Chicago improves upon their 23rd place finish in points last year is dependent on Fields' throwing accuracy.

The Packers took a step back to 14th in points and 17th in yards last season, as Aaron Rodgers struggled to get comfortable with the team's young receivers and makeshift offensive line. It will be Jordan Love's turn to produce now that Rodgers is gone, and the offensive line is even younger after losing Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. Christian Watson does look like a star in the making, and the team hopes rookies Jayden Reed, Luke Musgraves, and Tucker Kraft can join him. The team will lean on the reliable running back tandem of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon while the young offense develops.

The Titans have proven they can move the ball when Ryan Tannehill is healthy, but a nagging ankle injury from the quarterback led to a late-season collapse. He now has rookie Will Levis looking over his shoulder, though the addition of DeAndre Hopkins gives this offense a major boost. Derrick Henry remains an elite workhorse, and second-year players Treylon Burks and Chigoziem Okonkwo show potential.

New head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka did a masterful job of turning the Giants offense from a disaster to plain average. The biggest difference was getting Daniel Jones to hold onto the ball, and the team made due with an unimposing set of receivers. That group is slightly improved this year after adding tight end Darren Waller, while Saquon Barkley remains one of the most explosive backs in the league.

The value of head coach Sean Payton will be on display this year as he tries to fix a broken Russell Wilson. Denver finished dead last in points scored last season after the addition of Wilson, though in fairness, injuries and the head-scratching play calling of Nathaniel Hackett also played a role. Payton and Wilson do have the benefit of strong weapons, including Javonte Williams, Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and Tim Patrick. and also spent big money on two offensive line additions.

The Patriots offense was embarrassingly predictable at times last season without a seasoned play caller, so it's a relief that Bill O'Brien has returned to the team to call plays. He should help Mac Jones following his sophomore regression, though the wideout room remains unimpressive with JuJu Smith-Schuster replacing Jakobi Meyers and the unreliable DeVante Parker appearing as a complementary piece. The strength of the team should be the running game, where Rhamondre Stevenson is set to be the bell-cow back following the departure of Damien Harris.

Already the second most run-heavy offense in the league last season, the Falcons drafted Texas running back Bijan Robinson in the first round. Robinson's addition and the lack of addressing quarterback is a tell for head coach Arthur Smith's hand, though the team finished 15th in points scored last season with that model. Young receivers Kyle Pitts and Drake London have the ability to keep defenses honest, but can Desmond Ridder be the answer under center?

The Steelers offense regressed post-Ben Roethlisberger, but didn't face plant after installing rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett. The Pitt alum gives the young offense something to work with, and he found some comfort with Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, and Pat Freiermuth late in the year. The lack of a spark from running back Najee Harris, averaging only 3.9 yards per carry over two seasons, is a concern, and also reflects poorly on the lack of creative play calling from coordinator Matt Canada.

Washington's offense has been plagued by mediocrity over the last five years, so they are relying on young Sam Howell and new coordinator Eric Bieniemy to add new life. The team isn't lacking talent with their offensive weapons, including Brian Robinson, Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel. Ultimately, it will be Howell's development under center that will determine the team's potential to be even a middling unit.

Injuries plagued the Rams last season, who went from seventh in points during their Super Bowl season to 27th last year. The return of Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, and Cooper Kupp is a relief, but the rest of the offense is somewhat makeshift. The offensive line appears to be a work in progress, and the Rams are lacking a proven No. 2 wideout. The return of Cam Akers in the backfield does help, but he's been far from elite in three seasons, averaging only 4.2 yards per carry.

It's difficult to know what to expect from the revamped Panthers offense, with Frank Reich leading first overall draft choice Bryce Young, Miles Sanders, Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, and Hayden Hurst. There will be undoubted growing pains with all the new players trying to mesh, but the team does have some stability on the offensive line. If Young pans out as hoped, this will be an elite offense down the line, but 2023 is too soon to project such an outcome.

The Bucs offense was an absolute mess last season, with Tom Brady finally looking his age. The team added new blood with coordinator Dave Canales and quarterback Baker Mayfield, though neither addition is convincing of an imminent rebound. The offensive strength remains at wideout, with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Russell Gage, while second-year running back Rachaad White also shows potential.

Acclaimed for the development of Jalen Hurts, new Colts head coach Shane Steichen drafted another athletic quarterback in Anthony Richardson. However, Richardson's accuracy and production in college was well below Hurts, so this will be a project. In the meantime, Indy was hoping to lean on former NFL leading rusher Jonathan Taylor before his trade demand, but they do still have some interesting young wideouts in Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce.

Houston's offense has been lost over the last two seasons, but they hope the problems are behind them after drafting former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. He doesn't have the best set of weapons after the team traded Brandin Cooks, though Stroud should be able to grow with a talent offensive line, Dameon Pierce, Nico Collins, John Metchie, and new tight end Dalton Schultz. The AFC South still appears imminently winnable, but the Texans aren't yet in great position to compete.

Arizona took a giant step back last season, from 11th in points during 2021 to 21st last year, and now must contend with the loss of Kliff Kingsbury, DeAndre Hopkins, and A.J. Green, along with Kyler Murray's knee injury. The offensive upside will ultimately be determined by the speed of Murray's recovery from surgery, but it's hard to believe Arizona would push it in what looks like a rebuilding year. Weapons like James Conner, Marquise Brown, and Zach Ertz are still solid, but they don't look as imposing with Colt McCoy under center.