NFL All-Underrated Team: Offense
Image by ESPN
New York, NY (PSF) — As the 2022-23 NFL season is nearing a close, it is a time of accolades, you see the finalists for awards and the All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams are announced. It is a time to reflect and pay respect to teams and players that went above and beyond. I am here to talk about the players who were not given the praise that they deserved. Players that should be in the conversation for awards, but did not have the notoriety that other players have. This article will highlight the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end positions who had impressive seasons but are not nationally praised. Without further ado, I give you the 2022-23 All-Underrated Team.
Quarterback
Jared Goff - Detroit Lions
Image by Joel Bissell | MLive.com
Goff is someone that has gotten a lot of hate over the years, being termed a “system quarterback”. Many thought he only achieved success in his years in LA because of the Sean McVay system. However, this is not the case. In Detroit this year, Goff posted 4,438 yards, and 29 touchdowns to only seven interceptions with a 65.1 completion percentage. He led a Lions offense that was fourth in total offense behind only the Chiefs, Bills, and Eagles. He posts elite numbers while never getting the credit that QBs posting the same numbers get. He has proven his doubters wrong while also creating an exciting product in Detroit. He has put the Lions in a bind, do they draft a QB? Or has Goff done enough to become the guy in Detroit?
Running Back
Austin Ekeler - Los Angeles Chargers
Image by Mark J. Terrell | The Associated Press
Now Tyler, why is Ekeler considered underrated? He’s a top-5 fantasy running back. Now, while that is true, Ekeler gets nowhere near the respect that he deserves. He consistently puts up top-5 RB numbers in terms of total production without getting any awards or props for it. The man has never been to the Pro Bowl in his six-year career. When you look at his stats, you cannot just look at his numbers on the ground, he does a lot of his damage through receptions and yards after the catch. He had 915 yards on 204 attempts on the ground, paired with 107 receptions for 722 yards. He had 13 rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns. It is time to put Ekeler in the conversation for a top-3 running back in the league.
Wide Receiver
Terry McLaurin - Washington Commanders
Image by NBC Sports
How many more years is Scary Terry going to be on this list?! It is time for him to be put in the top-5 wide receiver conversation. Terry has put up ridiculous numbers every year and has never had a good quarterback. He has played with nine QBs in only four seasons in Washington. Yet he is consistently underrated by fans and analysts alike. This season was no different, he put up 77 receptions and 1,191 yards with five touchdowns and an average of 15.5 yards per catch (YPC). Without an elite QB, McLaurin is still a premier WR in the league, get him an elite QB, and he has the potential to be a top-3 WR in the league.
Brandon Aiyuk - San Fransisco 49ers
Image by Michael Zagaris | Getty Images
The Niners’ offense is loaded, but there is not enough credit to go around. With McCaffery, Deebo, and Kittle all being on the same offense, Aiyuk gets overlooked while quietly being impressive in his own right. This season was his first season over 1,000 yards at 1,015 yards. He had 78 receptions and eight TDs with 13 YPC. He has been a catalyst in the Niners’ offense, and he is always due for a couple of mind-blowing plays in a season where he seems impossible to tackle. An extremely underrated part of his game is his effort in blocking. Many times, the Niners are able to break off huge plays because of his blocking on the outside. In my opinion, Aiyuk could easily be a WR1 on many teams and once he is a free agent in 2024 or 2025, he will be paid like one.
Tight End
Hayden Hurst - Cincinnati Bengals
Image by Ryan Meyer | Cincinnati Bengals
This was a tough decision between David Njoku of the Cleveland Browns and Hurst, but I ended up going with Hurst because he has less hype around him. While Hurst’s numbers are not flashy, he is solid in every facet of being a tight end. He had 52 receptions for 414 yards and two touchdowns at about eight YPC. While Hurst may not get the gaudy numbers that Kelce and Kittle get, he is an amazing blocker and has been a help in the Bengals’ run game. The Bengals are loaded at WR with Jamar Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd so Hurst flies under the radar and does not get much media attention. He has been able to fill the hole that CJ Uzomah left last year and I feel that he will only get better during his tenure in Cincinnati.