There are many quiet contributors inside football teams. Even names we know but maybe don’t understand how good they are and how massive their contribution is.
Those are what we call underrated NFL players. Here we will show you the ten most underrated NFL players in today’s game.
You won’t hear these names on TV sets or podcasts as the best in their position, but they ball out whenever their team needs them. Let’s take a look.
What Makes An NFL Player Underrated?
An underrated player is a name with tremendous value to their teams, but he doesn’t get enough respect in the mainstream NFL discussion.
You can always count on these players to perform well. But few talk about them as they get lost in the conversation when others perform at the same or higher level.
These underrated players deserve praise, and I’m for it.
Most Underrated Players in the NFL
10. RB Aaron Jones – Green Bay Packers
Aaron Jones doesn’t get enough credit because he was in an offense dominated by Aaron Rodgers.
The QB got all the publicity, and rightly so. But Jones has done enough to be considered one of the game’s best backs.
He is a versatile player who can run and catch out of the backfield. But because Aaron Jones is not the fastest or strongest player, people never talk about him as one of the best in the game.
In 2022, Aaron Jones had a career year with 1,121 rushing yards alongside seven total TDs combined. He can do it all.
9. RB Nick Chubb – Cleveland Browns
Nick Chubb is a household name in fantasy football, but he deserves more love in the mainstream conversation.
Whenever TV heads talk about the best running back in the game, Chubb comes in third or fourth place in the discussion. Names like Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey come first.
Chubb is just as or more decisive than McCaffrey, who is permanently injured. But he doesn’t get the same respect.
Since 2018, nobody has had more 100-yard games than Nick Chubb, with 30. In 2022 he recorded 1,525 yards and 12 TDs. He deserves so much more admiration.
8. WR DJ Moore – Chicago Bears
If you ask fans for the best wide receivers in the NFL, you will come across 30 names before arriving at DJ Moore.
Yet, he’s one of the most consistent things inside a weak Chicago Bears offense.
Since entering the league, DJ Moore has recorded at least 1,100 in three of his five seasons. He’s the only functional piece inside a terrible Bears team.
His production never fails despite having horrible QBs passing him the ball.
7. S Jessie Bates – Atlanta Falcons
Jessie Bates is a name that casual NFL fans might not know. The hardcore fans know Bates because of his success with the Cincinnati Bengals, but he deserves so much recognition.
Jessie burst into the NFL scene in 2018, immediately establishing his formidable presence. However, his best season was in 2021, when he helped the Bengals reach the Super Bowl. He even recorded an interception during the big game.
Bates now plays for the Atlanta Falcons and is already making an impact on his new team. During the first two games with the Falcons, Bates recorded two interceptions, helping his team win his first two games of the 2023 season.
Some recognize Jessie Bates as a good player, but he deserves better than that. He’s one of the best safeties in the league.
6. WR Mike Evans – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Whenever people talk about the best wide receivers in the game, the name of Mike Evans never gets mentioned. It’s something unusual.
Before, I believed it was because most people don’t watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Evans owns one of the hardest records to beat, with nine straight seasons posting 1,000 receiving yards. He got most during the 17-week seasons instead of the current 18-game schedule.
He’s a problem one-on-one, especially in the red zone. Most people never mention Evans in the best wide receiver discussion, and that’s a travesty.
I’m here to give Mike Evans his props as one of the most underrated players in the NFL today.
5. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown – Detroit Lions
Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown gets some love from the fantasy football community, but not as much when discussing the best wideouts in the NFL. His name never comes up.
However, St. Brown has been the best offensive weapon in Detroit in the last couple of seasons, helping the Lions reach new heights.
Amon-Ra St. Brown deserves a better and louder discussion around his name. His routes are clean, and his yard-after-the-catch numbers are among the NFL’s best in the last two years.
If his underrated status keeps surprising people, it is because they are not paying attention. Amon-Ra St. Brown is a star.
4. S Marcus Williams – Baltimore Ravens
Marcus Williams is unfairly looked at as the guy who missed the tackle when the Vikings beat the Saints in the playoffs game called the Minneapolis Miracle.
Most people don’t know that Williams is an All-Pro talent that delivers every weekend.
Once a critical part of the Saints’ defense, Williams took a massive contract to play with the Baltimore Ravens. Despite hitting the market and getting a lot of dollars, most people don’t mention Marcus Williams as one of the game’s best safeties, and that’s a tragedy.
In Baltimore, he will get a chance to prove his talent and make some noise. I know he’s criminally underrated for how well he has played over the past few seasons.
3. DE Trey Hendrickson – Cincinnati Bengals
Similar to the discussion with Jessie Bates, most people will focus on the offense when talking about the Bengals. That leaves many of their best players on defense needing help to gain recognition.
In the last three seasons, Cincinnati’s best defensive weapon has been DE Trey Hendrickson. He’s the most underrated player on both sides of the ball.
Hendrickson sets the pace and the aggressiveness of the defense. Where he goes, the rest of the unit goes.
He’s underrated because his playing style is not as flashy as other guys in the same position. Yet he’s effective and, many times, unstoppable. Yet, without real recognition. That’s the definition of underrated.
2. WR Keenan Allen – Los Angeles Chargers
A few months ago, a reporter asked former WR Julian Edelman to name the best route runners in the NFL. To the surprise of many, Edelman mentioned Keenan Allen as a top-3 WR in this department. It caused some hysteria around the media.
But then, when looking at Allen’s moves to get rid of defenders, you can notice what Julian Edelman sees.
Yet, he never gets discussed as one of the best WRs in the world. He shows up, catches balls, and stays out of any controversy. But make no mistake about it; if you don’t cover this dude, he will carve your secondary.
1. WR Tee Higgins – Cincinnati Bengals
What the Cincinnati Bengals have on offense is unfair. They have WR Ja’Marr Chase as their number-one target in an explosive offense, and because he’s so good, people tend to forget about Tee Higgins.
Higgins is an underrated wide receiver who would be considered the number-one target in many other offenses.
Tee had 908 in his rookie year despite quarterback Joe Burrow’s knee injury early in the season. Then, in 2021, he had 1091 yards and six touchdowns despite all the praise on Chase. And then again, in 2022, he recorded 1,029 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s getting better and better.
Higgins is as underrated as anybody in the league. Let’s talk about how the Bengals have two number-one wideouts instead of just one.
Bonus: Who Is The NFL’s Most Overrated Player?
After getting a $40 Million per year deal, Daniel Jones instantly became the most overrated NFL player in the NFL. The NY Giants are paying him top dollar to be just another guy posting mediocre numbers year in and year out.
Since his rookie season, Daniel Jones hasn’t recorded a season with more than 15 touchdown passes. In fact, from 2020 to 2022, Jones posted 36 touchdowns combined. In 2022 alone, Patrick Mahomes recorded 41 touchdowns. Yes, in just one season.
The fact that the Giants paid Daniel Jones as a top player is mind-blowing. He’s, by far, the most overrated player in the NFL.
Bet on NFL Players at The Best Sportsbooks
If you consider betting on teams with the players above, know that even sportsbooks might underrate them.
That could give you an edge when betting on any of them. To bet, choose one of our trusted sports betting sites below.
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What Can I Do With This Information?
The underrated players on this list are excellent playmakers. Make no mistake about it.
Many of them enjoy the “underrated” label, as they can stay in the shadows while beating their opponents when they don’t expect it.
Use these underrated names to take advantage of props, futures, and other betting lines that the oddsmakers might miss.
Hungry for more? Learn how to bet on NFL players online
About the Author
Alonzo Solano
Sports Analyst and Content Writer
Alonzo is a Sports Betting Analyst and casino games enthusiast who has covered Football extensively at SBS, but don’t be surprised if you read him on other sports. He's the host of the NFL Latino TV podcast.
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