CBS Sports Ranks NFL Divisions For QBs, RBs And WRs: See Where NFC North Landed For Each Position
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's July during the NFL offseason and rankings of players, teams and stadiums abound. This time, CBS Sports took a shot at ranking the NFL Divisions for quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs.
The division of the Vikings, Packers, Bears and Lions -- the NFC North -- performed OK in the rankings overall, but didn't take any of the No. 1 spots. The division, however, nearly earned the top spot for its ground game. Here's how the division landed in each.
Quarterbacks
NFC North's Rank: No. 4
Top ranked division: AFC West (Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets most of the focus in this middle-of-the-pack ranking, with CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin saying Rodgers may rival Patrick Mahomes as "the NFL's most effortless passer." Benjamin says until the reportedly unhappy Rodgers sits out or gets dealt, he "makes the NFC North must-see TV."
On Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, Benjamin says he's not a "big stage star," but keeps the Vikings in the hunt with his play-action abilities.
Wide Receivers
NFC North's Rank: No. 4
Top ranked division: NFC West (Arizona's DeAndre Hopkins and San Francisco's Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk)
The NFC North again winds up in the middle of the pack again for wide receivers, mostly since the Detroit Lions "probably have the league's worst wide receiver group," according to Benjamin.
Benjamin said the division does have four of the very best wideouts in football, including Vikings wideouts Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, the latter who had a record-breaking rookie season.
Running Backs
NFC North's Rank: No. 2
Top ranked division: NFC South (New Orleans' Alvin Kamara and Carolina's Christian McCaffrey)
The NFC North nearly took the top spot when it came to running backs.
Vikings' star running back Dalvin Cook is very much a factor in the second-place spot, with Benjamin calling both him and Packers' Aaron Jones "inhuman" in their running ability.
"The two RB dynamos carry this division at the position and are now getting impressive help from an emerging David Montgomery (Bears)," Benjamin wrote.