NFL Analysis
12/5/24
9 min read
2024 NFL All-Pro Team Predictions As Playoffs Approach
The 2024 NFL regular season is winding down, and the All-Pro teams are already written in pencil.
There are still a few weeks for players to move up and down the first and second teams, but the stars have already stood out enough through 13 weeks to gain enough traction as All-Pro selections. A breakout star could go nuclear over their final four games to shake things up like Josh Jacobs or Travon Walker, but it would take a lot to sneak into an All-Pro team.
With just a few weeks left to play, here's what a first-team All-Pro group would look like if the season ended today.
2024 NFL All-Pro Team Predictions
The local radio call by @ChrisBrownBills & @EWood70 of Josh Allen’s huge play vs. the Chiefs. Go Bills! pic.twitter.com/HAAsbJwr9H
— dan o 🦬 (@dano_bills) November 18, 2024
Quarterback
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills 
Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen will continue to go back and forth for first-team All-Pro honors. However, considering recency bias and the opponents they've beaten, Allen gets the slight edge for now.
Allen has the lowest interception rate of his career at 1.4 percent, focusing on taking care of the football without sacrificing his playmaking ability. He's already racked up 26 total touchdowns and has stepped up in massive moments for the Bills, including his game-sealing touchdown run against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bills are 10-2 and firing on all cylinders. If they can win 13 or 14 games this year, Allen will have a leg up on Jackson.
Running Back
Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
Derrick Henry looked like the early frontrunner at running back, but Saquon Barkley is finally reaching his full potential with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Barkley is almost becoming a closer in baseball, putting teams away with explosive runs in the fourth quarter on a scorching-hot Eagles offense. He's had more than 100 rushing yards in six of his last seven games, including a game with more than 300 total yards and two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams.
The New York Giants might regret letting Barkley walk, but he was never going to have this kind of season for them. The Eagles' offensive line and the other weapons in Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith make Barkley's job so much easier.
There's a chance that Barkley breaks 2,000 rushing yards, allowing him to run away with first-team All-Pro.
PRETTYYYYY SCARY
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 1, 2024
📺 #TENvsWAS CBS pic.twitter.com/JZmEhl5cmH
Wide Receiver
Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
Two of the names at wide receiver are already established superstars, while Terry McLaurin gets the first All-Pro recognition of his career.
McLaurin is having the best year of his career, thanks to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. With 61 catches for 896 yards and nine touchdowns, he's already set a career-high mark for touchdowns. He's also pacing for his fifth straight season with 1,000 receiving yards.
Meanwhile, Ja'Marr Chase is shooting for a Triple Crown. He leads the NFL with 1,142 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns and is just five catches off of the league lead in receptions. The Cincinnati Bengals are having a disappointing season, but Chase is having the kind of year that will likely make him the highest-paid receiver in football very soon.
Justin Jefferson isn't posting video game numbers like he's used to, but he still has over 1,000 receiving yards in 12 games. He's one of the most efficient receivers in the league, averaging 2.54 yards per route run, which puts him in the top five in the NFL.
Tight End
Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
He's only a rookie, but Brock Bowers already looks like the best pass-catching tight end in the NFL.
Bowers was a superstar at the college level and hasn't skipped a beat with the Las Vegas Raiders. He currently leads the NFL with 84 receptions, going for 884 yards and four touchdowns.
While the Raiders haven't had a great season, and the quarterback situation has been a mess, Bowers has continued to be a safety blanket for whoever is playing under center.
Why Brock Bowers Is Better Than You Think
Offensive Line
Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos
Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs
Kevin Zeitler, Detroit Lions
Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles
Offensive line play across the league continues to be a big reason for overall team success. Just look at the Denver Broncos, who might have one of the best offensive line units in the league, led by a career year from former third-round pick Quinn Meinerz.
Kevin Zeitler has been a massive addition to Detroit's offensive line this season, paving the way for David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Creed Humphrey has developed into a franchise center for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, while Lane Johnson is still dominating opponents at 34 years old.
According to Pro Football Focus, Tristan Wirfs has developed into one of the best left tackles in football and has allowed zero sacks in pass protection this year.
Vikings show five-man front. AVG drops, o-line ends up with five blocking three and Jonathan Greenard blows past a tight end. pic.twitter.com/A0GrH31ieT
— Dan Pizzuta (@DanPizzuta) September 23, 2024
EDGE Rushers
Jonathan Greenard, Minnesota Vikings
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
This is one of the most competitive EDGE groups in years, with a dozen deserving candidates for first-team All-Pro honors. For the sake of this exercise, one established superstar makes the first team, while a newcomer also makes the list.
Jonathan Greenard currently leads the NFL with 60 pressures and is near the top with 10 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. He's the perfect EDGE in a Brian Flores defense, playing with his hair on fire and wreaking havoc in the backfield.
Meanwhile, T.J. Watt continues to produce top-tier seasons. He has 9.5 sacks while leading the NFL with 16 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles. The Steelers have found a couple of emerging EDGEs in Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, but Watt continues to be the star of that defense.
Defensive Line
Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants
Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
The New York Giants placing Dexter Lawrence on injured reserve likely means that he'll fall out of favor with All-Pro voters. However, his season for a struggling Giants team deserves national recognition.
Lawrence finished the 2024 season with a career-high nine sacks but also dominated against the run. His explosiveness and dominance at the point of attack made him unblockable at times, showing the rest of the NFL that he's one of the league's best interior defenders.
Chris Jones maintains his defensive superiority, which will likely help him earn his third straight first-team All-Pro selection. At 30 years old, he's in the prime of his career, with another five sacks this year, and is well on his way to being a future Hall of Famer.
Vic Fangio helping turn Zack Baun into a superstar needs to be studied in history books. pic.twitter.com/oO6vRGmnQI
— Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_) December 2, 2024
Linebacker
Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles
Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers
Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens
Fred Warner and Roquan Smith continue to make first-team All-Pro teams, but this year will almost certainly feature a newcomer in Eagles linebacker Zack Baun.
A former outside linebacker, Baun was kicked inside by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, and the result has been the most dominant season for any ILB in the league. Along with 74 solo tackles, Baun has also produced four forced fumbles, 2.5 sacks, and an interception. Per PFF, Baun also leads all linebackers with 52 defensive stops.
Warner and Smith continue to be reliable tacklers and playmakers on their respective defenses, but Baun has quickly established himself as one of the best linebackers in the league.
Cornerback
Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos
Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens
*Deommodore Lenoir, San Francisco 49ers
*(slot designation)
Pat Surtain II is starting to make a strong case for the NFL's top shutdown cornerback. He's allowed just one touchdown in coverage while holding opposing quarterbacks to a 61.6 passer rating when targeted this season.
Marlon Humphrey is having the best year of his career despite already being a first-team All-Pro back in 2019. He has a career-high five interceptions this season but also has the lowest missed tackle rate of his career when having to make plays on ball carriers.
The slot cornerback spot is a tough one, with a handful of worthy candidates. But Deommodore Lenoir has produced all kinds of impact plays despite playing on a struggling 49ers team, producing 67 total tackles with six pass breakups, two interceptions, and a forced fumble.
anyways, here is a compilation of every Xavier McKinney interception (5!) through 5 weeks of the season #GoPackGo https://t.co/NI7A6W65Am pic.twitter.com/M7qSJjfjDk
— Michael Allen 🧀 (@MichaelAllenNFL) October 7, 2024
Safety
Xavier McKinney, Green Bay Packers
Kerby Joseph, Detroit Lions
The NFC North is well-represented at the safety position. Even fellow Lions safety Brian Branch will make a hard push for first-team consideration, but his teammate, Kerby Joseph, gets the nod because of his seven interceptions, tied for the league lead with Xavier McKinney.
McKinney has been a massive safety upgrade for the Packers. Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of just 53.0 when targeting him, with seven interceptions and zero touchdowns allowed. He's the perfect safety for Jeff Hafley's defensive scheme, and the former Giants safety is thriving because of it.
Joseph has nearly identical advanced stats to McKinney for the Lions, and both will continue competing against each other for the league's interception title through the end of the year.
