The database at Pro Football Focus has few limits, and we're able to dig into specific traits and facets of the game using our years of data sets.
Here, we dive into some of those traits and tell you who the best players are in a variety of categories, from the most efficient tackler in the league to the best quarterback throwing a go route.
It's our list of the NFL's best performer in every category you can think of -- for the third year in a row -- using our stats and data from the season. And just because we can, we added more categories this year, identifying 60 elite performers in specific skills.
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OFFENSE
Best overall offensive grade
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
At 95.0, Brees tops the board. He leads the league with his 84.8 adjusted completion percentage (adjusting for drops, spiked balls, throwaways, passes on which the QB was hit as he threw and batted balls at the line of scrimmage). He is completing passes at a high rate and still averages 8.6 yards per attempt, living comfortably above the "game manager" label.
Best quarterback in the pocket
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
From inside the pocket, Brees has completed 79.8 percent of his passes to lead the league and has connected on 19 touchdowns against one interception. The future Hall of Famer's 85.1 percent adjusted completion is the best in the league from inside the pocket.
Best quarterback outside the pocket
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes leads the league with six touchdown passes, 644 yards (no other QB is within 200 yards of him) and 11 big-time throws (PFF's highest-graded throws, and no other QB has more than five) from outside the pocket, proving to be an unstoppable force outside of the structure.
