PFF’s All-Time Single-Season Teams: AFC West

The modern-era Chiefs fielded multiple future Canton inductees: Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Chris Jones powered one of the NFL's most legendary dynasties.

Khalil Mack‘s greatness spans multiple teams: Mack recorded two of the highest-graded campaigns in both Raiders and Chargers history.

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Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

In honor of PFF heading into its 20th season of grading and data collection, we’re taking a look back at the best single-season performances for each team according to PFF grading.

As such, we’ve built a series of starting offensive and defensive lineups for all 32 teams using the highest-graded seasons at every position. There are a few rules:

A player must have played at least 500 snaps in a given season
A player can only make one appearance per roster (e.g., Julio Jones can’t take up all three WR slots for Atlanta)
A player who was acquired midseason can still be slotted provided he fulfilled the required snap minimum for that team.

Without further ado, here are PFF’s all-time single-season lineups for the AFC West.

Denver Broncos

QB: Peyton Manning, 92.8 (2013)

RB: C.J. Anderson, 85.8 (2014)

WR: Brandon Marshall, 91.3 (2007)

WR: Brandon Lloyd, 90.7 (2010)

WR: Demaryius Thomas, 87.9 (2014)

TE: Jacob Tamme, 80.2 (2012)

LT: Garrett Bolles, 90.6 (2020)

LG: Evan Mathis, 90.1 (2015)

C: Casey Wiegmann, 91.1 (2008)

RG: Louis Vasquez, 88.2 (2013)

RT: Ryan Harris, 77.7 (2008)

EDGE: Von Miller, 93.4 (2012)

EDGE: Shaquil Barrett, 82.6 (2017)

DI: Derek Wolfe, 86.5 (2015)

DI: Terrance Knighton, 84.1 (2013)

LB: Alexander Johnson, 88.5 (2019)

LB: Danny Trevathan, 80.4 (2015)

CB: Chris Harris Jr., 92.0 (2014)

CB: Champ Bailey, 92.0 (2006)

S: Justin Simmons, 90.7 (2019)

S: Brandon Jones, 84.2 (2024)

FLEX: Aqib Talib, 88.9 (2016)

To this day, Denver is still trying to reach the offensive heights to which Peyton Manning led it. His record-setting 2013 season featured 60 touchdown passes and 53 big-time throws, postseason included. Demaryius Thomas was the top receiver on that team, though he earned his best overall PFF grade a year later. Left guard Evan Mathis’ contributions in 2015 are particularly impressive because he also appears on two other teams’ single-season lineups: Cincinnati and Philadelphia.

Hall of Famer Champ Bailey ranked second in the NFL in 2006 with a 92.0 overall PFF grade while intercepting 10 passes. Future Hall of Famer Von Miller became a superstar early in his career: His 93.4 overall PFF grade in 2012 led all edge defenders and was the second of eight consecutive seasons in which he earned at least a 90.0 overall PFF grade.

Kansas City Chiefs

QB: Patrick Mahomes, 92.8 (2018)

RB: Jamaal Charles, 85.2 (2010)

WR: Tyreek Hill, 89.0 (2018)

WR: Rashee Rice, 85.1 (2023)

WR: Dwayne Bowe, 84.3 (2011)

TE: Travis Kelce, 93.8 (2020)

LT: Branden Albert, 80.6 (2008)

LG: Brian Waters, 89.9 (2008)

C: Creed Humphrey, 92.4 (2024)

RG: Geoff Schwartz, 87.0 (2013)

RT: Mitchell Schwartz, 89.3 (2019)

EDGE: Justin Houston, 91.3 (2015)

EDGE: Tamba Hali, 90.3 (2010)

DI: Chris Jones, 92.3 (2022)

DI: Derek Nnadi, 74.8 (2020)

LB: Derrick Johnson, 90.2 (2010)

LB: Leo Chenal, 84.0 (2023)

CB: Brandon Flowers, 87.3 (2009)

CB: Sean Smith, 87.1 (2014)

S: Eric Berry, 89.9 (2016)

S: Justin Reid. 78.2 (2024)

FLEX: Trent McDuffie, 84.8 (2023)

Patrick Mahomes has dominated the NFL ever since becoming the Chiefs’ starter in 2018. However, that record-setting campaign still stands as his highest-graded. Of course, his top targets on that team were Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Hill’s 89.8 PFF receiving grade that season was his best in a Kansas City uniform. Kelce also set a career-high in receiving grade that season, but he later surpassed that with an incredible 93.6 PFF receiving grade two years later.

Future Hall-of-Fame defensive tackle Chris Jones was bound to make an appearance on this list. He’s actually recorded the eight highest-graded seasons by a Chiefs defensive tackle regardless of snap count. His best work came in 2022, as he led the NFL with a 92.3 overall PFF grade and a ridiculous 97 pressures.

Las Vegas Raiders

QB: Derek Carr, 85.3 (2016)

RB: Josh Jacobs, 91.6 (2022)

WR: Davante Adams, 90.1 (2022)

WR: Hunter Renfrow, 78.8 (2021)

WR: Michael Crabtree, 78.6 (2016)

TE: Darren Waller, 86.5 (2020)

LT: Donald Penn, 90.0 (2016)

LG: Kelechi Osemele, 84.2 (2016)

C: Rodney Hudson, 83.7 (2016)

RG: Cooper Carlisle, 81.7 (2008)

RT: Cornell Green, 75.9 (2008)

EDGE: Khalil Mack, 92.5 (2016)

EDGE: Maxx Crosby, 92.1 (2023)

DI: Dan Williams, 82.7 (2015)

DI: Desmond Bryant, 74.2 (2012)

LB: Kirk Morrison, 80.0 (2007)

LB: Robert Spillane, 77.1 (2023)

CB: Nnamdi Asomugha, 90.0 (2006)

CB: Nate Hobbs, 80.1 (2021)

S: Michael Huff, 90.1 (2010)

S: Charles Woodson, 90.1 (2015)

FLEX: David Amerson, 77.7 (2015)*

*Claimed off waivers mid-season, but fulfilled minimum snap requirement

Raiders fans will forever be left wondering how their 2016 could have ended had Derek Carr not suffered a fractured fibula. Carr was in the midst of his best season, as he ranked fifth in the NFL in PFF passing grade. He was given terrific protection from the Oakland offensive line, as Donald Penn, Kelechi Osemele and Rodney Hudson each earned top-five PFF grades at their position that year.

Hall of Famer Charles Woodson, who made the Packers’ single-season roster as a cornerback, appears at safety for the Raiders. His 90.1 overall PFF grade in 2015 ranked second in the NFL behind Earl Thomas. This Raiders outfit also features an elite edge rusher duo in Khalil Mack and Maxx Crosby. Mack was a key piece on that excellent 2016 team, while Crosby continues to dominate in Las Vegas to this day.

Los Angeles Chargers

QB: Philip Rivers, 91.6 (2010)

RB: Austin Ekeler, 85.2 (2019)

WR: Keenan Allen, 89.3 (2017)

WR: Vincent Jackson, 89.2 (2009)

WR: Malcom Floyd, 89.2 (2011)

TE: Hunter Henry, 87.2 (2017)

LT: Rashawn Slater, 90.9 (2024)

LG: Kris Dielman, 84.8 (2007)

C: Corey Linsley, 85.7 (2021)

RG: Mike Goff, 87.7 (2006)

RT: Jeromey Clary, 77.7 (2008)

EDGE: Khalil Mack, 91.8 (2023)

EDGE: Joey Bosa, 90.2 (2020)

DI: Jamal Williams, 90.2 (2007)

DI: Poona Ford, 85.3 (2024)

LB: Donnie Edwards, 85.6 (2006)

LB: Jatavis Brown, 77.6 (2016)

CB: Casey Hayward Jr., 91.1 (2017)

CB: Antonio Cromartie, 90.4 (2007)

S: Eric Weddle, 92.2 (2012)

S: Derwin James, 87.8 (2018)

FLEX: Desmond King II, 88.5 (2018)

Phillip Rivers and his dynamic group of weapons gave opposing defenses fits throughout his career. Rivers himself earned a career-high 92.8 PFF passing grade in 2010 while generating 35 big-time throws to just nine turnover-worthy plays. Wide receivers Keenan Allen, Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd were all beneficiaries of Rivers’ excellence throughout his career in San Diego.

Khalil Mack, who has already appeared on the Raiders’ and Bears’ single-season rosters, makes another appearance. Having spent the latter portion of his career with the Chargers, he secured a 91.8 overall PFF grade in 2023, which ranked sixth in the NFL. The Chargers’ defense also features a pair of dynamic safeties in Eric Weddle and Derwin James, who set career highs in PFF grade in 2012 and 2018, respectively.