2024 NFC East player and coach rankings: Position-by-position breakdown of Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

There is perhaps no NFL division that produces more drama on a year-to-year basis than the NFC East. Start with the fact there hasn't been a repeat champion in the quartet for literally 20 years. Throw in annual title aspirations from big-market contenders like the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, and it's no surprise the East draws such a steady crowd. The 2024 campaign should be no exception.

How does the division stack up for the new season? We broke it down one position group at a time, ranking each club from top to bottom, to get you prepped for the next NFC East showdown:

Quarterback

1. Eagles (Jalen Hurts)
2. Cowboys (Dak Prescott)
3. Commanders (Jayden Daniels)
4. Giants (Daniel Jones)

One of the primary reasons for the NFC East's appeal is its quarterbacks, namely the top two. Hurts has flirted with both MVP and Super Bowl accolades, and despite a more mercurial 2023, remains one of the game's signature dual threats, with elite rushing toughness and an even better supporting cast of weapons. Prescott is still aiming for his own deep playoff run, but has been one of the NFL's steadiest pocket passers for the better part of a decade. Daniels brings a quick arm and speedy legs to Washington, but has yet to take a real NFL stage. Jones is trying to ward off his own team's skepticism, as well as a fateful return to his familiar injury- and turnover-logged pattern.

Running back

1. Eagles (Saquon Barkley)
2. Giants (Devin Singletary)
3. Commanders (Brian Robinson Jr.)
4. Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott)

The Eagles made the biggest upgrade here, luring Barkley from his old Giants squad to add serious home run burst to an already-stocked offense, though the former first-round pick's injury history is an underlying concern. Singletary is solid, if unspectacular, after full-time gigs for two AFC squads. Robinson has proven tough as a chain-mover, though he's also appeared better-suited sharing carries. Elliott feels more like a placeholder for Dallas at this point in his career; once a standard-setting workhorse, he's slowed at 29.

Wide receivers

1. Eagles (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith)
2. Cowboys (CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks)
3. Commanders (Terry McLaurin, Olamide Zaccheaus)
4. Giants (Malik Nabers, Jalin Hyatt)

If there's one group that speaks to the collective talent of the East, it's this one. Brown and Smith may well be the best pass-catching duo in the NFL; the former is practically uncoverable, while the latter is one of Philly's alpha veterans. Lamb is probably the most explosive of them all in Dallas, while Cooks is an able counterpart. McLaurin is a seasoned No. 1 on his own for Washington, and Nabers has the electricity to quickly follow in the footsteps of other recent LSU products as the Giants' projected top target.

Tight end

1. Eagles (Dallas Goedert)
2. Cowboys (Jake Ferguson)
3. Commanders (Zach Ertz)
4. Giants (Daniel Bellinger)

You could make a case for either of the top two here. Goedert has been plagued by intermittent bruises over the years, but he's among the NFL's most reliable after the catch when healthy. Ferguson quietly eclipsed 750 yards in his first run as a full-timer, positioning him for even more looks in Dallas. Ertz is no longer the dominant short-area receiver he once was, but gives Washington a savvy safety valve. And Bellinger is still looking to emerge as a primary outlet after two quiet years to start his career.

Offensive line

1. Eagles (Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Lane Johnson)
2. Cowboys (Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Zack Martin)
3. Giants (Andrew Thomas, Jon Runyan Jr., Jermaine Eluemunor)
4. Commanders (Brandon Coleman, Tyler Biadasz, Andrew Wylie)

We listed three of each team's top blockers here, and again, there's a tight race between Dallas and Philly. The Eagles have more collective experience among their best linemen, though a lot also rides on new starting center Cam Jurgens, who's replacing the retired Jason Kelce. The Cowboys aren't without some projections of their own, with Guyton succeeding Tyron Smith as a rookie blind-side blocker for Dak Prescott. With New York, the key is really staying healthy, as injuries have marred their top starters.

Defensive line

1. Commanders (Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen)
2. Giants (Dexter Lawrence, Rakeem Nunez-Roches)
3. Eagles (Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis)
4. Cowboys (Mazi Smith, Osa Odighizuwa)

One thing Dan Quinn has locked up for his first year as Commanders coach: a sturdy defensive front. Allen has been a steady pocket disruptor for years, and Payne is two years removed from a career-high 11.5 sacks. The Eagles and Giants are a close call for second, with Carter warranting Defensive Rookie of the Year consideration in 2023 and Lawrence ranking among the NFL's most unstoppable interior men of the last few seasons. Dallas, meanwhile, is especially dependent on its outside rushers getting home.

EDGE

1. Cowboys (Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence)
2. Giants (Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux)
3. Eagles (Bryce Huff, Josh Sweat)
4. Commanders (Clelin Ferrell, Dorance Armstrong)

Parsons by himself justifies Dallas' top ranking here, as he's a top-five talent coming off the edge, averaging 13.5 sacks and almost 30 quarterback hits per year. New York may have the best duo, however, with the steady Burns joining the physically imposing Thibodeaux at outside linebacker. Huff is a major projection for Philly, thriving as more of a situational rusher with the New York Jets. And Washington seems to be banking on the rest of its front seven making life easy for its makeshift edge team.

Linebackers

1. Commanders (Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu)
2. Giants (Bobby Okereke, Micah McFadden)
3. Eagles (Devin White, Zack Baun)
4. Cowboys (Eric Kendricks, Damone Clark)

Few teams did more to reshape their linebacker corps than the Commanders this year. Wagner is no spring chicken at 34, but his instincts and physicality remain top-notch. Luvu, meanwhile, could be an ascending star after a punishing pass-rushing role with the Carolina Panthers. Okereke is a missile at the heart of the Giants defense. The Eagles and Cowboys are betting more on reclamation projects in White, the ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers star; and Kendricks, the one-time Minnesota Vikings standout.

Cornerbacks

1. Cowboys (Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland)
2. Eagles (Darius Slay, Isaiah Rodgers)
3. Giants (Cor'Dale Flott, Deonte Banks)
4. Commanders (Benjamin St-Juste, Michael Davis)

Dallas' group is volatile, with Diggs coming off injury and Bland both making and surrendering big plays in a nine-pick breakout in 2023. The rate at which the Cowboys' top cover men snag opposing passes, however, is virtually unmatched. The Eagles' secondary collapsed late in 2023, but Slay is still feisty on the outside, while Rodgers, Kelee Ringo and rookie Quinyon Mitchell give them added upside. Banks showed promise in his rookie year for New York, while Washington has shuffled through starters at the spot.

Safeties

1. Eagles (C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship)
2. Cowboys (Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson)
3. Commanders (Jeremy Chinn, Quan Martin)
4. Giants (Dane Belton, Jason Pinnock)

This could be one of the weakest groups of the division, depending on health. Gardner-Johnson, for example, is a high-energy ballhawk, though he's missed extensive time on multiple occasions. Blankenship is a tough counterpart, but he also needs to stay on the field. Dallas' pairing is more serviceable than special, which is more than can be said for the other units. Chinn has the biggest resume among remaining starters, but he too has struggled with availability in recent seasons.

Special teams

1. Eagles (Jake Elliott, Braden Mann)
2. Cowboys (Brandon Aubrey, Bryan Anger)
3. Giants (Graham Gano, Jamie Gillan)
4. Commanders (Cade York, Tress Way)

It's hard to put Aubrey below No. 1 after he casually drilled a would-be-record 66-yard field goal in the preseason, one year after leading the NFL in field-goal conversions during his first season with Dallas. Elliott has been among the game's most reliable clutch kickers for his seven-year career, however, and Mann was equally trustworthy as the Eagles' punter. Gano is coming off an injury-shortened season in New York, while Way has long been considered one of the better punters in the game.

Coaches

1. Eagles (Nick Sirianni, Kellen Moore, Vic Fangio)
2. Cowboys (Mike McCarthy, Brian Schottenheimer, Mike Zimmer)
3. Commanders (Dan Quinn, Kliff Kingsbury, Joe Whitt Jr.)
4. Giants (Brian Daboll, Matt Kafka, Shane Bowen)

Is McCarthy or Sirianni under more pressure to win big this year? The fact it's even a question speaks to the immense expectations set by ownership for both franchises. Both guys have impressive career resumes, but they're also out to prove they can maximize all-star rosters alongside new, seasoned coordinators (Fangio in Philly, Zimmer in Dallas). Quinn and Daboll have bumpier track records as head coaches, and their trajectories could depend largely on how their quarterbacks develop.

Final tally

1. Eagles (8 of 12)
2. Cowboys (2 of 12)
3. Commanders (2 of 12)
4. Giants (0 of 12)

On-paper talent does not equate to big-game victories. Look no further than the Eagles of 2023 or the Cowboys since the 1990s. And yet the measurements here suggest the NFC East will likely remain a two-horse race, barring catastrophic injuries. The Eagles may look like the overwhelming favorites, but the catch is that Dallas came in second place in eight (8) different categories. So they were either first or second in 9 of 12 positional groups -- the same mark as Philadelphia.

The Giants, meanwhile, despite finishing first in zero categories, had at least a second-place ranking in four (4) others, whereas Washington only had two (2) first- or second-place rankings. Break it down even further, and the Giants and Commanders had their top rankings at the following positions: running back, defensive line, edge rusher and linebacker. It stands to reason that, while they may struggle to match the Cowboys and Eagles in offensive firepower, they project as tougher/more physically imposing teams.

If you're looking for a sleeper from the group, it may well be Washington, if we account for the upside of young weapons like Jayden Daniels, tight end Ben Sinnott, etc. Until then, however, the safest bet is for the 2024 NFC East clash to come down to the familiar favorites: Dallas and Philadelphia.