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The majority of last season’s highlights came from the fastest NFL players in 2023. These freakish athletes used their speed to their advantage to make huge plays on the field, whether to outrun defenders, score touchdowns, or pursue ball carriers.
Fastest NFL players 2023
Determining who are the quickest NFL players is subjective. However, certain metrics can help us narrow down who these speedsters are such as:
- 40-yard dash speed
- Next Gen Stats ballcarrier speed
- Eye-test
As you can see, the 40-yard dash times and in-game ball carrier speed are the most important metrics in determining the speed of a player. We can’t just rely on the 40-yard dash speed because there is literally no competition other than yourself. This is why the Next Gen Stats ballcarrier speed is a great metric in determining the speed of a player since it’s on the actual football field with real competition.
Here are the top ten quickest players at each position NFL…
10. Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings
40-yard dash speed: 4.50
Fastest ballcarrier speed: 21.68 mph
Dalvin Cook had a 40-yard dash speed of 4.49 seconds in the NFL Combine. A good number but not what was expected from one of the quickest players in college football.
Despite this, Cook has consistently displayed his speed on the field every season. He displayed his quickness once again in his 81-yard touchdown run against the Bills, in which he topped 21.68 mph. This play helped Minnesota fuel a comeback, winning the game 33-30 in overtime.
9. Devin Duvernay, WR, Ravens
40-yard dash speed: 4.39
Fastest ballcarrier speed: 21.60 mph
Arguably one of the best highlights in the 2022 season was Devin Duvernay‘s 103-yard kickoff return touchdown against the Dolphins. In this play, Duvernay registered one of the fastest speeds in the NFL with 21.6 mph.
Duvernay finished the 2022 season with three total touchdowns.
8. Parris Campbell, WR, Colts
40-yard dash speed: 4.31
Fastest ballcarrier speed: 22.11 mph
Parris Campbell had a good 2022 season with the Colts, tallying 623 yards and scoring three touchdowns. His connection with Matt Ryan definitely helped him have a good campaign but his speed played a major role in catching those passes.
Despite being a short player and not resulting in a touchdown, Campbell had the fastest ballcarrier speed in 2022 with his 26-yard rush against the Texans. His 22.11 mph record was just short of Jonathan Taylor‘s 22.13 mph in 2021.
7. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Bengals
40-yard dash speed: 4.38
Fastest ballcarrier speed: 21.74 mph
Ja’Marr Chase picked up where he left off after winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award two seasons ago. In the 2022 season, he tallied 87 receptions, 1046 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns despite missing five games with an injury.
Chase consistently burned his defenders with his speed in the past two seasons. He displayed his quickness both before and after catching the pass. It also helps to have one of the greatest quarterbacks in the NFL in Joe Burrow.
6. Christian Watson, WR, Packers
40-yard dash speed: 4.36
Fastest ballcarrier speed: 21.72 mph
Christian Watson was one of the best rookies in the 2022 season. He was the lone bright spot in Green Bay last season, tallying 41 receptions, 611 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns.
His blazing speed was one of the main reasons he was so effective at catching Aaron Rodgers‘ deep balls. This speed was highlighted on his 46-yard touchdown against the Bears where he reached 21.72 mph.
5. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Dolphins
40-yard dash speed: 4.37
Fastest ballcarrier speed: 21.68 mph
It’s unfair for the Dolphins to have the two fastest players in the NFL, Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill. Waddle had a great 2022 season, recording 1356 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns.
When Waddle gets open in the field, it’s over for the opposing cornerbacks since he can turn on the jets and leave his defenders in the dust. His speed was highlighted in his 84-yard touchdown against the Packers where he arrived at 21.68 mph.
4. Tariq Woolen, CB, Seahawks
40-yard dash speed: 4.26
Fastest ballcarrier speed: 21.58 mph
The only defensive player to make our fastest players in NFL ranked article is Tariq Woolen. Woolen’s speed was on full display in his 40-yard interception return against the Lions. He intercepted Goff’s pass and took it all by himself toward the endzone. This was also the first touchdown of his career.
Woolen was a Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist in the 2022 season. He ended the season with six interceptions.
3. Breece Hall, RB, Jets
40-yard dash speed: 4.39
Fastest ballcarrier speed: 21.87 mph
In the first half of the 2022 season, Breece Hall was poised to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. However, he tore his ACL against the Broncos in Week 7 which made him miss the rest of the 2022 season. Before his injury, he tallied four touchdowns and 463 rushing yards.
Nicknamed “Breece Lightning”, Hall displayed his speed in his 62-yard touchdown against the Broncos (the same game he tore his ACL) where he topped 21.87 mph.
2. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seahawks
40-yard dash speed: 4.38
Fastest ballcarrier speed: 22.09 mph
Kenneth Walker had a breakout season in 2022, recording 1050 rushing yards and scoring nine touchdowns.
One of his best highlights as a rookie was his 74-yard touchdown against the Chargers. He took a handoff to the right and turned on the jets for a touchdown. His 22.09 mph is the fastest ballcarrier speed in the 2022 season, making him one of the fastest NFL players 2023.
1. Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins
40-yard dash speed: 4.26
Fastest ballcarrier speed: 23.23 mph
There’s no doubt that Tyreek Hill is one of the fastest NFL players of all time. The stats may not show it in the 2022 season since he’s on a new team with Tua Tagovailoa as his quarterback. Despite the current situation, Hill still passes the eye test as the faster player on the field.
When we go back to when he was still with the Chiefs, Hill led the NFL with 45 touches as a ball carrier reaching 20+ MPH since 2018. He also recorded the fastest ballcarrier speed ever in NextGenStats, hitting 23.24 mph on a kickoff return. He was nicknamed “Cheetah” for nothing.
