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We have compiled a list of the fastest players in NFL history.
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Speed is important in most sports – none more so than the NFL.
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Who is the fastest NFL player in 2024?
Being the fastest NFL player doesn’t guarantee a successful career.
Outright Winner - Kansas City Chiefs
Plenty of speedsters are cut from NFL rosters every year, and others are limited to special teams or backup duties.
Fastest Players In The NFL (2024)
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D.K. Metcalf – 22.2mph
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Chase Brown – 22.1mph
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Tyreek Hill – 22mph
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De’Von Achane – 21.9mph
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KaVontae Turpin – 21.9mph
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Derrick Henry – 21.7mph
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Raheem Mostert – 21.6mph
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Kenneth Walker – 21.6mph
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George Pickens – 21.5mph
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Ja’Marr Chase – 21.5mph
For others, though, pure pace is a huge part of what makes them effective. It can help wide receivers to get separation, and enable running backs to dart away from potential tackles.
On the other side of the ball, safeties, linebackers and corners can all benefit from a bit of pace. Here are the fastest NFL players since the start of the 2022 season, according to Next Gen Stats…
D.K. Metcalf
It wasn’t D.K. Metcalf’s best season amid a disappointing campaign for the Seattle Seahawks. Metcalf was held to just two touchdowns in the first 11 weeks of the season, but he bounced back with four over Weeks 12 and 13.
It was the second of those weeks that saw Metcalf set the fastest time of the 2023 season. Receiving a pass from Geno Smith, Metcalf disappeared downfield for a 73-yard touchdown reception. The Seahawks went on to lose the game to the San Francisco 49ers.
Chase Brown
With no starts and just 335 total yards, it’s fair to say Chase Brown isn’t the biggest name on the Bengals offence. A backup running back selected in the fifth round last season, Brown was no more than a depth piece for Cincy.
Still, he showcased his elite speed with a 22.1mph mark against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14. He had just one drop on 15 targets – could we see the Bengals incorporate Brown into their passing game more in 2024?
Tyreek Hill
Tyreek Hill is arguably the most impactful non-quarterback when it comes to making NFL predictions. The fortunes of the Miami Dolphins have changed partly because of Hill’s arrival, and his presence certainly helped Tua Tagovailoa’s MVP case last season.
Hill has three of the top nine speeds in 2023, which is hardly unusual. His quickest came on a reception in Week 5. While he’s 0.2mph behind Metcalf, few would argue that Hill is still the fastest player in the league and among the fastest in NFL history.
De’Von Achane
If having Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle wasn’t enough, the Miami Dolphins also possessed electric speed at running back in De’Von Achane. The rookie ended up just three yards shy of a 1,000-yard campaign, and finished with 11 total touchdowns.
Like Hill, Achane hit some high speeds back in Week 5, but it was actually Week 3 when he got to 21.9mph. A 67-yard rushing touchdown was just shy of the 20mph mark, and gives the former Texas A&M running back the highest rushing speed in the NFL.
KaVontae Turpin
Despite having just 11 total rushes in the 2023 regular season, KaVontae Turpin still posted the second-fastest rush. He was only a slither slower than Achane.
Turpin had zero carries in the two weeks prior, but still managed to get 22 yards on his one rush in Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Topping out at almost 22mph, the return specialist earned his place alongside the NFL’s elite speedsters.
Derrick Henry
He might still be one of the fastest players in the league, but that wasn’t enough to place Derrick Henry among the highest paid NFL players this offseason. Instead, King Henry is teaming up with reigning MVP Lamar Jackson in Baltimore.
We won’t see Henry among the NFL betting favourites for MVP next season. We might, however, see him have his best shot yet at winning a ring. A four-time Pro Bowler coming off his fifth season with 1,000+ rushing yards, all eyes will be on a dynamic backfield tandem in Baltimore.
Raheem Mostert
Earning his first Pro Bowl nod after leading the NFL with 21 total touchdowns, Raheem Mostert joins multiple Dolphins teammates on this list.
It goes to show just how much firepower Miami had at their disposal in 2023 – Mostert had almost 1,200 scrimmage yards, including 67.5 on the ground per game.
It was back in Week 2 that the former Niner recorded a 43-yard rushing touchdown with a 21.6mph top speed. Given his workload, it’s not a surprise that his highest speed came early in the season.
Kenneth Walker
After finishing as runner-up for Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, Kenneth Walker’s 2023 was underwhelming. His raw speed is still there, but his yards per rush dropped from 4.6 to 4.1 and he posted fewer total yards despite starting four more games.
It’s the end of an era with Seattle as Pete Carroll’s head coaching stint comes to an end. In a period of transition, there remains hope that Walker can be a foundational piece through the rest of this decade.
George Pickens
Poor quarterback play has placed a firm ceiling on George Pickens thus far. Pickens still had the highest yards per reception mark in the NFL in 2023, though, and the upside remains for the Steelers’ young wideout.
His yards per game, yards per target and total yardage all increased markedly. Keep an eye on Pickens next season – he could quickly become recognised among the league’s best receivers.
Ja’Marr Chase
Even with Joe Burrow missing time, Ja’Marr Chase still posted Pro Bowl-worthy numbers. Chase had 1,216 receiving yards, but a career-low seven touchdowns.
One of those scores came in Week 5 with a 63-yard reception. Chase was a way off his overall numbers from his rookie season, but look out for a big campaign in 2024, particularly if Tee Higgins’ trade request is successful.
Fastest NFL Players Ever:
Athleticism is always an important sports betting factor.
It is reductive to boil the NFL down to pure speed and strength, but having one of the fastest players in the NFL keeps defences honest in a way that less explosive receivers cannot.
We have put together a list of 10 of the fastest players in NFL history. There’s a mix of past icons, active stars and players who only briefly dabbled in American football.
Bob Hayes
There’s a strong case for Bob Hayes as the fastest NFL player ever.
Just before his NFL career began in 1965, Hayes entered the 1964 summer Olympics in Tokyo. He not only won the men’s 100 metres, he did so with a world record time of just over 10 seconds.
A second gold followed in the relay. Hayes was part of a quartet which, once again, set a world record. The next year, he was on the Dallas Cowboys, who he remained with through to 1974 before spending time with the San Francisco 49ers in 1975.
Hayes’ career on the gridiron was every bit as impressive as his Olympic glory. A three-time Pro Bowler, the Cowboys star was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.
Bo Jackson
How many sportspeople can come close to Bo Jackson in sheer athleticism?
He was an impressive NFL player and made it to Major League Baseball. For good measure, Jackson posted a record 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine.
Standing at 6'1" and 227 lbs, Jackson was an unstoppable force on the football field. He played just four NFL seasons, however, scoring 16 touchdowns and averaging 5.4 yards per carry.
Jackson’s physical attributes went far beyond his electric speed, but his acceleration, paired with that size and strength, is what made him such a difficult player to tackle.
Tyreek Hill
One of the stars of Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs offence, Tyreek Hill is well deserving of his ‘Cheetah’ nickname.
The five-time Pro Bowler is the fastest active NFL player. The Chiefs use Hill in a variety of ways, but some of his greatest highlights are the simplest play in the game: the punt return.
Hill’s combination of acceleration and nimble footwork makes him a nightmare for even the best defensive backs.
Michael Vick
Seventh all-time for rushing touchdowns as a quarterback, Michael Vick was the poster boy for dual-threat quarterbacks. He was every bit as dangerous running the ball as he was passing it.
Until Lamar Jackson, Vick was the only quarterback in history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. He’s the all-time leader in QB rushing yards with over 6,000.
While he became a more accomplished pocket passer later in his career, Vick’s trademark was always his powerful running game.
Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson owns the three top seasons for quarterback rushing attempts and two of the top three for rushing yards in a season.
The Baltimore Ravens QB earned MVP honours a couple of years ago and his exhilarating burst of speed was a key factor.
There are questions about Jackson’s all-round performance as a quarterback. His Ravens are yet to prove they deserve to be considered serious Super Bowl challengers in our NFL expert picks, but Jackson’s athleticism is without question.
Randy Moss
Randy Moss is the gold standard for NFL wide receivers. One of the best offensive players ever, Moss’ performances are what so many British NFL players aspire to.
Moss owns an impressive catalogue of NFL records. His blistering speed made him an impossible player to defend at his peak – his 23 receiving touchdowns in a season is the most all-time.
John Capel
Seeing as he never actually made it to an NFL game, this is a bit of a dodgy selection. John Capel was on the books of both the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs, however.
Capel tested positive for marijuana at the 2001 NFL combine, but was still selected by the Bears in the seventh round of the draft.
While he never broke through in the NFL, Capel’s speed is without doubt – he won gold in the men’s 200 metres at the 2003 World Championships and followed it with a gold in the 4 x 100 metre relay at the same event.
Darrell Green
Raw speed tends to result in a position on offence. Darrell Green is probably the fastest defensive player in NFL history.
Green played for the Washington Redskins (now Washington Football Team) from 1983 until 2002, remaining an effective cornerback into his forties.
He aged like a fine wine with many of his peers recognising his longevity – he’s considered one of the greatest defensive backs of all-time.
Even some of the fastest receivers ever could get away from Green. He reportedly recorded a 4.09 40-yard dash time at Washington training camp in 1986.
Willie Gault
Willie Gault was a Super Bowl champion with the Chicago Bears. He would likely have followed in Bob Hayes’ footsteps and picked up an Olympic gold on the relay team too if the USA team hadn’t boycotted the 1980 Olympics.
Also a hurdler, Gault played 11 NFL seasons for over 6,600 yards. He scored 45 touchdowns throughout his NFL career, including one kickoff return.
Ron Brown
Yet another sprinter turned receiver, Ron Brown’s NFL career was unspectacular, but there’s no question he’s one of the fastest NFL players in history.
Brown won a gold in the 1984 Olympics, running the second leg in the relay. He finished fourth in the 100 metres in the same Olympics – he registered just 1,791 yards across his eight year career with the LA Rams and LA Raiders.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
