During the month of August, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be breaking down every division in the league by position. This article contains the 2017 NFC East breakdown, position-by-position through the offenses. The breakdown will contain \u201cthe best\u201d at each unit followed by \u201cthe rest\u201d in descending order.<\/p>\n
The Best:<\/strong> Washington Redskins<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Rest:\u00a0Dallas Cowboys<\/a><\/strong>, Philadelphia Eagles<\/strong><\/a>, New York Giants<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Before Cowboys fans get angry that their prized possession is not touted as the best in the division, examine the details.\u00a0Kirk Cousins<\/strong><\/a> has notched back-to-back seasons with over 4,000 yards and nearly eclipsed 5,000 yards in 2016. He has also thrown 54 touchdowns total in those two seasons. The argument can certainly be made for\u00a0Dak Prescott<\/strong><\/a> to hold the top spot, but because of the fact that Cousins has put up similar to better production in two seasons over one, the nod goes to the Redskins.<\/p>\n If it wasn’t obvious already, Prescott sits firmly in the second spot. Prescott and the Cowboys took the NFL by storm last season, finishing 13-3 in the regular season. As for Prescott, the rookie tallied 23 touchdowns and only four interceptions. It was a rookie season for the ages, and he will certainly be gunning for the top spot next season.<\/p>\n Here is where things get interesting.\u00a0Carson Wentz<\/strong><\/a> attempted a whopping 607 passes in his rookie campaign, but only finished 3,782 yards and 16 touchdowns. Wentz was also somewhat careless with the ball as he threw 14 interceptions. However, anyone who watched the rookie play could see great potential and skill form the North Dakota State prospect.<\/p>\n The most seasoned quarterback in the division and the most accomplished is easily\u00a0Eli Manning<\/strong><\/a>. Manning finished 2016 with his third consecutive 4,000-yard season and tallied 26 touchdowns. Why is he fourth in the division? Manning falls to this spot simply because of his age. Entering his 14th season, Manning is on the downside of his career as the other quarterbacks are ready to take the helm in the division.<\/p>\n The Best:\u00a0<\/strong>Dallas Cowboys<\/p>\n The Rest:\u00a0<\/strong>Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New York Giants<\/p>\n Despite\u00a0Ezekiel Elliott<\/strong><\/a> being suspended for the first six games of the season, there is no argument that can be made about who is the best runner in the division. Elliot was the fourth overall selection in the 2016 draft, and proved to be worthy of the pick as he finished his first professional season with 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Cowboys also have\u00a0Darren McFadden<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Alfred Morris<\/strong><\/a> to back up Elliott during the suspension; two backs that could start on several teams in the league.<\/p>\n The Eagles went out and signed\u00a0LeGarrette Blount<\/strong><\/a> to a one-year deal in the hopes that he would be the tough, between-the-tackles back that picked up short-yardage conversions and be a goal line threat. They also hold one of best receiving backs in the league in\u00a0Darren Sproles<\/strong><\/a>. The duo will look to create plenty of mismatches in the 2017 season.<\/p>\n Washington’s backfield is interesting.\u00a0Rob Kelley<\/strong><\/a> showed flashes of speed and power in 2016 but only finished with 704 yards and six touchdowns. Behind him is the pass-catching\u00a0Chris Thompson<\/strong><\/a>. The duo has a lot of potential but need to establish consistency.<\/p>\n While passing game is always a threat for the Big Apple, the running game has struggled for years now. Last season, the Giants averaged only 3.5 yards per carry, which was the third worst in the league. New York will hope for more success as\u00a0Paul Perkins<\/strong><\/a> is set to receive more touches as the lead back this season.<\/p>\n The Best:<\/strong> New York Giants<\/p>\n The Rest:<\/strong> Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins<\/p>\n Odell Beckham Jr.<\/strong><\/a> is a top-5 receiver in the NFL despite his net-kicking antics. He is a generational talent and has hands like glue. If that wasn’t scary enough, the Giants went out and signed\u00a0Brandon Marshall<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>to add a tall, physical presence. Even if defenses somehow manage to blanket those two, they still need to respect\u00a0Sterling Shepard<\/strong><\/a> out of the slot. This is a scary unit that may be the best in the NFL.<\/p>\n While he may have struggled lately with injuries,\u00a0Dez Bryant<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>still poses a huge threat to defenses and is a legitimate number one receiver in this league. The Cowboys also have a very underrated number two and three receiver in\u00a0Terrance Williams<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Cole Beasley<\/strong><\/a>. Across the board, Dallas has a very balanced attack through the air with sure hands and playmakers.<\/p>\n The Eagles buckled down and got Wentz some help in the way of free agency,\u00a0signing veterans\u00a0Alshon Jeffrey<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Torrey Smith<\/strong><\/a>. Both players are on “prove it” deals and both have talent to do so. However, there are plenty of question marks with the unit, especially after the trade of\u00a0Jordan Matthews<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n After losing\u00a0Desean Jackson<\/strong><\/a> and\u00a0Pierre Garcon<\/strong><\/a>, the Redskins signed\u00a0Terrelle Pryor<\/strong><\/a> and put plenty of faith into second-year player\u00a0Josh Doctson<\/strong><\/a>. Despite Pryor having a very exciting season with the Cleveland Browns<\/strong><\/a>, it is too early to tell if he can be a true number one receiver to lead a team.<\/p>\n The Best:\u00a0<\/strong>Philadelphia Eagles<\/p>\n The Rest:\u00a0<\/strong>Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants<\/p>\n The Eagles have three tight ends who all hold a very specific role for the team.\u00a0Zach Ertz<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is one of the best receiving tight ends in the league, notching 2,840 yards in his first four seasons in the NFL.\u00a0Brent Celek<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is no longer the pass-catcher he once was, but he makes up for it with his blocking ability.\u00a0Trey Burton<\/strong> <\/a>is a playmaker and a specialist. He basically wins them the top spot because he long-snapped last year (kidding).<\/p>\n Watching Jordan Reed<\/strong><\/a> be on the injury report almost every season is a true shame. If healthy,\u00a0Reed is quite possibly the best tight end in the league and, more importantly, would bring his team in the top spot on this list. However, concussions have plagued the young player. If he is able to stay healthy, fantasy football owners will rejoice everywhere.<\/p>\n If this were five years in the past, the Cowboys would most likely hold the top spot.\u00a0Jason Witten<\/strong><\/a> is the ageless wonder of the NFC East, constantly providing a safety blanket for whoever is taking the snaps for the Cowboys. However, Father Time is undefeated, and while Witten still has great hands, he has clearly lost a step.<\/p>\n Many people loved the draft pick of\u00a0Evan Engram<\/strong><\/a> for the Giants, who is essentially an over-sized receiver. This kid makes plays and is a freakish athlete, but it is way too early to tell just how good he will be. So, for now, the Giants are in the basement for this one.<\/p>\n The Best:\u00a0<\/strong>Dallas Cowboys<\/p>\n The Rest:<\/strong> Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New York Giants<\/p>\n No matter what anyone says, the Cowboys still hold this top spot.\u00a0Zack Martin<\/strong> <\/a>and\u00a0Tyron Smith<\/strong><\/a> are arguably the best at their respective positions. The big boys upfront do not receive the same praise as the skill players, but when you look at the rushing totals that Dallas had last season, arguing against them being the top unit in the division and also the entire league is a futile task.<\/p>\n The Eagles, when healthy (and not suspended), are one of the best units in the league, but will remain one spot behind their biggest rivals. The Eagles will have some questions to answer soon, as\u00a0Jason Peters<\/strong><\/a>‘ years are limited and\u00a0Jason Kelce<\/strong><\/a> has been shaky. Nonetheless, this unit is slated as the second best unit in the division.<\/p>\n Trent Williams<\/strong><\/a> is a top five left tackle in the game and is the anchor for this unit. There is no other elite level talent along this line, but they are all very solid.\u00a0Brandon Schreff<\/strong><\/a> is a young guy that the Redskins hope to groom into a roadgrater for the team, but he is still developing.<\/p>\n Despite having a great offense, the Giants have a pretty lackluster line.\u00a0Justin Pugh<\/strong> <\/a>and\u00a0Ereck Flowers<\/strong><\/a> hold down the left side of the line but after those two, it is a crap shoot. An improvement for this unit would do wonders for their run game and the offense as a whole.<\/p>\n If you haven’t yet, check the defensive NFC East breakdown<\/a>!<\/p>\n Main Image:<\/p>\nRunning Back<\/h3>\n
Wide Receiver<\/h3>\n
Tight End<\/h3>\n
Offensive Line<\/h3>\n