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AFC North round-up: Top-5 players on Baltimore Ravens, other’s roster

By Richard Bradshaw

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 11: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens throws the ball against the Tennessee Titans in the second half during the AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 11: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens throws the ball against the Tennessee Titans in the second half during the AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 22: Geno Atkins #97 of the Cincinnati Bengals reacts on the bench during the game against the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium on December 22, 2019, in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 22: Geno Atkins #97 of the Cincinnati Bengals reacts on the bench during the game against the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium on December 22, 2019, in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Cincinnati Bengals:

Geno Atkins:

Geno Atkins is a future Hall of Famer and one of the best defensive tackles of the 2010s. Atkins is consistently one of the most disruptive pass rushers in all of football, so don’t let his 4.5 sack 2019 season fool you. Atkins has accumulated 75.5 career sacks since 2010 and eight Pro Bowl nods. If not for Atkins, who knows how atrocious this Cincinnati Bengals defense would be. Atkins is the heart and soul of this team as a whole and is one of the franchise’s best players.

Carlos Dunlap:

Carlos Dunlap is Geno Atkins’ partner in crime and one of the most underrated edge rushers in recent memory. Dunlap is Cincinnati’s all-time sack leader with 81.5 career sacks. Dunlap has notched at least 7.5 sacks in each season since 2012 and remains productive even into the later-half of his career. The duo of Dunlap and Atkins has long been one of the AFC North’s most formidable combos and still looks pretty dang good headed into 2020.

Naming the biggest threat to the Ravens in the AFC North. light. Related Story

Joe Burrow:

Joe Burrow hasn’t even played a down yet for the Bengals, yet he’s no doubt one of their top players. Burrow had perhaps the greatest single-season in the history of college football, setting single-season records for passing yards (5,671) and touchdown passes (60) en route to winning a Heisman Trophy and CFP National Championship. Burrow wound up being the first-overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft and has already become the face of the Cincinnati Bengals franchise. The potential is there for Burrow to become one of the AFC North’s top players even as a rookie.

A.J. Green:

Despite missing the entirety of 2019 due to injury, A.J. Green is still one of the best wide receivers the AFC North has to offer. Green made seven-straight Pro Bowls from 2011-2017 before injuries began to take their toll on the soon-to-be 32-year old receiver. It remains to be seen how Green will rebound in 2020 with a new offense and quarterback, but it seems difficult to completely count him out. The man dubbed the “Raven Killer” should still be seen as one of the best in the AFC North.

Joe Mixon:

Joe Mixon gets lost in the conversations about top running backs in the league, but he shouldn’t be. Mixon is as complete as they come as an efficient runner and receiver. The fourth-year man out of Oklahoma has logged back-to-back 1,100-yard campaigns and a healthy 4.5 YPC from 2018-2019. Mixon also features to be a focal point in second-year head coach Zac Taylor’s offense. Mixon is entering a contract year in 2020 and could have his best season yet.

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