There wasn’t much turnaround this offseason when it comes to the QB-RB-WR trios in the AFC North. In fact, all four teams have the same trios as they did at some point last season. In this division, these groups rank either near the top of the league or the bottom of the league. Either way, the AFC North is always one of the toughest divisions no matter the state of each team. Let’s take a look at the best group of “triplets” in the division.
Best QB-RB-WR Trios in AFC North
1. Joe Burrow-Chase Brown-Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals)
If these rankings weren’t by division, the QB-RB-WR trio of Joe Burrow–Chase Brown–Ja’Marr Chase would take the top spot among all 32 teams. The duo of Burrow and Chase was already the best combo in the league and what set the Cincinnati Bengals offense apart from others, but the emergence of Brown in the backfield adds another element.
Brown rushed for his first 1,000-yard season in 2025 and that was with Burrow missing half the season, which makes a huge difference for the 26-year-old running back. Brown could take another step in his game if Burrow can stay healthy, which is fair to question given his history. Despite that, it’s not enough to knock the Bengals out of the top spot when it comes to trios in the AFC North or the entire league.
2. Lamar Jackson-Derrick Henry-Zay Flowers (Baltimore Ravens)
The Baltimore Ravens‘ QB-RB-WR trio isn’t too far off from being the best in the league themselves. They have the two-time MVP at quarterback with Lamar Jackson and the two-time rushing leader at running back with Derrick Henry. Their number one wide receiver in Zay Flowers has gotten better each of his first three years, coming off his second consecutive 1,000-yard season and the best yards per reception campaign of his career, earning himself a four-year, $140M extension over the offseason.
Jackson and company missed the playoffs last season after losing the finale to the Pittsburgh Steelers, sparking big-time change with the firing of John Harbaugh and the hiring of Jesse Minter as head coach. A big part of the down season in Baltimore was the injuries, especially to Jackson. With a new team direction, this trio has a lot on their shoulders heading into 2026 and could spark them to get over the hump, potentially putting up a special season between the three.
3. Aaron Rodgers-Jaylen Warren-D.K. Metcalf (Pittsburgh Steelers)
If this were the Aaron Rodgers of old, his being paired with D.K. Metcalf and a versatile Jaylen Warren would rank higher, but it’s 2026. Rodgers had a solid season in 2025, but his overly conservative style of play on many fronts is what’s holding the offense back from being explosive. It also doesn’t pair well with the physical gifts that Metcalf possesses, logging the least amount of receiving yards in his career (850) and the second-fewest yards per game of his career (56.7).
Warren is coming off the best season of his career, getting a much greater workload than any of his previous three seasons. He doesn’t do any one thing special, but as mentioned, he’s a nice versatile player to have. On the other hand, Warren could also split carries with Rico Dowdle. While they could be a nice duo in the backfield, it doesn’t help the case when talking about the best trios in the league.
Whether or not this QB-RB-WR trio is successful falls on the shoulders of how the offense is run. Mike McCarthy now calls the shots, who coached Rodgers for over a decade with the Green Bay Packers. If it’s anything like last season, it will continue to rank towards the bottom of the league, but if Rodgers can even slightly turn back the clock for his final season, and with McCarthy back at the helm, the offense could get interesting.
4. Deshaun Watson-Quinshon Judkins-Jerry Juedy (Cleveland Browns)
The Cleveland Browns‘ trio ranks last in the AFC North and probably the entire league as well. Deshaun Watson has been named the starting quarterback, whose last four seasons has been nothing but filled with injury and bad play. His lead wide receiver, Jerry Juedy, also regressed from his 2024 season. The situation under center certainly didn’t help his case.
The Browns are headed for another down year, but the brightest spot among the offense is second-year running back Quinshon Judkins, who’s shown flashes of promise in his rookie year. In 14 games, he rushed for 827 yards with seven touchdowns. A big hurdle that Judkins has to clear coming into the year is overcoming his devastating dislocated ankle and fractured fibula that he suffered at the end of last season. It’s said that Judkins “appears to have cleared the most significant physical hurdles” and that he feels good.
The Browns have new leadership with Todd Monken taking over as the head coach, whose goal is to establish a dependable run game right out of the gate. That bodes very well for what Judkins brings, and if their revitalized offensive line is as promising as people think, he can get to 1,000 yards if he comes into the season healthy and stays that way. The offense as a whole will look different in Cleveland, which is at least something to look forward to as a Browns fan.
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