The National Football League is regarded as one of the most demanding competitions in sport, with only the best of the best managing to hold down a place on the team’s roster for the season.

One of the key attributes to success in the NFL is speed. And while being the fastest player on the team doesn’t guarantee a roster spot, it can certainly make a difference at the running back and wide receiver position.

That short burst of acceleration can be the difference between getting tackled for a loss or taking advantage of a running lane and moving the chains. Here, we look at some of the fastest NFL players in action today…

Chase Brown

Chase Brown is a backup running back but his blistering speed makes him a useful weapon for the Cincinnati Bengals and it would be no surprise to see his skills utilised on a regular basis next season.

He was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and he was given time to adjust to life in the National Football League, but he torched the Indianapolis Colts defence in Week 14 to score a 54-yard touchdown.

Statistics show Brown hit 22.1mph on that reception and he could see some time in the slot as well as at running back this year.

Tyreek Hill

Nicknamed “Cheetah”, Tyreek Hill is one of the most explosive players in the National Football League. He was a revelation for the Kansas City Chiefs and he’s been a huge success since his trade to the Miami Dolphins in 2022.

Regularly recording speeds of over 20mph, Hill had three of the top 10 times recorded in the 2023 NFL season. The Dolphins receiver has racked up a total of 95 touchdowns in his career, including eight rushing scores and five return touchdowns.

Regarded as one of the fastest players in NFL history, his impact as a punt returner saw him named to the NFL 2010s All-Star Decade Team.

De’Von Achane

Another speedster for the Miami Dolphins, De’Von Achane is a supreme weapon and he could blossom into one of the elite running backs in the NFL this season. The rookie was just three yards shy of 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 2023.

Achane notched a total of 11 touchdowns in his debut campaign, recording a top speed of 21.9mph on an impressive run during the Week 3 mauling of the Denver Broncos. The Dolphins running back finished the day with 233 total yards and four touchdowns!

Keep an eye on Achane this coming season as he’s bound to be heavily involved in the Miami offence once again, all being well.

KaVontae Turpin

KaVontae Turpin’s route to the NFL was unorthodox to say the least, with the former TCU wide receiver hosting his own workout day – posing a 40-yard dash time of 4.31 seconds and attracting lots of attention.

However, he went undrafted in the 2019 draft and eventually ended up moving to Poland and playing in the European League of Football. From there, he joined the New Jersey Generals in the inaugural USFL season and then the Dallas Cowboys moved in.

He had just 11 total rushes last season but Turpin recorded the second-quickest rush of the regular season – just missing out on top spot to Achane. To run at 22mph while in possession of the football is impressive to say the least.

Ja’Marr Chase

One of the top wide receivers in the league, Ja’Marr Chase has blistering pace that helps him to quickly put distance between himself and opposing cornerbacks. Despite losing quarterback Joe Burrow to injury, Chase recorded 1,216 receiving yards in 2023.

Bengals fans will be expecting Chase to continue his excellent productivity and he is a huge danger – both in short down and long down territory. He is Burrow’s go-to guy and Chase will continue to attract the bulk of attention in the passing game.

Chase didn’t set the fastest NFL Combine time at 4.38 seconds but he’s matured into one of the most reliable, most dynamic wide receivers in today’s NFL.