Every NFL team's key player heading into 2016

Arizona proved in 2014 that it couldn't progress very far without Palmer, losing in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Last year was another disappointment for Arizona, but that was directly attributable to Palmer's poor play vs. Carolina. He showed signs of an age breakdown late in the year, which the Cardinals can ill afford.

The Falcons had a nightmare second half of the season after starting the year 6-1. Much of their struggles were due to Matt Ryan's poor play, and part of his decline was his lack of weapons other than Jones. Jones saw 204 targets, while Roddy White ranked second among wide receivers with 70. If Jones were to go down, this offense would be absolutely lost.

Baltimore has plenty of talent from top to bottom, but Flacco remains the most important piece. That's especially the case with a fluid offense with some major questions at wide receiver between injuries and personnel additions. Wide receiver could be musical chairs for the Ravens, and Flacco will have to handle it.

Watkins had offseason foot surgery that leaves the start of his season and his effectiveness in doubt. He had a complete breakout with Tyrod Taylor at quarterback last year, but Watkins hasn't been the most durable player during his career. Many were surprised Buffalo didn't address the No. 2 wide receiver job this offseason, making Watkins' health even more important.

Newton is the obvious answer for the Panthers as the reigning MVP. He gets wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin back from injury and hopes to go one more step after losing the Super Bowl to Denver despite being favored.

Love him or hate him, it's clear that Cutler is Chicago's most important player. Offensive coordinator Adam Gase was able to turn his play around last year, and the Bears were surprisingly more competitive than many predicted. With Gase gone, Cutler will have to continue the momentum, especially now that the team has let Matt Forte leave.

Cincinnati's playoff results couldn't be more frustrating, but the team looked like a potential front-runner for the Super Bowl last year until Dalton got injured. Losing offensive coordinator Hue Jackson is big, but most of the talent from last year is intact. If Dalton continues his improved play from last year (106.3 QB rating), the Bengals have a shot of going somewhere in the playoffs.

The Browns are rebuilding and don't have many above-average players. Thomas remains arguably the best offensive lineman in the game and will have his hands full with key losses on the offensive line in front of a scrambling quarterback in Robert Griffin III.

If there was any doubt how important Romo is to the Cowboys, it became clear with how poor the team played last season without him. He enters 2016 healthy after his collarbone issues last season, and Dallas will rely on him again at age 36. The Cowboys do hope to take some pressure off of Romo after drafting running back Ezekiel Elliott.

Miller could be headed for a holdout in training camp, if not longer. The key to Denver's defense, he would be a brutal loss for a team that has already seen some defensive losses in the offseason and has a very shaky situation at quarterback between Mark Sanchez and rookie Paxton Lynch.

After losing Calvin Johnson, quarterback Matthew Stafford would seem to be the easy choice as Detroit's key player. However, he played some of the best football of his career late last season under new coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, so the defense could be the determining factor in getting the Lions back to contention. No defensive player is more important than Ansah, who accumulated 14.5 sacks last season.

Rodgers is coming off one of his worst seasons. The Packers need better, and there could be a direct correlation between that happening and the effectiveness of Jordy Nelson and the team's offensive line. 

New quarterback Brock Osweiler is getting most of the headlines, but Houston's offense remains a run-first squad that would prefer to run out the clock and play behind the strength of its defense. Watt is undoubtedly the best defensive player in the game and the key to that unit.

Luck's 2015 season couldn't have gone much worse. He played only seven games and seemed shaky when he did play due to a poor offensive line and nonexistent running game. The easy answer is that Luck is the key player on the team, but he can't do it without more support than he had last year.

Jacksonville's offense had a breakout last season and added Chris Ivory as another weapon. It's one of the most exciting offenses in football, but the defense is another story. Jacksonville addressed its defense in the offseason, starting with cornerback Jalen Ramsey in the first round. Ramsey and company need to deliver fast for the Jags to reach their goals this season.

Jamaal Charles returns from injury and remains the offense's most talented player, but the Chiefs showed they could play just fine without him last year. After allowing backup quarterback Chase Daniel to walk this offseason, an injury to Smith would probably be a disaster for Kansas City. With him, the Chiefs are a legit threat in the AFC after winning 11 straight games last season before losing at Foxborough in the playoffs.

The Rams have put all their eggs in Jared Goff's basket after trading up for the former Cal quarterback, but in his first season, it will remain Gurley's team. Gurley had one of the best rookie seasons ever by a running back and is now one more year removed from ACL surgery.

New head coach Adam Gase is a mastermind on offense who has had quite an impact on quarterbacks. He hopes to do the same with Tannehill in Miami, and that will especially be key with major questions at running back.

Peterson is nearing the end of his prime at age 31. He continues to be one of the league's top backs, averaging 4.5 yards per carry last season, and takes the pressure off of Teddy Bridgewater's inconsistent play. With major questions at receiver, Peterson remains the clear key to Minnesota's offense.

At the moment, Brady is set to miss the first four games of the season as the Patriots prepare to be without him. New England hopes he can continue to play at an MVP level whenever he does get on the field, which is a valid question for a quarterback who will be age 39 at the start of the year.

Brees continues to deliver huge numbers, yet New Orleans' defense hasn't helped him. Certainly, the defense needs to improve, but there's little doubt Brees will have to continue to put up eye-popping numbers for the Saints to have any chance at making the playoffs this season.

Eli Manning's improved play over the last two seasons has directly correlated with Beckham Jr.'s arrival. It remains unclear what kind of production the offense will get around him between rookie Sterling Shepard, injury-prone Victor Cruz and a shaky running back committee. If something happens to Beckham Jr., the Giants and Manning will be in big trouble.

The Jets' quarterback will be the key to this offense, but at the moment it's unclear who that will be with Ryan Fitzpatrick and the organization at a stalemate. The X-factor, for the time being, could be Matt Forte, as he tries to replace Chris Ivory's production from last year. There are major questions as to what Forte has left.

Carr has been productive through two seasons, though some inconsistent play, as we expect from young quarterbacks, has held the team back. Oakland is a trendy pick to make the playoffs this season, but Carr needs to really limit key turnovers.

New head coach Doug Pederson is hoping to turn back the clock in Philly. There are numerous questions, so in the meantime the Eagles will need their best players to deliver. Cox could be the team's most talented player, and now he's a rich man after signing a contract extension.

Pittsburgh somehow held it together last seasons through major key injuries. The Steelers nearly progressed to the Super Bowl without Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell in the AFC Championship, as Big Ben put forth a gutsy performance at Denver while injured. Roethlisberger has seen his share of injuries recently, but Pittsburgh has become an envious offense when he's on the field.

Philip Rivers has been a constant for the Chargers, but they couldn't go anywhere last season with a mediocre defense and awful running game. Gordon was a huge disappointment in his rookie season with only 3.5 yards per carry, and the Chargers simply need better.

The starting quarterback in San Francisco remains in doubt, as does a shaky wide receiver corps, but there's no doubt who the running back will be. Hyde showed major flashes last season before suffering a foot injury and could be the one piece on offense that the 49ers can build around.

Wilson was the best quarterback in football down the stretch last year and proved he could help the offense excel without a running back. With Marshawn Lynch retired and Thomas Rawls returning from injury, Wilson could be forced to put the team on his back again.

Winston had a terrific rookie season, turning a boring Bucs offense into an exciting one with more than 4,000 passing yards. He's in much better shape this offseason and looking to bring the Tampa offense to the next level.

Mariota doesn't have much support around him, though the Titans are certainly trying after adding Jack Conklin, DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry. That group will need to take the pressure off Mariota immediately, as his knee issues over the last two years are becoming a greater concern.

Kirk Cousins solidified himself as Washington's quarterback, getting great contributions from his receivers. Second-year running back Matt Jones is now the clear starter at running back after Alfred Morris' departure, and his play will be vital if Cousins and company regress.