How Bad Would This Team Be? Projecting the Record of the NFL’s Lowest-Graded Lineup

Every NFL season gives us MVPs, All-Pro teams, and breakout stars — but what if we flipped the script?

Instead of building a superteam, let’s construct the exact opposite: a roster made entirely of the lowest-graded player at every position from this past season.

No depth. No hidden stars. No upside.

Just one uncomfortable question:

👉 How bad would this team actually be over an 18-week season (17 games + 1 bye)?

Spoiler: historically bad is on the table.

But let’s break it down properly.

Full list of 2025-26 Rating:

|QB| Shedeur Sanders (44.1) |RB| Alvin Kamara (51.7) |FB| Jack Westover (45.8) |WR| Arian Smith (48.4) |TE|Durham Smythe (44.7) |OT| Austin Deculus (36.5) |OG| Jonah Savaiinaea (28.4) |C| Bradley Bozeman (49.8) |DE| Darius Robinson (30.1) |DT|Alfred Collins & C.J. West (35.0) |LB|Oren Burks (30.2) |CB| Shavon Revel (35.2) |S| Marques Sigle (38.9) |K| Jude McAtamney (32.4) |P| Tress Way (44.0) |KR/PR|Kaleb Johnson (37.2) |ST| Pat Freiermuth (28.2)

First Look: This Roster Has Problems Everywhere

Before projecting a record, you have to understand the structural issues — and this team has them in bulk.

🚨 The Offense Might Be Unwatchable

Start with the most important position.

Quarterback — Shedeur Sanders (44.1)

A sub-45 grade at QB usually signals one thing: drives stall, turnovers spike, and scoring dries up. Even elite rosters struggle with poor quarterback play — this roster isn’t elite anywhere.

Now stack that with the offensive line:

• OT: Austin Deculus (36.5)

• OG: Jonah Savaiinaea (28.4 — terrifyingly low)

• C: Bradley Bozeman (49.8)

That’s not just a bad line.

That’s a weekly pass-rush highlight reel for opposing defenses.

Expect:

• constant pressure

• rushed throws

• negative plays

• very few explosive drives

If this offense averaged 13–16 points per game, it would honestly be outperforming expectations.

The Skill Positions Don’t Save Them

Normally, struggling QBs can lean on elite weapons.

Not here.

• RB: Alvin Kamara (51.7) — the only semi-stabilizing presence

• WR: Arian Smith (48.4)

• TE: Durham Smythe (44.7)

There’s no true WR1. No matchup nightmare. No safety blanket.

Defenses would crowd the line, blitz aggressively, and dare this offense to beat man coverage.

It probably couldn’t.

Defensive Outlook: Death by a Thousand Yards

If the offense is bad, the defense has to steal games.

This unit? Likely incapable.

Front Seven Issues

• DE: Darius Robinson (30.1)

• DT: Alfred Collins / C.J. West (35.0)

• LB: Oren Burks (30.2)

That screams:

👉 No pass rush👉 Poor gap control👉 Opposing teams rushing for 140+ weekly

Offenses would stay ahead of the chains all game.

Secondary Problems

• CB: Shavon Revel (35.2)

• S: Marques Sigle (38.9)

Bad coverage plus no pressure is the NFL equivalent of bleeding slowly.

Quarterbacks would feast.

Think:

• 68–72% completion rates

• chunk plays

• brutal third-down conversions

This defense could realistically finish last in:

• yards allowed

• passing TDs allowed

• explosive plays

Special Teams: Somehow… Also a Concern

You might hope special teams could swing a game.

But with the lowest grades at:

• K: Jude McAtamney

• P: Tress Way

• Returner: Kaleb Johnson

…field position likely becomes another losing battle.

Hidden yardage matters more than fans realize — and this team would lose it constantly.

Weekly Reality Check: What Happens When This Team Takes the Field?

Let’s simulate the typical Sunday:

First quarter: offense goes three-and-out twice.Second quarter: defense already at 35 snaps.Third quarter: down 17–3.Fourth quarter: garbage-time stats.

Repeat.

Could This Team Go 0–17?

Let’s talk history.

The NFL has seen:

• 0–16 Lions

• 0–16 Browns

And both of those teams had more positional strength than this hypothetical roster.

So yes — mathematically and realistically — 0–17 is in play.

But here’s the thing about the NFL:

Chaos exists.

Every season produces a few “how did that happen?” games.

Weather. Turnovers. Backup QBs. Missed kicks.

Bad teams usually stumble into at least one win.

Most Likely Record Projection

Floor: 0–17

If the QB play collapses and injuries hit? Completely possible.

Realistic Range: 1–16 to 2–15

Here’s where wins might come from:

• A sloppy Thursday night game

• A blizzard matchup

• Facing a team resting starters late

• A 5-turnover miracle

But anything beyond 2 wins would be shocking.

Vegas-Style Projection

If sportsbooks posted a win total?

👉 1.5 games

And the under would get serious action.

The Psychological Factor Fans Forget

Bad teams don’t just lose physically — they erode mentally.

After a 6–7 game skid:

• effort dips

• confidence disappears

• mistakes multiply

Losing becomes the culture.

That’s how historically bad seasons happen.

The One Bright Spot (Yes, There Is One)

Terrible teams usually lead the league in one category:

👉 Draft positioning.

This roster would be sprinting toward the No. 1 overall pick — and probably a franchise quarterback.

Because let’s be honest…

Fixing this starts there.

Final Prediction

Projected Record: 1–16

Not winless.

But dangerously close.

This wouldn’t just be a bad football team — it would flirt with the kind of season fans talk about for decades.

The silver lining?

Rock bottom is a great place to start a rebuild.