The best of the best among the NFL's statistical leaders in the 2017 season included plenty of the usual suspects. But a new generation of stars also emerged around the league.

The likes of New England quarterback Tom Brady, the Chargers' Philip Rivers, Pittsburgh receiver Antonio Brown and Atlanta's Julio Jones were their usual, productive selves.

Meanwhile, new superstars seemed to pop up nearly every week, especially at running back and on defense. And were it not for some injuries to guys such as Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz and Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson, some of the statistical leaderboards might look much different.

Here are the regular-season leaders in the major categories on offense and defense:

Passing touchdowns

Considering that Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson essentially accounted for every offensive touchdown his team scored in 2017, it should be no surprise he claimed the passing touchdown crown. Had he stayed healthy, Wentz almost certainly would have beaten out Wilson, but it shows just how ascendant Wentz was that he still finished second after missing the tail end of the season because of a knee injury. Brady's inclusion is old hat at this point.

1. Wilson: 34

2. Wentz: 33

3. Brady: 32

4. Lions QB Matthew Stafford: 29

5. Rivers, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, Rams QB Jared Goff (tie): 28

Passing yards

Like the metronome that he is, Brady cleared 4,000 passing yards for the ninth time in his career and the sixth time in the past seven seasons. That he did it without Julian Edelman only reiterates how he's able to elevate those around him. Rivers has been just as consistent in this category, also surpassing 4,000 yards for the ninth time in his career and ninth time in the past 10 seasons.

1. Brady: 4,577

2. Rivers: 4,515

3. Stafford: 4,446

4. Saints QB Drew Brees: 4,334

5. Roethlisberger: 4,251

Completion percentage

Buoyed by one of the league's best running games, Brees didn't post the big touchdown and yardage numbers he usually does (though they were still very good). But he was better than ever when it comes to completion percentage, connecting enough to establish a new NFL record. It's the third time he has set the record. Before the season, nobody would have expected Vikings quarterback Case Keenum to be on this list, let alone throw enough passes to qualify for it.

1. Brees: 72.0 percent

2. Keenum: 67.6 percent

3. Chiefs QB Alex Smith: 67.5 percent

4. Jets QB Josh McCown: 67.3 percent

5. Brady: 66.3 percent

Rushing yards

Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell continued to be one of the league's best backs, but he was joined by a new star on the scene in the Chiefs' Kareem Hunt and one re-establishing his place in the NFL galaxy in the Rams' Todd Gurley II. Bell or Gurley would have likely claimed this crown, but they were held out of their season finales because their teams didn't want to risk injury before the postseason.

1. Hunt: 1,327

2. Gurley: 1,305

3. Bell: 1,291

4. Bills RB LeSean McCoy: 1,138

5. Saints RB Mark Ingram: 1,124

Rushing touchdowns

Gurley was a touchdown machine for new Rams head coach Sean McVay, bouncing back from a disappointing sophomore season by more than doubling his touchdown total of a year ago. He also chipped in six receiving scores, making his 19 total touchdowns the most in the NFL and putting him squarely in the conversation as the league's most valuable player.

1. Gurley: 13

2. Ingram: 12

3. Bell, Bears RB Jordan Howard, Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette (tie): 9

Receiving yards

Brown and Jones are like the NFL version of Batman and the Joker, seemingly destined to battle it out for the No. 1 spot on this list every season. They've both finished in the top five in each of the past four seasons. This is Brown's second time leading the NFL in receiving yards. Hats off to Chargers receiver Keenan Allen, who bounced back from two injury-plagued seasons to finally deliver a full season's worth of production; he's still only 25, leaving plenty of room for big things in the future.

1. Brown: 1,533

2. Jones: 1,444

3. Allen: 1,393

4. Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins: 1,378

5. Vikings WR Adam Thielen: 1,276

Receptions

That sound you hear might be a cash register warming up for the imminent arrival of Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry's payday. Landry continues to be one of the league's more underrated wideouts, working mostly from the slot and putting up big numbers every season. Landry has never had fewer than 84 catches, and he set a career high in 2017. Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald continues to openly defy Father Time. Meanwhile, Saints receiver Michael Thomas is well on his way to stardom.

1. Landry: 112

2. Fitzgerald: 109

3. Thomas: 104

4. Allen: 102

5. Brown: 101

Receiving touchdowns

As the clear-cut top option in Houston's offense, Hopkins was the obvious target in most passing situations. That didn't prevent him from finding the end zone repeatedly and adding more highlight-reel catches to his résumé. Green Bay's Davante Adams already earned a big payday for his successful season. And Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham also is looking to cash in as he heads toward free agency.

1. Hopkins: 13

2. Graham, Adams (tie): 10

3. Brown, Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery, Lions WR Marvin Jones Jr., Landry (tie): 9

Yards from scrimmage

McVay's ability to unlock Gurley as a pass-catcher was, perhaps, the biggest revelation in the Rams' dramatic offensive turnaround this season. Backs such as Bell are hard to find, but Gurley and Hunt both look capable of putting up big numbers for years to come.

1. Gurley: 2,093

2. Bell: 1,946

3. Hunt: 1,782

4. McCoy: 1,586

5. Chargers RB Melvin Gordon: 1,581

Sacks

Long a steady force as a pass-rusher, Arizona's Chandler Jones put it all together in 2017, setting a career high in sacks. Jacksonville's Calais Campbell remained a dominant force after signing a lucrative contract with the Jaguars as a free agent. Dallas' DeMarcus Lawrence should cash in as a free agent this offseason after posting similar numbers to that of Campbell.

1. Jones: 17

2. Campbell, Lawrence (tie): 14.5

3. Vikings DE Everson Griffen, Saints DE Cameron Jordan, Redskins LB Ryan Kerrigan (tie): 13

Interceptions

Lions cornerback Darius Slay might not be a household name, but he should be, as he has always been sticky in coverage, enjoying a full-fledged interception breakout this season. Titans safety Kevin Byard was an egregious omission from the Pro Bowl and is an emerging star.

1. Slay, Byard (tie): 8

2. Ravens S Eric Weddle, Jaguars CB A.J. Bouye (tie): 6

3. Cardinals S Antoine Bethea, Vikings S Harrison Smith, Bills S Micah Hyde, Bills S Jordan Poyer, Chargers S Tre Boston, Saints CB Marshon Lattimore, Chiefs CB Marcus Peters (tie): 5

Forced fumbles

While Campbell was racking up the sacks on one side, his tag-team partner Yannick Ngakoue was creating havoc of his own. Ngakoue had 12 sacks but also created turnovers. After two seasons, Ngakoue looks the part of yet another young star on the rise.

1. Ngakoue: 6

2. Bucs LB Lavonte David, Rams DT Aaron Donald (tie): 5

3. 12 players tied: 4