6:40 AM ET
NFL Nation reporters
Welcome to Week 10 of the NFL regular season. It's officially the mediate of the campaign, truthful let's cheque retired however each squad is doing -- bully oregon bad.
Our powerfulness sheet -- a radical of much than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities -- evaluated however teams are stacking up done 9 weeks.
In summation to our updated rankings, we checked successful with NFL Nation reporters crossed the league and asked them to sanction 1 subordinate who is the team's MVP astatine midseason. One catch: It can't beryllium a quarterback. These players person performed successful a mode that has been invaluable to their squad successful the archetypal fractional of the season, but tin they proceed to radiance successful the last half?
Let's get to it.
Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-0)
Week 9 ranking: 2
Non-QB MVP: WR A.J. Brown
Brown has been a game-changer for the Eagles' offense. He is conscionable the 3rd Eagle since the 1970 merger to grounds 700-plus receiving yards and six-plus touchdowns done 8 games, joining Terrell Owens (2004, 2005) and Jeremy Maclin (2014). Brown's quality to make separation, marque contested catches and nutrient aft the drawback has been captious to backmost Jalen Hurts' ascension arsenic a passer. Hurts has tossed six touchdowns with nary interceptions for a QBR of 91.4 erstwhile targeting Brown, who ranks sixth successful the NFL successful receiving yards (718) and is tied for the second-most receiving touchdowns (6). -- Tim McManus
2. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)
Week 9 ranking: 3
Non-QB MVP: TE Travis Kelce
The Chiefs mightiness person been successful immoderate occupation if they didn't person Kelce, who is connected gait for 121 catches, 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns. The receptions and scores would beryllium vocation highs, and the yards would beryllium wrong 16 of tying a vocation high. With a radical of receivers that is different mostly new, Patrick Mahomes needed a pass-catcher helium could number on, and Kelce has delivered week aft week successful a large way. -- Adam Teicher
3. Buffalo Bills (6-2)
Week 9 ranking: 1
Non-QB MVP: LB Von Miller
The Bills brought successful Miller to beryllium the missing ascendant pass-rusher and to usage his acquisition to assistance amended the squad and its young antiaircraft linemen. He has done conscionable that. Miller has a team-high 7 sacks and is sixth successful the league successful walk unreserved triumph complaint (23.4%). His show has impacted the remainder of the D-line, with second-year pass-rusher Greg Rousseau already mounting a vocation precocious successful sacks (five). The Bills person issues to fix, including tally defense, but Miller has been a stellar summation truthful far. -- Alaina Getzenberg
4. Minnesota Vikings (7-1)
Week 9 ranking: 5
Non-QB MVP: WR Justin Jefferson
Jefferson is the Vikings' champion subordinate and is making a tally astatine his extremity of finishing retired this play arsenic the apical receiver successful the NFL. He ranks 2nd successful the league successful receiving yards (867) and 5th successful receptions (59). He lone has 3 touchdown catches, but Vikings backmost Kirk Cousins has begun throwing him 50-50 balls successful the extremity portion to summation his opportunities. The summation of choky extremity T.J. Hockenson, meanwhile, has fixed defenses different constituent of absorption arsenic they see whether to double-team Jefferson. -- Kevin Seifert
1:34
Rex Ryan and Ryan Clark consciousness bully astir the Super Bowl chances for Kirk Cousins and the Vikings.
5. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
Week 9 ranking: 4
Non-QB MVP: LB Micah Parsons
Does a backup backmost count? Cooper Rush did a good occupation successful going 4-1 during Dak Prescott's lack ... OK, we kid. Parsons has been a difference-maker each week. He has 8 sacks (fourth successful the NFL), has returned a fumble for a touchdown and creates favorable matchups for teammates due to the fact that of the other attraction helium receives. And adjacent with that other attention, helium inactive produces. Parsons has to beryllium connected the short database for Defensive Player of the Year truthful far, and with the bigger games to come, helium could cement his spot with much game-changing productivity. -- Todd Archer
6. Miami Dolphins (6-3)
Week 9 ranking: 7
Non-QB MVP: WR Tyreek Hill
Hill leads the NFL successful receiving yards, receptions and targets. He is connected gait for 2,088 yards this season, which would beryllium not lone a caller NFL grounds but the archetypal clip immoderate wide receiver has cracked the 2,000 receiving yards mark. His interaction connected the field is palpable, and his teammates rave astir his enactment successful the locker room. Nothing we've seen done 9 weeks suggests that the fastest subordinate successful the NFL is slowing down anytime soon. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
7. Baltimore Ravens (6-3)
Week 9 ranking: 6
Non-QB MVP: TE Mark Andrews
Andrews is the lone accordant playmaker successful the Ravens' discourtesy not named Lamar Jackson. Before Andrews missed Monday night's crippled with enarthrosis and genu injuries, helium accounted for 28% of Baltimore's receptions and receiving yards. He besides had tallied one-third of the Ravens' touchdown catches. Even though teams cognize Jackson is targeting Andrews, the choky extremity inactive finds ways to get open. And with No. 1 wide receiver Rashod Bateman retired for the play with a ft injury, Jackson is going to trust connected Andrews adjacent more. -- Jamison Hensley
8. New York Jets (6-3)
Week 9 ranking: 13
Non-QB MVP: DT Quinnen Williams
Williams leads each interior antiaircraft linemen with a career-high 7 sacks, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The erstwhile No. 3 wide prime has ever been a bully player, but helium has reached a caller level this season. He is simply a large crushed the defence -- the Jets' calling paper -- has improved from 32nd successful yards allowed successful 2021 to seventh. Running backmost Breece Hall and defender Alijah Vera-Tucker would've drawn information had they not suffered season-ending injuries successful Week 7. -- Rich Cimini
9. Seattle Seahawks (6-3)
Week 9 ranking: 8
Non-QB MVP: OLB Uchenna Nwosu
With 2 much sacks successful the Seahawks' triumph implicit Arizona, Nwosu is present tied for sixth astir successful the NFL with seven. He besides has forced a brace of fumbles and has been beardown against the tally for Seattle's resurgent defense. Nwosu has played much snaps than the Seahawks would prefer, successful portion due to the fact that of injuries to others successful their extracurricular linebacker rotation and besides due to the fact that helium has been excessively bully to instrumentality disconnected the field. Either way, Nwosu -- who signed a two-year, $19.05 cardinal woody this offseason -- looks similar the Seahawks' champion free-agent summation since Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril successful 2013. -- Brady Henderson
10. San Francisco 49ers (4-4)
Week 9 ranking: 9
Non-QB MVP: DE Nick Bosa
Despite missing a crippled with a groin injury, Bosa has been the Niners' astir accordant performer connected the team's champion unit. He is tied for 2nd astir successful the NFL successful sacks (8.5), is 3rd successful unit percent (16.3%) and is tied for ninth successful walk unreserved triumph complaint (23%). Bosa is besides stout against the run. On a 49ers defence that has been plagued by injury, helium has proved to beryllium the 1 subordinate San Francisco can't spend to lose. -- Nick Wagoner
11. New York Giants (6-2)
Week 9 ranking: 11
Non-QB MVP: RB Saquon Barkley
Barkley is the Giants' lone accordant violative threat. He has accounted for 38% of their full discourtesy this season. That is 2nd astir for immoderate subordinate successful the NFL, down lone Tennessee's Derrick Henry. The singular portion is that Barkley's occurrence comes aft 3 consecutive seasons ruined by injury. "Him being steadfast this year, you've benignant of seen who helium is and what helium tin do," New York wide manager Joe Schoen said. The Giants couldn't unrecorded without it. Barkley is backmost to rookie twelvemonth form; his 1.1 rushing yards implicit anticipation matches his show from 2018. -- Jordan Raanan
12. Tennessee Titans (5-3)
Week 9 ranking: 10
Non-QB MVP: RB Derrick Henry
Henry leads the NFL with 870 rushing yards successful 8 games, and helium has been the spark for Tennessee's offense. Henry has rushed for 100-plus yards successful 5 consecutive games, including 4 during the Titans' five-game triumph streak that ended with Sunday's 20-17 nonaccomplishment to the Chiefs. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound backmost willed Tennessee to a 17-10 triumph implicit the Texans successful Week 8 erstwhile helium carried the shot 32 times for 219 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Titans lone passed the shot 10 times successful that game. Don't look now, but Henry is connected gait to perchance station different 2,000-yard rushing season. -- Turron Davenport
13. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
Week 9 ranking: 12
Non-QB MVP: DE Trey Hendrickson
This could beryllium a corporate antiaircraft grant for the mode the portion has played astatine times passim the opening of the season. But Hendrickson has continued to beryllium a one-man wrecking shot successful the trenches. The antiaircraft extremity mightiness person lone 4 sacks, but helium ranks 3rd successful the NFL successful walk unreserved triumph rate, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Cincinnati ranks 5th successful the NFL successful fewest touchdowns allowed per drive. If Hendrickson continues to get accordant unit disconnected the edge, the Bengals volition proceed to person a playoff-caliber defense. -- Ben Baby
14. New England Patriots (5-4)
Week 9 ranking: 17
Non-QB MVP: LB Matthew Judon
This was a adjacent telephone with moving backmost Rhamondre Stevenson, but Judon leads the NFL successful sacks (11.5) and has generated the astir accordant unit connected opposing quarterbacks for a squad that has leaned heavy connected its defense. Judon started accelerated past year, arsenic well, earlier fading retired precocious successful the season, and helium is motivated to not fto that hap again. -- Mike Reiss
15. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
Week 9 ranking: 16
Non-QB MVP: RB Austin Ekeler
Ekeler leads the NFL with 10 touchdowns, including six rushing and 4 receiving. He has rushed for a touchdown successful 5 consecutive games, the longest specified streak presently successful the NFL. And helium leads the league with 457 yards aft the catch, up of past season's triple crown victor Cooper Kupp (406). In a play erstwhile the Chargers person been plagued by injuries, Ekeler continues to beryllium disposable and has been a standout enactment for backmost Justin Herbert. -- Lindsey Thiry
16. Atlanta Falcons (4-5)
Week 9 ranking: 15
Non-QB MVP: The moving backmost committee
The Falcons are 4-5 and successful contention successful the NFC South for 1 crushed -- their tally game. And wrong that, it's intolerable to prime 1 player, due to the fact that starter Cordarrelle Patterson missed 4 weeks with a genu wounded and the squad continued rolling without him connected the crushed with a balanced room, led by Tyler Allgeier's 423 yards, 384 for Patterson and 299 for Caleb Huntley. So it mightiness look similar a cop-out, but nary 1 has been much invaluable to the Falcons' than their backs, and it's hard to abstracted 1 from the different successful presumption of accumulation and value truthful acold this season. -- Michael Rothstein
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)
Week 9 ranking: 18
Non-QB MVP: WR Mike Evans
It's pugnacious to find an violative MVP connected a squad that is struggling to find the extremity portion and has been plagued by countless drops, but Mike Evans remains Tom Brady's astir reliable big-play target, with 31 of the team's 125 receiving archetypal downs. He has missed conscionable 1 crippled this season, owed to a suspension, but his durability can't beryllium understated erstwhile Julio Jones, Russell Gage, Chris Godwin and Breshad Perriman person missed a combined 11 games this year. Evans' 12 third-down catches are besides the astir connected the team. -- Jenna Laine
1:37
Stephan A. Smith explains wherefore helium doesn't deliberation Tom Brady is to blasted for the Buccaneers' violative struggles.
18. Washington Commanders (4-5)
Week 9 ranking: 19
Non-QB MVP: DT Jonathan Allen
Washington's defence is the main crushed the Commanders embarked connected a three-game triumph streak and astir upset Minnesota. And the defence is spurred by its tackles, Allen and Daron Payne. You could marque this a combo MVP and see Payne, who leads the squad with 5.5 sacks, 1 much than Allen. But Allen is tied for the league pb successful tackles for a nonaccomplishment with 14. He besides has a higher walk unreserved triumph rate, unit percent and tally halt triumph complaint than Payne. They're adjacent and could divided it, but if picking one, it's Allen by a hair. They're the crushed Washington tin anticipation for a amended 2nd fractional of the season. -- John Keim
19. Los Angeles Rams (3-5)
Week 9 ranking: 14
Non-QB MVP: WR Cooper Kupp
This is an casual one. The discourtesy has astir exclusively tally done the No. 1 receiver. Kupp has registered 75% of the team's receiving touchdowns this season. Only Vikings receiver Jefferson (42.7%) has accounted for much of his team's receiving yards than Kupp (41.9%). Quarterback Matthew Stafford has lone thrown 2 touchdowns to targets different than Kupp this season, and some were to Allen Robinson II. Stafford had 25 passing touchdowns to non-Kupp targets past year. Kupp has surely shown helium is susceptible of sustaining this production, but the Rams mightiness similar idiosyncratic other connected this discourtesy to measurement up and springiness Stafford different option. -- Sarah Barshop
20. Cleveland Browns (3-5)
Week 9 ranking: 23
Non-QB MVP: RB Nick Chubb
Chubb was starring the NFL with 841 rushing yards headed into Cleveland's bye this past weekend, portion averaging a whopping 5.64 yards per carry. The Browns' moving crippled has been virtually unstoppable. While Cleveland's O-line has been dominant, Chubb performing similar the NFL's champion backmost to this constituent is the biggest crushed why. An honorable notation goes to Myles Garrett, who is backmost to playing similar a defensive subordinate of the twelvemonth contender. -- Jake Trotter
0:49
Eric Moody explains wherefore Joe Mixon's five-touchdown show elevates him into the apical tier of phantasy moving backs.
21. New Orleans Saints (3-6)
Week 9 ranking: 21
Non-QB MVP: RB Alvin Kamara
There are beardown cases to beryllium made for choky extremity Taysom Hill oregon the Saints linebacker duo of Pete Werner and Demario Davis, but Kamara showed wherefore helium is truthful important with a three-touchdown show against the Raiders. Kamara missed 2 games aboriginal successful the play with an injury, but helium has had 581 all-purpose yards since his instrumentality successful Week 5. Kamara has played a cardinal relation successful the offense, particularly with truthful galore receivers hurt, and seems to beryllium getting amended by the week. -- Katherine Terrell
22. Denver Broncos (3-5)
Week 9 ranking: 25
Non-QB MVP: CB Pat Surtain II
Earlier this season, Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey called Surtain "phenomenal'' and added, "He's doing things now, with his attack and his technique, I truly didn't bash until my 4th oregon 5th year.'' Surtain has been a cardinal subordinate for the league's No. 2 scoring defense. He routinely matches up with the opponents' champion receivers and is consistently avoided by opposing quarterbacks. He has been a agleam spot. -- Jeff Legwold
23. Arizona Cardinals (3-6)
Week 9 ranking: 24
Non-QB MVP: There isn't one
Besides Kyler Murray, who has carried this squad the full play but is disqualified due to the fact that helium is simply a quarterback, nary different Cardinal has stepped up capable oregon been steadfast done the archetypal 9 games to beryllium considered for the non-QB squad MVP. A fewer players person stood out, including wide receiver Marquise Brown (but helium is hurt), moving backmost James Conner (but helium is hurt) and wideout DeAndre Hopkins (but helium has played successful conscionable 3 contests since returning from a six-game suspension). Tight extremity Zach Ertz has been the lone accordant subordinate connected the discourtesy to contribute, but helium isn't being utilized enough. -- Josh Weinfuss
24. Green Bay Packers (3-6)
Week 9 ranking: 20
Non-QB MVP: RB Aaron Jones
Jones has been the Packers' astir businesslike and productive subordinate connected discourtesy -- erstwhile they've bothered to usage him. He ranks sixth among each moving backs successful yards per transportation (5.61) but lone is tied for 15th successful full carries. Which begs the question: Will the Pack yet commencement to telephone his fig much often? Linebacker Rashan Gary was besides a contender for this with 31 pressures (third astir successful the NFL) and six sacks, until helium suffered an ACL teardrop successful his close knee connected Sunday against the Lions. -- Rob Demovsky
25. Chicago Bears (3-6)
Week 9 ranking: 26
Non-QB MVP: K Cairo Santos
The Bears kicker has made 19 consecutive tract goals, a agelong that dates backmost to Week 15 of the 2021 season. Santos is simply a cleanable 13-of-13 connected tract goals this season, including 4 from 50-plus yards, and 14-of-16 connected other points. His beingness has provided a boost to Chicago's increasing discourtesy and the comfortableness that it tin support gait adjacent if drives extremity with tract goals implicit touchdowns. "Every clip we get successful that tract extremity range, I'm ever cognitive of, we got points," backmost Justin Fields said of Santos. "We astir apt person points close here." -- Courtney Cronin
26. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6)
Week 9 ranking: 29
Non-QB MVP: RB Travis Etienne Jr.
Etienne is 5th successful the league successful rushing with 680 yards contempt having the fewest carries (120) by immoderate non-quarterback successful the apical 10. The Jaguars fertile seventh successful rushing yards per crippled (146.8), which would beryllium their highest people since 2010 (149.7) if it holds the remainder of the season. Etienne's accumulation is 1 of the reasons the Jaguars traded James Robinson to the Jets, and helium gives Jacksonville a much explosive subordinate astatine the position. -- Michael DiRocco
27. Indianapolis Colts (3-5-1)
Week 9 ranking: 22
Non-QB MVP: DT DeForest Buckner
Buckner has been the Colts' champion pass-rusher this season, starring the mode for a defence that has excelled, in spite of a dysfunctional offense. Buckner leads the Colts successful sacks (five) contempt playing connected the interior antiaircraft enactment and being a magnet for double-teams this season. Buckner has freed up the Colts' ends and linebackers to marque plays, a large crushed Indianapolis ranks 2nd successful the NFL successful rushing yards allowed per effort (3.8). -- Stephen Holder
1:05
Adam Schefter details wherefore the Colts decided to occurrence caput manager Frank Reich.
28. Las Vegas Raiders (2-6)
Week 9 ranking: 27
Non-QB MVP: RB Josh Jacobs
Jacobs is averaging a career-high 5.4 yards per transportation and is connected gait for vocation highs successful rushing yards (1,579) and rushing touchdowns (13). He besides had a three-game agelong erstwhile helium rushed for 144, 154 and 143 yards, and his six scores during that spell helped support Las Vegas afloat, arsenic they went 2-1. Indeed, Jacobs, whose fifth-year enactment was declined by the Raiders' caller authorities this offseason, has been the astir accordant subordinate successful a decidedly inconsistent season. -- Paul Gutierrez
29. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)
Week 9 ranking: 30
Non-QB MVP: LB Minkah Fitzpatrick
On a squad for whom nary 1 is playing consistently, it was hard to prime anyone arsenic the MVP, backmost oregon not. Even Fitzpatrick hasn't played up to his accustomed modular successful each game, but helium is inactive a difference-maker and has notched 3 interceptions, including a Week 1 pick-six. Honorable notation goes to Alex Highsmith with 6.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. -- Brooke Pryor
30. Detroit Lions (2-6)
Week 9 ranking: 31
Non-QB MVP: RB Jamaal Williams
Williams embodies the tone of what the Lions are trying to physique with grit and has been disposable successful each crippled for the Lions this season. He is disconnected to the champion commencement of his six-year vocation with 8 touchdowns, 3rd astir successful the league down lone Cleveland's Chubb and Tennessee's Henry. He inactive isn't satisfied, however. "I've ever been grooming myself to grip these types of workloads and these types of seasons," Williams told ESPN. "I've ever had the mindset for it." -- Eric Woodyard
31. Carolina Panthers (2-7)
Week 9 ranking: 28
Non-QB MVP: DE Brian Burns
In a play with galore question marks, Burns is the astir reliable subordinate connected the team. He leads the Panthers successful sacks (6) and backmost hits (10) and besides successful leadership. He has played truthful good that wide manager Scott Fitterer reportedly turned down 2 first-round draught picks for him astatine the commercialized deadline. -- David Newton
32. Houston Texans (1-6-1)
Week 9 ranking: 32
Non-QB MVP: RB Dameon Pierce
Pierce ranks sixth successful full rushing yards successful the NFL and is the Texans' lone consistent violative threat. The discourtesy lone goes arsenic acold arsenic helium produces. Against the undefeated Eagles connected Thursday, the people was 21-17 entering the 4th fourth -- mostly due to the fact that of Pierce, who had 139 yards connected the ground. When helium doesn't unreserved for a large amount, the discourtesy struggles -- similar against the Titans successful Week 8, erstwhile Pierce lone had 35 yards and the discourtesy didn't eclipse 200 yards for the day. -- DJ Bien-Aime
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