McCaffrey_ThomasS_jersey_swap_Panthers_091017_I_71McCaffrey_ThomasS_jersey_swap_Panthers_091017_I_71
Football

Top Picks Collide

Top Performers

David DeCastro • G • Pittsburgh Steelers • Sixth season

DeCastro played every snap of Pittsburgh's 21-18 win at Cleveland on Sunday. On 60 snaps, DeCastro didn't allow any quarterback pressures and earned an excellent 82.1 grade from Pro Football Focus, the fourth highest of any Steeler. Pittsburgh's offensive line will face a tougher challenge next week when it faces Minnesota's defensive front, which includes Pro Bowl tackle Linval Joseph.

Zach Ertz • TE • Philadelphia Eagles • Fifth season • @ZErtz_86

Ertz shined in Philadelphia's 30-17 win at Washington on Sunday, earning the highest Pro Football Focus grade of any Eagles offensive player (85.3). Ertz caught all eight targets from Carson Wentz for 93 yards, the most receptions of any Eagle. Dating to 2015, Ertz has 95 catches and 1,061 yards over his past 16 appearances. While averaging 11.6 yards per reception, six of Ertz's receptions went for first downs on Sunday.

Austin Hooper • TE • Atlanta Falcons • Second season • @AustinHooper18

Hooper started 2017 with a monster performance in Atlanta's 23-17 win at Chicago on Sunday. Appearing on 80 percent of offensive snaps, by far the most of any Falcon tight end, Hooper caught both of his targets for 128 yards and one touchdown. Hooper's touchdown grab went for 88 yards, and included an incredible solo effort to break the tackle of Bears' safety Quentin Demps, who was thrown to the ground as Hooper galloped toward the end zone. Hooper's other catch went for 40 yards, and he finished the game with an 81.3 grade from Pro Football Focus, the fifth highest of any Falcon.

Blake Martinez • ILB • Green Bay Packers • Second season • @Big__Blake50

Martinez was outstanding in Green Bay's 17-9 win against Seattle on Sunday, finishing with the second highest Pro Football Focus grade (87.0) of any player in the game. Playing 86 percent of defensive snaps, Martinez made two solo tackles, including one for loss, two run stops while earning a solid +1.1 pass coverage rating. Martinez and the Packers' defense limited the Seahawks to just 225 total yards of offense.

Christian McCaffrey • RB • Carolina Panthers • First season • @run_cmc

McCaffrey hit the ground running in his NFL debut, playing 70 percent of offensive snaps in Carolina's 23-3 win at San Francisco. He carried 13 times for 47 yards, and caught the most passes (5) as Cam Newton's most-targeted receiver (7) for 38 yards. McCaffrey lined up in the backfield, slot, wide and in the wildcat formation, but the Panthers mostly kept it simple while keeping much of the rumored "McCaffrey Playbook" under wraps. The Panthers' eighth overall pick in the draft out-snapped fellow running back Jonathan Stewart by 18 plays.

Kyle Murphy • T • Green Bay Packers • Second season • @KyleMurphy78

Murphy excelled in his first career start, a 17-9 win against Seattle with starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga injured. Playing all 82 offensive snaps, Murphy surrendered just one pressure while earning a +2.2 pass block rating from Pro Football Focus. After the game, head coach Mike McCarthy and All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers were quick to complement the contributions of Murphy, who will start until Bulaga (ankle) returns to health.

Weekly Roundup

Henry Anderson • DE • Indianapolis Colts • Third season • @HenryAnderson91

Anderson started Indianapolis' 46-9 loss at the Los Angeles Rams, appearing on 38 percent of the team's defensive snaps. Anderson was one of a few Colts to generate any sort of defensive pressure, finishing with one quarterback hit, one run stop and one solo tackle. Expect Anderson's snap counts to increase as the weeks go on after being limited last season while recovering from a knee injury.

Johnson Bademosi • CB/ST • Detroit Lions • Sixth season • @J_Bademosi24

Bademosi shined on special teams during New England's 42-27 loss against Kansas City on Thursday night. Appearing on 26 special teams snaps (86 percent), Bademosi finished with one special teams tackle but also played a hand in several other important special teams plays. It is likely that Bademosi will be exclusively a special teamer for the Patriots until one of Malcolm Butler, Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe or Jonathan Jones is unavailable.

Doug Baldwin • WR • Seattle Seahawks • Seventh season • @DougBaldwinJr

Baldwin led Seattle receivers with 63 yards in a 17-9 loss at Green Bay on Sunday. He finished the game catching all four targets from Russell Wilson, and played 88 percent of the Seahawks' offensive snaps, the most of any skill position player. Baldwin's 79.1 grade from Pro Football Focus was the fifth highest of any Seahawk. Seattle will look to rebound next week when it hosts San Francisco.

Coby Fleener • TE • New Orleans Saints • Sixth season • @Coby

Fleener led New Orleans tight ends in snaps (52 percent) in the Saints' 29-19 loss at Minnesota on Monday night. Fleener caught five of six targets for 54 yards and one touchdown, leading the Saints in three receiving categories (receptions, yards and scores). He earned an 81.0 grade from Pro Football Focus, the fourth highest of any Saint, while Drew Brees has a passer rating of 143.8 when targeting the former All-American at Stanford.

Cameron Fleming • T • New England Patriots • Fourth season • @CammyJFresh

Fleming was one of seven inactive players for New England's 42-27 loss against Kansas City on Thursday night. Fleming was limited in practice last week after sustaining an ankle injury toward the end of the preaseason.

Ryan Hewitt • TE/FB • Cincinnati Bengals • Fourth season @Huey_85

Hewitt was limited to seven offensive snaps in Cincinnati's 20-0 loss against Baltimore on Sunday. The Bengals were limited to 221 yards of total offense, and the fullback was seldom needed while Cincinnati chased the game from behind.

Kevin Hogan • QB • Cleveland Browns • Second season • @KHoagie8

Hogan did not play in Cleveland's 21-18 loss against Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Andrew Luck • QB • Indianapolis Colts • Sixth season • @ALBookClub

As expected, Luck was inactive for Indianapolis' 46-9 loss at the Los Angeles Rams. The Colts remain tight-lipped on Luck's health, but sources on Sunday indicated he has yet to start the intensive throwing portion of his recovery, let alone rejoin practice. Given the state of the rest of the Colts' roster, it's no surprise that Indianapolis refuses to rush any part of Luck's recovery.

Josh Mauro • DE/DL • Arizona Cardinals • Fourth season • @JustJoshin90

Mauro appeared on 37 percent of Arizona's defensive snaps in a 35-23 loss at Detroit on Sunday. He finished the game with three solo tackles, one run stop and one quarterback hurry, earning a positive rating in run defending from Pro Football Focus. The Cardinals travel to Indianapolis next week to face the struggling Colts.

Ty Montgomery • WR/KR • Green Bay Packers • Third season • @TyMontgomery2

Montgomery solidified his role as a three-down back in Green Bay's offense in a 17-9 win against Seattle on Sunday. The tailback appeared on 90 percent of the Packers' offensive snaps, carrying the ball 19 times for 54 yards and one touchdown and catching all four targets for 39 yards. Green Bay's next most-used back was fullback Aaron Ripkowski, who played 52 fewer snaps than Montgomery.

Andrus Peat • T/G • New Orleans Saints • Third season • @AndrusPeat

Peat played every snap at left guard in New Orleans' 29-19 loss at Minnesota, allowing just one pressure in 82 total snaps.

Jordan Richards • S • New England Patriots • Third season

Richards played plenty of snaps in New England's 42-27 loss against Kansas City on Thursday night. The defensive back started and appeared on 61 percent of the Patriots' defensive snaps and 33 special teams snaps (87 percent). He finished the game with four tackles, two special teams stops and one forced fumble.

Brennan Scarlett • OLB • Houston Texans • Second season • @BScarlett17

Scarlett appeared on five defensive snaps in Houston's 29-7 loss against Jacksonville on Sunday, finishing the game with one tackle.

Richard Sherman • CB • Seattle Seahawks • Seventh season @R_Sherman25

Sherman started and played all 82 defensive snaps in Seattle's 17-9 loss at Green Bay on Sunday, finishing the game with two solo tackles and one run stop. Aaron Rodgers targeted Sherman just three times, completing two passes for 16 yards.

Michael Thomas • S • Miami Dolphins • Fifth season • @Michael31Thomas

Miami's Week 1 matchup against Tampa Bay was delayed to Week 11 due to inclement weather.

Solomon Thomas • DL • San Francisco 49ers • First season • @SollyThomas90

Thomas came off the bench to play 64 percent of San Francisco's defensive snaps in a 23-3 loss against Carolina on Sunday. Thomas finished with two solo tackles, including one for loss, against Carolina's elite interior offensive line. The 49ers will face a much more porous offensive line next week when it travels to Seattle.

Levine Toilolo • TE • Atlanta Falcons • Fourth season • @LevineToilolo

Matt Ryan targeted Toilolo once in Atlanta's 23-17 win at Chicago on Sunday. He appeared on 49 percent of the Falcons' offensive snaps while playing eight special teams snaps.