Ertz Hitting His StrideErtz Hitting His Stride
Football

Ertz Hitting His Stride

David DeCastro • G • Pittsburgh Steelers • Sixth season

DeCastro was outstanding in Pittsburgh's 26-9 win against Minnesota on Sunday, starting and playing all 74 offensive snaps. He finished with an 81.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which included a ridiculous +5.6 run block rating. In pass protection, DeCastro was nearly perfect, allowing one pressure on 37 pass blocking snaps.

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

Ertz continued his hot start to the season with five catches on 10 targets for 97 yards, including a spectacular 53-yard play in the first half of Philadelphia's 27-20 loss at Kansas City. With his latest performance, Ertz became the first Eagle since Terrell Owens in 2004 to have three consecutive 90-yard receiving games. Now with 3,030 receiving yards in 63 games, Ertz became the ninth-fastest tight end to reach 3,000 yards.

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

Fleener played the most snaps (32) of any New Orleans tight end in a 36-20 loss against New England on Sunday. He caught his second touchdown in as many games, totaling three catches on four targets for 33 yards.

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

Hogan threw his first career touchdown pass in Cleveland's 24-10 loss at Baltimore on Sunday. After starter DeShon Kizer exited the game in the second quarter, Hogan took over for 19 snaps until Kizer returned, finishing 5 of 11 passing with one touchdown and one interception. Hogan's touchdown throw to David Njoku was impressive, and the Browns scored all 10 of their points with Hogan under center.

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

Montgomery appeared on 86 percent of Green Bay's offensive snaps in a 34-23 loss at Atlanta on Sunday night. The running back accounted for over half of the Packers' points, scoring one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown. He finished with 35 rushing yards on 10 carries while catching six of seven targets for 75 yards in the passing game.

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

Thomas started and played 59 percent of defensive snaps in a 12-9 loss at Seattle on Sunday. He improved on his performance from Week 1, finishing with four solo tackles, including two for loss, two run stops, two quarterback hurries and one quarterback hit.

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

Anderson came off the bench to appear on 47 percent of defensive snaps and six special teams plays in Indianapolis' 16-13 overtime loss against Arizona. He finished the game with two tackles, one quarterback hit and one run stop, while helping limit the Cardinals to 83 rushing yards on 25 attempts (3.3 yards per carry).

Johnson Bademosi • CB/ST • New England Patriots • Sixth season • @J_Bademosi24

Bademosi appeared on half of New England's special teams snaps in a 36-20 win at New Orleans on Sunday.

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

Baldwin played all but one offensive snap in Seattle's 12-9 win against San Francisco on Sunday. He was targeted a team-high nine times, catching six balls for 44 yards. Through two weeks, Baldwin leads the club in receptions (10) and receiving yards (107) as the Seahawks' offense struggles to find a rhythm.

Jim Dray • TE • Arizona Cardinals • Eighth season

Arizona signed Dray last week with injuries to their top two tight ends. Dray, who played for the Cardinals in 2013, played five special teams snaps in a 16-13 win at Indianapolis on Sunday. The Cardinals announced on Tuesday Dray had been released. 

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

Fleming made his first appearance of 2017, coming off the bench for four offensive snaps and seven special teams plays in New England's 36-20 win at New Orleans.

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

Hewitt started at fullback in Cincinnati's 13-9 loss against Houston. He appeared on nine offensive snaps and 22 special teams snaps (73 percent), finishing with one special teams tackle.

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

Hooper started and appeared on 71 percent of offensive snaps in Atlanta's 34-23 win against Green Bay on Sunday night. He caught both of his targets for seven yards but did his best work in run blocking. Hooper earned a +3.4 run block rating from Pro Football Focus, helping the Falcons rush for 141 yards on 27 carries (5.2 average) with two touchdowns.

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

Luck was inactive for Indianapolis' 16-13 overtime loss against Arizona. No timetable has been given for Luck's return to the field after undergoing offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder.

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

Martinez started and played 66 percent of defensive snaps in Green Bay's 34-23 loss at Atlanta on Sunday night. The inside linebacker filled up the stat sheet, finishing with five solo tackles, including two for loss, one quarterback hit, four run stops and one sack for eight yards. Sitting atop the depth chart alongside Jake Ryan, Martinez will continue to play plenty of snaps for the Packers' defense.

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

Mauro came off the bench to appear on 37 percent of defensive snaps in Arizona's 16-13 overtime win at Indianapolis. He finished the game with one sack for eight yards and two tackles, also appearing on four special teams snaps.

Christian McCaffrey • RB • Carolina Panthers • First season • @CMcCaffrey5

McCaffrey rushed eight times for 10 yards in Carolina's 9-3 win against Buffalo on Sunday. He caught four of five targets from Cam Newton for 34 yards, and returned five punts for 30 yards. The Panthers most used running back (63 percent of offensive snaps), McCaffrey was victim to poor run blocking, as he averaged -0.4 yards before contact, but finished the game with a solid 75.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

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

After playing every snap at right tackle in Week 1, Murphy started and played every offensive snap at left tackle in a 34-23 loss at Atlanta. With starting tackles Bryan Bulaga (ankle) and David Bakhtiari (hamstring) injured, Murphy could continue to play heavy snaps on either end of Aaron Rodgers' offensive line.

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

Peat played all 65 snaps at left tackle for New Orleans' 36-20 loss against New England on Sunday. With starting tackles Terron Armstead and Zach Strief injured, Peat's move from left guard is only temporary.

Jordan Richards • S • New England Patriots • Third season

Richards' usage went down in Week 2, but he still managed to appear on 25 percent of defensive snaps and 23 special teams snaps (77 percent) in New England's 36-20 win at New Orleans on Sunday. He finished the game with two tackles.

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

Scarlett appeared on five defensive snaps and 80 percent of special teams plays in Houston's 13-9 win at Cincinnati on Thursday.

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

Sherman started and played every defensive snap in Seattle's 12-9 win against San Francisco on Sunday. He finished the game with five tackles, including four solo, and one fumble recovery. Brian Hoyer targeted Sherman's receiver seven times in the passing game, surrendering four completions for 38 yards and a 72.3 passer rating.

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

Thomas helped Miami to a 1-0 start on Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers after the Dolphins' Week 1 matchup was cancelled due to the threat of Hurricane Irma. He played 81 percent of defensive snaps, and finished with two special teams tackles.

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

Toilolo played 48 percent of offensive snaps in Atlanta's 34-23 win against Green Bay on Sunday night. He was not targeted in the passing game, but helped the Falcons rush for 141 yards on 27 attempts (5.2 average) and two scores.