NFL Power Rankings - Week 9: Players who must step up in season's 2nd half
The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.
This week, we highlight one player for every team who must step up in the second half of the season.
1. Los Angeles Rams (7-1)
Previous Rank: 3
It would be unfair to list just one special teams player here from the Rams. The whole group, led by coordinator Joe DeCamillis, needs to step up after being outcoached in most games through the first two months of the campaign.
2. Green Bay Packers (7-1)
Previous Rank: 5
The Packers need someone to step up as their No. 1 corner with Jaire Alexander's return timetable unclear - and that guy can be Eric Stokes. The rookie is having a good year, but it remains to be seen whether he's ready to line up against the NFL's top pass-catchers. After an unimpressive outing against the Cardinals, Stokes is now set to face some of the league's scariest receiving corps in November (Chiefs, Seahawks, Vikings, and Rams).
3. Buffalo Bills (5-2)
Previous Rank: 4
Did everyone see how disruptive the Bills' defense was against the Dolphins? Granted, Miami has a weak offensive line, but Ed Oliver deserves a ton of credit after enjoying his best game of the season Sunday. The 2019 top-10 pick mainly stayed quiet until Week 8, but Buffalo won't have to worry about its lack of interior pressure anymore if Oliver can replicate his last performance more often.
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-1)
Previous Rank: 6
The center position is essentially the only weak spot on the Cowboys' offense, as starter Tyler Biadasz hasn't progressed as much as fans hoped he would during his sophomore campaign. Biadasz's lack of consistency has him ranked 29th among centers this season, according to PFF.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)
Previous Rank: 2
Assuming the secondary improves with starting corners Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting returning from injury soon, the Bucs should focus on Devin White. He took his game to another level in 2020 but has missed 15.1% of his tackle attempts this season (compared to 11% last year) and has yet to record a sack.
6. Arizona Cardinals (7-1)
Previous Rank: 1
Chandler Jones needs to step up for two main reasons. Firstly, he's recorded no sacks and only four tackles in the five games since a five-sack performance in Week 1. Additionally, Arizona's defense needs extra help up front, with J.J. Watt likely to miss the remainder of the campaign.
7. Tennessee Titans (6-2)
Previous Rank: 9
Tennessee knew Julio Jones' prime was behind him when they traded for the seven-time Pro Bowler. Still, it definitely didn't expect the wideout to have only 17 receptions for 301 yards and no touchdowns over five appearances. Plus, Jones is averaging only two yards of separation per target, the fifth-lowest mark in the league.
8. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
Previous Rank: 10
Patrick Queen went from being a Defensive Rookie of the Year contender in 2020 to becoming a concern for the Ravens. Baltimore has struggled with 58 missed tackles this season, and Queen produced 10 of those. The Ravens recently reduced his defensive role as a result of the struggles.
9. New Orleans Saints (5-2)
Previous Rank: 13
The Saints won't have starting quarterback Jameis Winston for the remainder of the season and they apparently don't plan to add a free-agent signal-caller to replace him. That means it's time for Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian to step up. Hill hasn't played since Week 5 due to a concussion but is expected to return soon, while Siemian has experience as a starter and played well in relief of Winston in Week 8 against the Bucs. It's still unclear who will be New Orleans' starter moving forward, but we shouldn't be surprised if coach Sean Payton gets creative by using both passers.
Editor's note: Michael Thomas was our initial pick here due to the Saints' passing game struggles and their lack of depth at wide receiver. However, Thomas surprisingly announced Wednesday morning that he won't return this season due to a setback with his ankle injury.
10. Las Vegas Raiders (5-2)
Previous Rank: 11
The Raiders moved Alex Leatherwood from right tackle to guard due to his struggling play. Although the rookie slightly improved at the new role, it's not what Las vegas expected from its 17th overall pick. The Raiders look like a playoff team, but the offensive line could hurt them at some point. Leatherwood and Raiders right tackle Brandon Parker are currently the two lowest-graded offensive tackles in the league, according to PFF.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)
Previous Rank: 8
Chargers fans were hoping that Jerry Tillery would break out in 2021. But the 2019 first-rounder still lacks consistency and ranks outside the top 100 among defensive tackles, according to PFF. Los Angeles is allowing a league-high 5.1 yards per rushing attempt this year, and it'll be hard to fix that if Tillery doesn't step up.
12. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)
Previous Rank: 7
Eli Apple has played more snaps through eight games than any cornerback on the Bengals' roster, but his performances have yet to justify the heavy workload. The former top-10 pick is a liability in pass coverage, and he's missed the sixth-most tackles among corners this year.
13. New England Patriots (4-4)
Previous Rank: 17
Nelson Agholor is the Patriots' highest-paid wide receiver, but he hasn't produced as such on the field. The speedster, who's averaging 15.2 yards per catch (down from 18.7 last year), was supposed to help make New England's vertical offense a real threat, but he and quarterback Mac Jones aren't on the same page yet.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)
Previous Rank: 18
The Steelers' defense hasn't missed Minkah Fitzpatrick's big plays that much so far, but it's hard to imagine the unit succeeding all year long without the safety performing at a high level. The All-Pro defensive back has yet to record an interception through Pittsburgh's first seven games of the season and has allowed a 111 passer rating when targeted.
15. Cleveland Browns (4-4)
Previous Rank: 12
Cleveland needs more from Baker Mayfield. Granted, the quarterback is dealing with shoulder issues, but he's still expected to remain under center for the disappointing Browns. Mayfield is on pace to finish 2021 with the lowest QBR of his career (42.2). Additionally, his percentage of bad throws made has gone up, and he's completing just 34.5% of his deep passes (20-plus yards).
16. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4)
Previous Rank: 15
Patrick Mahomes knows he's let his team down. Yes, the defense is the Chiefs' biggest concern, and KC also lacks depth at skill positions. But those issues are usually overcome when Mahomes is at his best. However, the former MVP hasn't been able to carry Kansas City on his back this season, tossing a league-high 10 interceptions, including three in the red zone.
17. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)
Previous Rank: 19
It seems like ages ago that rookie Brandon Aiyuk burst onto the scene with 825 yards and seven touchdowns last year. But the former first-round receiver now looks out of sync with the rest of the team and has amassed just 13 receptions, 141 yards, and one touchdown through seven games. The 49ers hope Aiyuk's 45 yards in Week 8 - a season-high for him - indicates that he's improving heading into November.
18. Indianapolis Colts (3-5)
Previous Rank: 14
Eric Fisher showed Sunday he can still be a reliable left tackle, posting arguably his best performance since joining the Colts and giving Indy some relief after his early-season struggles. Now he needs to be consistent. Only six offensive tackles have been better than the 2013 first overall pick since Week 6, but he's only the 53rd-ranked tackle in 2021, according to PFF.
19. Minnesota Vikings (3-4)
Previous Rank: 16
The Vikings already had issues at cornerback, and the position took another blow after the team placed veteran Patrick Peterson on injured reserve. In the first game without Peterson, Minnesota let Cameron Dantzler play all of its defensive snaps, but his performance was far from perfect. Dantzler's improvement will be crucial for the Vikings' secondary in the coming weeks with matchups against the Ravens, Chargers, and Packers on the horizon.
20. Denver Broncos (4-4)
Previous Rank: 20
Jonathon Cooper's time to shine has come earlier than expected. The rookie edge rusher has turned into a steal for Denver out of the seventh round and has seen his playing time increase weekly. He's now the presumable replacement for Von Miller, who the Broncos traded to the Rams. Cooper has yet to record his first NFL sack, but he had three quarterback hits in Week 7.
21. Seattle Seahawks (3-5)
Previous Rank: 23
The Seahawks made Jamal Adams football's highest-paid safety in August, but they can't be happy with what the defender has given back to them two months into this season. Adams is missing too many tackles and allowing a 100-plus passer rating when targeted. He also hasn't recorded a sack after racking up 9.5 last year.
22. Carolina Panthers (4-4)
Previous Rank: 24
This one is way too obvious. Sam Darnold went from being a reliable starter for an unbeaten team to becoming the NFL's worst quarterback over the last five games. He's posted a 62.5 passer rating since Week 4.
23. Chicago Bears (3-5)
Previous Rank: 21
Too many things are wrong in Chicago, but arguably no Bears player has underperformed as much as Allen Robinson. Granted, part of Robinson's issues stem from Chicago's bad quarterback play, but he's succeeded with struggling passers in the past. This year, however, the wideout has just 26 catches for 271 yards and one touchdown, while his 1.7 yards of separation per target rank dead last, according to Next Gen Stats.
24. Atlanta Falcons (3-4)
Previous Rank: 22
Russell Gage posted a nine-catch, 114-yard performance in Week 1 last season en route to enjoying a breakout campaign. This year, he's amassed nine receptions for 95 yards and one touchdown through four appearances combined. Having Gage more involved on offense will be crucial for the Falcons, who have issues at wide receiver and just saw Calvin Ridley step away from football.
25. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5)
Previous Rank: 26
It's fair to say the Eagles' current coaching staff has held most of its best players back, but few Philly defenders have been as quiet as Derek Barnett. He recorded his first sack of the year last Sunday against the Lions. Before that QB takedown, Barnett had played 498 snaps without earning a sack.
26. New York Jets (2-5)
Previous Rank: 30
The Jets were expecting Quinnen Williams to become one of the league's top interior defensive linemen after his solid 2020 campaign. But the 2019 third overall pick is currently on pace to record the worst campaign of his young career, according to PFF.
27. New York Giants (2-6)
Previous Rank: 25
New York will need Saquon Barkley to do more on the field once he returns from his ankle injury soon. The star rusher, who hasn't played since Week 5, has yet to top 60 rushing yards in a game this season and is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry.
28. Washington Football Team (2-6)
Previous Rank: 27
We expected Chase Young to contend for the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2021 after taking the league by storm as a rookie last year. However, Young, one of many defenders underperforming in Washington right now, has just 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks after eight games.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6)
Previous Rank: 28
One win, 59.6% completion rate, 1,703 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Yes, quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been getting little help from his supporting cast in Jacksonville as a rookie, but the first overall pick has to perform better.
30. Miami Dolphins (1-7)
Previous Rank: 29
The Dolphins didn't trade for Deshaun Watson at the deadline, but that doesn't mean they're happy with Tua Tagovailoa. The second-year passer has completed 65% of his throws for only seven touchdowns to five interceptions through five games in 2021. He isn't close to meeting Miami's expectations after being selected fifth overall last year.
31. Houston Texans (1-7)
Previous Rank: 32
The rebuilding Texans are looking for answers along their offensive line, and the clock is ticking for Tytus Howard to prove he's worth a shot. Howard, a 2019 first-round pick, struggled at left tackle early in his career, leading Houston to move him to guard. But the change hasn't worked, and he currently ranks last among 74 guards in 2021, per PFF.
32. Detroit Lions (0-8)
Previous Rank: 31
Who doesn't need to step up for the Lions? Detroit has seen most of its players disappoint after eight weeks, including first-round rookie Penei Sewell. The Lions drafted Sewell seventh overall and hoped the offensive tackle would stand out right away. He's improved over the last couple of games, but Sewell hasn't done enough to justify his pre-draft hype.