Opinion
The NFL season is in full swing and some trends are already emerging in player form. Here are the best non-QBs in the NFL right now.
Can we talk about Deebo Samuel for just a quick minute? Look, this is far from a hot take – but Deebo Samuel is an absolute beast.
Here’s the hot take, he’s the most valuable non-QB player at the league right now. Before you come at me with your Micah Parsons, Aaron Donalds or Tyreek Hills, consider this.
Value is really about situation. I mentioned in a previous article that Tyreek Hill is a force multiplier, i.e. he makes his quarterback better.
Deebo makes Jimmy G, better. He makes Brandon Aiyuk, better. He confuses defenses, makes it easier for his line. If you haven’t already, take a look at the Rams/49rs replay and watch Samuel turn what would should have been an interception, into three missed tackles and a touchdown.
He made Jalen Ramsey look like a kicker trying to stop the return FG.
He’s around 200 yards after the catch in four games, keeping in mind one of those games was in a damn monsoon. 49rs, if you did one thing right this offseason, its somehow manage to keep Samuel.
The man who can do it all, is doing it all and if the 49rs make yet another divisional round or better it’ll be because Samuel allowed Jimmy G to look like a passable quarterback.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Your 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year is looking poised to be the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year. Parsons is an off ball linebacker who moonlights as one of the premier edge rushers in the league along with being the one man wrecking ball that the Cowboys build their defense around.
If you are wondering how Cooper Rush is able to be undefeated as a starter, let me give you the answer. Defense. Don’t let me take away from Rush’s play, it’s been adequate but a defense led by Parsons is the real reason.
His secret is being amazing no matter where you put him (great secret hey?). But seriously, when someone is just an edge rusher it’s easier to scheme against them, with someone like Parsons you have to account for him lining up in multiple spots and even if you do, expect that he’s going to get one or two sacks, pressures and tackles.
Every. Single. Game.
When talking about valuable players, it really is hard to look past what Chubb is to the Browns. Look, we all hate the Browns for paying Sexual McPredator all that guaranteed money, but put that aside for a second.
At an unlucky 2 – 2 (Come on Jets fans, you didnt deserve that win) Chubb basically is the Browns offense. With 500 yards on the season so far, three out of four games going for over 100 on the ground, Chubb is carrying an offense and putting them in a position to win with the statue of Jacobe Brissett throwing the rock.
He’s the #1 fantasy asset at the moment, and that is far from exclusive to fantasy.
Two in one team? But wait the Browns suck! I know, but hate it as you might once Watson is back under centre these guys are going to be a powerhouse. And much of that is due to the fact that they have two absolute studs, one on either side of the ball.
Garrett may only have three sacks on the year, but it’s what he does off camera that makes him so valuable. He is religiously double teamed and even with that, this gold standard edge rusher still gets to the passer. Sacking, pressuring and forcing errors all with speed and size thats hard to come by. Try as you may to hate the Browns, you can not hate Myles Garrett.
I’ll leave the list at that. Before you get mad, players like Tyreek Hill, Aaron Donald, Jaire Alexander, Jaylen Ramsey are all absolutely valuable, and pound for pound might be better than some of the above. But what they mean to their team value wise doesnt come close.
I’ll use the Cheetah himself as an example. If he gets injured you think the Dolphins offense goes to sleep? Jaylen Waddle steps up, Edmonds/Mostert drive the run and they hold out until he can play again. But if Chubb was out for say 5 weeks, the Browns would be optimistic to expect 1 – 4 from that.
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