2026 NFL Mid-Season Awards+Updated Playoff and Super Bowl Predictions

Top Player: Joe Burrow (Bengals)

As it stands right now, Burrow has a real shot to win MVP for the 1st time in his career. The further deterioration of an already weak rushing attack has put more pressure Burrow to carry the load for this offense and to put it mildly, he's delivered. Burrow is currently leading the league in passing TD's (23) passing YDS per game (298.3) and completion percentage (74%, which is a whopping 4.9% ahead of the holder of the #2 slot Brock Purdy and only becomes more mind-boggling when you discover that he's averaging the 7th most passing attempts per game in the league). Having the best WR tandem in the league certainly makes his job easier, particularly with Tee Higgins on pace to have the best season of his career, but it would be deeply unfair to use this as an excuse to downplay just how brilliant Burrow has played in the opening 8 games of the season.

Honorable Mentions: Brock Purdy (49ers), Jordan Love (Packers), Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)

Top Offensive Player: Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)

Speaking of guys that have asked to further step up due to a lackluster rushing attack, JSN has basically been the entire Seahawks offense this season. He became the 1st WR in the league to clear 1,000 YDS last week, is averaging an absolutely ridiculous 14.4 YDS per touch and is just 1 TD away from matching his entire 2025 (10) total. Following up an OPOTY year campaign with this kind of start is just ridiculous and there's no doubt in my mind that he'll be the frontrunner to win it again if he can stay healthy the rest of the way.

Honorable Mentions: Kenneth Walker III (Chiefs), Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions), CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys)

Top Defensive Player: Will Anderson Jr. (Texans)

While the Texans defense on the whole has considerably regressed from the elite form they showed throughout 2025, Anderson Jr. is playing the best football of his career. The 4th year pro is currently leading the league with 9.5 sacks (his current career high is 12 in 2025) while also posting terrific pressure (43), QB hit (17) and TFL (12) totals through 8 games. 

Honorable Mentions: Aidan Hutchinson (Lions), Denzel Ward (Browns), Evan Williams (Packers)

Top Offensive Rookie: Spencer Fano (Browns)

Nobody out of the Concepion/Boston/Tate WR trifecta has played consistently well enough to earn this honor in my book, so I'm going with an offensive lineman instead. Fano has had a pretty smooth transition to left tackle in the pros-surrendering just 3 sacks through 9 games and flashing pretty consistent proficiency as a run-blocker and been a big bright spot on an otherwise pretty suspect Browns line. 

Honorable Mentions: KC Concepion (Browns), Denzel Boston (Browns), Carnell Tate (Titans)

Top Defensive Rookie: Arvell Reese (Giants)

Unlike the offensive side of the ball, there have plenty of defensive rookies that have flashed out of the gate. That being said, Reese has still managed to easily command the most attention with his dominant play. The Ohio State product has already proven to be the versatile front 7 chess piece the draftniks hoped he would be during the spring as he's absolutely stuffed the stat sheet (68 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 8 TFL's, 9 pressures, 5 QB hits, 4 passes defensed, INT, FF, FR through 8 games) while bouncing between inside linebacker and edge rusher. 

Honorable Mentions: David Bailey (Jets), Mansoor Delane (Chiefs), Zakee Wheatley (Panthers)

Top Comeback Player: Fred Warner (49ers)

The dislocated and broken ankle injuries that ended Warner's 2025 campaign after 6 games are the most devastating injuries the 4x All-Pro inside linebacker has suffered in his career to date. Him working his way back to elite form (77 tackles, 4 TFL's, 3 passes defensed, 3 QB hits, a league-high 5 forced fumbles) at age 30 is beyond impressive and his incredible play is chief among the reasons this 49ers defense has returned to the top 10 in the league after all of the injuries they dealt with relegated them to the middle of the pack in 2025.

Honorable Mentions: George Kittle (49ers), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Malik Nabers (Giants)

Top Coach: John Harbaugh (Giants)

While he's unquestionably received some help from his rapidly imploding peers in the NFC East, Harbaugh has already succeeded in changing the culture of a team that never really figured how to win games under Brian Daboll and any coach that can keep the train rolling amongst consistent instability at the QB position can't be written off as somebody who's only succeeding due to the miscues of others.

Honorable Mentions: Kyle Shanahan (49ers), Todd Monken (Browns), Joe Brady (Bills)

All-Pro Teams:

Quarterback:

1st team Joe Burrow (Bengals)

2nd team: Brock Purdy (49ers)

Running Back

1st team: Kenneth Walker III (Chiefs)

2nd team: Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions)

Wide Receiver:

1st team: Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys)

2nd team: Tee Higgins (Bengals), Christian Watson (Packers)

Tight End:

1st team: Brock Bowers (Raiders)

2nd team: George Kittle (49ers)

Tackle:

1st team: Penei Sewell (Lions), Darnell Wright (Bears)

2nd team: Trent Williams (49ers), Colton McKivitz (49ers)

Guard: 

1st team: Quenton Nelson (Colts/Seahawks), Chris Lindstrom (Falcons)

2nd team: Damien Lewis (Panthers), Tyler Booker (Cowboys)

Center

1st team: Zach Frazier (Steelers)

2nd team: Luke Wattenberg (Broncos)

Edge Rusher

1st team: Will Anderson Jr. (Texans), Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

2nd team: Greg Rousseau (Bills), Boye Mafe (Bengals)

Defensive Tackle

1st team: Dexter Lawrence (Bengals), Zach Allen (Broncos)

2nd team: D.J. Reader (Giants), A'Shawn Robinson (Buccaneers)

Inside Linebacker:

1st team: Fred Warner (49ers), Zack Baun (Eagles)

2nd team: Ventrell Miller (Jaguars), Blake Cashman (Vikings)

Cornerback

1st team: Denzel Ward (Browns), Trent McDuffie (Rams)

2nd team: Jacob Parrish (Buccaneers), Isaiah Rodgers (Vikings)

Safety

1st team: Evan Williams (Packers), Jessie Bates III (Falcons, was traded to the Jaguars on Monday)

2nd team: Jevon Holland (Giants), Amani Hooker (Titans, was traded to the Bills on Tuesday)

Kicker

1st team: Chase McLaughlin (Buccaneers)

2nd team: Ka'imi Fairbairn (Texans)

Punter:

1st team: J.K. Scott (Chargers)

2nd team: A.J. Cole (Raiders)

Playoff Predictions:

AFC:

1.Bills

2.Jaguars

3.Chiefs

4.Bengals

5.Broncos

6.Steelers

7.Patriots

Wild Card:

Jaguars over Patriots

Chiefs over Steelers

Bengals over Broncos

Divisional Round:

Bills over Bengals

Chiefs over Jaguars

Conference Championship:

Chiefs over Bills

NFC:

1.49ers

2.Packers

3.Giants

4.Buccaneers 

5.Lions

6.Bears

7.Vikings

Wild Card:

Packers over Vikings

Bears over Giants

Lions over Buccaneers 

Divisional Round:

49ers over Bears

Packers over Lions

Conference Championship:

49ers over Packers

Super Bowl:

49ers over Chiefs

2026 NFL Power Rankings: Week 10

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(1) Buffalo Bills (7-1) Week 10 opponent: New York Jets

2.(2) San Francisco 49ers (7-1) Week 10 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

3.(3) Chicago Bears (7-2) Week 10 opponent: Bye

4.(4) Denver Broncos (7-2) Week 10 opponent: Bye

5.(6) Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Tennessee Titans

6.(7) Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

7.(8) Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

8.(12) Green Bay Packers (6-3) Week 10 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

9.(10) Detroit Lions (6-2) Week 10 opponent: New England Patriots

10.(5) Minnesota Vikings (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Green Bay Packers

11.(11) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

12.(9) New England Patriots (5-4) Week 10 opponent: Detroit Lions

13.(13) Seattle Seahawks (5-4) Week 10 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

14.(14) Los Angeles Rams (5-4) Week 10 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

15.(16) New York Giants (5-2-1) Week 10 opponent: Washington Commanders

16.(15) Cleveland Browns (5-4) Week 10 opponent: Houston Texans

17.(21) Houston Texans (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Cleveland Browns

18.(17) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6) Week 10 opponent: Bye

19.(24) New Orleans Saints (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Carolina Panthers

20.(25) Dallas Cowboys (4-5) Week 10 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

21.(20) Carolina Panthers (3-5) Week 10 opponent: New Orleans Saints

22.(19) Baltimore Ravens (4-5) Week 10 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

23.(18) Las Vegas Raiders (4-5) Week 10 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

24.(22) Atlanta Falcons (3-6) Week 10 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

25.(23) Arizona Cardinals (3-6) Week 10 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

26.(26) Washington Commanders (2-5-1) Week 10 opponent: New York Giants

27.(27) New York Jets (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Buffalo Bills

28.(28) Tennessee Titans (1-7) Week 10 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

29.(29) Miami Dolphins (1-7) Week 10 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

30.(31) Indianapolis Colts (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Miami Dolphins

31.(30) Philadelphia Eagles (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Bye

32.(32) Los Angeles Chargers (0-8) Week 10 opponent: Baltimore Ravens 

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2026 Edition

 Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Jordan Love (Packers)

On a day where the Patriots were honoring Tom Brady's first trip to Foxboro to call a game for Fox, Love put up one of the best QB performances Gillette Stadium has seen since #12 stopped playing there 8-10 times per year in 2020. Love got hot early after Xavier McKinney picked off Drake Maye on his first dropback of the day and he never took his foot of the accelerator, throwing for 372 YDS and 3 TD's and rushing for a 13-YD TD as the Packers absolutely dismantled the Patriots. Love's extended run of great play will be in jeopardy this week when he takes on the terrific Vikings defense.  

Honorable Mentions: C.J. Stroud (Texans), Joe Burrow (Bengals), Brock Purdy (49ers)

Biggest Loser: Jared Goff (Lions)

It was a surprisingly ugly outing for the Lions offense against the lowly Dolphins on Sunday afternoon and Goff topped their list of underperformers, throwing for 170 scoreless YDS and an INT in what ended up being a narrow victory for Dan Campbell's squad. Redemption will be very attainable in Week 9 as the Lions are set to head over to Munich to take on the aforementioned Patriots defense that just got torn the fuck up by the Packers. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars), Josh Allen (Bills), Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Kenneth Walker III (Chiefs)

Walker added a fun twist to his ongoing reign of terror by being productive in the passing game (4 receptions for 41 YDS and 2 TD's) while also clearing the 100-YD mark (102 YDS and a TD on 18 carries) on the ground for the 5th time this season against the Jets floundering defense. The Falcons are the next team tasked with trying to slow down the Chiefs dynamite offensive focal point.

Honorable Mentions: Bucky Irving (Buccaneers), Bijan Robinson (Falcons), Christian McCaffery (49ers)

Biggest Loser: D'Andre Swift (Bears)

Ben Johnson admitted yesterday that the Bears gameplan against the Bucs terrific defense was pass-dominant and based on how little room Swift had to run when he did get the ball (31 YDS on 12 carries), it's not hard to see why that remained the case even after Caleb Williams started to implode in the 2nd quarter. A nose for the endzone (10 TD's in 9 games) has covered up Swift's largely average YPC numbers this season and it's very possible that his workload decreases when Kyle Monangi returns to action-which might be for their next game against the Saints in Week 11.

Dishonorable Mentions: Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Ashton Jeanty (Raiders), Quinshon Judkins (Browns)

Wide Receiver 

Biggest Winner: CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys)

George Pickens being out of the lineup with a hamstring injury meant it was up to Lamb to carry the Cowboys offense and as tends to be the case when he's put into this position, he rose to the occasion and then some. Outside of a lost fumble, he was brilliant-reeling in 10 catches for 195 YDS and a TD in an ugly victory over the tanking Colts. Pickens is viewed as a longshot to play in Week 10 versus the 49ers and if that ends up being the case, Lamb will once again be an elite WR1 option. 

Honorable Mentions: Puka Nacua (Rams), Matthew Golden (Packers), Christian Watson (Packers)

Biggest Loser: Zay Flowers (Ravens)

4 days after posting a goose egg against the Bills, Flowers was once again a non-factor with undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano under center against a feisty Jaguars defense. The plus side for the people that were bold or desperate enough to play Flowers was that he did improve from his 0-point performance the previous week by rushing the ball 3 times for 17 times and catching 3-of-6 targets for 6 YDS. Jacoby Brissett's arrival and a matchup with the helpless Chargers provides Flowers with a considerably more upbeat forecast for Week 10. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Jalen Coker (Panthers), Jameson Williams (Lions), D.J. Moore (Bills)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Brock Bowers (Raiders)

Bowers had a mighty busy day at the office thanks to the abundance of garbage time the Raiders offense got to work with in their blowout loss to the 49ers and while it wasn't all pretty (he lost a fumble and gained 2 YDS on his lone rushing attempt), he did more than enough good (111 YDS and a TD on 7 catches) to make his fantasy managers happy. He'll be a boom-or-bust option in this week's contest against the Seahawks.

Honorable Mentions: Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Isaiah Likely (Giants), Harold Fannin Jr. (Browns)

Biggest Loser: Tucker Kraft (Packers) (1 REC, 1 YD, 3 TGTS, 2 CAR, 8 YDS)

Kraft was the only Packer of note to get shut out of the points party in Foxboro on Sunday, catching just 1-of-3 targets for 1 YD and adding 8 YDS on 2 carries. He could be in line for another quiet outing this week against the Vikings. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Dalton Kincaid (Bills), Brenton Strange (Jaguars), Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Bears

Devin Hester was at Soldier Field for Bears/Bucs on Sunday night, and the home team paid a beautiful tribute to the Lovie Smith-era by having their defense bail out (4 sacks, 2 INT's including a pick 6 by Jaylon Johnson) their turnover-happy offense in a narrow victory (27-24) that's so ugly that it almost felt like a loss. Adding Jeffrey Simmons to the fold has made this already solid Bears defense more viable for fantasy purposes and they'll be an intriguing option when they return to action in Week 11 against the Saints.

Honorable Mentions: Texans, Rams, Chiefs

Biggest Loser: Patriots

It was a burn the tape-level bad performance from the Patriots in Week 9 as they surrendered a whopping 45 points to the Packers blistering hot offense. 3 sacks of Jordan Love is the only reason this won't be in contention for the most damaging D/ST performance of the season so far. Having to play the Lions immediately after such an obscene debacle is a sick joke and it'll be very hard for anyone in a league of 12 teams or less to trust them to deliver even a semi-respectable performance.

Dishonorable Mentions: Bengals, Ravens, Saints

David Leitch Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of David Leitch-whose latest project "How to Rob a Bank" releases in theaters on Thursday.

David Leitch's Filmography Ranked:

6.Bullet Train (B+)

5.Hobbs & Shaw (B+)

4.Deadpool 2 (B+)

3.Atomic Blonde (B+)

2.John Wick (A-)

1.The Fall Guy (A)

Top Dog: The Fall Guy (2024)

Leitch's ode to the stunt community he came up in is the kind of infectious blockbuster fun that makes movies such a magical transporative artform. Ryan Gosling uses every ounce of his charisma and elite comedic instincts to play a veteran stuntman who gets in some hot water with the law upon his return to work after a near fatal on set accident took him away from the gig for multiple years, Emily Blunt is equally great as his former love interest-turned boss on his big comeback movie and the wide array of practical stunt work that Leitch cooks up from car flips to fist fights to flaming boat jumps are all outstanding. 

Bottom Feeder: Bullet Train (2022)

It honestly feels kind of mean to categorize Bullet Train as "bad" as it's something I wouldn't do in any other context. However, something has to occupy the bottom slot in Leitch's strong filmography, and this just happened to be that unlucky duck. The reason that it landed here is simply due to Leitch not being quite as good at making Guy Ritchie-esque crime comedies as he is more action-heavy fare.

Most Underrated: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

There was part of me that wanted to pick Deadpool 2 since it's widely considered to be the worst entry in the franchise and I believe that the opposite is true (Leitch having way more sauce than Tim Miller or Shawn Levy and Josh Brolin's Cable being the only compelling villain in the entire series are the main reason why), but even at its perceived lowest, the Deadpool franchise is still considerably more well-liked than any of the post-Furious 7 entries in the Fast franchise. Hobbs & Shaw materialized from the endearingly combative rapport that Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson displayed when they were paired together in The Fate of the Furious and building an entire movie around them proved to be a great idea. Leitch put together some of the best action sequences of the entire franchise that blended his hand-to-hand combat prowess with the manic over-the-top setpieces that the main franchise has become known for in recent years, all of the series newcomers (Vanessa Kirby, Idris Elba, Eddie Marsan) display a perfect understanding of the self-aware ridiculousness that makes these movies tick and best of all, Statham and Johnson continue to have a blast exchanging insults while they reluctantly work together to save the world from a dire threat. 

Most Overrated: None

I apologize for potentially giving anyone reading this shock-induced cardiac distress by declaring that a director that has never made a movie that I've rated lower than a B+ has no overrated movies. Leitch is one of the steadiest hands in blockbuster filmmaking today and I'll be very disheartened if the day comes where I walk out of one of his movies without a giddy grin on my face. 

2026 NFL Power Rankings: Week 9

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(4) Buffalo Bills (6-1) Week 9 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

2.(2) San Francisco 49ers (6-1) Week 9 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

3.(6) Chicago Bears (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

4.(5) Denver Broncos (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Carolina Panthers

5.(1) Minnesota Vikings (6-1) Week 9 opponent: Buffalo Bills

6.(8) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) Week 9 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

7.(7) Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) Week 9 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

8.(3) Kansas City Chiefs (5-2) Week 9 opponent: New York Jets

9.(10) New England Patriots (5-3) Week 9 opponent: Green Bay Packers

10.(11) Detroit Lions (5-2) Week 9 opponent: Miami Dolphins

11.(12) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Bye

12.(13) Green Bay Packers (5-3) Week 9 opponent: New England Patriots

13.(9) Seattle Seahawks (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

14.(16) Los Angeles Rams (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Washington Commanders

15.(14) Cleveland Browns (5-3) Week 9 opponent: New Orleans Saints

16.(18) New York Giants (4-2-1) Week 9 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

17.(23) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Chicago Bears

18.(22) Las Vegas Raiders (4-4) Week 9 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

19.(15) Baltimore Ravens (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

20.(19) Carolina Panthers (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Denver Broncos

21.(21) Houston Texans (2-5) Week 9 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

22.(17) Atlanta Falcons (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

23.(29) Arizona Cardinals (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

24.(24) New Orleans Saints (2-5) Week 9 opponent: Cleveland Browns

25.(20) Dallas Cowboys (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

26.(28) Washington Commanders (2-4-1) Week 9 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

27.(25) New York Jets (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

28.(31) Tennessee Titans (1-7) Week 9 opponent: Bye

29.(30) Miami Dolphins (1-6) Week 9 opponent: Detroit Lions

30.(27) Philadelphia Eagles (2-6) Week 9 opponent: New York Giants

31.(26) Indianapolis Colts (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

32.(32) Los Angeles Chargers (0-7) Week 9 opponent: Houston Texans

Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2026 Edition

 Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Joe Burrow (Bengals)

Nothing demonstrates just how wacky the shootout between the Bengals and Titans that ended in an OT victory for Cincinnati was better than Burrow's comically busy statline (462 YDS, 5 TD's, 3 INT's, 3 CAR, 10 YDS, TD). Burrow will probably have a much less interesting performance in Week 9 when the Bengals travel to Madrid to take on the Falcons.

Honorable Mentions: Kirk Cousins (Raiders), Josh Allen (Bills), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Biggest Loser: Jacoby Brissett (Cardinals)

Brissett streamers could only watch in horror as the Cardinals journeyman QB got benched late in the 3rd quarter after struggling mightily (119 YDS, INT, 7 Rushing YDS) against the Cowboys creampuff defense and Gardner Minshew delivered everything (188 YDS, 3 TD's, 0 INT's) they were hoping for in this matchup as soon as he entered the game. Unsurprisingly, Minshew was named the Cardinals starting QB for their Week 9 contest with the Seahawks and Brissett-who also got passed by rookie Carson Beck on the depth chart-seems like a lock to get traded to the Ravens in the coming days as they try to salvage their season in the wake of Lamar Jackson's (likely) season-ending thumb injury. If/when Brissett ends up in Baltimore, he could be a sneaky decent fantasy option for anyone that is in a pickle at QB right now. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Matthew Stafford (Rams), Jayden Daniels (Commanders), Jared Goff (Lions)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Bhayshul Tuten (Jaguars)

It was a career day for Tuten against the Colts on Sunday as he ran for 104 YDS and a score on 16 carries and caught 2 passes for 55 YDS and another TD. He popped up on the injury report yesterday with ankle/foot ailments, so his status will need to be monitored ahead of the Jaguars TNF showdown with the reeling Ravens.

Honorable Mentions: Tony Pollard (Titans), D'Andre Swift (Bears), Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions)

Biggest Loser: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

If this ends up being the last time Taylor puts on a Colts uniform, it would be one of the worst send-offs we've seen for a star player in recent memory. Taylor only handled 12 touches (8 carries, 4 receptions) as the suddenly tanking Colts got run off the field by the AFC South-leading Jaguars and that limited workload wasn't exactly fruitful as he picked up 47 scrimmage YDS and lost a fumble. Taylor's Week 9 fate will fully depend on whether or not he's still in Indianapolis. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Javonte Williams (Cowboys), Quinshon Judkins (Browns), Omarion Hampton (Chargers)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Tee Higgins (Bengals)

Higgins slightly outproduced Ja'Marr Chase to take the crown on this massive day for the Bengals passing attack, hauling in an impressive 10-of-11 targets for 155 YDS and 2 TD's. Higgins has been on a ridiculous tear of late-clearing 145 YDS in 3 of his last 4 games and should have a solid chance to extend his hot streak against a pretty average Falcons pass D in Week 9.

Honorable Mentions: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals), Michael Wilson (Cardinals), Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)

Biggest Loser: Zay Flowers (Ravens)

Flowers went down with the ship on Sunday in Orchard Park as a horrendous stroke of bad luck saw Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley go down with serious injuries in the 1st half and forced undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano into action. The Ravens top wideout ended up failing to catch any of the 5 targets that came his way in the blowout loss to the Bills and with Fagnano locked into the starting role in the interim, is at serious risk of putting up another dud in this Thursday's game against the Jags.

Dishonorable Mentions: Drake London (Falcons), Parker Washington (Jaguars), DK Metcalf (Steelers)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Brock Bowers (Raiders)

Kirk Cousins got back on track in Week 8 after a couple of rough outings back-to-back and the biggest reason why was his commitment to getting Bowers the ball. The Raiders top pass-catcher showed up whenever his team needed a big play in their back-and-forth showdown in East Rutherford with the Jets, registering 7 receptions for 92 YDS and 2 TD's. Bowers could be in for a much tougher day at the office on Sunday when they head back to the West Coast to take on the 49ers.

Honorable Mentions: Harold Fannin Jr. (Browns), Trey McBride (Cardinals), Dalton Kincaid (Bills)

Biggest Loser: Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

It was a less-than-ideal day to throw the football in the relentless pouring rain in Tampa Bay as evidenced by Baker Mayfield only throwing 3 passes and not completing any of them as the Bucs relied on their rushing attack, defense and kicking game to beat the Falcons 16-0. In what is kind of a cruel joke given the weather conditions that impacted this game, Pitts is the only player from either team that ended up in this slot this week-as he caught just 2-of-5 targets for 6 YDS. Pitts will be seeking redemption this week against a Bengals defense that is coming off an ugly performance where they allowed Cam Ward to throw for a career-high 304 YDS without top WR Carnell Tate in the lineup.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Warren (Colts), Sam LaPorta (Lions), Dallas Goedert (Eagles)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Jaguars

Playing a team that is already waving the white flag on their season proved to be just what the Jaguars defense needed to return to form after a tough showing in London against the Texans in their last game 2 weeks ago. Anthony Campanile's group did a little of bit everything to terrorize the Colts, picking up 4 sacks, 2 INT's (including a pick 6 by Rayuan Lane right before halftime) and a fumble recovery in a 42-7 victory. They should be a top option once again this week when they go against the Joe Fagnano-led Ravens.

Honorable Mentions: Steelers, Rams, Commanders

Biggest Loser: Seahawks

The top scoring defense in the league heading into action this week got completely outclassed on their home field by the Bears offense last night. A lone sack and fumble recovery were the sole highlights for the "Hawks as Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson and co. found a frankly stunning level of success against them in a 34-17 loss that brought the defending champs back down to a .500 record. A matchup with the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon presents them with an excellent opportunity to shake off the shell shock from this outing and return to their typical dominant form. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Broncos, Chiefs, Bengals

Bill Hader Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Bill Hader-whose latest project "The Cat in the Hat" releases in theaters on Thursday.

Bill Hader's Filmography Ranked:

30.Year One (D)

29.You, Me and Dupree (C-)

28.It: Chapter Two (C-)

27.The Addams Family 2 (C)

26.They Came Together (C)

25.The To Do List (C)

24.Inside Out (C)

23.Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (B-)

22.Lightyear (B-)

21.Beau is Afraid (B)

20.Monsters University (B)

19.Adventureland (B)

18.The Brothers Solomon (B)

17.Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (B)

16.Finding Dory (B)

15.Paul (B)

14.Pineapple Express (B)

13.Power Rangers (B)

12.IF (B+)

11.Men in Black III (B+)

10.Sausage Party (B+)

9.Forgetting Sarah Marshall (B+)

8.Tropic Thunder (B+)

7.The Skeleton Twins (B+)

6.Trainwreck (A-)

5.Toy Story 4 (A-)

4.Knocked Up (A)

3.Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (A)

2.Superbad (A+)

1.Hot Rod (A+)

Top Dog: Hot Rod (2007)

Hot Rod isn't just a movie that made me laugh a ton, it recalibrated my entire sense of humor. Ever since I saw this in an effectively empty theater on a rainy August afternoon 19 years ago, I've gravitated towards comedy that is offbeat, absurd and playful more than anything else. This huge revelation paired with its endless rewatchability is why Hot Rod is my favorite comedy of all time.

Bottom Feeder: Year One (2009)

Seeing a legend like the late Harold Ramis go out on a note as disastrous as Year One is a serious bummer. His Book of Genesis spoof is one of those rare comedies where the material is so weak that it drains the powers of its actors to the point where it becomes impossible for them to help improve it. What makes this particular case of this rare cinematic phenomenon so mystifying is how Ramis was able to pull it off with a cast that features a deep roster of stellar comedic performers including Jack Black, Michael Cera, Olivia Wilde, Oliver Platt, David Cross and Hank Azaria that have been elevating projects throughout their careers. That would be like if you put Tyrese Maxey, Shai Gilegous-Alexander, Cooper Flagg, Jayson Tatum and Victor Wembanya on the floor together and they were so out of sync with each other that they lost to a group of guys who play together once a week at their local rec center. Alas, bad miracles somehow find a way to happen and Year One is among the most egregious I've ever seen. 

Most Underrated: The Skeleton Twins (2014)

One of the biggest highlights of my time watching Saturday Night Live was watching Hader and Kristen Wiig work together. It's just so rare to watch two performers have such a fundamental understanding of each other that they can make any situation feel natural. Seeing them explore the dynamic they built at 30 Rock in a dramatic piece of work made me develop an even deeper appreciation for their beautiful creative partnership. They navigate the complicated relationship between twin siblings who have become estranged as adults after being inseparable as kids with the utmost grace, and their ability to find the honesty in these character's earnest efforts to reconnect in the face of immense tragedy is the main reason The Skeleton Twins doesn't drift into clunky melodramatic territory.  

Most Overrated: Inside Out (2015)

Full disclosure: I haven't seen Inside Out since its initial release and did enjoy the sequel quite a bit, so it's very possible that my opinion on it has changed. However, my current feelings towards it are very blah. The big emotional arc involving Richard Karn's imaginary friend character Bing Bong didn't land with me at all and the volume of laughs is surprisingly low for a movie from Pete Docter.