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| Spotless record or not, the Ravens feel like the team to beat primarily because of Jackson, who’s playing the best, most dynamic ball of his career, which already includes two MVPs. Try chasing this guy down in space, or matching his flick-of-the-wrist downfield touch. He’s on a different level. |
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| If there’s one thing that’ll save the Bengals from themselves, it’s the rarely fazed Burrow, who always keeps his eyes downfield and has rivaled Lamar Jackson in MVP-caliber bombs. |
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| It’s the same story with Allen, the Bills’ catalyst: He’ll always give the defense a chance to swipe one, but his borderline reckless gusto, including as a scrambler and play-extender, is huge. |
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| Saquon Barkley is very clearly the Eagles’ offensive centerpiece and MVP. But Hurts has been an especially cool customer along the way, cutting down on forced throws to steady a contender. (+2) |
| 5 |
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| The numbers may or may not show it by year’s end, but the former top-10 pick is enjoying maybe the finest stretch of his career, moving nimbly with laser focus, despite unreliable receivers. |
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| No one’s moving the ball through the air more efficiently; he’s still averaging an NFL-best nine yards gained per throw. It sure helps to have such an elite two-headed backfield as support. (-2) |
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| Are the Chiefs’ current winning ways sustainable? They always need 60 minutes to slug it out. Still, Mahomes has been simply undeniable in crunch time, especially as a last-gasp scrambler. (+3) |
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| The 49ers reportedly hope to have the youngster back in the saddle after he missed Week 11 with a sore shoulder. His absence was felt in an ugly loss to the Packers; his poise is still underrated. |
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| Having a bruising Josh Jacobs helps alleviate his penchant for seeking home runs, but Love’s quietly settled his decision-making, too. He and Green Bay are poised for another splashy run. (+2) |
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| It took until the final moments of Week 11 versus the Cowboys for his snappy arm to really come alive. The tantalizing tools are still there, but his declining ground support has taken a toll. (-3) |
| 11 |
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| Has any quarterback fought through more this year? Mayfield’s hardly had a full lineup of healthy help, and yet he’s remained a warrior, slinging and toting it himself without abandon. (+1) |
| 12 |
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| Lightly thrown into some MVP talks, Murray quickly retreated from that conversation with an uncomfortable showing against the Seahawks in which Arizona lacked any kind of run game. (-3) |
| 13 |
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| He made some sharp late-game darts in the Steelers’ snowy defeat to the upstart Browns, but he also took some unnecessary hits, searching for downfield action. A playoff run likely still awaits. |
| 14 |
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| The Bears defense was no problem for him in Week 11 as he quietly eclipsed 20 passing scores on the year. The threat of another sudden turnover spree remains, but he’s been supremely resilient. |
| 15 |
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| There’s no doubt the Dolphins are better with him at the helm; he’s hitting throws at a higher clip (73.3%) than anyone at the position. A real test awaits in the cold weather of Lambeau. (+4) |
| 16 |
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| Everyone’s catching up to Nix’s legitimate Offensive Rookie of the Year candidacy. His feel for the game is innate, and he’s weathered tough coaching and situations to make Denver scrappy. (+5) |
| 17 |
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| Each week has truly been a new season for Stafford and the Rams, who’ve traded big-play theatrics for pressure-induced panic, and vice-versa. They’ve yet to hit a week-to-week rhythm. (-2) |
| 18 |
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| The bye week came at a good time for Cousins, who’s been dangerous for better and worse in Atlanta. If the Falcons give him a clean pocket down the stretch, they can still win the division. |
| 19 |
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| There aren’t many quarterbacks who match Smith’s late-stage energy, slinging Seattle into contention. Unfortunately, his zeal sometimes puts the Seahawks in holes to begin with. (-3) |
| 20 |
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| When healthy, Carr’s actually posted solid numbers this year. The challenge has been doing it when it really matters. At 4-7 in a weak division, he’s got a chance to play spoiler to close the year. |
| 21 |
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| He can’t shoulder all the blame for Houston’s failure to meet elite expectations, considering the injuries they’ve endured. But the 2023 star rookie has fallen into a cycle of rushed throws. (-5) |
| 22 |
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| On track to return from a two-game absence due to a shoulder injury, Lawrence is walking back into a lineup that’s lost five of its last six and remains without its top two veteran wide receivers. |
| 23 |
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| His days as an unquestioned starter may be over, but boy does he provide some pop as a fill-in. His charisma and never-say-die gunslinging led directly to Cleveland’s upset of Pittsburgh. (+1) |
| 24 |
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| The rookie took his lumps in an ugly loss to the rival Dolphins in Week 11, but he’s now thrown a touchdown in each of his last six full starts. The future is reasonably bright here. (-2) |
| 25 |
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| A week after another scattershot outing against the Vikings, Levis’ cannon went back to work against Houston, this time leading the Titans to a surprise win. He can spin it, that’s for sure. (+1) |
| 26 |
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| Matt Eberflus’ defense took its turn contributing to Chicago’s crunch-time woes against the Vikings, but Williams fully looked the part on the other side, making the Bears relevant until the finish. (+1) |
| 27 |
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| If not for the inevitability of Patrick Mahomes, the former No. 1 overall pick may have led Carolina to a stunning upset of the Chiefs. He’s taken real strides, even in the face of pressure, for weeks. (+2) |
| 28 |
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| He was better than his numbers indicated against the Lions, enduring a barrage of pressure. Still, he’s now had six games this year in which he’s hit no more than 50% of his passes. (-5) |
| 29 |
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| His numbers aren’t awful, but they’re deceptive. He’s fully looked his age at 40, faltering when pressured and failing to prevent the justified upheaval of the Jets’ entire leadership structure. (-4) |
| 30 |
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| With Gardner Minshew done for the season thanks to a collarbone injury, O’Connell will get another crack at the starting gig, fresh off his own recovery. Las Vegas is surely prepping for a 2025 reset. |
| 31 |
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| After two flat starts in place of the injured Dak Prescott, the longtime backup was more comfortable against the Commanders in Week 11, feeding CeeDee Lamb en route to a surprise win. (+1) |
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| A fan favorite, “Tommy Cutlets” hardly provided a spark for the Giants in the club’s first game of the post-Daniel Jones era. He’ll get a chance at redemption on Thanksgiving Day. (-1) |
