geno has had a few clunkers like all rookies (i think he was at a record setting turnover pace through three games), but he has balanced it out with some good games... i don't think they won just because of the defense, or were hiding geno... in the game where he was pushed out of bounds, look at what he did preceding that play on the last drive... i think the pats had won something like twelve straight AFC East division games (?) before last sunday... who thought geno and the jets would be where they are now, before the season... this was a team that many thought would only win 3-4 games all season.
i was putting up names off the top of my head to get the ball rolling, lacy does sound like the consensus choice... he does have a high contact, collision friendly style, and was dinged at alabama (though i think played through the many minor ones), had some more nicks in offseason... there are nine games left, hopefully he stays healthy in a season which has seen a lot of skill position players hurt already...
keenan allen, terrance williams and robert woods were essential additions to deandre... with the HOU QB problems, and they way allen and williams have come on (and woods did get off to a sensational start, too), i agree allen or williams probably more likely at this point... romo and rivers have been playing great at QB, helping a lot... DAL and SD have had injury to vets like austin and floyd, but they have shined with the opportunity... williams has been far more versatile of a route runner and overall, more complete receiving weapon than he was advertised to be, he already looks more explosive and dangerous than austin, and with bryant will be a dynamic duo for years (like bryant and austin were supposed to be)... allen got off to a slow start, but he moves so smoothly and impressively, it is like he is gliding, and he has fantastic agility, coordination and body control... he might be the most impressive looking WR so far...
reed did have the big game, i noted him because he has gotten a ton of opportunity lately, clearly is the #1 with davis not in the picture any more (the transition has been apparent for a month or more), and RGIII has been heating up... not many expected reed to be doing what he has, or come this far and this fast, at this junction of the season (approaching the halfway point)... eifert is extremely talented, and before the season was thought to be slam dunk best dynasty option... i'm not sure reed won't make that an interesting conversation in the coming years... but eifert isn't getting the opportunity right now... gresham was somewhat maligned after the poor playoff showing and drops, but he is very talented in his own right... a huge target who is a beast RAC-wise, he is a better blocker and that keeps him on the field a lot... he is one of only three TEs (with ditka and GB keith jackson - not used a lot at arkansas, good scouting by pack) to start career with three straight 50 reception seasons...
K/P - no
returner - from what i've seen, cordarrelle patterson... tavon austin has had a lot of big plays wiped out by penalties...
lotulelei has been great
richardson has been a revelation, with mo wilkerson, they may have one of the best set of DE bookends in the league, and mo very young, too (rams and panthers also in coversation, i thought bengals would be, too, but michael johnson not following up on his brilliant 2012 campaign)... if ziggy ansah were to go on a tear and get a bunch of sacks (he has flashed, but been inconsistent, typical for almost all rookies at the position, and ansah was known to be raw - i think if anything, he has developed more quickly than expected, which bodes very well - he has the physical tools and athleticism to be dominant eventually... supposedly he was far more raw than JPP, and that wasn't a good comp, but i don't agree... i think ansah had a personal best 10.9 100 m at BYU, which is freaky for a DL-sized human, and maybe in ballpark with another african import, the nigerian nightmare, christian okoye, as a size/strength/speed mutant - he won his national 100 m AND shot put championships... imagine if usain bolt won jamaican shot put, too, for perspective on the freakishness!!!)... long term, i think dion jordan will be special... i've never seen a prospect at his stage of development so long, explosive, but so agile, smooth moving, athletic and capable of covering receivers... his progress has been slowed by predraft shoulder surgery...
kiko and everybody else at ILB, though i want to see what bostic will do with DJ williams now out... with even briggs out, he could be a three down LB in his absence... arthur brown was easily the consensus top LB for IDP going in to the season, but he lost time in preseason and has been unable to recover... may not be until 2014 until he has a chance to really shine...
mingo has been impressive, but i think has to be ogletree for OLB at this point...
reid seems to be consensus, i mentioned vaccaro, not sure elam really has stood out, we forgot cyprien at S, who should have the best stats with the opportunity... mathieu was a great catch (playmaking as advertised, has avoided trouble so far), he has played extremely well, arguably better than reid at times, but i'd still give the nod to reid... when i initially broke this down, it was offense only, where you could make a case for any of the positions... on defense, in reality, it is LB a big percentage of the time...
which is why i didn't spend much time on CB... no way one wins this year... if we want to talk about it, milliner was highest drafted, has been hurt (and he was hurt a lot at alabama, with a medical record that would make evil knievel flinch), and was also benched at one point for play... DJ hayden has had his moments... trufant started slow, but looked good when i saw him... xavier rhodes has started slow and not had much impact, same with banks...