Power Ranking the NFL's Top 50 Players at the Midseason Mark

It's update time. 

Way back in Week 4, our top 50 players of the NFL season were released. With the midseason mark coming up, it's time to take a new look at the top 50 players.

How are those 50 players doing now, four weeks later? Which new names have moved into the discussion? 

Remember, this is based on 2012 only, so don't be surprised to see Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald lower than expected (or not at all).

50. Greg Zuerlein, K, St. Louis Rams

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

Greg the Leg has been a superstar for the St. Louis Rams in his first year. He's one of three rookies ranked in our top 50 and the only special teams player. 

The team's sixth-round pick out of Missouri Western State in April, Zuerlein has been automatic this year, knocking down 85 percent of his kicks and showing the leg strength and accuracy to be a weapon for the defensive-minded Rams moving forward.

49. Calais Campbell, DE, Arizona Cardinals

Week 4 Rank: No. 26

Calais Campbell sees a drop in the second edition of our top 50, but he's still playing top-level football for a 3-4 defensive end. Campbell has been the catalyst to the Arizona front seven's success this year, and he's gaining the attention of football fans everywhere with his athletic, versatile style of play along the line.

Campbell's stats and impact have lessened as the Cardinals dropped three straight games, but he's still a top-50 player.

48. Justin Houston, OLB, Kansas City Chiefs

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

Justin Houston was an honorable mention last time around, but after continued play at a high level, he's impossible to ignore.

If Scott Pioli wants to point to a successful draft pick of his, Houston is that guy. The second-year linebacker is playing as well as any outside linebacker not named Clay Matthews. Justin Houston has been a sack machine, getting to the quarterback six times while also playing very well in coverage. 

47. Brandon Browner, CB, Seattle Seahawks

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

Forgive us for not ranking Brandon Browner after the first four weeks. He definitely belongs now.

Browner has been electric for the Seattle Seahawks, bringing the hard-nosed, tough cover mentality that backs up one of the NFL's best defenses. Browner may be a late-bloomer, but his impact on the NFL this season has been noticeable. 

As one of the game's most physical cornerbacks, Browner is a must-watch each week.

46. Justin Smith, DE, San Francisco 49ers

Week 4 Rank: No. 36

Undoubtedly, Justin Smith is one of the best players in the NFL today. 

Smith may not be as dominant this year as he was in 2011 when he garnered All-Pro recognition at two positions, but he's still pretty darn good. Smith's pressure and strength on the right side of the 49ers defense is the key to their blitz packages, stunts and even coverages. 

When looking for 3-4 defensive ends to build around, Smith sets the mold.

45. Cortland Finnegan, CB, St. Louis Rams

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

Not everyone will like the way Cortland Finnegan plays...until he plays for their team, of course.

Finnegan plays hard, and while some may call it dirty, he's only been flagged once this season. Finnegan toes the line between aggressive and cheap as well as any player in the NFL right now.

Finnegan personifies the hard-nosed, tough mentality that Jeff Fisher wanted to bring to St. Louis. And it's paying off, as the Rams are already a more competitive team this year.

44. Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

Please raise your hand if you had Alfred Morris as a viable starting running back before the season began?

No one should be staring at their computer or phone right now with one hand raised. Not even Mike Shanahan could have ever hoped in his wildest running back-by-committee dreams that Morris would be performing at such a high level so soon. But he is.

Morris has been phenomenal, but it doesn't hurt that he has a quarterback who can hold defenses in check against the run.

43. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

Yards-after-contact stats may not have been invented because of Marshawn Lynch, but he's featured there more than any other player in the NFL this season. 

Lynch is a bit of a throwback to the days when running backs wore leg pads because they used their lower body to drive through defenders. Lynch will deliver a hit before he receives one, and generally he's making contact and then bouncing off would-be tacklers for another four to five yards.

He may not be shiny and fast, but Lynch is one of the toughest players in the NFL. He's also one of the most productive.

42. Mike Iupati, OG, San Francisco 49ers

Week 4 Rank: No. 47

When you think of the best offensive linemen in football, Mike Iupati's name may not come up. It should.

Sure, he plays left guard—admittedly not the sexiest position in the NFL—but his importance in the San Francisco 49ers' run game cannot be underestimated. Iupati is the one getting out in space to clear the second level for Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. He's also been a key part of the NFL's best interior offensive line when it comes to all-around balance.

Iupati is making a name for himself as an All-Pro-caliber guard.

41. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, New York Giants

Week 4 Rank: No. 22

If ranking on pure talent, Jason Pierre-Paul would be rated much higher than No. 41 overall. Taking into consideration only his 2012 season, JPP hasn't been quite as dominant. Yet. 

His 4.5 sacks and four batted passes are very respectable, but not quite top-20 material. With the rankings being based on this season's numbers and impact, JPP has to be considered a top-50 player, but he's not quite living up to his expectations.

40. Matt Schaub, QB, Houston Texans

Week 4 Rank: No. 29

Matt Schaub may not be an elite quarterback, but he is the quarterback for an elite team. The Houston Texans wouldn't be leading the AFC right now without the efficient, productive play of their signal-caller.

Schaub has been on point all season, tossing 10 touchdowns to just four interceptions while running the Texans' play-action passing game to perfection. For the Texans to make a Super Bowl run—they should be considered favorites in their conference—Schaub is a very important factor in how well this machine runs.

39. Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Week 4 Rank: No. 20

An example of a talented player who isn't being used to his full potential and thus isn't ranked as high as he should or could be. 

Rice is among the best running backs in the NFL and arguably the best all-around back in the game. He can run between the tackles, he can run stretch plays to the outside, he catches, and he blocks. Rice is the Ravens offense, and yet this season the coaches seem intent on letting Joe Flacco fall on his face in a passing offense.

If the Ravens used Rice like they should, he'd be a top-15 player overall.

38. Adrian Wilson, SS, Arizona Cardinals

Week 4 Rank: No. 10

Adrian Wilson, like Calais Campbell and Patrick Peterson, rode the Arizona Cardinals' hot streak to a high ranking after Week 4. Now that the Cardinals have come back down to Earth a bit, Wilson's ranking sees an adjustment.

You could still get by on an argument that Wilson is the best strong safety in the NFL, but being a top-10 player is no longer applicable. Wilson has been good, especially when looking at how few passes he allows to be completed, but he's also struggling when the ball is completed, allowing 22 yards per catch. 

37. Eric Weddle, FS, San Diego Chargers

Week 4 Rank: No. 33

Eric Weddle is to the San Diego Chargers defense what Aaron Rodgers is to the Green Bay Packers offense. Without him, San Diego would be lost. Or more lost.

Weddle is the consummate free safety prospect, his name becoming synonymous with "prototypical" when we look at free safety prospects for the NFL draft. Weddle's range, ability to tackle in the open field and ball skills make him the NFL's best at the position.

36. Antoine Winfield, CB, Minnesota Vikings

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

With Darrelle Revis and Lardarius Webb out for the year with injuries, there's an opening at the top of the NFL's cornerback hierarchy. Antoine Winfield has stepped up.

Winfield is a great example of beating the odds and playing bigger than your listed size. The mighty-mite cornerback has been on shutdown all season, stepping up against the run and anchoring the improved Minnesota Vikings' pass coverage. 

35. DeMarcus Ware, OLB, Dallas Cowboys

Week 4 Rank: No. 29

It feels odd to not have DeMarcus Ware ranked in the top 10, but based on the 2012 season, he's not been a top-10 player.

Ware does have 6.5 sacks, which puts him on pace for another double-digit-sack season, but he's also been flagged five times. If you're looking for only sacks, then Ware is probably still a top-10 to -15 player, but the film doesn't show the same dominant Ware we are used to seeing.

34. C.J. Spiller, RB, Buffalo Bills

Week 4 Rank: No. 14

C.J. Spiller jumped out of the gate this season, taking the place of an injured Fred Jackson and quickly racking up yards and highlight-reel runs. Now that Jackson is back healthy, Spiller is seeing his role reduced and his impact lessened.

As of Week 8, Spiller still leads the NFL in yards per run (among qualified runners), but he's seeing those opportunities lessen. Until the Bills start relying on Spiller more, it's tough to put him back into the top 15.

33. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 4 Rank: No. 12

When we last checked in on Ben Roethlisberger, he was on top of his game. A ranking at No. 12 overall was fair, if not a little conservative. Four weeks later, Roethlisberger's stock is slipping.

His 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions are very good, but his completion percentage of 66 percent is good for No. 9 overall in the NFL. Still very good numbers, and Roethlisberger is borderline elite, but to stay ranked No. 12 in the top 50, we needed to see more.

32. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions

Week 4 Rank: No. 15

Will the real Calvin Johnson please report to the Detroit Lions training facility?

It's tough to believe that the Calvin Johnson isn't a top-five player here, but nothing we've seen from him in 2012 indicates that Megatron should be a top-five, -10, -20 or even -30 player. 

Looking at his numbers, you'll see that Johnson's 2012 has been mediocre. In fact, based purely on numbers, he wouldn't be ranked here at all. However, Johnson's impact alone brings enough recognition to get him ranked in the top 50.

The one takeaway from Johnson's season is this: He has just one touchdown catch. That pass was thrown by Shaun Hill. 

31. Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots

Week 4 Rank: No. 38

Rob Gronkowski is one of the best tight ends in football and one of the toughest receivers to cover. Especially in the red zone.

Gronkowski's unique ability to separate from defenders—be it by outrunning or outjumping them—makes him Tom Brady's favorite target between the hashes. Gronk has delivered this year, despite being slowed by injury, to the tune of 35 catches and five touchdowns. 

No matter how you slice it—by ability or by production—Gronkowski is elite.

30. Tim Jennings, CB, Chicago Bears

Week 4 Rank: No. 28

Tim Jennings might be the least recognizable guy on the top 50, but he's playing as well as anyone.

The Chicago Bears are fortunate to have Jennings and Charles Tillman at cornerback, and the two are almost interchangeable in the Cover 2 scheme they run. Jennings gets the nod over Tillman in our rankings due to two numbers—52.7 and 43.3. That's his completion percentage and passer rating allowed, respectively, this season.

Jennings isn't the best-known defender on the Bears roster, but he's playing as well as any of his higher-paid counterparts.

29. Victor Cruz, WR, New York Giants

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

The nice thing about updating the top 50 every four weeks is that we can make amends for oversights in the original set.

Victor Cruz hadn't made a big mark on the 2012 season when Week 4 ended, but as we head into Week 8, he's undoubtedly deserving of mention. His 50 catches are third among wide receivers, and his seven touchdowns are tied for the league lead.

Cruz has been Mr. Clutch for the Giants, and his stock is trending upward at the midseason point.

28. Haloti Ngata, DT, Baltimore Ravens

Week 4 Rank: No. 23

No matter what position you list Haloti Ngata at, it's indisputable that he's one of the best in the game among defensive linemen.

The versatile defender can play end or tackle without losing impact, and he's done that plenty for the Ravens this season. Ngata's three sacks and 31 tackles rank well among defensive linemen, but it's the little things he does—drawing a double-team, splitting the gaps—that make him so valuable to Baltimore's defense.

27. Lance Briggs, OLB, Chicago Bears

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

Linebackers in a 4-3 defense are often overlooked for the sexier, more productive 3-4 outside linebacker. Lance Briggs is Exhibit A in that needing to stop.

Briggs has consistently been one of the best all-around linebackers in the NFL. He may not be able to rush the passer like Clay Matthews, but there isn't a 3-4 outside linebacker who can drop into coverage like Briggs does. 

Mr. Versatility is dominating again this year, allowing a passer rating of 46 on 29 targets while notching 29 tackles, one sack and two interceptions.

26. Ryan Clady, OT, Denver Broncos

Week 4 Rank: No. 13

Stats don't always tell the whole story about a player, but this one is too good to pass up on.

The Denver Broncos have run 423 snaps with Ryan Clady at left tackle. On 255 of those snaps, he's been asked to pass-protect for future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. Clady has been in on 99.8 percent of the Broncos' snaps this year. He's allowed zero sacks. 

Clady's importance to the Denver offense is monumental, and the franchise left tackle is back to his 2010 form after a rough 2011 blocking for Tim Tebow. 

There are plenty of offseason awards in Clady's future.

25. Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

Way back in Week 4, Peyton Manning was playing well but wasn't quite ready to be considered a top-50 player. Fast forward to today, and he's in the top 25. 

Manning has hit his stride, and he's undoubtedly getting stronger each week that he's back in the game. The rust from missing the 2011 season is almost gone, and as it fades the Denver offense revs up. By season's end, Manning could easily be in the top 10 again.

24. Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Week 4 Rank: No. 9

Roddy White and the Atlanta Falcons are off to a league-leading 6-0 start, and the play of the team's No. 1 receiver reflects that.

White is having his best season yet, turning in 37 catches, four touchdowns and a very nice 14.9 yards per catch. The reason for White's drop down our rankings is that other receivers have either caught or passed him statistically. 

Roddy White is undoubtedly a franchise receiver, and the Falcons are damn lucky to have him. 

23. Joe Staley, OT, San Francisco 49ers

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

Joe Staley didn't make our top 50 last time around because of the number of sacks he had allowed early in the year. Since his three sacks allowed against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, Staley has surrendered just two sacks. In the 49ers' last three games, he's not allowed one. 

That's a telling stat considering the Niners played the New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks in two of those contests. Staley is finding his rhythm as a pass protector, and as a run-blocker he's unequaled. 

Staley's strong play, along with guard Mike Iupati, makes up the most talented left side in the NFL. 

22. Gerald McCoy, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 4 Rank: No. 46

Ranking the top 50 players can be a difficult process when striving for consistency. Some players stand out from a statistical basis, while others jump off the screen when reviewing games each week.

Gerald McCoy doesn't have game-changing stats, but his play this year has been phenomenal.

With only three sacks, McCoy isn't likely to register for the casual fan, but take note. He's playing as well as any defensive tackle in the league right now. His penetration is opening rushing windows for the defense, and against the run he's been much improved this year.

McCoy may not be a Pro Bowler, but those who watch the game and not the box score know he's dominating this year.

21. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

An 0-4 start will do a lot of damage to a player's ranking. A 2-0 revival since helps too.

Drew Brees didn't have a good start to the 2012 season—not individually, nor as the leader of the New Orleans Saints. He's bounced back, though, displaying the same accuracy and vision that made him one of the best in the business.

Since his rough first three games, Brees has been riding a hot streak that's seen him throw 11 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He's completing at least 64 percent of his passes in each of those contests. 

Forget the rough start; Brees is on his way back.

20. Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco 49ers

Week 4 Rank: No. 25

The best tight end in football, at least during the 2012 season, is Vernon Davis.

The San Francisco 49er has been great this season, and he's doing well as both a blocker and receiver. Davis famously improved as a blocker after some tough love from Mike Singletary in his rookie season, and since then he's consistently been one of the best in-line blockers from the tight end position. 

Davis' numbers back up the argument, but so do the blocks he's setting on the edge for Frank Gore and Co. in the run game.

19. NaVorro Bowman, ILB, San Francisco 49ers

Week 4 Rank: No. 19

You wouldn't get much of an argument from me if you said NaVorro Bowman was the best inside linebacker in the NFL right now. The only other option might be the guy lining up next to him.

Bowman has been a complete linebacker in the 3-4 scheme the 49ers run so well. He's athletic enough to drop back into coverage—allowing a passer rating of just 35.7 on 26 targets. He's also totaled 67 tackles (41 solo), a quarterback sack and an interception. 

18. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Week 4 Rank: No. 30

An ACL tear is supposed to be a big deal. An ACL tear in Week 16 of the 2011 season was expected to be a very big deal for Adrian Peterson's season.

Nope. Didn't even phase him.

Peterson is doing unreal things so soon after a major knee surgery. In fact, it's pretty easy to forget he was ever hurt. He's definitely not playing like someone so soon removed from the knife. A knee surgery in late December 2011 seems like an infinity ago watching Peterson play now.

With the third-most rushing yards in the league this year, Peterson is making a bid for All-Pro honors.

17. Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos

Week 4 Rank: No. 34

This is how you move up the rankings. 

Von Miller at Week 4:

Sacks	QB hurries	QB hits	Tackles
3	4	11	7

Von Miller today: 

Sacks	QB hurries	QB hits	Tackles
6	7	19	26

Miller has turned it on since his Week 5 performance against New England in which he had two sacks, broke up a pass and forced a fumble. It was one of the single most dominant games an outside linebacker has had this season.

16. Marshal Yanda, OG, Baltimore Ravens

Week 4 Rank: No. 19

If Mike Iupati is the best left guard in football, Marshal Yanda is the best right guard. In fact, he's the best guard. Period.

You might think that ranking a guard in the top 20 is foolish, but Yanda is that good. When you consider his current level of play and then look at the next guy below him, it's evident that Yanda is dominating by a fairly wide margin.

He's easily worth his top-20 standing.

15. Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants

Week 4 Rank: No. 15

Eli Manning in quarters one through three most likely wouldn't rank in the top 15. Eli Manning in the fourth quarter would be top five, so his final ranking is somewhere in between.

Manning has been at his best when the game is on the line, and he's playing up to his competition this year. You can clearly see that Manning is in the elite class of quarterbacks in the NFL today, and when you average out his play through the first seven weeks, there's no way to keep him out of the top 15 players in the game.

14. Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Week 4 Rank: Not Ranked

Reggie Wayne has found the fountain of youth. That's the only plausible explanation for how well he's playing at age 33. 

Wayne's not ranked here on status, he's ranked here based on the impact he's had in 2012. 

The Indianapolis Colts look smarter each week when you consider that they almost let Wayne leave in free agency this offseason. Instead, they kept the veteran around to help with Andrew Luck's transition to the NFL. What they got in return is one of Wayne's best seasons yet. That's saying quite a bit when you consider this man is a future Hall of Famer.

13. Robert Griffin III, QB, Washington Redskins

Week 4 Rank: No. 31

Impact. Numbers. However you want to define the best players in the NFL right now, Robert Griffin III has to be in the conversation. And he needs to be ranked pretty highly.

Griffin has been every bit the impact the Washington Redskins hoped for when they traded their NFL draft future to move up and select him this past April. Impact can be tricky, though, and it doesn't always correlate to wins. Griffin's impact is. 

The first-year quarterback leads the NFL in completion percentage and is displaying a moxie that should terrify NFC East opponents.

12. Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans

Week 4 Rank: No. 24

Through the first seven weeks of the season, Arian Foster has been absolutely phenomenal. 

Foster leads the NFL in rushing. He leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns. If we're talking about the best running back in the game right now, that player is Arian Foster. He's as important to the Houston offense as any other player in the game is to their individual team.

Foster may not win league MVP (his teammate on defense might take that from him), but few backs in the league are playing up to his level right now. J.J. Watt and others will get the attention in Houston, and they deserve their share of the credit, but Foster has been on top of his game this season.

11. Patrick Willis, ILB, San Francisco 49ers

Week 4 Rank: No. 5

Patrick Willis is still great. Still elite. But we had to move him down. And yes, it hurt.

It wasn't so much that Willis isn't playing well—he definitely is—it's that so many other players are performing at high levels. Willis and others shifted down because of those players moving up. You can blame Aaron Rodgers and Percy Harvin.

Willis continues his reign as the best inside linebacker in the game. He does everything you'd want—run defense, rushing the passer, coverage. Inside linebackers aren't built any better than this.

10. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

Week 4 Rank: No. 7

There are many people who genuinely do not like Tom Brady. I am not one of those people. Neither are our friends at Pro Football Focus.

Over at PFF, they watch and track every game in the NFL, using advanced metrics to come up with a rating system for every player and every position. How do they rank Brady? He's their No. 2 quarterback overall for the 2012 season.

The Patriots have taken some heat for their 4-3 start, but unless Brady has been lining up at cornerback, those three losses aren't on him. The 12 touchdowns to three interceptions (the best ratio in the NFL) are. 

9. Cameron Wake, DE, Miami Dolphins

Week 4 Rank: No. 17

When we last ranked the top players in the NFL, Cameron Wake had really performed well in just one game. He's not had a bad outing since.

When our top 50 came out in Week 4, Wake had just put up a 4.5-sack performance against the Arizona Cardinals. Since then, he's sacked Andy Dalton once and got Sam Bradford once the next week. In the last three games, Wake has 6.5 sacks.

That level of dominance is good enough for Wake to move from No. 17 to No. 9.

8. Duane Brown, OT, Houston Texans

Week 4 Rank: No. 4

Let's check in on Duane Brown. 

Week 4: Zero sacks allowed. Week 8: Zero sacks allowed.

Looks pretty good. In fact, Brown hasn't allowed a sack since Week 15—of the 2010 season. Brown has been the definition of elite then, moving well ahead of Jake Long and Joe Thomas as the best left tackle in the NFL. 

Brown is the ideal left tackle for Houston's zone-blocking scheme, proving his worth as a run-blocker (Houston has the No. 5-ranked rushing offense). To put this into perspective, Brown really hasn't been beaten in over a year.

7. Percy Harvin, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Week 4 Rank: No. 48

A mea culpa of sorts: Percy Harvin was ranked too low when we last checked in on the top 50 players in the NFL. Let's make up for that.

Where does Harvin actually belong? He's leading the NFC in receptions (No. 2 in the NFL). He's No. 7 overall in receiving yards. He's also added in 73 yards rushing (one TD) and an average of 35 yards per kick return. Talk about versatile.

Harvin is becoming the threat the team hoped he would become when they drafted him out of Florida. The rest of the NFL should be fearful of what Harvin will be able to do once the Vikings have a legitimate wide receiver lined up across from him.

6. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons

Week 4 Rank: No. 3

You could make an argument for Matt Ryan as the best offensive player in the NFL so far in the 2012 season. In fact, we did make that argument just three weeks ago when Ryan debuted as the No. 3 overall player in our Week 4 rankings. What's changed?

Not much. 

Ryan had two so-so outings against the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders. The most lasting impression is the one of Ryan tossing three interceptions against Oakland—a team I've criticized for having the worst cornerbacks in the NFL.

While Ryan is still playing at an MVP level, he's no longer the top quarterback on the field this season.

5. Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals

Week 4 Rank: No. 6

We've talked a lot about numbers and statistical impact leading up to the top five. We've also talked a lot about standing out on film while not putting up gaudy numbers. Geno Atkins does both.

Not since Warren Sapp's early days can I remember a defensive tackle being so disruptive from the three-technique. Atkins has the required strength, burst and hand use to shoot through the line and make plays on the ball. 

Atkins may not be a household name yet, but there are very few defenders playing as well as he is this season.

4. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Week 4 Rank: No. 18

The collective gut-check reaction when asked who the best wide receiver is today would be to say "Calvin Johnson." But that's not true anymore. A.J. Green, welcome to your place atop the mountain.

Johnson may be more physically impressive, but let's talk about the 2012 season. Who has been better?

Player	Catches	Yards	YPC	TD	Drops
Green	44	636	14.5	7	2
Johnson	38	592	15.6	1	5

This isn't meant to take away from Johnson's brilliance, rather to highlight just how good Green has been. It may seem rash to proclaim a second-year receiver the best in the game, but the evidence from the 2012 season points to Green as the best of the best.

3. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

Week 4 Rank: No. 21

Ladies and gentlemen, Aaron Rodgers is back.

You can't blame us for ranking Rodgers as the No. 21 overall player way back in Week 4, not after the way he started the season. Since then, he's been unstoppable. 

In Weeks 6 and 7, Rodgers threw nine touchdowns and zero interceptions and totaled 680 yards. You won't find better numbers than that. In that time, the Packers also beat two of the NFL's best defenses—Houston and St. Louis. 

Rodgers has made an impressive comeback over the last two weeks, and if he can somehow continue this pace, he'll take home a second straight MVP award.

2. Clay Matthews, OLB, Green Bay Packers

Week 4 Rank: No. 2

As much as things have changed over the last four weeks, one thing that hasn't is the dominance of Clay Matthews at outside linebacker. 

On the year, Matthews leads all linebackers with nine sacks—also good for No. 2 overall. He's also added seven quarterback hits and 17 quarterback hurries. Matthews has made NFL fans outside Dallas forget about DeMarcus Ware. He's made Tamba Hali's name irrelevant. When it comes to outside linebackers, Matthews is the best around.

Matthews might not be the best player in the NFL, but there was only one name we could come up with who has had a more impressive season.

1. J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans

Week 4 Rank: No. 1

If it's possible, J.J. Watt was actually better in Weeks 5 through 7 than he was to start the season.

Watt's brilliance this year should result in the first defensive player to win the league MVP award since Lawrence Taylor in 1986. He also has the chance to become the first 3-4 defensive end to lead the league in sacks. Adding to that, he might also lead the NFL in passes batted down. 

Watt is playing at a level most of us have never seen from his position. While the best player in the NFL argument is usually reserved for quarterbacks, J.J. Watt is a rare and credible exception to the rule.