Every NFL Team's Biggest Underachiever Heading into Week 8
From bust free-agent signings to disappointing draft picks, every NFL team boasts one or two guys who just aren’t living up to expectations. It’s almost like Newton's third law—just as every action has an equal and opposite reaction, each team seems to have an underachiever for every overachiever on its roster.
For some teams, these underachievers aren’t necessarily bad players—they just haven’t been as effective as they were in the past. Other guys are just in a bad situation team-wise, and their production is suffering because of it.
Some players may just be having a down year, but there are others who are at the point where their talent level is being questioned. Given the amount of talent that some of these guys are surrounded by, especially quarterbacks, it's hard to see why they aren't more effective.
Matt Schaub is someone who has, at times, looked like a top-10 quarterback in this league, but he’s been tremendously underwhelming in 2013, and it looks as if his time in Houston may be coming to an end.
Schaub is just one of many letdowns from this season, all of which could very well be in danger of losing their starting position before season’s end.
*All stats courtesy of ESPN.com.
Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens
1 of 32
Where in the world is Ray Rice? Although he has played in six out of seven games this season, we have yet to see the effective runner we’re accustomed to. Rice is averaging a minuscule 2.8 yards per carry, and he has just three touchdowns.
He’s already matched his career high in fumbles (two) and is on pace for just 645 yards, his lowest since 2008, when he was a rookie.
The Baltimore Ravens have played just three teams with top-10 defenses, and they still have five more games against defenses rated in the top 10. Things aren’t getting easier for them, and Rice will have to step up if Baltimore has any chance of repeating as Super Bowl champions.
Brett Keisel, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers
2 of 32
Brett Keisel is one of the most likable players in the NFL. But if I’m a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I’m not at all happy with his production this season. The bearded bull-rusher that we’re used to seeing just hasn’t been there this season, and it’s showing.
Keisel is on pace for just two sacks and 17 tackles—his lowest numbers since 2008.
Whether it’s his age (he turned 35 in September) finally catching up to him or his recent rib injury, he’s just not making the impact that he’s generally known for since coming to Pittsburgh.
Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
3 of 32
This pick may come as a surprise to some, but when you look at the big picture, Andy Dalton is not nearly as effective as he could be. He has arguably the best upcoming receiver in A.J. Green, along with a hefty offensive line and several other weapons on offense, not to mention rookie upstart Giovani Bernard at running back.
Dalton is certainly not a bad quarterback, but with all of these weapons around him, he should be putting up rather gaudy numbers. It’s not like he has bad numbers, but with their vaunted defense and all those guys around him, you’d expect the Bengals to be blowing every other team in the AFC North out of the water.
Another knock against Dalton is that he hasn’t progressed as much you’d like him to over the past few seasons; it seems like he’s pretty much plateaued. If he had improved even just a bit from last year, then Cincinnati would be in a much more primed position for the playoffs.
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Greg Little, WR, Cleveland Browns
4 of 32
Greg Little has shown flashes of being a dangerous receiver many times, but not so much this season. He was already benched for drops once this season, and things haven’t gotten much better for him.
With just 20 catches for 210 yards and one touchdown, it’s becoming more and more clear that Little will never be better than a No. 2 receiver, although he’s probably best suited as the third receiver.
His size and athleticism give him the potential to be a very good receiver in this league, but he needs to ditch his habit of dropping balls if he wants another chance, though he may not get one with his current team.
Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins
5 of 32
Following an eye-popping rookie campaign, Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris has been disappointing to say the least. Through seven weeks, Morris has averaged just 67 yards per game with a lowly three touchdowns. He’s on pace to fall nearly 600 yards and seven touchdowns short of his totals in 2012.
Meanwhile, backup running back Roy Helu had three touchdowns in Washington’s win against the Chicago Bears last Sunday.
While a player rushing for a trio of touchdowns in one game is an anomaly, it definitely sticks out and is a testament to how ineffective Morris has been this year.
Now that Robert Griffin III is seemingly back to form, it is imperative that Morris turns things around if Washington is to replicate its success running the football from last season.
Miles Austin, WR, Dallas Cowboys
6 of 32
Once thought to be the next great receiver in Dallas, Cowboys receiver Miles Austin looks like he may not even be on the roster when the season ends. To this point, he has had just 15 catches for 128 yards and zero touchdowns.
While Tony Romo and the rest of the Cowboys offense have looked good, it’s not because of Austin.
At this rate, he will have his worst year statistically since 2008, and it’s hard to imagine him lasting much past 2013. Especially with guys like Terrance Williams emerging as a dependable weapon, it could spell the end of Austin in Big D.
Lane Johnson, RT, Philadelphia Eagles
7 of 32
When you’re a top-five pick in the NFL draft, much is expected of you. And when you’ve been brought in to protect your quarterback’s blind side, it is even more important for you to perform up to par.
For Lane Johnson, it’s been a rough transition to the NFL.
A top-rated prospect heading into this past draft, Johnson was expected to step in right away and seamlessly make the move from left tackle to right tackle. He’s done well in run-blocking, but his pass-blocking has been forgettable.
Considering Michael Vick’s tendencies to hold the ball for a few extra seconds and break the pocket prematurely, it’d be unfair to put all the blame on Johnson, although he has definitely been underachieving so far.
As with every rookie, growing pains are expected and are understandable. But for now, you can label him as a weak point along the Eagles offensive line.
Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants
8 of 32
It’s hard to put a two-time Super Bowl MVP on this list, but if the shoe fits, wear it.
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has been having his worst year in a very long time. His projected touchdown-to-interception ratio is 20-to-30, and he is set to throw for just under 4,000 yards, his lowest since 2008.
Given the talent level of his receivers, you’d think Manning would be tearing it up, especially in a weak division like the NFC East (NFC Least?). However, he’s had a turnover in every game this season, excluding New York’s game on Monday against the Minnesota Vikings.
Manning will have a chance to build on this momentum this coming Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. He threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns the last time these two teams played.
B.J. Raji, DL, Green Bay Packers
9 of 32
During his time in the NFL, B.J. Raji has earned the respect of the players around him through a consistent work ethic and his production on the field. That production, however, isn’t showing on the field so much this year.
Raji has just six tackles through seven games and has recorded zero sacks. He’s lacked the ferocity that we’ve seen from him in the past and finds himself erased by double-teams too often.
One of the reasons why his production has dropped off some is that Green Bay is playing more nickel and dime packages, leaving Raji out of the picture. Still, when he’s been in the game, he just hasn’t made much of an impact.
Jon Bostic, LB, Chicago Bears
10 of 32
It’s never easy for a player to take over for a legend like Brian Urlacher, and we’re seeing that with rookie Jon Bostic. He’s had just eight tackles in seven games, and he just doesn’t look ready to be a full-time starter yet.
If not for an untimely injury to starting linebacker D.J. Williams, Bostic probably wouldn’t be playing much so the Bears could bring him along as needed. He’s a talented guy, but it’s clear he’s not quite ready.
Christian Ponder/Matt Cassel, Minnesota Vikings
11 of 32
If you thought the 2012 New York Jets had it bad at quarterback, take a look at the quarterbacks of the Minnesota Vikings. They’ve gone from bad to worse to Josh Freeman—clearly not where the this team wanted to go.
It’s been known for a while that Christian Ponder is just not a good quarterback, and the thought that Matt Cassel could be an upgrade is foolish. More than that, signing Josh Freeman brings a bit of a circus, although not as big as the one Tebowmania would’ve brought.
Freeman has shown flashes of greatness in the past, but given how bad the falling-out was between him and his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he’s not someone I would trust my team with.
The Vikings have three great receivers in Greg Jennings, Kyle Rudolph and rookie Cordarrelle Patterson, and we can't we forget running back Adrian Peterson, but Freeman failed to create any sort of spark on Monday night.
While you definitely can’t base his future off of one game, it definitely doesn’t look too good as of right now. Minnesota’s quarterbacks are just a mess.
Ryan Broyles, WR, Detroit Lions
12 of 32
During last season’s whole Titus Young fiasco, Ryan Broyles emerged as a promising receiver for the Detroit Lions.
He was a pleasant surprise, but it’s not like they needed a whole lot of help at receiver, as they have Calvin Johnson leading the way and dependable vet Nate Burleson as the No. 2 receiver.
Burleson broke his leg earlier this season, though, giving Broyles a chance to snatch the No. 2 receiver position away from him. He’s done only a lackluster job so far, however.
Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
13 of 32
As one of last season’s best rookies, hopes and expectations were high for Doug Martin and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013.
As if things weren’t rough enough for the Bucs, though, Martin has vastly underperformed so far. He has just one touchdown and 456 yards rushing, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry.
To make matters worse, he injured his shoulder this past weekend, but he specified that it would not end his season.
Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Atlanta Falcons
14 of 32
Following the release of Michael Turner, the Atlanta Falcons opted to sign veteran runner Steven Jackson to be their starter instead of entrusting the position to Jacquizz Rodgers.
Well, S-Jack got hurt early on, leaving the door wide open for Rodgers to prove his worth as an every-down starting running back.
He has done next to nothing with this opportunity, however, and will likely be seen as a scatback for the remainder of his career after what he’s shown (or, rather, hasn’t shown) in Atlanta.
Pierre Thomas, RB, New Orleans Saints
15 of 32
In a backfield that lacks standout runners, Pierre Thomas has had many opportunities to take a stranglehold of the starting running back position, but he has yet to do so. He’s split carries with several guys over the past couple of seasons due to his inability to remain a consistently hard-nosed runner like he was during the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl run a few years back.
Thomas is averaging just three yards per carry and has just two touchdowns in six games—not exactly the numbers you look for from a starting running back.
Mike Tolbert, RB, Carolina Panthers
16 of 32
Mike Tolbert is a bowling ball of a running back who has been known for his short yardage and big touchdowns. But he hasn’t done much of that this season. Tolbert has just 147 yards on 44 carries, coming out to an average of 3.3 yards per carry.
He’s scored just three touchdowns so far this season and is on pace for his lowest yards-per-carry average and total touchdowns since 2008.
In an offense that features speed and effective runners, Tolbert’s light has dimmed and thus his role has been minimized.
Stevan Ridley, RB, New England Patriots
17 of 32
Last year, Stevan Ridley had several tremendous performances as the New England Patriots’ starting running back. But he hasn't been nearly as effective this season.
Ridley was even benched for a period of time earlier this season. And since returning to the starting rotation, he’s yet to impress. He has yet to rush for 100-plus yards in a game this season.
Ridley is averaging only 53 yards per game and has scored just three touchdowns along with one fumble. He's on pace to rush for 415 yards and six fewer touchdowns than he had in 2012.
Mike Wallace, WR, Miami Dolphins
18 of 32
After signing one of the biggest contracts of any free-agent receiver in recent years, Mike Wallace was expected to be a huge threat for the Miami Dolphins on offense. His presence was even supposed to raise the production of second-year passer Ryan Tannehill to a whole other level. But that’s not how it's gone down.
Wallace has posted pretty weak numbers for what we’re used to, recording just 27 catches for 357 yards and one touchdown in six games. In a receiving corps where there just isn’t a whole lot of talent, he should be putting up big numbers. But he’s failed to become what Jeff Ireland and the rest of Miami’s front office had hoped for.
C.J. Spiller, RB, Buffalo Bills
19 of 32
C.J. Spiller had one hell of a coming-out party last season when he took over for Fred Jackson. But as this season has worn on, he's lost more and more carries to the veteran. Not many guys had the type of explosion Spiller showed in 2012, but we have yet to see that same explosion in 2013.
With the addition of mobile quarterback E.J. Manuel and an upgraded receiving corps, Spiller’s numbers were supposed to be even better this year. However, his old struggles have reemerged and are a big reason why he has not been the same player he was last season.
Injuries are also a big reason why he hasn’t put up good numbers this year, but now that he’s preparing to return, Spiller will have a chance to redeem himself. Here’s to hoping he makes the most of it.
Stephen Hill, WR, New York Jets
20 of 32
Stephen Hill’s NFL career got off to a good start in 2012, but after suffering an injury late in the season, he hasn’t looked like the same player. It’s not like he was spectacular or anything, but his size and natural athleticism made him a project worth developing, and he was coming along just fine before his injury.
Hill is currently No. 2 on the depth chart for the Jets, but he hasn’t been playing like it, with just 19 catches and one touchdown through seven games. He's playing good enough to not lose his job, but “good enough” will not keep his job.
The will Jets need to upgrade from Hill if he doesn’t make some positive strides before the season’s end.
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
21 of 32
Maurice Jones-Drew needs to get out of Jacksonville. He’s established a reputation for being a great running back while with the Jaguars, but the franchise is tanking and Jones-Drew’s production is going down with it.
MJD has rushed for just 316 yards on 103 carries, averaging out to just 3.1 yards per carry. At this rate, he's on pace for fewer than 1,000 yards for the second year in a row.
Jones-Drew hasn’t looked like himself since 2011, and he won’t until he goes to a different team.
Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans
22 of 32
Similar to Ray Rice, Chris Johnson has been nowhere to be found. Ever since he broke 2,000 yards a few years ago, CJ2K has had issues getting anything done on offense.
The Tennessee Titans are a team whose quarterback is still getting the hang of this NFL thing, and a strong running game is a definite need at this point. But they’re not getting it from Johnson.
He has just 366 yards on 119 carries (an average of 3.2 yards per carry) and zero touchdowns.
If Johnson keeps struggling like this, this will be the first season that he will not have rushed for 1,000-plus yards.
Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Indianapolis Colts
23 of 32
Once a top-10 pick in the draft, Darrius Heyward-Bey has yet to reach the success that many thought he would achieve. He was let go of by the Oakland Raiders this past offseason and then picked up by the Indianapolis Colts. Since signing with Indy, DHB has just 18 catches for 190 yards and one touchdown—not exactly the numbers you’re looking for from a guy you took a chance on.
The benefit with Heyward-Bey is that he possesses great speed, and the Colts have used that in their running game. DHB has tallied 37 yard on two carries this season, meaning that he’s averaging more yards per rush than he is per catch.
Now that Reggie Wayne is out for the season, it is even more important that Heyward-Bey makes some things happen on offense. However, in looking at his numbers to date, the Colts are gonna need a bit of luck as well (no pun intended).
Matt Schaub, QB, Houston Texans
24 of 32
At this point, it’s easy to feel bad for Matt Schaub. He played a major role in helping the Houston Texans become a respectable team and even led them to their first division title and playoff appearance in 2011. Since then, though, his numbers have drastically waned and he’s become more of a joke than a quarterback.
It’s gotten to the point where fans have burned his jersey and distastefully cheered when he's gotten hurt.
Following a dominant year in 2012, the Texans looked poised to make another deep playoff run in 2013. However, they currently sit at 2-5 and are likely out of the playoff race.
With guys like Andre Johnson and Arian Foster around him, it’s hard to see why Schaub's struggling. More than that, the Texans drafted DeAndre Hopkins, a freakish athlete who was thought to be the missing piece of their offensive attack.
But even with all that talent around him, Schaub has managed to throw just eight touchdowns to nine interceptions and is averaging only 6.6 yards per throw (his lowest since 2004).
Cliff Avril, DE, Seattle Seahawks
25 of 32
Cliff Avril was one of the most sought-after players during free agency, and the Seattle Seahawks were lucky enough to bring in the sack artist on a cap-friendly deal.
It’s a good thing they didn’t pay top dollar, because he's been everything except efficient this season.
Avril has just six combined tackles and three sacks on the season, not nearly mirroring the stats he had in Detroit the past few years. At the rate he's is going, he will have his lowest sack and tackle totals since 2009.
Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers
26 of 32
Here’s another example of a good player just not playing as well as he should be.
Colin Kaepernick took the NFL by storm last season and caught the eye of football fans everywhere. It’s not often you see a quarterback who can run just as well as he can throw, but Kaep put up big numbers through his mix of running and passing, leading the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl.
Since then, Kaepernick hasn’t played nearly as well. But part of that can likely be attributed to the fact that teams have just figured out how to defend his style of play.
In just seven games, Kaepernick has already thrown more interceptions (five) than he did in 13 games last season (three) and has but one rushing touchdown. He’s looked great at times, but he's looked pedestrian and uncomfortable in other instances.
This up-and-down play has to stop if the 49ers are to reach the Super Bowl once again.
Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals
27 of 32
I don’t understand you, Carson Palmer. Last year, you were on a terrible Oakland Raiders team with very little talent around you, yet you still threw for 4,018 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Now, you’re an Arizona Cardinal and have savvy veteran Larry Fitzgerald and talented upstart Michael Floyd as weapons, along with a beefy offensive line. Yet you’re on pace for just over 3,400 yards and 16 touchdowns.
In a pass-friendly offense overseen by head coach Bruce Arians, you’d think Palmer would be lighting it up, but, alas, he’s not.
Daryl Richardson, RB, St. Louis Rams
28 of 32
The St. Louis Rams had one of the best NFL running backs of all time in Steven Jackson, but they opted to let him walk this past offseason after seeing what Daryl Richardson could do in a more prominent role. That choice has come back to haunt them, as Richardson has turned out to be a letdown, rushing 61 times for 176 yards, an average of just 2.9 yards per carry.
Richardson has since lost a good amount of reps to rookie running back Zac Stacy, who is a much more effective runner. If he doesn’t prove that he really adds something to this team, Richardson may be on the chopping block once this season is over.
Ronnie Hillman, RB, Denver Broncos
29 of 32
Even in a Denver Broncos offense that doesn’t need much help, Ronnie Hillman can’t oblige. He entered the season as the likely starter, but he's failed to prove to the coaches that he can handle an increased role in the offense.
Hillman has had a huge problem with fumbles this season, a problem that was highlighted against Colts last Sunday when he fumbled the ball during a comeback by the Broncos.
Unlike other positions, running back is one where you don’t get many chances. If you fumble, you will definitely see the bench more than you see the field, and Hillman can attest to that.
Dexter McCluster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
30 of 32
On a team that's pretty sound at every position, it’s hard to find a weak link. That said, 7-0 teams still have their weak points.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ “offensive weapon,” Dexter McCluster, has seen his quietest season since entering the league. McCluster has caught just 16 balls for 186 yards and zero touchdowns—pretty humdrum numbers for a “weapon.”
Given the type of offense that Kansas City runs, McCluster should be flourishing, but he’s not. This could be because of Donnie Avery’s arrival; they have similar builds and skill sets, but Avery has made the plays when called upon and McCluster has not.
Regardless, McCluster is just not playing up to par and needs to catch up to the rest of the Chiefs offense.
Vincent Brown, WR, San Diego Chargers
31 of 32
Vincent Brown was one of the most promising young receivers in San Diego before missing the entire 2012 season with injury.
Expectations were high for the third-year receiver entering 2013, especially with offensive guru Mike McCoy as the Chargers' new head coach. But Brown has not shown the same type of efficiency this year and has gotten off to a slow start through seven weeks. His time to shine is quickly dissipating, as rookie Keenan Allen has been paying dividends for the Bolts in the passing game, making Brown expendable as an auxiliary receiver.
With Malcom Floyd out for the year with injury, Brown will have the rest of 2013 to prove himself as a necessary piece. One must wonder how much he can actually do, though, given the talent ahead of him on the roster.
Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland Raiders
32 of 32
Although the numbers reflect a much better product, Darren McFadden has had a disappointing overall performance in 2013.
He’s carried the ball 69 times for 267 yards, an average of just under four yards. While these numbers definitely don’t sound bad, it’s important to take a closer look at where those yards came from. McFadden rushed for 129 yards against an abysmal Jaguars team, which definitely skews his averages a bit.
Since the Jags game, he's had a deplorable 90 yards on 33 carries—an average of just 2.7 yards per carry.
The Oakland Raiders will take on a stiff Steelers defense this Sunday, and given that Terrelle Pryor is still trying to get a firm grasp of the team's reins, it is ever more important that Run DMC turns things around and starts playing good football.
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