NFL 2011: Each Team's Unsung Hero

The NFL is a league full of high-profile QBs, loud-mouthed WRs and big-name pass-rushers, but there are many other players in the league whose egos don't match up with their talents. These guys are generally swept under the rug by most of the media, but without them, there's no way the Tom Brady's and Julius Peppers's of the world would be able to make the big plays they do on Sundays.

In this list, you will find every team's biggest unsung hero. However, keep in mind that I made a list similar to this one last year, which you can find here, and I'll be making an effort to not put up the same guys again this year.

As I said last year, if you feel like there's another guy on your team who deserves to be on this list, then please tell me about it in the comments. If I'm able to get enough comments to make up a fan list, I will. 

Dallas Cowboys: Gerald Sensabaugh, S

The Dallas Cowboys have some elite players on the defensive side of the ball, but the majority of those guys are on the front seven.

The secondary looks to be the weak point for a team with playoff aspirations—but that's not because of Sensabaugh.

He seems to be the lone bright spot in a unit full of question marks. His 71 tackles, two sacks and five interceptions in 2010 show he has legitimate skills. Sensabaugh's also entering the prime of his career, so don't be surprised if those numbers grow bigger this year.

He is by no means a Pro Bowl-caliber player, but without Sensabaugh's solid play in the secondary, Dallas would be in a heap of trouble.

2010 Pick: Igor Olshansky

New York Giants: Mathias Kiwanuka, LB

Kiwanuka was out for the majority of last season, but looks to be healthy this year, and he's getting a fresh start at a new position. Moving Kiwanuka back to linebacker could be a great move for the Giants because it allows them to get another elite pass-rusher out on the field. 

With Kiwanuka flowing toward the quarterback behind fellow sack specialist Osi Umenyoira, quarterbacks are sure to be watching their backsides a little more than usual this fall. Look for Kiwanuka's production to jump back up to around his 2008 numbers (eight sacks).

2010 Pick: Keith Bullock

Philadelphia Eagles: Jeremy Maclin, WR

Quick question, based on how much they're talked about in the media, who had more touchdowns last year, DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin?

If you answered Maclin, then you're probably an Eagles fan, because most of the league doesn't seem to recognize how good Maclin has become.

Is he a better player than Jackson? That's debatable, but what isn't up for debate is that Maclin is an unsung hero.

Maclin has quickly become the Cris Carter to DeSean Jackson's Randy Moss.

Now, I'm not saying either of these Eagles are as good as those two, but they have a similar dynamic. Maclin and Carter are the workhorses, while Jackson and Moss make the big catches that get them noticed in the media.

Personally, I'll take the workhorse every day of the week.

2010 Pick: Quinton Mikell

Washington Redskins: Brian Orakpo, LB

In two years of playing professional football, Brian Orakpo has 19.5 sacks.

That's elite production, especially in a unit that isn't really known for its defensive prowess.

I mean, Orakpo plays with decent players like Steven Brown and Barry Cofield, but not elite players who can free up space for blitzing linebackers (see: DeMarcus Ware and Igor Olshansky).

If he can continue to produce at such a high level, Orakpo will soon be talked about just as much as guys like Ware and Mario Williams. The man is an amazing talent, and it's high time we all realize it.

2010 Pick: Chris Cooley

Arizona Cardinals: Beanie Wells, RB

This pick is more forward thinking than some of the others on this list.

The Cardinals are bringing in a new quarterback, Kevin Kolb, and he's sure to get the majority of the publicity this year, but he's going to need Beanie Wells to produce at a high level if he wants to have a chance at having a winning season his first year on the job.

Beanie's play last year wasn't as good as it was in 2009, but the talent is still there for him to become a very talented back. When healthy, he's shown he has the ability to help Kolb out by taking some of the pressure off.

That said, Beanie needs to remain healthy so he can look more like he did in 2009 when he averaged 4.5 yards per carry.

2010 Pick: Adrian Wilson

San Francisco 49ers: Donte Whitner, S

Donte Whitner is a hoss. The man had 140 tackles from the safety position last year, and I honestly don't see him taking a step back this year. I loved this guy when he played in Buffalo, and now that he's playing alongside Patrick Willis, I can't wait to see what they do together.

San Francisco is slowly putting together what looks to be an elite defense. They have their star in Willis, a solid corner in Carlos Rogers and a legitimate pass-rusher in Justin Smith. Whitner might be the addition that takes them over the top because of his ability to stop the run and still be able to play some coverage alongside Rogers and co.

That could be huge now that the 49ers have lost the services of Manny Lawson and his ability to cover the tight end.

2010 Pick: Manny Lawson

Seattle Seahawks: Russell Okung, LT

Okung is a mountain of man, and he's going to need all that size this year when he's protecting new quarterback Tarvaris Jackson's backside. Jackson is going to need all the help he can get since he comes into a new offense, and Okung should be just what the doctor ordered.

At 6'5" and 310 lbs, Okung has the size needed to be a prolific left tackle, but he needs to stay injury-free. His promising rookie season was hampered by two high ankle sprains that kept him out of the first six games last season. Okung was able to come in for the last 10 games and play well, though.

Seattle is hoping Okung can build on that this year and become the player they drafted with the sixth overall pick.

2010 Pick: Leon Washington

St. Louis Rams: A.J. Feeley, QB

Hear me out before you tell me how terrible this pick is in the comments.

Sam Bradford is obviously the future of this franchise and has already proven himself to be a rising star in this league.

That said, this is only his second year in the NFL, and he has a ton of room to grow as a player. A.J. Feeley has been in this league for 11 years and is sure to have a lot to teach a young quarterback.

With Feeley as his mentor, Bradford should continue to progress this year. So while he won't see the playing field much this year, Feeley could be one of the more important parts of the Rams' offense this season. His guidance during training camp and practice could be what brings Bradford to the next level.

2010 Pick: Mark Clayton

Chicago Bears: Lance Briggs, LB

Briggs might be the strangest pick since he's been to six Pro Bowls and is a three-time All-Pro, but even with all of that, he still doesn't seem to be the household name he should be.

The guy is an absolute tackling machine, and 2010 was the first time since his rookie year he had less than 100 tackles.

The only knock you can make on Briggs is that he doesn't seem to make the big play very often. He has 10.5 career sacks, 12 career forced fumbles and 12 career interceptions, but he plays the game with an old-school flavor that can't be ignored in favor of his more high-profile teammates.

2010 Pick: Chester Taylor

Detroit Lions: Kyle Vanden Bosch, DE

Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley are the big names on Detroit's star-studded defensive line, but Kyle Vanden Bosch might be the most important player for the team.

Vanden Bosch has long been known for having one of the best motors in the league and is always giving 110 percent no matter what the situation is. The reason this is important is because those young, impressionable players are going to see how hard Vanden Bosch works in practice and, hopefully, they will realize that's the way to play the game.

If this happens, then Suh and Fairley could be scary good; imagine someone with that much God-given ability who also leaves everything on the field.

2010 Pick: Brandon Pettigrew/Tony Scheffler

Green Bay Packers: Chad Clifton, LT

Full disclosure: It was difficult to pick an unsung hero for the Packers because the majority of the roster seems to be household names following their Super Bowl win.

Therefore, I went with someone who I personally know is a great player who doesn't always get as much credit as he should—Chad Clifton.

I say I know this personally because, as a Minnesota Vikings fan, I have to watch Clifton come out and generally dominate our best pass-rusher almost every game. Somehow, Clifton has found the magic secret to containing Jared Allen, and I'm hoping he doesn't share it with anyone.

2010 Pick: B.J. Raji

Minnesota Vikings: Chad Greenway, LB

It's a complete joke that Chad Greenway has yet to be a Pro Bowl or All-Pro player.

I understand there are many good outside linebackers in the NFL today, but Greenway is easily one of the best. He consistently leads one of the stingiest front sevens in tackles and has shown that he also has the versatility to cover the tight end from time to time.

Greenway is an absolute monster on the field, and it's high time the league realizes it. Put this guy on your watch list because, at 28 years old, he's set to have a career year for the rebuilding Vikings.

2010 Pick: Heath Farwell

Atlanta Falcons: Ray Edwards, DE

Ray Edwards became a very solid pass-rusher when he played across from one of the best in the league in Jared Allen.

Now we get to see how he'll perform without his old running mate.

Granted, Edwards still gets to play across from John Abraham, who's no slouch himself, but Edwards also won't have the help of great defensive tackles like Kevin Williams.

All that said, I think Edwards will continue to show himself as an above-average pass-rusher and will help free up Abraham. If he's able to step in and give the Falcons another weapon on the defensive line, they have the chance to do something special this season.

2010 Pick: Jason Snelling

Carolina Panthers: Greg Olsen, TE

No matter who ends up playing quarterback for the Panthers this season, one thing is certain: They will be young and inexperienced.

What's the best way to help out a young quarterback? Give them a veteran, pass-catching tight end.

Carolina went out and got two of those in Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey.

I chose Olsen over Shockey because Shockey has gotten a lot of publicity in the past, and it seems like Olsen is hardly ever talked about. He's a solid player who just might be better than Shockey now that Shockey is in his 30s.

Either way, the Panthers need both of these guys to produce for their young quarterbacks, or it's going to be a long year.

2010 Pick: Jon Beason

New Orleans Saints: Darren Sproles, RB

Unfortunately for the Saints, the selection of Reggie Bush never really worked out the way they hoped it would. They were able to win a Super Bowl, but Bush never became the All-Pro player they thought they drafted.

Now Bush is gone, and the Saints are without their change-of pace-back, which is something that's becoming more and more important as the NFL trends toward running back tandems.

Enter Darren Sproles, possibly the ultimate change-of-pace back in the league.

At 5'6" and 190 lbs, he's not going to bowl anybody over, but Sproles will run right by you. The Saints need a guy like this to spell starter Pierre Thomas, and Sproles looks to be the perfect fit.

2010 Pick: Johnathan Vilma

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ronde Barber, CB

Obviously Ronde Barber has been around for quite awhile and used to be regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in the league.

Nowadays, he's still a solid corner, but his real job is mentoring this young defense Tampa Bay is putting on the field.

With guys like Gerald McCoy, Aquib Talib, Geno Hayes and Adrian Clayborn, the Bucs are beginning to put together an elite defense. If these young players are able to learn under a great player like Barber, they could develop even quicker than their coaches might hope.

Look for this defense to be one of the best in the league in 2011.

2010 Pick: Aquib Talib

Buffalo Bills: Nick Barnett, LB

When healthy, Nick Barnett is one of the better tacklers in the NFL. In years where he's played more than 10 games, he's always had more than 100 tackles, and is usually able to add a few sacks and interceptions. 

The Bills lost star middle linebacker Paul Posluszny, and they need Barnett to step in and duplicate his predecessor's production. Only time will tell if he's able to do that, but chances are the Bills can expect to see Barnett back to his 2009 production and watch their defense take a step toward the top of the heap.

2010 Pick: Paul Posluszy

Miami Dolphins: Offensive Line

Across the board, the Dolphins have one of the better young offensive lines in football.

Beginning with Jake Long, a two-time All-Pro player and ending with Marc Columbo, Miami has a solid player at almost every single position.

That's huge because the offensive playmakers need all the help they can get.

Chad Henne is becoming a respectable quarterback, but, as a young quarterback, he still needs time in the pocket to produce. Reggie Bush needs his line to be ready to block all over the field with his East-to-West style of running. With this group of excellent blockers, Bush should have no problem freelancing and trying to make a big play.

2010 Pick: Chad Pennington

New England Patriots: Vince Wilfork, NT

The Patriots' defense is loaded with stud players.

On the defensive line they have Albert Haynesworth. The linebacking group has Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes. The secondary has Devin McCourty and Brandon Merriweather.

However, the one guy who makes all of those players' jobs much easier is Vince Wilfork.

Wilfork is a giant of a nose tackle who regularly eats up at least two blockers. That frees up all of his teammates to flow to the ball and make plays.

Having this monster down in the trenches is vital to the Pats' success and can't be underestimated.

2010 Pick: BenJarvus Green-Ellis

New York Jets: David Harris, LB

The only repeat from last year's list, David Harris is simply one of the best players no one talks about. 

Even with all the media coverage given to the Jets, it seems like we never hear about the heart and soul of the defense. Because of that, I'll continue putting Harris on lists like this just so people know how good he is.

His numbers dipped a little bit last year, but they were still superior to fellow linebacker Bart Scott. That said, Harris' play elevated when it mattered most.

In the playoffs, Harris had 30 total tackles and consistently harassed opposing players. The cherry on top was a 58-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Jets' hated division rival, New England.

Look for Harris to continue playing at a high level during the coming season.

2010 Pick: David Harris

Denver Broncos: Knowshon Moreno, RB

With all the current quarterback controversy in Denver, it's looking like it's going to be up to Moreno to provide some stability to this squad.

Moreno began his career with a very promising rookie campaign and put together a solid sophomore campaign while dealing with injuries. Expect to see him come back strong this year and help the Broncos a lot by taking some of the pressure off the quarterback situation.

Look for Moreno to break the 1,000-yard mark if healthy and at least match his rookie season's seven TDs.

2010 Pick: Kyle Orton

Kansas City Chiefs: Dexter McCluster, WR

McCluster pretty much does everything. He can catch passes from anywhere on the field, provide a change-of-pace out of the backfield and make an impact through the return game. He's pretty much the poor man's Reggie Bush, which isn't a bad thing.

Look for McCluster to continue to improve this year and give Matt Cassel an option out of the slot. McCluster's biggest contribution might be returning punts and possibly kickoffs if he gets the chance to.

He won't be a Pro Bowl player, but McCluster gives the Chiefs another big weapon on a solid offense.

2010 Pick: Derrick Johnson

Oakland Raiders: Jason Campbell, QB

I've always been one of the bigger Jason Campbell supporters, and I really think he has a good chance to greatly improve this Oakland team.

He was pretty mediocre last year, but now that he has an entire season with this squad under his belt, he should be able to improve on last year's output.

Look for Campbell to get closer to 2009's 64.5 completion percentage and probably amass around 3,500 yards. If Darrius Heyward-Bay is able to develop in to a legitimate threat, Campbell could see his touchdown numbers reach the mid-20s.

Either way, expect a better year than 2010.

2010 Pick: Michael Huff

San Diego Chargers: Eric Weddle, S

San Diego's secondary is looking solid these days, and one of the big reasons for that is the play of Eric Weddle.

Weddle is constantly making big tackles and also brings solid coverage from his safety slot. He has flirted with 100 tackles almost every year in the league and put up 127 total tackles in 2008.

Weddle's also quite the playmaker when he gets the ball in his hands, as he's had a defensive touchdown each of the last two years.

His play could become even more important this year because he's starting opposite the oft-injured Bob Sanders. If Sanders falls to injury again, Weddle will have to step up his play.

However, if both can stay healthy, we might see one of the better safety tandems in the league.

2010 Pick: Jacob Hester

Baltimore Ravens: Lee Evans, WR

Last year, as the main guy in Baltimore, Anquan Boldin seemed to take a step back from his days in Arizona. He wasn't terrible, but you could tell he was having a bit of a tough time adjusting to life without Larry Fitzgerald. 

Enter Lee Evans.

This man is like a rocket when he sprints down the field. The addition of that field-stretching speed could be exactly what the Ravens need to take another step toward a Lombardi Trophy. Evans is a big-time deep threat and is going to free up Boldin for some big plays on the other side of the field.

Look for both receivers' numbers to go up this year. 

2010 Pick: Haloti Ngata

Cincinnati Bengals: Jermaine Gresham, TE

It's pretty evident Carson Palmer won't be suiting up in a Bengals uniform anytime soon. This means rookie Andy Dalton will probably get thrown to the dogs at some point this year.

What's the most helpful thing for a young quarterback to have in the passing game?

A solid pass-catching tight end.

Jermaine Gresham is exactly that. Last year he didn't have quite the impact I thought he would, but his rookie season wasn't without its share of promising play.

Look for Gresham to continue to develop and help out his young quarterback. Depending on how well Dalton plays, 10 touchdown catches isn't out of the question for Gresham.

2010 Pick: Domata Peko

Cleveland Browns: Joe Haden, CB

I'm going to be honest, and it probably won't win me many fans in Cleveland, but I just don't see many bright spots on this defense. Maybe someone will come along and prove me wrong, but this unit looks like it needs a lot of help. 

One major positive though is the young Joe Haden, who had six interceptions in his rookie season to go along with 64 tackles. Look for Haden to continue to improve and soon become one of the league's premiere corners.

Now the Browns just need to get him some help.

2010 Pick: Peyton Hillis

Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Clark, S

Everyone knows the biggest playmaker on the Steelers' D is Mr. Polamalu, but he wouldn't be able to freelance as much as he does without his teammates having his back.

The main guy who allows Polamalu to do what he does is Ryan Clark. Clark consistently fills the gaps and lets Polamalu do what he wants.

For the past three years, Clark has flirted with 100 tackles from his safety position while also adding a few interceptions and solid coverage. Without him, it would be hard for Pittsburgh to employ their blitz packages, and Polamalu might not be as good as he is.

Look for Clark to continue to play up to his high standard and help Pittsburgh move on to the playoffs once again.

2010 Pick: Lawrence Timmons

Houston Texans: Antonio Smith, DE

The biggest reason you have to put Smith on this list is because of where he lines up. Playing on the same side as Mario Williams means Smith has to free up one of the best pass-rushers in the game by taking on as many blockers as possible.

Smith does that very well and uses his 275-pound frame to let Williams wreck havoc in the backfield. That doesn't mean he doesn't spend some time back there also, as his 23 career sacks attest to that.

Look for Smith to open up his side of the field for blitzers and get to the quarterback at least four or five times.

2010 Pick: Kevin Walter

Indianapolis Colts: Jeff Saturday, C

Jeff Saturday is widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, centers in the game today.

That said, this might be the year he's put to the biggest test of his career, especially if Peyton Manning isn't able to come back and start the first few games of the season. Saturday faces the challenge of anchoring a very young offensive line that probably won't be up to his usual standards.

This is the year we learn just how good Saturday is. Look for the line as a whole to struggle a little at first, but find their groove in the middle of the season with Saturday's steady presence leading the way.

2010 Pick: Gary Brackett

Jacksonville Jaguars: Dawan Landry, S

Dawan Landry is another of those hard-hitting safeties I obviously love to watch. He's coming from the great Baltimore defense to the not-so-great Jags squad, but don't expect to see his production decline. Landry learned how to play safety from one of the best in Ed Reed, and he's developed into quite the playmaker of his own the past few years.

In his five years in the league, Landry already has three defensive touchdowns, and I wouldn't be surprised if he added a few more this year now that he's the main playmaker on this defense. He also provides stingy defense, as his 111 tackles last year show. Add to that his coverage ability, and you have an all-around great player.

Look for Landry to continue his ways for his new team.

2010 Pick: Greg Jones

Tennessee Titans: Barrett Ruud, LB

Barrett Ruud has been one of the most consistent middle linebackers in the NFL the last four years. He's always good for at least 110 tackles and usually adds a few interceptions or sacks.

Now Ruud comes to a Titans team that has a great secondary, but a below-average front seven.

Ruud's presence will undoubtedly bring the Titans' defense up to, at least, respectability. Look for him to get more than 125 total tackles and add a few big plays.

Also watch for Ruud and Will Weatherspoon to help Akeem Ayers have a solid rookie year.

2010 Pick: Javon Ringer