Frank Gore and 10 NFL Studs We Always Forget About

Stars like Frank Gore under perform and we fail to realize how studly they are as they fall on the back-burner. This happens with players as we go from year to year and the 2011 season is no different. 

Here is a look at 10 NFL studs who went from hero to zero and back to hero again in the span of five weeks.

1. Frank Gore: San Francisco

After an injury during the 2010 season, Frank Gore fell off the map, after four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons he played in 11 games while Arian Foster, Jamaal Charles and the other usual suspects gained the spotlight.

This October he has burst back onto the scene with 35 carries and 252 yards with an average of 7.2 yards per carry. That's an insane average per carry amount and possibly could have been more but was pulled early during the drubbing of the Bucs 48-3.

He's back and with the 49ers offense in full force, he is here to stay in 2011.

2. Wes Welker: New England Patriots

We've always known Wes Welker was good, but I'm not sure any of us knew he was almost 150 yards per game good. Welker finds a way to gain yards no matter what route he is running and this week showed he is a vertical threat.

He was good last season and has been good, but right now he's on pace to smash some records and that's something studly to mention. I'm not sure anybody thought going into the season he'd be this good. 

He will taper off a little bit as the season goes on because defenses will account more than one man for him, but the Patriots do a great job of getting him involved in a variety of ways and just look at the picture, Welker is a man on a mission.

3. Matthew Stafford: Detroit Lions

After an early season ending injury to Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford after just three games in 2010, people dismissed the Lions and knew they had gotten better. The question was how much better had they gotten since the biggest piece of the puzzle was missing. 

Stafford has shown himself in studly form and has kept the Lions undefeated up to this point. That's a testament to how studly he is because just three years ago the Lions went an abysmal 0-16. He has shown true form throwing at least two touchdowns per game to Calvin Johnson alone. 

The Lions have shown themselves as true contenders in the NFL and we'll get to see some great match ups between the Lions and Packers later this season to see if he can keep up his studly start to the season.

4. Steve Smith: Carolina Panthers

Whoever said Steve Smith of the Eagles took over the Steve Smith title was clearly mistaken and the original Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers has been a vital part of the early success from Cam Newton and has had more than 150 yards in three of five games this year. 

If Cam Newton continues to have success it will be based on the return to the top by Steve Smith and his stellar yard-after-catch ability and the fact that he can seemingly get open no matter what the situation. 

He should have huge games in their next three games against Atlanta, Washington and Minnesota. 

5. Fred Jackson: Buffalo Bills

Fred Jackson has played an early and vital part to the 4-1 success of the Buffalo Bills, its no coincidence that his lowest rushing total came in their only loss.

He has become a stud again after a 1,000-yard season in 2009 and a down year in 2010, and he is back to being a complete stud.

Coming from Division III Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa he dominated Division III football and has never looked back, being a stud on his progression to the NFL. He dominated indoor football and his number is retired by the Sioux City Bandits (where he made $200 a week, studly to love football enough to continue to play).

Then he played a year in the now defunct NFL Europe for the Rhein Fire and was invited to the Buffalo Bills training camp and never looked back. A great career thus far and now he is just becoming a well known stud. 

6. Miles Austin: Dallas Cowboys

Although coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Miles Austin isn't really known as a top tier receiver because of the lack of wins and criticism over the last few seasons in Dallas. He's only played two games because of a hamstring injury but in those two games has four touchdowns and over 230 yards.

Stud stats by me. 

He is back practicing and should be back to show that he is a stud in this league and is a top 10 receiver. The Cowboys face a shaky Patriots defense, and if Austin is active, expect him to be back in his stud form.

7. Matt Forte: Chicago Bears

Matt Forte has been a good back for the Chicago Bears, and honestly, I think a lot of people forget that this is a Bears team that went all the way to the NFC Championship last year. 

Forte started off the season with average numbers and has exploded the last two games running for over 200 yards against Carolina and closes in on 100 yards before the half against a good Lions defense.

He will continue to stud it up this year and prove that he can hang with the best running backs in the league.

8. Dwayne Bowe: Kansas City Chiefs

Dwayne Bowe had a great 2010 with a 1,000-yard receiving season. After an 0-3 start the Chiefs have looked better after winning two in a row and Bowe has 3 touchdowns in those two games. 

On pace for a second straight 1,000-yard season he is given very little recognition altough he is a good receiver,especially on the team he's on. 

Expecting him to be the sole reason for any Chief's success makes him a stud that people often have very little idea about.

9. DeSean Jackson: Philadelphia Eagles

After a 2010 in which DeSean Jackson had a few of the most electrifying plays of the season he started off 2011 quietly, but in the last two games has combined for about 250 yards and adds a touchdown with a long of 61. 

The long plays are Jackson's bread and butter plays and make him the explosive receiver that can change a game so quickly. If Michael Vick can right his season expect him to keep up his recent surge and become the stud we forgot about in the early season collapse of the Eagles.

10. Pat Angerer: Indianapolis Colts

The only defensive player I have on the list because that's what I'm most knowledgeable about because of fantasy but I have to give the shameless plug to my hometown hero in Pat Angerer.

After overcoming size and what others think his whole life he was an All-American on an Iowa team that won an Orange bowl. He then proved everybody wrong by being drafted in the second round by the Indianapolis Colts. After the injury prone Gary Brackett was hurt in 2010, he worked his way to the starting roster.

Now in 2011 he leads the league in tackles. Although the Colts are horrible you have to admire the story of Pat Angerer. He is a clear stud after Brackett was once again injured and put on injured reserve and Angerer took over on a defense that needs a ton of work and he has been a bright spot with 65 tackles which is a huge margin of 16 tackles over the next player.

The last stud on my list and probably the least known. Remember the name because you'll see him in Pro Bowls to come!