[Updated formatting] Because I thought that PFF’s midseason All-Pro list wasn’t the best, I thought I’d post my own team. Few caveats to this. I’m a week late, so instead of counting all stats through week 9, I’m counting all stats through week 10. I’m not going to pretend to know what I’m talking about for offensive line, so I’ll only be posting PFF’s team. I also won’t pretend that I know how to judge long snappers and “special teamers.” PFF includes flex positions for offense and defense. I’ll list them, but I won’t add my own since the AP doesn’t have one (anymore). I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts. Finally, I'm a Broncos fan, I'm biased at some positions.
Offense:
| QB | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | Jalen Hurts | Lamar Jackson |
| Second-Team | Tua Tagovailoa | Josh Allen |
This was one of the biggest shocks to me. Jackson is playing great, but to totally ignore Hurts and what he’s done again this year is insanity to me. Hurts is leading the best team to a number 1 seed right now and if he continues, he deserves the 1st-Team nod along with MVP (if the season ended today). Josh Allen as the second team is also insane. The man is fun to watch because he’s a gunslinger, but live by the gunslinger, die by the gunslinger and the Bills die more often than not. I'm not in love with Tua on the Second-Team and overall I think the QB teams are wide open.
| RB | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | Christian McCaffrey | Derrick Henry |
| Second-Team | Derrick Henry | Raheem Mostert |
I’m not too mad about PFF’s selections. I think McCaffrey should get the nod though as he’s having another insane season. Henry is also doing what he does. Mostert would make the 3rd-Team right now for me if it existed, but if Henry or McCaffrey slow down at all, he could easily leapfrog them for an All-Pro selection.
| WR | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | Tyreek Hill | Tyreek Hill |
| First-Team | AJ Brown | AJ Brown |
| First-Team | (Probably Diggs) | n/a |
| Second-Team | CeeDee Lamb | CeeDee Lamb |
| Second-Team | Stephon Diggs | Justin Jefferson |
| Second-Team | (Keenan Allen) | n/a |
Again, not very different here, but Jefferson being selected was a bit of a head scratcher. After week 8 (when PFF published) Jefferson only had 36 catches for 571 yards and 3 TDs. Also, important to note that PFF does not include a third WR for their First- or Second-Teams so I've put my hypothetical picks in parenthesis, but I'm not going to rip them for that.
| TE | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | Mark Andrews | Travis Kelce |
| Second-Team | TJ Hockenson | George Kittle |
Andrews to me has been far and away the best TE this year for me. Hockenson has some better stats, but he is force fed a little (95 targets when writing this), plus Andrews is a great blocker. Kittle being on PFF’s 2nd-Team isn’t an awful choice, but it felt like they went with name recognition here, especially with Kelce (who I'd throw on a fourth-team).
| Offensive Flex | PFF Team |
|---|---|
| First-Team | Brandon Aiyuk |
| Second-Team | Stefon Diggs |
I won't argue here because the Flex position doesn't exist for the AP teams.
| PFF O-Line | First-Team | Second-Team |
|---|---|---|
| LT | Christian Darrisaw | Kolton Miller |
| LG | Tyler Smith | Joe Thuney |
| C | Jason Kelce | Ryan Kelly |
| RG | Kevin Dotson | Chris Lindstrom |
| RT | Penei Sewell | Lane Johnson |
No idea if these are good teams are not. Feel free to chime in if you can dig into this further.
Defense:
| Defensive Interior | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | Quinnen Williams | Quinnen Williams |
| First-Team | Aaron Donald | Dexter Lawrence |
| Second-Team | Jalen Carter | Jalen Carter |
| Second-Team | Chris Jones | Aaron Donald |
Again, not the craziest team selections. I just think Dexter Lawrence is fringe Second-Team right now.
| Edge Rusher | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | TJ Watt | Nick Bosa |
| First-Team | Myles Garrett | Myles Garrett |
| Second-Team | Maxx Crosby | Maxx Crosby |
| Second-Team | Danielle Hunter | TJ Watt |
My biggest gripe with PFF is how much they praise Bosa, but hate on Watt. In my opinion Watt is the Defensive Player of the Year, with Garrett being a close runner up. To include Bosa on either team right now is a crime. Watt is dragging that Steelers defense to dominate and win – I’m still not sure how they have a winning record.
| LB | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | Fred Warner | Demario Davis |
| First-Team | Foye Oluokun | Roquan Smith |
| Second-Team | Roquan Smith | CJ Mosley |
| Second-Team | Kyzir White | Quincy Williams |
Fred Warner not being on either PFF team is egregious. He is the best linebacker in football and one of my dark horse candidates for DPoY. Oluokun was overlooked…again. Roquan belongs on a team for sure, I just think it should be second. White is a very overlooked LB on a very bad team.
| CB | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | DaRon Bland | Paulson Adebo |
| First-Team | Patrick Surtain II | Jaylon Johnson |
| Second-Team | Geno Stone | Darious Williams |
| Second-Team | Sauce Gardner | Sauce Gardner |
CB is always a weird position. Do you like flashy INTs and return TDs, but can get burned (think Trevon Diggs)? Or do you like shutdown corners that can remove a star WR from the game (think Darrelle Revis)? My team is a mix of both. I don’t necessarily think my team is much better than PFF. Oh, why’d I’d add PS2? Because I’m a Broncos fan. See, I can admit my bias, can you PFF?
| Safeties | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | Talanoa Hufanga | Jessie Bates III |
| First-Team | Jordan Whitehead | Jevon Holland |
| Second-Team | Justin Simmons | Antoine Winfield |
| Second-Team | Geno Stone | Geno Stone |
Safeties are somewhat similar to how I explained CBs. I do think they snubbed Hufanga and Whitehead without having them on either team. Again, I’m biased and think Simmons should be on a team.
| Defensive Flex | PFF Team |
|---|---|
| First-Team | Trent McDuffie |
| Second-Team | DJ Reed |
PFF's defensive flex position. It's essentially another defensive back position for them.
Special Teams:
| K | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | Harrison Butker | Chase McLaughlin |
| Second-Team | Dustin Hopkins | Matt Gay |
Butker deserves the 1st-Team spot – he’s 100% and has a 60 yarder.
| P | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | AJ Cole | AJ Cole |
| Second-Team | Logan Cooke | Matt Gay |
Punters are people too.
| Returner | My Team | PFF Team |
|---|---|---|
| First-Team | Marvin Mims Jr. | Kavontae Turpin |
| Second-Team | Xavier Gipson | Charlie Jones |
I know I’m biased, but Mims is far and away the best returner this year.
| Special Teamer | PFF Team |
|---|---|
| First-Team | Miles Killebrew |
| Second-Team | Brendan Schooler |
| Long Snapper | PFF Team |
|---|---|
| First-Team | Chris Stoll |
| Second-Team | Josh Harris |
TLDR: I didn’t like PFF’s All-Pro team. Here are my selections. Do you agree? Where do you disagree?
Debatable, at minimum:
Watt - Garrett
30 - 28 Tackles
22 - 20 Solo
8 - 8 Assisted
10.5 - 11 Sacks
1 - 0 INTs
2 - 4 FF
3 - 1 FR
10.5 - 11 Sacks
1 - 0 INTs
6 - 4 PDs
Watt above Garrett in Total Tackles, Solo Tackles, Interceptions, Fumble Recoveries and Passes Defended.
Garrett above Watt in Forced Fumbles and sacks... by 0.5
Very tight and not exactly an "eye raiser", as you portrayed. And that's without going into context like how the Browns secondary is infinitely superior to the Steelers one (and arguably the D-Line as well), which obviously translates in significantly more opportunities for Garrett to find exploits and make plays.
In that context and while TJ literally win games by himself, have played the whole season without Cam or Minkah, and they are almost tied in every conceibable metric, well... "it’s Garrets to lose" is certainly an overstatement, if you get rid of popularity and public perception (as you should).