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In this year of nearly unmatched parity, it would be foolish to assume we can already identify the playoff teams of 2016. ESPNs Football Power Index gives just three teams -- the Cowboys, Patriots and Seahawks -- what amounts to lock status, with a better than 98 percent chance of making it to the postseason. Nobody else even makes it to 84 percent.Theres still a lot more football to go, and because there are so many teams lurking around .500, there certainly is potential for a team to come out of nowhere and break through for a stunning run into the postseason. I wrote about this exact topic after Week 10 last year and found two teams who crashed the playoffs despite having playoff odds below 25 percent: Houston (22.9 percent) and Washington (14.2 percent), who were both 4-5 after Week 10 and proceeded to go 5-2 the rest of the way to win their respective divisions.Its not hard to imagine the same sort of thing happening this year. There are six teams -- the Rams, Jaguars, Jets, Bears, Browns and 49ers -- with playoff odds below 1 percent. But there are 13 teams, ranging from the Patriots to the Lions, who have at least a 33.3 percent chance of making the playoffs. (If your team isnt included below, theyre in this group, and their playoff chances are actually better than any of the teams being written up below. Dont get angry.)So heres whats left: 13 teams who all have playoff odds between 1 percent and 33.3 percent. These are our long shots. FPI has its opinion, and Ill have mine here, as I rank them in terms of my expectations of how likely they are to make the postseason, and what it might take for them to get there. Lets begin with what might be among the better teams of the bunch, even if it has the worst odds ...13. San Diego Chargers (4-6)Playoff odds: 3.7 percentThe poor Chargers mostly did this to themselves, but a catastrophic run of injuries has helped. The Chargers have had just nine players start all 10 games this season, and that will fall to eight when Brandon Mebane watches the rest of the season while on injured reserve. Theyll likely be missing eight players who would have been starters if the entire lineup was healthy in Week 12 against the Texans, and those numbers dont include impressive rookie Jatavis Brown.San Diego has outplayed its 4-6 record. The Chargers have outscored the opposition by 14 points, havent lost a game by more than eight points, and have been favorites to win at one or more points in the fourth quarter, per Pro-football-reference.com, in five of their six losses. Theyve been disastrously sloppy in the fourth, turning over the ball 10 times, a number that includes four interceptions from Philip Rivers in a Week 10 loss to the Dolphins. FPI has the Chargers 16th, basically a league-average team. Unfortunately, its too late for them to field a serious run; theyre 1-3 in the AFC West, a division that features three seven-win teams. Theres a very reasonable chance the AFC West sends three teams to the postseason this year, given that the Broncos, Chiefs and Raiders all have a higher than 40 percent shot at winning a wild-card berth. Its just not likely to be the Chargers.12. Cincinnati Bengals (3-6-1)Playoff odds: 12.0 percentWe know something FPI doesnt, of course: The Bengals are shedding parts like a damaged spaceship crashing to Earth. They lost two critical offensive weapons Sunday, with Giovani Bernard tearing his ACL and A.J. Green suffering a hamstring injury that may end his season. Their offense kept up appearances shortly after Greens departure, producing two long drives, before sputtering out in the second half, where they produced a single first down in their first five drives.Last years Bengals might have been able to overcome these injuries. They were deeper at wide receiver with Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu. Rookie Tyler Boyd has flashed some promise, but Brandon LaFell hasnt been productive and did little to occupy Stephon Gilmore on an ugly Andy Dalton interception that set up a Buffalo field goal Sunday.More disconcertingly, after running out one of the leagues best offensive lines last year, Cincinnatis line has been a mess in 2016. Last year, Dalton was pressured on just 21.0 percent of his dropbacks, the fourth-lowest rate in the league, despite the fact that he was blitzed on 35.8 percent of those dropbacks, which was the sixth-highest rate in football. This year, teams are blitzing Dalton less frequently (26.7 percent) and getting pressure without it, as Daltons pressure rate is in the middle of the pack at 25.7 percent. The biggest problem has been at right tackle, where 2015 first-rounder Cedric Ogbuehi has been a major disappointment in his first year as a starter.Its difficult to imagine the Bengals generating enough offense to run the table, which is what they will likely need to do to win the AFC North. They do have four games left within the division, which helps, but their pair of narrow losses and a tie over the past three games have likely clinched their fate. The same Bengals team that was 7-2-1 in games decided by one score or less last year is 1-2-1 in those same contests this year.11. Tennessee Titans (5-6)Playoff odds: 10.8 percentMike Mularkeys team really needed a win over the Colts on Sunday. There was a?25.5 percent swing in Tennessees playoff chances between where they were heading into Week 11 and where they would have been with a victory. The Titans deserve credit for battling back after going down 21-0, but some questionable timeout usage and a stuff from the Colts on a fourth-and-1 try by DeMarco Murray cost the Titans a shot at a victory.As the Packers did a week ago, Indy abused Titans cornerback Perrish Cox, who has to be one of the worst regulars in the NFL at the moment. Tennessee didnt get much help from fellow corner Valentino Blake, who pointed the wrong way after a fumble recovery last week and this week?rushed in with a furious attempt to down a punt at the 2-yard line, which would have been helpful if it werent for the fact that his team was on offense at the time. Blake nearly gave the Colts an easy touchdown (had he failed to grasp the football) and promptly lashed out at skeptical fans for not understanding football afterward.The Titans have shown plenty of promise this season, and Mularkey deserves credit for installing an offensive scheme that has rebuilt the career of DeMarco Murray while continuing to develop Marcus Mariota. But Tennessee is now 5-6 with a 1-3 record in the mediocre AFC South. After playing the Bears, they get a Week 13 bye before facing the Broncos and Chiefs. If they can pull upsets on those AFC West opponents, they have a shot at the division crown.10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5)Playoff odds: 10.1 percentThe Bucs pulled off a brave upset in beating the Chiefs in Kansas City, a feat given that the Chiefs were 16-4 at home over the past three seasons heading into Sunday. As NFL Networks Gregg Rosenthal noted, they out-Chiefed the Chiefs. Tampa Bay won the turnover battle 2-1, including a critical Chris Conte pick of Alex Smith in the end zone, went 11-for-16 on third down, and set up its kicker for easy field goals, with Roberto Aguayo going 4-for-4 on kicks that went an average distance of 32.5 yards.The problem is that the Bucs simply have a high degree of difficulty to crash the postseason. They dont have many easy games left: They still face the Seahawks and Cowboys, have two games against the Saints, and a trip to San Diego. Their easiest matchup might actually be their opponents in Week 17 ...9. Carolina Panthers (4-6)Playoff odds: 5.5 percent... the Panthers, whom the Bucs beat in Week 5. Carolinas schedule isnt much easier. The Panthers still face the Raiders, Seahawks, Chargers, Washington and the Falcons before squaring off against Tampa in the season finale. Carolinas hold-on-for-dear-life victory over the Saints on Thursday night was also its first win within the division, pushing it to 1-3 and still leaving it unlikely to win many tiebreakers in the South. FPI also gives the Panthers just a 2.6 percent chance of winning a wild-card berth, meaning that Carolina probably needs an Atlanta collapse to have a serious chance at the playoffs.Carolina is ahead of Tampa because the Panthers have looked significantly better since their bye week, but like Cincinnati, FPI cant account for an injury to a critical contributor. Sean McDermott has begun to use Luke Kuechly more frequently as a blitzer, and it has helped kick-start a moribund Panthers defense. If Kuechlys concussion keeps him out for an extended period of time, its hard to see how the Panthers will deal with opposing offenses.8. Arizona Cardinals (4-5-1)Playoff odds: 13.9 percentArguably 2016s most disappointing team, the Cardinals simply cant protect Carson Palmer as injuries have hit the offensive line. The 36-year-old QB was knocked down a staggering 15 times on 42 dropbacks by the Vikings on Sunday, and Palmer seems to be on a different page from his receivers at times, as was the case when John Brown never seemed to come off his break on what ended up as a 100-yard pick-12 by Xavier Rhodes late in the second quarter. (A pick-12, as you can probably guess, is when a quarterback turns a situation in which his team is likely to score a touchdown and instead throws a pick-six, which amounts to a 12-point swing.)Bruce Arians bunch is 1-3 in one-score games after going 13-5 over the previous three seasons, and they still have to travel to Atlanta and Seattle in the next month. They dont really have any impressive wins on their ledger, either: Theyve mostly won big when they have prevailed, but those wins have come against the Buccaneers, Jets and the 49ers twice. Four of their final six games are also on the road.7. Baltimore Ravens (5-5)Playoff odds: 25.2 percentIts all about strength of schedule. Heading into this week, the Ravens had faced what Football Outsiders deemed to be the leagues easiest schedule. Starting with Sundays game against the Cowboys, they were set to face the leagues toughest slate the rest of the way. The opposite was true for the Steelers, who were fittingly facing the Browns at the same time.Baltimore put up a fight against the leagues only 9-1 team before going down, but things wont be easy for them the rest of the way. Theyll benefit from playing a Bengals team almost surely to be without Green next week, and the jury is still out on Miami, but the Ravens still have to face the Patriots in New England and the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Joe Flacco & Co. also have to host the Eagles, who are considered to be wildly underrated by just about every advanced metric I can find.They simply needed to have more wins banked by now. They were lucky to start the year 3-0 while outscoring the opposition by just 13 points, and they were subsequently unlucky to go on a four-game losing streak while being outscored by only 18 points. Its a shame, because the Ravens do have a genuinely great defense, especially against the run, in which they were No. 1 in DVOA going into Sunday, and then held Ezekiel Elliott to 97 rushing yards on 25 carries, which is impressive given Elliotts recent standards of ridiculousness.6. Miami Dolphins (6-4)Playoff odds: 29.4 percentOut of nowhere, the Dolphins have sprinted into the AFC playoff picture. After a 1-4 start capped by an embarrassing performance against the Bengals on national television, Adam Gase finally settled on a running back in Jay Ajayi and managed to right the ship. Ajayis emergence as a workhorse back has shut off the turnover spigot for the Dolphins, who had 11 giveaways in four contests before their game against the Steelers on Oct. 16. Since then, Ryan Tannehills offense has given up the ball twice in five games, while the defense has forced nine takeaways.The downside: Their five-game winning streak doesnt hold up well under scrutiny. They beat the Steelers 30-15 in a game in which?Ben Roethlisberger was injured and mostly useless in the second half. Miami beat the Bills by three in a game in which they were really up by more until a meaningless late Buffalo touchdown, but their next three games have basically been coin flips: They won on a late kick-return touchdown against the Jets and a pick-six with 1:13 left against the Chargers as San Diego was approaching field goal range, and needed two late touchdown drives to prevail over a mostly useless Jared Goff in his first NFL start on Sunday. Theyve benefited from wildly important-but-unsustainable plays in key moments and an ugly slate of opposing quarterbacks.A ground game is there, and the defense has woken up, and they may have locked up enough wins at 6-4 to sneak in as an average football team because the remaining schedule isnt tough: They still have the 49ers, Ravens, Cardinals, Jets and Bills to play before a Week 17 tilt against the Patriots, who might not have anything to play for and would presumably sit the likes of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. FPI may very well be underestimating their chances at this point.5. Buffalo Bills (5-5)Playoff odds: 30.2 percentThe unlucky Bills finally caught a break: After going 0-4 in games decided by a touchdown or less this season, they did enough on offense and took advantage of the injuries to Green and Bernard to beat the Bengals 16-12. (It didnt help the Bills, to be fair, when they lost Shady McCoy to a thumb injury, although Mike Gillislee was effective in McCoys absence.) It wasnt pretty, but the Bills did enough to win in Cincy.The Bills also will be favored this upcoming week, when they face the Jaguars at home in Buffalo, but its tough to see that turning into a winning streak, as they travel to Oakland in Week 13. The good news: Four of their final six games are at home, including tilts against the Jags and Browns, and the other road trip is to face the lowly Jets in Week 17. The problem is they dont hold up well in tiebreakers. The Bills already have lost to wild-card contenders such as the Ravens and Dolphins, and theyre 2-4 in AFC contests so far this year. The Raiders, Steelers and Dolphins tilts will be critical as the Bills try to sneak in with a 9-7 or 10-6 record.4. Philadelphia Eagles (5-5)Playoff odds: 27.8 percentOne of the best teams in football, the Eagles would be the class of a division like the AFC South this season. Instead, theyre trapped in the suddenly scary NFC East, where Philly may have fallen too far behind. The 9-1 Cowboys are likely out of reach, but the Eagles are now two games behind the Giants and 1.5 games behind Washington, both of whom hold the tiebreaker over Philadelphia. At just 3-5 in the NFC, the Eagles have to hope for a head-to-head wild-card quandary against the Vikings and Falcons. Philly beat both of those teams, but theyre also huge favorites to each win their respective divisions, leaving them immune to a challenge by Doug Pedersons team.Its a shame, because the Eagles have been footballs most underrated team this year, even given the hype from their 3-0 start. They were No. 1 in DVOA heading into this week and wont fall far even after losing to the second-ranked Seahawks. Sunday was their first loss of the season by more than a touchdown, while each of their five victories have been by more than one score, including comfortable wins over the Steelers, Vikings and Falcons.There are no easy victories the rest of the way for Philadelphia. They get desperate teams in the Packers and Bengals over the next two weeks, and then mix in a game against the Ravens amid a series of three showdowns with their NFC East brethren. Four of those six games are at home, which helps. Their game against Green Bay next Monday looms as absolutely critical; if they lose at home to the Packers, the Eagles probably will need to run the table to have any hope of winning a wild-card berth given their dismal tiebreaker situation.3. New Orleans Saints (4-6)Playoff odds: 15.3 percentThis could have been so much easier for the Saints if they had just managed to come up with some late-game heroics. They lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Broncos two weeks ago on a blocked extra point that would have given them the lead with 1:22 left, then saw a frantic comeback come up three points short against the Panthers on Thursday. With a little luck earlier in the season, the Saints could easily be 6-4 or better right now and be primed to compete with the teams in the NFC East for the wild card.Itll be tougher now, but the Saints have a shot. Their schedule the rest of the way is not exactly scary: They host the Rams and Lions over the next two weeks, play a home-and-home with the Bucs, and travel to Arizona before a season-ending trip to Atlanta. The Falcons currently hold the tiebreaker over the Saints, but theyre only ahead by two games with six to play. The Saints need a little help from the Panthers in Week 16 to prevent the Falcons from creating a tiebreaker firewall, but its hardly out of the question that the Saints could travel to Atlanta in Week 17 with a shot at winning the division. That hasnt gone well for the Falcons in the past.2. Green Bay Packers (4-6)Playoff odds: 11.4 percentIts dangerous to put the Packers this high. Theyre on a four-game losing streak, of course, and it has felt more traumatic than even that might indicate. The Packers have allowed 153 points over their past four games, including 30 points in each of those contests, the first time theyve done that in 63 years. Concerns about the offense have given way to brutally terrifying performances from an anonymous, vanilla defense.The blame for the defense goes everywhere. Injuries have sapped the secondary of top corner Sam Shields, out since the opener with a concussion. Clay Matthews has missed three games with a hamstring problem and came back in only limited duty this week. Ted Thompson chose not to re-sign Casey Hayward in free agency and let him leave for San Diego, where he has been above average, choosing instead to rely upon 2015 first- and second-round picks Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins to play bigger roles. Rollins has struggled and Randall is another injury casualty.With Matthews absent, the pass rush has disappeared, which has been a disaster. When Dom Capers hasnt blitzed, the Packers defense ranks 30th in QBR allowed at 77.0. (For reference, during his MVP campaign in 2014, Aaron Rodgers posted a QBR of 81.3.) Teams have used the extra time to destroy the Packers downfield. Theyre allowing a 99.5 QBR on throws 16 or more yards downfield, worst in the league, while the 123.0 passer rating theyre giving up on those passes is fifth in the league. The four teams behind them are the Browns, Bucs, Jags and 49ers, a combined 8-33. Opposing receivers arent afraid of the Green Bay secondary, either, as it has dropped a league-low 1.8 percent of passes.The best hope for the Packers to return to adequacy is Matthews, who should get healthier as the weeks go on. It helps that hell have an extra day of rest before next Mondays critical game against Philadelphia. The Packers then face the Texans and Seahawks at home before touring the rest of the NFC North to end their season, with road games against the Bears and Lions sandwiching a home tilt against the Vikings. Theyre 2-1 in the North, which helps, and currently would hold a tiebreaker over the Lions. Their journey to the playoffs is basically to hold serve by beating the Eagles and Texans, sweep those three North games, and hope that the Vikings slip to sneak into the playoffs as division champs at 9-7. Its not implausible, but it certainly feels like the Packers are closer to falling apart than any of their competitors in the North right now.1. Indianapolis Colts (5-5)Playoff odds: 24.5 percentIll take the Colts as the top potential playoff crasher, because the Texans arent exactly in great shape. Houston is a six-point underdog against the Raiders in Mexico City on Monday night, and if they lose, theyll be just one game ahead of the Colts with the tiebreaker and six games to play. Houston would still be favored to make the playoffs in that scenario, but theyre just a bad football team; the Texans were 30th in DVOA heading into this week, trapped between the 49ers and Jets among the absolute worst teams in football on a play-by-play basis. The Colts werent much better, at 27th, but Houston was closer to Cleveland (dead last) than they were to Indy.Houston and Indy both have three home games left after Week 11, including one against the Jaguars. The Colts have to travel to face the Raiders (in Oakland as opposed to Mexico City) and Vikings, but their other road trip is to play the Jets. The Texans travel to face the Titans and Packers in addition to, quite crucially, the Colts. The clear advantage for the Texans is that they host the Chargers, while the Colts have to face the Steelers in Indy on Thanksgiving night. The other problem for the Colts is that the Texans are currently 3-0 in the division, while Indy is 2-2.The Titans could still run interference here, but the Colts have a win in hand, and if the Texans collapse over the second half -- and teams who go 5-0 in one-score games through nine contests dont exactly have a great track record in keeping that sort of stuff up -- the Colts are well-positioned to take advantage and regain the AFC South.China Jerseys Wholesale . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. China Jerseys Cheap . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/ . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Fake China Jerseys . The Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers all won on Sunday meaning the Rangers will host the Rays in a play-in game on Monday. China Jerseys Stitched . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford.Lets just cut out all the drumroll surrounding who the best player in the country has been after eight weeks -- the answer is Lamar Jackson, ?just as it was after four weeks.We asked 10 writers to grade players from across the country on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best performance possible. Jacksons total: 10 perfect scores.After the Louisville quarterback, though, things got interesting ... and very Alabama-heavy. Here are our experts top 50 players after eight weeks.Lamar Jackson Louisville Cardinals Sophomore | Quarterback Score: 10.0 Previous rank: 1Jackson has scored 34 total touchdowns and has done nothing to tamp down the Heisman hype surrounding him. He is averaging over 100 yards rushing and over 300 yards passing per game, and he ranks No. 2 in the nation in total offense (438.4 yards per game). -- Andrea AdelsonJabrill Peppers Michigan Wolverines Junior | Linebacker Score: 9.6 Previous rank: 4Not only can Michigans do-it-all redshirt sophomore affect a game from almost anywhere on the field, he can do it on almost any play. On offense, defense and special teams, the linebacker keeps opponents on edge by consistently being one spin move or quick burst from scoring. -- Dan MurphyJonathan Allen Alabama Crimson Tide Senior | Defensive lineman? Score: 9.5 Previous rank: 6 Given his size and ability to play inside, hes not just a pass-rusher. But since the beginning of last season, he ranks in the top five nationally in sacks with 18. -- Alex ScarboroughJake Browning Washington Huskies Sophomore | Quarterback Score: 9.45 Previous rank: 43The sophomore leads Power 5 quarterbacks in passer efficiency (199.6) and has kept the offense running smoothly this season. Browning has completed 68.6 percent of his passes and thrown for 26 touchdowns against just two interceptions. -- Chantel JenningsDonnel Pumphrey San Diego State Aztecs Senior | Running back Score: 9.4 Previous rank: 27Pumphrey leads all FBS running backs with 1,246 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 191 carries and 34 rushes of 10-plus yards. He has converted 71.4 percent of his third-down rushes. -- Chantel JenningsDerek Barnett Tennessee Volunteers Junior | Defensive end Score: 9.35 Previous rank: 10 Barnett has been one of the SECs best overall players with six sacks (all in SEC play), 11.5 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, three passes defended, one interception and two forced fumbles. Both of those forced fumbles led to Tennessee touchdowns. -- Edward AschoffMyles Garrett Texas A&M Aggies Junior | Defensive lineman Score: 9.3 Previous rank: 3A lower leg injury suffered in late September has slowed the elite defensive end down some, but Garrett remains productive, leading the Aggies in both sacks (four) and tackles for loss (9.5) to go with seven quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. -- Sam Khan Jr.Deshaun Watson Clemson Tigers Junior | Quarterback Score: 9.25 Previous rank: 23Entering the year, Watson was the odds-on pick for the Heisman, and while some of that luster has worn off, he still has his Tigers at the top of the ACC and eyeing a playoff berth. And while the offense hasnt always been sharp, Watson is actually ahead of last years pace as a passer, throwing for 1,950 yards and 20 touchdowns through seven games. -- David M. HaleDede Westbrook Oklahoma Sooners Senior | Wide receiver Score: 9.2 Previous: Unranked Westbrook has rolled up 776 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns over OUs last four games, shattering school records in both categories over such a span. Hes now one of only two Sooners ever to record multiple 200-yard receiving games. And despite playing only a season and a half in Norman, hes already 12th in OU history in career receiving yards. -- Jake TrotterTim Williams Alabama Crimson Tide Senior | Linebacker Score: 9.15 Previous: Unranked Youre not going to find a more dangerous pass-rusher off the edge. On third down, with his ears pinned back, Williams is an absolute blur. Mixing speed with strength, the senior leads Alabama with 6.5 sacks. -- Alex ScarboroughReuben Foster Alabama Crimson Tide Senior | Linebacker Score: 9.1 Previous: Unranked The quarterback of one of the best defenses in the country, the ultra-athletic senior leads Alabama with 53 total tackles. -- Alex ScarboroughRaekwon McMillan Ohio State Buckeyes Junior | Linebacker Score: 9.05 Previous rank: 14The juniors numbers may be down a bit, but he remains the linchpin for one of the nations best defenses. McMillan rarely misses a tackle, and his leadership with so many first-time starters around him is invaluable. -- Austin WardTeez Tabor Florida Gators Junior | Defensive back Score: 9.0 Previous rank: 22Its a shame he isnt a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. Tabor has taken full advantage of the few passes thrown his way, defending five passes with four interceptions, including one going back for a touchdown against Missouri. -- Edward AschoffMinkah Fitzpatrick Alabama Crimson Tide Sophomore | Defensive back Score: 8.95 Previous: Unranked Hes still just a sophomore, but Fitzpatrick is arguably the most versatile Alabama defensive back given his ability to play both cornerback and nickel back. He leads the team with three interceptions and five pass breakups. -- Alex ScarboroughDalvin Cook Florida State Seminoles Junior | Running back Score: 8.9 Previous rank: 19A slow start and the criticisms that followed fueled Cook to the best four-game stretch over his career. The past four games, hes rushed for 672 yards and totaled five touchdowns. No Power 5 running back has more than his 900 rushing yards. An improved receiver, he leads all Power 5 players with 1,256 scrimmage yards. -- Jared ShankerChristian Wilkins Clemson Tigers Sophomore | Defensive lineman Score: 8.85 Previous rank: 30Its not often a 300-pounder gets labeled an all-around athlete, but thats been Wilkins this year. Hes played tight end and fullback, caught a TD pass and run for a first down on a fake punt. He stars on special teams and has blocked a field goal. And when Clemson needed a pass-rusher following an injury to starter Austin Bryant in camp, Wilkins slid from tackle to end. Hes racked up a team-high 8.5 tackles for loss since. -- David M. HaleJourdan Lewis Michigan Wolverines Senior | Cornerback Score: 8.8 Previous: Unranked Michigans top cover corner is back to top form after missing the first few weeks of the season with nagging injuries. His Jumpman-mimicking interception against Wisconsin may be his only major highlight so far this year, but his suffocating defense on every snap has helped the Wolverines hold opposing quarterbacks to six combined completions in their past two games. -- Dan MurphyEddie Jackson Alabama Crimson Tide Senior | Defensive back Score: 8.75 Previous rank: 18He was arguably Alabamas best playmaker until a fractured leg ended his season. Alabamas 12 non-offensive touchdowns have been the buzz of 2016, and Jackson had three of them -- two via punt return and one on a pick-six. -- Alex ScarboroughArden Key LSU Tigers Sophomore | Defensive end Score: 8.7 Previous rank: 7 In a conference loaded with dynamic pass-rushers, Key arguably has been the SECs best. He leads the league and is tied for third nationally with eight sacks in seven games. -- David ChingMalik Hooker Ohio State Buckeyes Sophomore | Defensive back Score: 8.65 Previous rank: 21 One of the biggest mysteries coming into the season, the redshirt sophomore safety has rapidly emerged as one of the nations most dynamic playmakers. With as many interceptions as tackles for loss (four), Hooker has been a factor all over the field for the Buckeyes. -- Austin WardZach Cunningham Vanderbilt Commodores Junior | Linebacker Score: 8.6 Previous: Unranked As we hit the homestretch, Cunningham leads the SEC with 85 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss. His signature moment came against Georgia when he made a game-clinching tackle on fourth down. -- Greg OstendorfPatrick Mahomes II Texas Tech Junior | Quarterback Score: 8.55 Previous rank: 28The nations most prolific passer is up to 3,550 total yards and 35 total touchdowns after his jaw-dropping 819-yard performance against Oklahoma. Hed be firmly in the Heisman Trophy conversation right now if Tech were winning more games. -- Max OlsonEjuan Price Pittsburgh Panthers Senior | Defensive lineman Score: 8.5 Previous: Unranked Price is making the most of his sixth year at Pitt, as he leads the nation in sacks (nine) and is fourth nationally in tackles for loss (13), in addition to forcing three fumbles. These numbers are all the more impressive considering all of the double-teams Price has seen in light of a season-ending injury to fellow end Dewayne Hendrix. -- Matt FortunaDesmond King Iowa Hawkeyes Senior | Defensive back Score: 8.45 Previous rank: 15The reigning Thorpe Award winner for nations best defensive back remains a force, even as fewer teams throw in his direction. Two weeks ago, he returned an interception against Purdue 41 yards for a touchdown, proving once again why its a mistake to test him. -- Jesse TempleJ.T. Barrett Ohio State Buckeyes Junior | Quarterback Score: 8.4 Previous rank: 5 Records continue to fall for him, but lately the Buckeyes have hit a rut onn offense thanks to some issues at wide receiver and with pass protection.dddddddddddd Still, nobody seems to make more out of tough situations than Barrett, who already has accounted for 23 touchdowns. -- Austin WardJalen Hurts Alabama Crimson Tide Freshman | Quarterback Score: 8.35 Previous: Unranked Give the frosh some Heisman love, as hes perfected the zone-read at Alabama with 2,070 total yards of offense and 20 touchdowns. Hes completed 62.7 percent of his passes against ranked opponents and is averaging 65.1 rushing yards per game this season. --?Edward AschoffDeMarcus Walker Florida State Seminoles Senior | Defensive end Score: 8.3 Previous rank: 11The decision to come back for his senior season is paying dividends for Walker, who nearly opted to declare for the draft after a junior season with 10.5 sacks. Through seven games this year, Walker has 8.5 sacks, which ranks second nationally. He had 4.5 sacks against Ole Miss alone, which put him in a category with the likes of Jadeveon Clowney and Ndamukong Suh. -- Jared ShankerBudda Baker Washington Huskies Junior | Defensive back Score: 8.25 Previous: Unranked The junior has been a leader for the tough Washington defense, contributing all over the field -- 31 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, one interception, one forced fumble. --Chantel JenningsCarl Lawson Auburn Tigers Junior | Defensive lineman Score: 8.2 Previous rank: 20For the first time since 2013, Lawson has yet to miss a game. It should come as no surprise, then, that fully healthy hes among the SEC leaders with eight tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hurries. -- Greg OstendorfBaker Mayfield Oklahoma Sooners Junior | Quarterback Score: 8.15 Previous: UnrankedAfter a slow start -- by his standards -- that all but derailed his Heisman candidacy, the junior has outperformed all quarterbacks nationally over the past four weeks. In Big 12 play, he leads the nation in passing yardage, touchdown passes and QBR. -- Mitch ShermanJamal Adams LSU Tigers Junior | Defensive back Score: 8.1 Previous: UnrankedAdams continues to play a Tyrann Mathieu-like role for LSUs defense, frequently making big plays that turn games in the Tigers favor. Second-half disruptive plays by Adams helped LSU slam the door on each of their past two opponents. -- David ChingPat Elflein Ohio State Buckeyes Senior | Offensive lineman Score: 8.05 Previous rank: 12The decision to return for another season and move to center was a wise one for Elflein. Hes shown few problems handling snapping duties while continuing to be a physical blocker, boosting his draft stock and providing leadership for three new starters on the line. -- Austin WardAmba Etta-Tawo Syracuse Orange Senior | Wide receiver Score: 8.0 Previous: UnrankedEtta-Tawo has taken the ACC by storm in his one and only year after moving over as a graduate transfer from Maryland. Etta-Tawo is second nationally in receiving yards (1,074), tied for fourth in receptions (66) and leads the ACC with seven touchdown receptions. His six 100-yard games this season place him fifth on Syracuses career list. -- Matt FortunaEvan Engram Ole Miss Rebels Senior | Tight end Score: 7.95 Previous rank: 16Before Saturdays clunker against LSU, Engram was averaging six catches for 98 yards per game. Even after Saturday, he still leads all SEC players -- both wide receivers and tight ends -- with 605 receiving yards on the season. ?-- Greg OstendorfBen Boulware Clemson Tigers Senior | Linebacker Score: 7.9 Previous rank: 25Boulware has come to be known for his relentless play throughout the course of his career, and this season is no different. He ranks No. 3 in the ACC in tackles per game (9.5), while adding six pressures and two forced fumbles. -- Andrea AdelsonT.J. Watt Wisconsin Badgers Junior | Linebacker Score: 7.85 Previous: UnrankedWatts ascension has been remarkable for a guy who has played only linebacker for about 15 months after moving over from tight end. He ranks second in the Big Ten in sacks, fourth in tackles for loss and continues to improve every game. Scary. -- Jesse TempleEthan Pocic LSU Tigers Senior | Offensive lineman Score: 7.8 Previous: UnrankedPocic is back at center after temporarily shifting to tackle to help LSU cope with injury issues. The seniors mental acuity is extremely valuable to the Tigers, as are his versatility and impressive agility for a 6-foot-7 center. -- David ChingChad Hansen California Golden Bears Junior | Wide receiver Score: 7.75 Previous rank: 44Hansen sat out last week against Oregon with an injury, but he still ranks in the top 15 in FBS in receptions (ninth, 59 catches), touchdowns (12th, eight touchdowns) and receiving yards (15th, 770 yards). -- Chantel JenningsLeonard Fournette LSU Tigers Junior | Running back Score: 7.7 Previous rank: 24The man misses a month and then immediately shatters LSUs single-game rushing record with 284 yards in his return. And get this: Fournette says his ankle was not fully healthy and that he was out of shape against Ole Miss. -- David ChingCalvin Ridley Alabama Crimson Tide Sophomore | Wide receiver Score: 7.65 Previous rank: 29For four games this season, hes essentially been a decoy with less than 30 yards receiving per contest. And still, despite that, he ranks fourth in the SEC in receiving yards with 504. As true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts becomes more comfortable as a passer, Ridleys numbers should improve. -- Alex ScarboroughAdoree Jackson USC Trojans Junior | Defensive back Score: 7.6 Preseason rank: 31Jackson continues to be one of the most dynamic players in the country. His stat line is a testament to that: 34 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, 11 punt returns (171 yards, one touchdown) and 11 kick returns (349 yards, one touchdown). -- Chantel JenningsCam Robinson Alabama Crimson Tide Junior | Offensive lineman Score: 7.55 Previous: UnrankedRobinson probably would admit that he hasnt been as consistent as hed like, but Robinson still projects as a top-20 draft pick. Hes helped Alabama average an SEC-high 108.8 rushing yards to the left side per game against Power 5 opponents. -- Edward AschoffJames Washington Oklahoma State Cowboys Junior | Wide receiver Score: 7.5 Previous rank: 41Few receivers are more explosive. Just ask Pitt, against which Washington caught six passes for 228 yards -- all in the first half. With 740 receiving yards on 37 catches this fall as a junior, he has etched a spot among the OSU pass-catching greats. -- Mitch ShermanCarlos Watkins Clemson Tigers Senior | Defensive line Score: 7.45 Previous: UnrankedFew interior linemen are as disruptive as Watkins, who ranks second among ACC defensive tackles with 4.5 sacks and has been an anchor on a defensive line that has allowed just 2.01 yards per rush between the tackles this season, the fifth-best rate in the Power 5. More than his on-field performance, however, Clemsons coaches have raved about Watkins leadership role on a line playing numerous inexperienced players. -- David M. HaleTrayveon Williams Texas A&M Aggies Freshman | Running back Score: 7.4 Previous: UnrankedThe true freshman has been one of the SECs surprise players, emerging as one of the conferences most productive backs. Hes second in the conference in rushing yards per game (103.9), third in yards per carry (7.99) and is third in total rushing yards (727) despite averaging only 13 carries per game. -- Sam KhanSaquon Barkley Penn State Nittany Lions Sophomore | Running back Score: 7.35 Previous: UnrankedDespite running behind one of the worst offensive lines in the Big Ten, Barkley remains one of the conferences best. Only three backs in the Power 5 have rushed for more than Barkleys eight touchdowns. -- Josh MoyerLuke Falk Washington State Cougars Junior | Quarterback Score: 7.3 Previous: UnrankedFalk leads the nation in pass completion percentage (72.7), which is tough to do when considering that he has attempted 348 passes. He has thrown for 19 touchdowns and 24 passes of 20-plus yards. -- Chantel JenningsMontravius Adams Auburn Tigers Senior | Defensive lineman Score: 7.25 Previous: UnrankedCarl Lawson might get more attention on Auburns defensive line, but dont forget about Adams. The senior defensive tackle has 44 tackles, including three for loss. Plus, hes also forced two fumbles and returned another for a touchdown. -- Greg OstendorfSeth Russell Baylor Bears Senior | Quarterback Score: 7.2 Previous rank: 34Russell is flying under the radar a little this season despite an undefeated start and solid numbers (1,772 total yards, 21 touchdowns), but that should change soon now that Baylor has some huge ballgames coming up. -- Max OlsonGreg Ward Jr. Houston Cougars Senior | Quarterback Score: 7.1 Previous rank: 8The senior is having his best season as a passer with a career-high 69.3 percent completion rate (seventh best in the FBS), 2,179 yards and 13 touchdown passes, both of which are on pace to surpass his career bests. Hes still one of the nations best rushing quarterbacks, averaging 59.6 yards per game on the ground (12th best nationally). -- Sam Khan ' ' '