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Hurts, my MVP front-runner, has taken major strides as a player in Year 3, and his vast improvement has the Eagles sitting pretty atop the ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøat 12-1. I'm not going to lie, I've been waiting for Hurts' level of play to dip, but to his credit, it hasn't. He's only played better with each passing week. This ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch nugget fully illustrates how well the Eagles' QB1 has played in 2022: Hurts is on course to be the only QB in ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøhistory with a 100-plus passer rating (108.4) and at least 10 rush TDs (10) in a season. The Lions' offense has been one of the biggest surprises of the season and Goff deserves a lot of credit. Detroit ranks fourth in total offense and his play over the last six games -- a span in which the Lions went 5-1 -- has been superb, as he's completed 67.2 percent of his passes with a 10:1 TD-to-INT ratio. He has the Lions in the playoff hunt for the first time in years. Surprisingly, the other deserving NFC North quarterback isn't the reigning MVP. Fields has made the Bears' offense watchable again as he's set numerous league rushing records in Year 2. Avoiding injury is key for Chicago's young QB but there's no doubt that he's improving in all aspects right in front of our eyes.

McCaffrey was great in Carolina and has been equally stellar in Kyle Shanahan's system, obtaining an even larger role of late with Brock Purdy under center. With 1,412 scrimmage yards in 2022, CMC has the second-most scrimmage yards of all time by someone who played for multiple teams in a single season. (He's just 48 yards shy of Eric Dickerson's record.) Hot out of the gate, Barkley's production has dipped significantly since Week 11. He's averaging 54 scrimmage yards per game after amassing 125.3 yards per game in Weeks 1 through 10. Despite the slump, he is the NFC's leading rusher right now and has been instrumental in the Giants' turnaround in 2022. Sanders is having his best season to date after surpassing 1,000 rush yards in a season for the first time in his career. Sanders and dual-threat QB Jalen Hurts are one of the most dangerous QB-RB combos in the NFL, evidenced by Philly's second-ranked rushing attack. The dynamic ground game will pay dividends in the postseason.

Fullbacks rarely get the credit they deserve, but the 49ers' versatile usage of Juszczyk makes him one of the more well-known players at the position. This season, the 10th-year pro has caught 18 of 22 targets for 174 yards and a touchdown. He should have no problem securing his seventh Pro Bowl nod.

What more can be said about Jefferson? He's a record-setting machine. As the first wide receiver in ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøhistory with at least 1,400 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons, Jefferson has done it all for the 10-3 Vikings. His elite route running, body control and hands allow him to regularly make big-time plays even when double- or triple-teamed. It looks like Jefferson was right when predicting back in July that he'd be the NFL's best wideout by season's end. Brown has taken the Eagles' offense to another level, as he's been a reliable target even when blanketed by defenders. The first Eagles wide receiver with 1,000-plus receiving yards since Jeremy Maclin in 2014, Brown's receiving TD total so far this season (10) is only one fewer than all Eagles wideouts had combined in 2021. Lockett has quietly put together an impressive campaign as a trustworthy target for Geno Smith. Lockett has a team-high eight TD receptions and is well on his way to his fourth straight 1,000-yard receiving campaign. Lamb has embraced his WR1 role in the Cowboys' offense and is on the way to a career season. With four games remaining, he's posted 961 receiving yards and six TDs, and has helped the Cowboys become one of the most explosive offenses in the second half of the season. 

The Vikings didn't waste any time getting Hockenson involved after trading for him prior to Week 9. Since the trade, he is second on the team in targets, receptions and receiving yards. Among all tight ends this season, Hockenson's 62 catches and 697 receiving yards rank second behind only Travis Kelce in each category. Kittle has had a relatively quiet season through the air, hauling in 42 receptions for 500 yards and four touchdowns, but his presence in the run game goes unmatched. His blocking ability is partly what makes the 49ers' rushing attack superb year after year no matter who carries the rock.

The 49ers' star left tackle is once again the league's top player at his position, with the highest PFF overall grade (94.2) league-wide through 14 weeks. Williams, who's missed three games this season due to injury, also has the highest run-blocking grade (93.6) among offensive tackles with a minimum of 100 snaps. It's no surprise at this stage of his career but the 12th-year pro, who has allowed only one sack in 345 pass-blocking snaps this season, has been instrumental in helping keep San Francisco's carousel of QBs upright. A key cog along Minnesota's improving O-line, Darrisaw has played a huge role in keeping Kirk Cousins upright, earning PFF's second-highest grade (90.0) among offensive tackles. He's been missed while out with a concussion but Minnesota in a potential division-clinching game against the Colts in Week 15. Wirfs has lived up to his draft standing since entering the league in 2020. With the second-highest pass-blocking grade among tackles this season, Wirfs has allowed just six sacks (one this season) in his three-year career. The Bucs are the envy of most of the league when it comes to their franchise right tackle, who is currently working his way back from an ankle injury.

It's been a rocky season overall for Atlanta's offense, but Lindstrom has been a bright spot all year long. The fourth-year pro boasts PFF's second-highest overall grade (93.8) among players with at least 325 snaps this season (behind only nine-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams). Jenkins thrives as a run-blocker, playing a big part in Justin Fields' record-setting campaign. The second-year player has the third-best overall grade among guards. A number of guards could have taken this final spot but Seumalo's contribution to Philly's dominant offensive performance this season earned him the nod. With PFF's fifth-best overall grade among guards, the seventh-year pro has shown consistency in both the run and pass games, as he's helped Philly rack up 162.2 rush yards per game and allowed only one sack on 483 pass-blocking snaps in 2022.

Kelce boasts the highest PFF grade (89.9) among centers as he's paved the way for the Eagles' much-improved offense, which ranks third in total offense. Kelce is an ageless wonder -- he's still playing at a high level at 35 years old. Ragnow gets the final spot after quietly putting together a solid 2022 campaign. He's a steady anchor, earning the fourth-highest PFF grade (80.3) among centers through 14 weeks, for a Lions offense that's taken the league by storm.