NFL Week 12 Power Rankings: Thanksgiving Edition

Another week, another ranking. This one, I want to give thanks. We are in a week where we are thankful to celebrate Thanksgiving. I want this to be a happy power rankings so I will start by saying a couple of things I am thankful for. I am thankful for my Small Ballers partners, Trevor Redick and Ben O’Brien without whom I couldn’t produce the Small Baller Podcast (go check it out). Of course, I am thankful for my friends and family as well. In this article, I will highlight one player whom each team is thankful for.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (8-2)

Player to be thankful for: TE Travis Kelce

There is a ton of guys the Chiefs could be thankful for but I settled on the best TE in football, Travis Kelce. He is the top-rated TE by PFF (Pro Football Focus) and immensely impacts the Chiefs’ offense. Creed Humphrey, Chris Jones, and Patrick Mahomes all rated the top two at their respective positions and would have been great picks here.

2. Buffalo Bills (7-3)

Player to be thankful for: WR Stefon Diggs

Of the 117 rated WRs on PFF, Diggs is number two. He is a game-changing talent that has helped lead the Bills to an impressive 7-3 record even though the last couple of weeks have been a bit rough. Josh Allen has also made a huge impact but for me, Diggs is the one this year to be truly thankful for.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (9-1)

Player to be thankful for: C Jason Kelce

The brother of Travis Kelce is another piece in the Eagles’ offense that cannot be placed. He has an 82.1 PPF rating which is third among all centers. The 6th round draft pick from 2011 is widely considered one of the best centers in the league.

4. Minnesota Vikings (8-2)

Player to be thankful for: OT Christan Darrisaw

Darrisaw is in his second year in the league and has already solidified his ability at the tackle position. The 23rd overall pick has over an 80 PFF rating in pass and run blocking.

5. San Francisco 49ers (6-4)

Player to be thankful for: OT Trent Williams

Staying with the big guys, we have Trent Williams. Williams is considered PFF’s top OT and really his whole career has been like this. He has been rated the top OT in five of his 13 NFL seasons.

6. Dallas Cowboys (7-3)

Player to be thankful for: LB Micah Parsons

I think we all knew where this was going. Micah Parsons was rated as the best LB in his rookie season last year and took the league by storm. This season, he has been rated the second-best LB but his rating overall has actually increased since the season prior.

7. Baltimore Ravens (7-3)

Player to be thankful for: S Kyle Hamilton and S Geno Stone

I know I have two guys listed but this is my article, so it is my rules. The Ravens signed one of the best safeties in the off-season, Marcus Williams who has been sidelined for quite a while. In his absence, the Ravens have the first and third-rated safeties, Kyle Hamilton and Geno Stone.

8. Miami Dolphins (7-3)

Player to be thankful for: QB Tua Tagovailoa

Another team that has a lot of really solid players but I picked Tua here. In every game Tua has played, they have won. In every game Tua hasn’t played, they have lost. I feel like this pick makes the most sense.

9. Tennessee Titans (7-3)

Player to be thankful for: RB Derrick Henry

I think every year Derrick Henry plays he gets a little bit scarier. He is one of the best RBs in the league and this year has been no exception. He has over 1,000 yards, 10 TDs, and is averaging 4.4 yards per carry which has carried the Titans to first place in the AFC South.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-4)

Player to be thankful for: DE Trey Hendrickson

Last year, the 2017 3rd-round draft pick was the signing of the season. He was top five in sacks in the league and helped the Bengals make a Super Bowl appearance. This year hasn’t been quite as magical, but still pretty damn good. He is ranked 7th for DEs by PFF.

11. New England Patriots (6-4)

Player to be thankful for: CB Jack Jones

It is weird to put a rookie on this list but Jack Jones has played at an insanely high level. One year out of losing JC Jackson to the Chargers in free agency, it seems like Belichik has simply reloaded with what seems to be an invaluable piece.

12. New York Giants (7-3)

Player to be thankful for: OT Andrew Thomas

The 2020 forth overall pick has had an incredibly rocky start to his career. He finished as the 59th-rated OT in his rookie year but this year he has looked completely different. Ranked as the 2nd OT has shown the progress he has made.

13. Los Angeles Chargers (5-5)

Player to be thankful for: LB Khalil Mack

A solidified top LB in the game, Mack has had another amazing season. His 7 sacks are a great stat, especially for someone who has played all over the field. He has also forced two fumbles.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5)

Player to be thankful for: OT Tristan Wirfs

Wirfs has now had multiple seasons being a top-five OT for an upper-half team. The Bucs haven’t had a great year but having a consistent top-five OT is 100% something to be thankful for.

15. New York Jets (6-4)

Player to be thankful for: CB Sauce Gardner

Look it has been quite a while since I can confidently say a whole rookie draft class has worked out in their first year but that has been the case this year for the Jets, From Breece Hall to Garrett Wilson to Sauce Gardner, it was a great draft. Gardner is currently a top-five corner in the league as a rookie and is only going up from here.

16. Atlanta Falcons (5-6)

Player to be thankful for: OG Chris Lindstrom

The 2019 first-round pick has improved all four years of his career and this year has cemented himself as the top guard in the league. I am sure he is in line for a big payday.

17. Washington Commanders (6-5)

Player to be thankful for: S Kamren Curl

S Kamren Curl was a seventh-round pick in the 2020 draft at 216. Not expecting much, they actually got the second highest rated safety on a much-improved defense. Good drafting = winning football.

18. Green Bay Packers (4-7)

Player to be thankful for: RB Aaron Jones

As the Packers have struggled, Aaron Jones has been really good for another year. On only 143 carries, Jones is averaging 5.4 yards per carry which rank third amongst RBs who have over 100 carries.

19. Seattle Seahawks (6-4)

Player to be thankful for: QB Geno Smith

Who woulda thought Geno Smith would be the guy the Seahawks would be thankful for? As the fifth-rated QB in the league this year, Geno seems to have quite a lot left in the tank and should have a future with the team.

20. Arizona Cardinals (4-7)

Player to be thankful for: DE JJ Watt

This was a difficult team to look up players doing well this year. Frankly, no one has done even remotely well on this team but I landed on Watt as he has 5.5 sacks and 7 tackles for a loss.

21. New Orleans Saints (4-7)

Player to be thankful for: WR Chris Olave

Olave as a rookie has been the 9th-rated WR and almost single-handedly carrying the passing offense for the Saints. He has 760 yards on 51 catches putting together an impressive season.

22. Cleveland Browns (3-7)

Player to be thankful for: DE Myles Garrett

The top-rated DE is playing the best football in his career. 8.5 sacks in 9 games is an impressive stat, to say the least. Really the only shining light on a poor defense.

23. Chicago Bears (3-8)

Player to be thankful for: No one

The Bears for whatever reason have tossed aside most of their core pieces. Really, there are no notable players to put in this section. Sorry, Bears fans.

24. Las Vegas Raiders (2-7)

Player to be thankful for: RB Josh Jacobs

To my surprise, Josh Jacobs is the top-ranked RB in the NFL this year. I genuinely couldn’t believe he was number one but here we are. He has 930 yards on the season and is averaging 5.1 yards a carry.

25. Detroit Lions (4-6)

Player to be thankful for: C Frank Ragnow

The Lions got themselves the 4th-rated center in the league. A really surprisingly good offensive line has led to a really solid offensive team. Ragnow has only allowed two sacks on the year.

26. Indianapolis Colts (4-6-1)

Player to be thankful for: CB Isaiah Rodgers

Isaiah Rodgers has been a top-flight corner this year. He has only had 10 receptions on 12 TARGETS. 12 targets the entire year is an absolutely wild stat.

27. Los Angeles Rams (3-7)

Player to be thankful for: LB Bobby Wagner

I really wanted the Ravens to win the Bobby Wagner lottery in the off-season but here he is as the highest-rated LB in football on a different team. He has been rated a top-5 LB six times in his career.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7)

Player to be thankful for: LB Josh Allen

Not a ton of bright stars on the Jags this year but I picked Allen. He has three sacks on the year and two forced fumbles.

29. Denver Broncos (3-7)

Player to be thankful for: CB Patrick Surtain II

Another team that doesn’t have many highly-rated players but Surtain is one of the best young stars in the league. He has been targeted a lot this year but is a top-10 CB on the year.

30. Carolina Panthers (3-8)

Player to be thankful for: P Johnny Hekker

I quite honestly didn’t know who to put here. It has been a disaster of a season for the Panthers and it seems to be only the start. A lot of rebuilding in their future.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-7)

Player to be thankful for: DL Cam Hayward

Cam Hayward has been one of the best defensive linemen for a long time. He has established this place and even on this bad Steelers team, he is still the 5th best DL this year in the NFL.

32. Houston Texans (1-8-1)

Player to be thankful for: RB Dameon Pierce

What a year for the 4th-round rookie who has burst onto the scene. He is one of the league leaders in broken tackles and has a bright future in the NFL.