Lions Best Players By Position At Midway Point Of Season (Part 1)
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
The Lions are right back where they started through eight games of the 2016 season, with as many wins as losses. They sit in third place in the NFC North and ninth place in the NFC, half a game out of a wild card spot.
After Detroit's loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, Jim Caldwell summed up his team's first-half performance best.
"When you look midway through the season and you're 4-4, you're playing average. Average is not going to get it. So we have to play better," he said.
Still, there are some Lions who have played above average through the team's first eight games. Here, according to ProFootballFocus, is a list of Detroit's top-ranked offensive players, broken down by position. We'll run through the defense tomorrow.
Quarterback: Matthew Stafford
Season grade: 83.6 (above average)
Position rank: 9
Key stats: 16 TD 4 INT, 67.7 Completion %, 103.4 passer rating
Key grades: 81.7 pass, 78.9 run
Top-ranked QB: Tom Brady, NE (96.4)
Wide Receiver: Marvin Jones
Season grade: 77.2 (average)
Position rank: 28
Key stats: 4 TD, 4.5 receptions/game, 82 yards/game
Key grades: 76.5 receiving, 58.2 run, 78.2 pass blocking
Top-ranked WR: A.J. Green, CIN (90.3)
Running Back: Theo Riddick
Season grade: 75.2 (average)
Position rank: 11
Key stats: 5 TD (4 rush), 37.8 rushing yards/game, 44.5 receiving yards/game
Key grades: 70.9 run, 82.6 receiving, 59.2 pass blocking
Top-ranked RB: Le'Veon Bell, PIT (81.6)
Tight End: Eric Ebron
Season grade: 54.1 (poor)
Position rank: 37
Key stats: 1 TD, 5 receptions/game, 57.8 yards/game
Key grades: 75.8 receiving, 29.1 run blocking, 62.7 pass blocking
Top-ranked TE: Greg Olsen, CAR (91.3)
Tackle: Taylor Decker
Season grade: 80.1
Position rank: 21
Key grades: 79.5 pass blocking, 78.5 run blocking
Top-ranked T: Trent Williams, WAS (91.5)
Guard: Larry Warford
Season grade: 77.6 (average)
Position rank: 27
Key grades: 78.5 pass blocking, 78.6 run blocking
Top-ranked G: Justin Pugh, NYG (88.5)
Center: Travis Swanson
Season grade: 84.5
Position rank: 4
Key grades: 81.5 pass blocking, 79.0 run blocking
Top-ranked C: Matt Paradis, DEN (88.2)
