The database at Pro Football Focus has few limits, and we're able to dig far deeper into specific traits and facets of the game using our years of data sets.
Here, we dig into some of those traits and tell you who the best players are across a variety of different categories, from the most efficient tackler in the league, to the best quarterback throwing a go route. It's our list of the NFL's best performer in every category you can think of -- for the second year in a row -- using our stats.
Offense
Best overall grade
Tom Brady, New England Patriots
After leading all quarterbacks with a 98.0 overall grade last season, Brady is at it again with the top overall grade among offensive players at 93.8. He has continued to evolve his skill set in recent years, extending plays and making more downfield throws outside of structure while also improving his work when facing pressure. Brady has the top PFF grade at both the intermediate (10 to 19 yards) and deep (20-plus yards) level, as the New England offense has been more aggressive throwing down the field this season, and Brady continues to run it with accuracy and precision.
Toughest running back to tackle
Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
The rookie has been dominant so far, even in the face of some suspect blocking. He leads the NFL with 56 broken tackles, 21 more than any other back, and is averaging 3.2 yards per carry after first contact. What really separates Hunt is his ability to make the same plays in the passing game. He's the only back in the league with 10 or more broken tackles on the ground and as a receiver.
Best pass-catching running back
Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
McCaffrey was a dynamic receiver at Stanford and was an enticing NFL prospect because he has the talent to line up at wide receiver and in the slot as well as in the backfield. The Panthers have taken advantage of this by lining him up in the slot 78 times and split wide another 38, which together account for 25.5 percent of his total snaps. He leads the league in both targets (75) and receptions (57) among running backs and has just one drop while breaking 11 tackles after the catch.
Best blocking tight end
Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are taking an old-school approach, running the ball on offense and playing great defense on their way to a 6-3 start. A blocking tight end is crucial in this offense, and Lewis has been excellent in his role. He has the top run-blocking grade in the league at 92.2. Whether setting the edge on zone plays or collapsing the front side on "gap" plays, Lewis can do it all as a run-blocker. His receiving stats have slowly dwindled in recent years, but Lewis is still making an impact.
Best receiver after the catch
Consistently one of the toughest receivers in the NFL to bring down after the catch, Tate has actually averaged more yards after the catch per reception than he has air yards per catch. He has averaged 11.8 yards per catch this season, but an average of 6.9 of those yards have come after the catch. Since 2011, Tate has never ranked lower than tied for seventh in forcing missed tackles on receptions, and he has led the league in that category in four of the past five seasons, including in 2017.
Best deep-ball wide receiver
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
After taking the NFL by storm as the league's best returner as a rookie in 2016, Hill has also emerged as a stellar deep-ball wideout. Thirteen of his 58 total targets this season have come on passes traveling 20 yards downfield or more, resulting in five receptions for 238 yards, three of which were touchdowns. His blazing speed is simply too much for cornerbacks to cover one-on-one. He has been a key part to the Chiefs' offense becoming more dynamic downfield.
Most dominant pass-catcher in the slot
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers
No receiver has gained more yards per route run from the slot this season than Smith-Schuster, including matchup-weapon tight ends who are lined up in the slot. The rookie has a couple of big plays in his performances this season, so he has gained 2.27 yards for every route he has run, scoring three times and dropping none of the 22 targets thrown his way as a slot weapon. He has spent 65.3 percent of his passing plays lined up in the slot, running 162 routes inside.
Best hands
Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
Through the first 10 weeks of the season, Brown has caught 60 of the catchable passes thrown his way, and he has just one drop on 95 targets. That really isn't much of a shock, through, with Brown dropping just 13 of the 444 catchable passes thrown his way since the beginning of the 2014 season.
Best pass-blocker
David Bakhtiari, Green Bay Packers
The NFL's best pass-blocker in 2016, Bakhtiari has again earned that title in 2017 -- when he's healthy. From 181 pass-blocking snaps, he has allowed just one sack, one hit and one hurry, giving him a league-leading pass-blocking efficiency rating of 98.5. He has given up a sack, hit or hurry just once every 60.3 pass-blocking attempts, which is the best rate in the NFL. Bakhtiari missed four games with a hamstring injury, but he has yet to allow more than a single pressure in any one of the five games in which he has played.
Best run-blocker
David DeCastro, Pittsburgh Steelers
There's the big three in Pittsburgh -- quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le'Veon Bell -- but what often gets overlooked is that the Steelers have a real road grader in DeCastro. Having easily his most impressive season since entering the NFL in 2012, DeCastro has joined the ranks of elite offensive linemen with some dominating performances. His run-block grade of 92.4 is the best of any offensive tackle or guard this season.
Best offensive-hybrid player
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans' dynamic rookie has really impressed. From 64 carries, he has forced 14 missed tackles, adding another 11 on 42 receptions. Coupled with an average of 3.4 yards after contact per carry, Kamara has earned an elusive rating of 81.1, which ranks third in the NFL so far.
Best QB under pressure
Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Most quarterbacks see a significant drop-off in passer rating when under pressure -- more than 30 points on average -- but Brady has defied the odds this season. His 107.2 passer rating leads the NFL, as does his 58.7 completion percentage and average of 9.2 yards per attempt. His work under pressure is even more impressive. On plays in which he gets hit by a defender, his passer rating of 125.3 more than doubles the NFL average of 55.9. He also leads the league with four touchdowns on such plays.
Best scrambling QB
Sometimes scrambling for quarterbacks isn't about how frequently they take off or how much yardage they gain when they do. It's more about turning blown plays into positive ones, and no quarterback has been better at that this season than Prescott. He has 32 rushing attempts, but just 18 of them have been scrambles, with the Cowboys using him on designed option runs on occasion. He has gained 154 yards (8.6 per rush) on those scrambles, scoring twice and breaking two tackles along the way.
Best pocket awareness
Case Keenum, Minnesota Vikings
One stat that consistently shows a strong correlation with pocket presence is the percentage of pressures a quarterback allows that result in a sack. This was a metric Peyton Manning owned, always able to mitigate pressure by getting the ball out of his hands to a dump-off option rather than be sacked for a loss. Nothing represents Keenum's improved play better than his league-leading sack percentage when pressured. At just 4.9 percent, he has been taken down on just five of 103 pressured dropbacks.
Best QB by route
Slant: Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
The slant is a big part of the Eagles' offense in a traditional sense and also on run-pass options. Wentz has been extremely efficient on his league-high 36 attempts. He has thrown the slant with excellent zip and ball location, leading to the highest PFF grade and passer rating (125.6) while tying for the league-lead with four touchdowns.
Out: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
The out route can take on many forms -- from short, timing throws to longer-developing downfield versions -- but regardless of pass depth, Ryan has been the league's most efficient out-route thrower this season. His 135.7 passer rating leads the NFL, and he has four touchdowns on outs while no other QB has more than two. Ryan's adjusted completion percentage of 83.7 ranks third in the league, and he's now 23-for-30 for 217 yards with those four touchdowns when throwing the out-breaker.
Dig/crosser: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Brady is one of the league's best throwing over the middle of the field, and he's far and away the top-graded quarterback on digs and crossers this season. He has the league's highest passer rating at 137.7 while also leading the way with seven touchdowns. Those numbers could be even better as Brady has a league-high nine drops on digs and crossers, throwing on-target 89.9 percent of the time, the fourth-best in the NFL. Brady's middle-of-the-field precision is a big reason he leads all quarterbacks with an overall PFF grade of 92.7.
Hitch/comeback: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Rodgers has been injured for a few weeks, but he was at his best firing hitches and comebacks outside the numbers. Arm strength and timing are a general prerequisite for success on hitches and comebacks, and Rodgers possesses plenty of both. He has the top PFF grade and passer rating (117.8) while ranking second with 9.4 yards per attempt. He went 20-for-25 for 227 yards and a touchdown on hitches and comebacks, as he had done his usual fine work throwing the ball outside the numbers before going down in Week 6.
Post/corner: Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
The post and corner are generally downfield throws that take a varying degree of velocity, touch and accuracy. Prior to his injury, Watson was outstanding on posts and corners, leading the NFL with a passer rating of 157.9 and topping all other QBs with his eight touchdowns. Watson even showed the ability to back-shoulder a corner route on a Week 3 touchdown against the Patriots, and his ability to throw away from the leverage of the defender is a crucial part of his gaudy numbers when throwing posts and corners.
Go: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
While Brady is known for his middle-of-the-field dominance, he has continued to evolve his game, and the deep ball has become a more consistent part of his arsenal the past two years. The go route has different forms, from a touch throw over the top of the defense to a seam route that needs to be zipped in there, and it's the latter Brady has improved greatly in recent years. He has the top PFF grade, No. 2 adjusted completion percentage and No. 3 passer rating on go routes. His ability to stretch the field while maintaining his short and intermediate area dominance is the reason he's still the best quarterback in the NFL.
Best pass-catcher by route
Slant: Trent Taylor, San Francisco 49ers
It'd be easy to go with Dez Bryant, who gained the most yards on slant routes and did so from the outside receiver position. But Taylor's nine receptions on nine slant targets and 148.6 passer rating generated are hard to ignore. The rookie led the nation in yards gained from the slot in his last season at Louisiana Tech and has continued to produce for the 49ers this season with all nine of his slant catches coming from the slot. He has been the league's top wideout on slant targets this season.
Out: Cole Beasley, Dallas Cowboys
Beasley asserted himself as one of the best slot receivers last season and has continued to be one of Prescott's most lethal targets. He has hauled in 15 of his 18 targets on out routes and generated a league-leading passer rating of 135.6 when targeted. Of those 15 catches, 11 gained first-down yardage, the second-most in the NFL.
Dig/crosser: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
Don't let anyone tell you this list was for wide receivers only. Gronk has destroyed coverages over the middle of the field. Among players with at least 10 targets on dig/cross routes, Gronkowski's 155.9 passer rating when targeted is second to none. He has made catches in traffic as well, hauling in three of the five contested targets, which is tied for the best mark in the NFL.
Hitch/comeback: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Kelce is easily one of the most diverse weapons in the NFL, and the Chiefs maximize his use. He has lined up at QB and been the recipient of six shovel passes. Kelce's receiver skills are apparent on hitches and comeback routes, where he ranks second with a 120.0 passer rating when targeted while catching 93.3 percent of those targets, best in the league. Eleven of his 15 targets have resulted in first downs, the most in the league. Kelce has a hitch/comeback catch when lined up out wide, in the slot and at tight end.
Post/corner: Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
When healthy, Diggs is one of the best receivers in the league. No other receiver has earned as high a grade on post/corner routes this season. On his nine targets, Diggs has seven catches and three touchdowns, generating a perfect passer rating for his quarterback. Perhaps most impressive of all, is that he has been contested on seven of those targets and has converted four of those into catches, best in the league. A.J. Green is the only other receiver who has gained more than 200 yards on these routes this season, and the Bengals receiver is 3 yards shy of Diggs' 211.
Go: Brandin Cooks, New England Patriots
Cooks has been a deep-ball terror, leading the league in yards gained on targets 20-plus yards downfield. He has gained 229 yards on go routes this season to pace the league, and he has generated a passer rating of 145.8 (the best by 7.5 points). Three of the 10 targets have been contested by defensive backs, and each time Cooks has brought the ball in for a reception, tied for the most of any receiver. He's netting out an amazing 22.9 yards per target on go routes, the best in the NFL.
Defense
Best overall grade
Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
With a PFF grade of 97.2, Donald is once again our highest-graded defensive player, with his dominance as a pass-rusher shining through. His pass-rushing productivity rating of 16.2 leads all players on the defensive interior by a significant margin, but it's not just as a pass-rusher where he stands out. His production against the run can't be measured in tackles alone, with Donald's all-around dominance forcing running backs to cut away from the intended point of attack. Maintaining this elite level of play since entering the NFL in 2014, we're now at the point where Donald's greatness should be considered on an all-time scale.
Best defensive hybrid player
Byard, the NFL's leader in interceptions with six, has impressed both in coverage and against the run. He leads all safeties with six pass breakups, and eight of his 14 tackles against the run when lined up within 8 yards of the line of scrimmage have resulted in a defensive stop. The big question now is whether he can keep up his impressive playmaking ability, with five of his six interceptions coming in just two games.
Best interior pass-rusher
Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
Donald's legend continues to grow. There really is no tougher player to block on the interior of the defensive line. With 6 sacks, 8 hits and 39 hurries on 276 pass-rushing snaps this season, Donald has produced a pass-rushing productivity rating of 16.2, which leads the NFL, but the real story is by how much. Cincinnati's Geno Atkins ranks second with a PRP rating of 12.1.
Best pass-rusher off the edge
Still absolutely devastating off the edge, Miller has continued to be a force for Denver in 2017. Through 10 weeks of the season he has racked up 8 sacks, 6 hits and 35 hurries on 263 pass-rushing snaps, giving him a pass-rushing productivity rating of 15.6. He ranks second among edge defenders with 49 total pressures -- Melvin Ingram is No. 1 with 51 -- and every other player who has reached 40 or more this season has rushed the passer more than Miller. The former No. 2 overall draft pick continues to be dominant.
Best swim move
Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints
With J.J. Watt on the sideline, the league's swim-move king is not on the field, so we have to turn elsewhere to find the next best. Jordan relied heavily on his swim move in college, and it has remained one of the biggest weapons in his arsenal as a pro. He has been deployed inside at times for the Saints, and he's particularly fond of breaking out his swim move when aligned inside the tackles to beat players with quickness into the backfield.
Best bull rush
Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles
There are several NFL players with powerful bull rushes, but what Cox is able to do with it at his best is nothing short of frightening. He has 2 sacks, 2 hits and 13 hurries for 17 total pressures using the bull rush this season. What's more, he has done it against high-level offensive linemen, making Trai Turner, another powerful player, look like a college backup at times when the two went head-to-head when the Eagles and Panthers met in Week 6. Cox has unrivaled power on his bull rush, making it one of the game's most effective moves.
Most efficient tackler
Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
Wagner has been a force for the Seahawks, grading well in every facet of the game to earn an overall PFF grade of 95.8 this season. He has really separated himself from most linebackers by just how efficient he has been when making tackles. Wagoner has attempted 81 total tackles, second-most in the league, but has just one miss. He hasn't missed a tackle in the passing game, and he has the league's best tackling efficiency rate. The next closest linebacker has two misses, one every 24.5 attempts.
Best coverage linebacker
Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
In addition to being a tackling machine for Seattle, Wagner has also been a monster in coverage. Linebackers typically aren't matched up one-on-one with receivers, but the majority of their work in coverage is dropping to landmarks and understanding route concepts, to break on balls and give opposing quarterbacks tighter windows to throw into. Wagner has been a master at that with a 92.3 coverage grade, by far the highest of any linebacker. He has one pick and five pass breakups, and he hasn't been beaten for a pass longer than 32 yards.
Best slot corner
Briean Boddy-Calhoun, Cleveland Browns
Boddy-Calhoun has one of the more remarkable stat lines in the league this season. He has allowed just 51 yards in the air when covering the slot, and while he hasn't played there as much as other players, he has still covered the slot on 141 passing snaps this season. He has the best coverage snaps per target figure in the league among slot defenders (20.1), and the best yards per cover snap (0.36) figure of anyone with more than 80 snaps in coverage inside.
Special teams
Punter who best takes away the return game
Rigoberto Sanchez, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts looked to be in big trouble when Pat McAfee, who was arguably the best punter in the NFL, decided to retire at the end of last season. Thanks to the emergence of Sanchez, though, they haven't seen much drop-off at the position. Just 14 of the rookie's 50 punts have been returned this season, for a total of only 76 yards, while 23 of his punts have landed inside the opposing 20-yard line. Nineteen fair catches, tied for the most in the NFL, are a result of both Sanchez putting the ball where it needs to be, and the Colts' punt coverage unit being in position to force returns to opt to not return the punt.
Best kickoff placement kicker
The new touchback rule has generated value for teams that have opted for shorter kickoffs teamed with great coverage. The average Parkey kickoff has landed 3 yards deep into his opponent's end zone, short enough to entice returns, but deep enough to give his coverage units time to stop the return man before the 25-yard line. Parkey has elicited an average starting field position of the 20.5-yard line for his opponent, the best in the league. The near 5-yard difference from simply kicking touchbacks on each of his 33 kickoffs has given the Dolphins' defense an extra 148.5 additional yards of field position through nine games.
Best long-field kicker
Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles
There are a number of good candidates for the best long field kicker in the NFL, which essentially boils down to having the strongest leg. While veterans such as Matt Prater and Justin Tucker have big legs, it's rookie Jake Elliott whose booming leg has stood out the most. He nailed a 61-yard, game-winning field goal in Week 3 and has seen 34 of his 53 kickoffs result in touchbacks. Drafted by the Bengals this year before joining the Eagles after he was cut, he has been a secret weapon in their league-best 8-1 record.