In attempting to conjure a Christmas theme for the Week 16 Practice Squad Power Rankings, I quickly realized how much of a gift the NFL has given us this season.
No, not the unprecedented amount of quarterback injuries. That stinks.
The immense, widespread parity has been like the Jelly of the Month Club -- the gift that keeps on giving the whole year.
Right now, entering Week 16, exactly half the league has somewhere between a 20% and 99.9% chance to make the playoffs. Only four teams have clinched playoff spots with three regular-season games remaining, and a mere six clubs have been mathematically eliminated.
Half the league in at worst somewhat realistic contention to either sneak into the postseason or with its respective division to earn a home playoff contest will make a loaded weekend of NFL football -- which includes two games Saturday, 10 games Sunday, and three on Christmas Day -- so supremely enjoyable.
Family, presents, tons of food, and (meaningful) NFL football from Christmas Eve eve through Christmas night -- it does not get any better. Thank you for the wonderful holiday gift this season, insane amount of NFL parity.
Before I get to Week 16's rankings, there were three elevations from Week 15 -- RB Tyler Goodson, WR Steven Sims, and RB Kevin Harris. Also, ahead of Week 16, the Titans snagged LB Garret Wallow from the Texans practice squad. We're at 24 elevation + poaches on the season [insert Fuller from Home Alone smile with eyebrows bouncing GIF here].
Extra shout to Goodson, who toted the rock 11 timed for 63 yards and earned a mention on Angry Runs on Good Morning Football. Like Kyle Brandt, I too loved Goodson pounding his chest four times after the thunderous finish to his particularly ornery run against the Steelers. I couldn't find the celebration, but I promise he did it. Gloriously.
Before we get to the update, let's quickly pay homage to Practice Squad Power Ranking alums like Saints TE Juwan Johnson, 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings, Cardinals center Hjalte Froholdt and Giants receiver Isaiah Hodgins (among many others) who have all graduated to become important mainstays on their clubs' respective 53-man rosters and contribute in their own ways each weekend.
What I'm asking of you as a loyal PSPR patron: Alert me on X/Twitter @ChrisTrapasso if you see a tweet about a PSPR getting The Call so I can add to The CUT.
10. Zyon Gilbert, CB, Packers
This is a draft crush selection all the way. Gilbert ran 4.49 with a 40-inch vertical and almost jumped into the ocean with an 138-inch broad jump at the Florida Atlantic Pro Day in 2022 after a productive career with the Owls -- he had five picks and 23 pass breakups in his final three seasons in Boca Raton. Given the way the Packers have covered of late, they should giving opportunities to some other defensive backs.
9. Yodny Cajuste, OT, Giants
Cajuste was a brick wall at left tackle at West Virginia, and at 6-foot-5 and around 310 pounds with sculpted 34-inch arms, he felt like an ideal project-y pass protector in the NFL. The Patriots selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft, and the injury bug hit. Bummer. He's only appeared in 17 professional games to date, but if you've watched how much Tommy DeVito gets hit, it might be time to give other blockers a chance to, you know, block.
8. Parry Nickerson, CB, Dolphins
Even if the Dolphins get some good injury news to the likes of their veteran defensive backs ahead of a colossal showdown with the Cowboys in Miami, are we sure they'll all be 100%. Nickerson has 30 games of NFL experience and the Dolphins are his fifth professional team. While he's only been average at best to date, he boasts 4.32 speed. And yeah, he plays defense, but we know Mike McDaniel and Co. have a thing for dudes who can fly on the field.
7. Myles Jack, LB, Steelers
Jack was a relatively early free agent signing by the Steelers in 2022 and accumulated 104 tackles, three tackles for loss and three pass breakups as one of the starting inside linebackers. Now, Jack has dealt with a myriad of injuries -- and did decide to retire after being signed by the Eagles in August. But he entered the league as one of the freakiest athletic specimens we've seen at the position in recent memory. Given Pittsburgh's linebacker situation, Jack would be a welcomed addition to the second level of the Steelers defense.
6. Bruce Irvin, EDGE, Lions
My man Bruce is a 2012 first-round draft pick who just turned 36 years old and is still grinding. And hell yeah he's ascending The PSPR this week after a sack in his Lions debut. Since his West Virginia days Irvin just gets to the quarterback, man. Mad respect for this OG. Detroit is desperate for more pass-rush impact from someone other than Aidan Hutchinson. Irvin can be that guy.
5. Mekhi Garner, DB, Eagles
Garner is built like an old-school strong safety at north of 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds with arms over 32 inches long. Unsurprisingly, he was a suffocating perimeter cornerback at LSU after a dazzling career at Louisiana. He ran a 4.55-second 40-yard dash and had a 38-inch vertical. Garner had no business going undrafted. He wasn't dominant in the preseason, but that's OK. It's early in his career, and the Eagles secondary is reeling right now. Big time. They could use a physical, length perimeter cornerback who excels finding the football down the field.
4. Steven Sims, WR, Texans
With Tank Dell out, Sims can be a servicable-ish stand-in. No, he's not going to run electric, exquisitely intricate vertical routes that generate as much separation as the rookie did, but he's similarly sized to Dell and plays with plenty of lateral juice with the ball in his hands and when attempting to free himself from corners underneath. He had a 23-yard reception in November. Houston will need all the big-play capabilities it can get against the Browns.
3. DeWayne McBride, RB, Vikings
McBride isn't going to hit 90-yard touchdowns, but there are only a select few legitimate game-breakers at the running back position in today's NFL. He's naturally elusive with light feet and sturdy contact balance. With Alexander Mattison likely out for Minnesota's huge game at home against the Lions, it's time to call up McBride and give him carries! Right meow.
2. Melvin Ingram, EDGE, Dolphins
Ingram has been a menace his entire NFL career, and he's carved out this unique niche as a one-year deal veteran who way outplays his contract on contending teams then kind of disappears into obscurity until a contender needs him again. Heck, last season with the Dolphins, he generated 35 pressures on 311 pass-rush snaps. Even at 34 years old, the former freaky specimen from the University of South Carolina still brings it as a hefty but polished rusher on the outside.
1. Lonnie Phelps, EDGE, Browns
Phelps is waiting patiently on the practice squad, and now, a once ridiculously deep defense is gritting its way through an avalanche of injuries. At Kansas in 2022, after amazing quarterback-disrupting productivity at Miami of Ohio, Phelps was again a menace around the corner. Super productive. I love his ability to use powerful hands while bending the edge. He should see some pass-rush snaps against the C.J. Stroud-less Texans in Week 16.
