Joe Thomas | Left tackle | Cleveland Browns
He's breezing along to his eighth Pro Bowl in eight seasons. He has allowed only one sack and one quarterback hit in half a season.

Josh Sitton | Left guard | Green Bay Packers
He's athletic enough to excel as a pass-blocker but opens nice holes for Eddie Lacy and the running game.

Maurkice Pouncey | Center | Pittsburgh Steelers
Pouncey bounced back from knee reconstruction to re-establish himself in the middle of a line that is turning guard David DeCastro into a star.

Marshal Yanda | Right guard | Baltimore Ravens
Yanda's superior run blocking made it easy for Justin Forsett, who entered camp as a third-string back, to gain 609 yards in the first half of the season.

Sebastian Vollmer | Right tackle | New England Patriots
Vollmer's pass-blocking skills have been the one constant for Tom Brady on a line that has undergone constant change.

Rob Gronkowski | Tight end | New England Patriots
Gronk is worth at least a touchdown a game for Brady and is back to full strength following knee reconstruction. He has 50 touchdowns in 59 career games.

Peyton Manning | Quarterback | Denver Broncos
Despite his loss to Brady and the Patriots, Manning keeps breaking records. He's on pace to pass for more than 5,000 yards with 48 touchdowns.

Anthony Sherman | Fullback | Kansas City Chiefs
Sherman is the perfect West Coast offense fullback. He blocks well for Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis, and he can catch a few passes when needed.

Cameron Wake | Defensive end | Miami Dolphins
Wake leads a Dolphins pass rush that isn't getting enough recognition. He has 6½ sacks and is ranked with the league leaders for quarterback pressures.

Ndamukong Suh | Defensive tackle | Detroit Lions
In a contract year, Suh's impressive play is driving up his market value, and his $22.4 million 2014 cap number will prevent the Lions from franchising him next season.

Gerald McCoy | Defensive tackle | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs may have gotten a bargain signing him for $13.6 million a year. McCoy continues to dominate interior linemen.

J.J. Watt | Defensive end | Houston Texans
Watt isn't just the best defensive player in football this year. He's one of the best I've ever seen.

Von Miller | Outside linebacker | Denver Broncos
Miller might be the second-best defender in football this season behind Watt. His pass-rushing skills are matched by his ability to stop the run.

Luke Kuechly | Middle linebacker | Carolina Panthers

The defense around him and in front of him isn't playing to last year's 12-4 level, but Kuechly hasn't lost anything. He keeps getting better.

C.J. Mosley | Inside linebacker | Baltimore Ravens

He's the best-looking defensive rookie from the 2014 draft. Although he may never reach Ray Lewis standards, he's the perfect fit in the Ravens' defense.

Justin Houston | Outside linebacker | Chiefs
Too bad the Chiefs couldn't sign him to a contract extension. With 12 sacks in eight games, he could challenge for the league's sack record along with positioning himself for one of the league's biggest defensive contracts.

Richard Sherman | Cornerback | Seattle Seahawks
Aaron Rodgers had the best idea. Don't throw to his side. Derek Carr tried and the results were bad for the Raiders.

Earl Thomas | Safety | Seattle Seahawks
More has been asked of Thomas because of injuries in the Seahawks' secondary, but he has the speed, range and tenacity to keep the defense in good shape.

Eric Weddle | Safety | San Diego Chargers
It's difficult to believe he's been voted first- or second-team All-Pro for four consecutive years and has been to only two Pro Bowls. He needs a campaign manager.

Darrelle Revis | Cornerback | New England Patriots
Revis Island has even more impact with Brandon Browner on the other side of the Patriots' defense. Peyton Manning found that out Sunday.

Dan Bailey | Kicker | Dallas Cowboys
Whether he's kicking from outside the 50 or in close, Bailey has become one of the game's most dependable scorers.

Pat McAfee | Punter | Indianapolis Colts
There was a time a 44-yard gross punting average was a good mark. McAfee had a 44.9 net average in his first eight games.

Devin Hester | Kick returner | Atlanta Falcons
New location, same production. Hester is one of the greatest returners in NFL history, and he found a nice spot in the Georgia Dome.