Here are the following players who don't get the ink but still make the plays.

ALL-UNSUNG OFFENSE
Player	Pos.	Team	Comment
Troy Brown	WR	Patriots	In first full season as starter, the former special teams ace caught 83 passes in 2000 and is on pace for 110 this year. Somebody needs to remind coach Bill Belichick to get this guy off punt return duty.
Derrick Deese	LT	49ers	The former undrafted free agent has started at all five line positions in his 10-year career and made himself a player. He's a bit undersized at tackle, but his nifty footwork allows him to compensate for that.
Alan Faneca	LG	Steelers	He's a real comer whose early career was disappointing, but he is now starting to maul people in the Steelers' physical running game. He manhandled Tampa Bay's Warren Sapp one-on-one two weeks ago.
Jerry Fontenot	C	Saints	Both the past and present football regimes tried to run him out of town, or at least replace him, but he's simply too solid. Really good at the difficult "reach" blocks and sealing off defenders on sweeps.
Benji Olson	RG	Titans	With apologies to the incomparable Bruce Matthews, this guy is the toughest and most brutal of the Titans' offensive linemen. He has stretches where he can flat-out dominate defenders with raw strength.
Adam Meadows	RT	Colts	He looks too small to play the strong side but lacks the feet to line up at left tackle. He won't blow defenders off the line of scrimmage, but he gets into their bodies quickly and sustains blocks well.
Hines Ward	WR	Steelers	Despite presence of former No. 1 picks Troy Edwards and Plaxico Burress, he's become the third-down "go to" guy. Versatility allows the team to use the former college quarterback in a lot of ways now.
Byron Chamberlain	TE	Vikings	He had 80 receptions in five previous seasons and is on pace for 53 this year. He has added a new dimension to Minnesota's passing game. While not a great blocker at the point of attack, he's certainly a willing one.
Chris Chandler	QB	Falcons	It's tough to imagine a 14-year veteran who's closing in on 25,000 passing yards among this group. But he has never gotten the credit he deserved, and that is mostly because of the flawed perception that he is too fragile.
Fred Beasley	FB	49ers	A solid lead blocker, he's an accomplished receiver and a far better runner than people think. He's quietly among the top three in the league at his position but won't get much attention until he hits free agent market next spring.
Lamar Smith	RB	Dolphins	Yeah, we know he's averaging just 3.1 yards per rush this year, and his longest run is for 17 yards. But he went over 1,000 yards last season and his tough inside presence typifies what the Dolphins want offensively.

ALL-UNSUNG DEFENSE
Player	Pos.	Team	Comment
Aaron Smith	LE	Steelers	It's always tough to project a Pittsburgh 3-4 end into a conventional lineup, but the third-year veteran deserves recognition as a fine two-way player. His four sacks in just six games already equal his career high.
John Parrella	LT	Chargers	The heart of the Chargers' front seven. He's a blue-collar guy who always played the run tough, but he gave the team a bonus last year with seven sacks. Like a human fireplug, you can't budge him out of the middle.
Jason Fisk	RT	Titans	He won't ever get many tackles and seems to notch sacks only in playoff games, but he's a stout interior presence and a savvy performer. Don't blame him for the disappearing act of the team's high-profile ends.
Raylee Johnson	RE	Chargers	Finally had long-awaited breakout year in 1999 with 10½ sacks, then blew out his knee and missed entire 2000 campaign. He seems to be back at full strength again and providing good push off the edge.
Anthony Simmons	SLB	Seahawks	He has been overshadowed by teammate Chad Brown, but he has flourished since moving to the strongside spot in 2000. Had 147 tackles last season and just flows naturally to the football.
Charlie Clemons	MLB	Saints	A one-time CFL players and special teams star with the Rams, Clemons was signed by the Saints in 2000 but missed the season with an Achilles injury. He has good range and is an excellent blitzer. He already has six sacks this season.
Mike Caldwell	WLB	Eagles	Itinerant special teams star never started more than nine games in a year, but the Eagles' coaches finally realized in preseason that he's always around the ball. He already has 45 tackles and two sacks.
Jeff Burris	CB	Colts	He isn't as good as his paycheck says he should be -- he has just 13 career interceptions -- but he's a lot more solid than people seem to realize. He's particularly effective in run support, and his pass coverage is better this year.
Mike Brown	FS	Bears	It took last Sunday's 33-yard interception return on the first play of overtime to thrust him into the spotlight, but the second-year pro has been good from the start. Undersized, he makes up for lack of range with football smarts.
Sammy Knight	SS	Saints	In a secondary unit even Saints coaches always seem concerned about, he is the timely, big-play performer. He's a former college "rover" who has the knack for coming up with the huge takeaway.
Antoine Winfield	CB	Bills	If he was three inches taller, no one would overlook the third-year veteran, who, at 5-foot-9, packs tremendous power in a small package. The big hitter possesses explosive closing speed to the ball.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.