The Chicago Bears cornerback deserves to be an All-Pro
Everyone who has been watching the Chicago Bears knows that Kyle Fuller has been playing arguably the best football of his career. However, it easy to get lost in the fandom of your own team and forget about where exactly he may rank compared to the rest of the NFL.
However, with thanks to sources such as PFF, we have the data now to help put context to what Fuller. While their grades do not mean much, they do have stats that go in-depth. When looking at passer rating against, yards per snap, snaps per target, snaps per reception, yards per target, and yards allowed after the catch, and ranking each cornerback’s spot in every category, we have come up with a list of the top ten cornerbacks. After looking into these stats it will become clear that Fuller is one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL.
6. Passer Rating Against
Below is a list of the top ten cornerbacks in the NFL in passer rating allowed, having played over 300 NFL snaps. For those who have been following league-wide, the list is a who’s-who of the top cornerbacks in the NFL. With passer rating including, attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions, this is a great starting point for the top NFL cornerbacks.
1. Darious Williams
2. Bryce Callahan
3. Carlton Davis
4. Kyle Fuller
5. Xavien Howard
6. James Bradberry
7. Amani Oruwariye
8. Jalen Ramsey
9. Marlon Humphrey
10. Malcolm Butler
Williams has allowed a 41 passer rating this year in a breakout year. At number 10, Butler has allowed an 80 passer rating. Kyle Fuller has allowed a 60 passer rating, putting him fourth in the NFL. However, as we have noted one stat is not going to be the end-all-be-all. It is a combination of stats. Still, it is worth keeping an eye on some of the names that will consistently show up in the top ten as we go through this list.
Yards Per Snap
Below you will see the top ten cornerbacks in yards allowed per snap. These are the workhorses who are playing often while still giving up yards. As you can see, there are some of the same suspects from our top ten is passer rating.
Ramsey, Callahan, Fuller, Williams, Bradberry, and Davis have appeared at the top of both.
1. Jalen Ramsey
2. Bryce Callahan
3. Kyle Fuller
4. Darious Williams
5. Jamel Dean
6. James Bradberry
7. Denzel Ward
8. Steven Nelson
9. Carlton Davis
10. Tre’Davious White
Ramsey leads the NFL allowing just 0.56 yards per snap. Fuller is not far behind with 0.67 while White rounds out the top ten with 1.03. While this is a post about Kyle Fuller, and he is top four in both stats, it is worth noting that only Darious Williams and Bryce Callahan joined him as top four in both. Of course, Chicago Bears fans are familiar with Callahan who did not play last season and has been excellent in his return this year.
4. Snaps Per Target
Below is the top ten cornerbacks in snaps per target. It is not a surprise that Fuller is being targeted more than some of these other cornerbacks. Teams test Fuller, but that is why you see so many plays on the ball from Fuller. For what it is worth, being outside of the top five in snaps per target, but fourth in yards per target can speak to the quality of play in Fuller by shutting things down despite being targeted.
1. Tre’Davious White
2. Jalen Ramsey
3. Darious Williams
4. Steven Nelson
5. Denzel Ward
6. Marcus Peters
7. Patrick Peterson
8. Bryce Callahan
9. William Jackson III
10. Kyle Fuller
With all of that said, White sees a target every 10.4 snaps. It is no surprise that teams avoid White, and can do it easier without threats around him. Fuller is targeted every 7.1 snaps. For what it is worth Jaylon Johnson sees a target every 6.6 snaps, and Skrine is targeted every 5.5 snaps. Teams are hitting Skrine and Johnson before Fuller.
Still, the list above is a list of cornerbacks that teams are not targeting. Ramsey and Williams once again see high praise, and we see Bryce Callahan targeted on every 7.4 snaps.
3. Snaps Per Reception
Below you can see the top ten cornerbacks in receptions allowed per snap. Again, it is impressive that while Fuller is targeted more often than most of these corners, he allows fewer yards and receptions than most of them.
1. Jalen Ramsey
2. Darious Williams
3. Tre’Davious White
4. Kyle Fuller
5. Casey Hayward Jr.
6. Amani Oruwariye
7. Steven Nelson
8. Marcus Peters
9. Bryce Callahan
10. Denzel Ward
Ramsey and Williams both allow a reception just once every 18 snaps. That is why the Rams defense has taken a big step this season. Still, Fuller is not far behind with a catch allowed every 14.8 snaps. Denzel Ward rounds out the top ten with 13.2 snaps per reception allowed.
For the most part, Fuller, Williams, Ramsey, and Callahan are the only cornerbacks consistently on these lists, although Tre White has seen his name high on a few as well. It is worth noting at this point that Callahan is playing outside for the Broncos, and not in the slot.
Yards per target
Below you can see the top ten cornerbacks in yards per target allowed. If you want to use this to make a case for Allen Robinson to be extended, he has faced Ramsey, Bradberry, Davis, and Douglas this year. Those four have been excellent this year. Of course, all eyes also go to Bryce Callahan despite this being a Kyle Fuller post.
1. Bryce Callahan
2. Kyle Fuller
3. Jamel Dean
4. Jalen Ramsey
5. James Bradberry
6. Marlon Humphrey
7. Carlton Davis
8. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
9. Rasul Douglas
10. Denzel Ward
Still, while Callahan is allowing 4.2 yards per target, an impressive rate, Fuller is not far behind with 4.8 yards allowed per target. As noted above, Fuller has seen 54 targets to just 42 for Callahan. Still, that is a respectable number for Callahan. Ward allows 7 yards per target, and cracked the top ten. Dean came in third at 5.4, and Ramsey was at 5.5 yards allowed per target.
This is also the rare stat that you do not see Darious Williams. He is not targeted often but is allowing 7.1 yards per target. Tre White is also allowing 10.7 yards per target which is part of playing DK Metcalf, but also part of him having a down year compared to his All-Pro expectations.
1. Yards after the catch per reception
Below you can see the cornerbacks who are shutting things down once the pass is caught. These corners are right there to shut things down so that when they do give up passes, they control them. As you can see, there are some usual suspects.
1. Kyle Fuller
2. Bryce Callahan
3. Denzel Ward
4. Michael Davis
5. Tre’Davious White
6. Jamel Dean
7. Joe Haden
8. Malcolm Butler
9. Carlton Davis
10. James Bradberry
Kyle Fuller leads the NFL in yards allowed after the catch per reception with 1.81. Callahan is allowing 1.87. What is interesting is that you do not see Ramsey, who is allowing 5.2. That can speak to the play style of Ramsey, who is not targeted because he does not give up catches, and makes plenty of plays on the ball. However, his aggresive nature can lead to yards after the catch on that rare occasion.
Still, Ramsey not cracking the top ten leaves just Callahan and Fuller as the only cornerbacks to have a top ten ranking in all six categories at this point in the NFL season. Seeing Callahan on the list may be stunning for Chicago Bears fans, but Fuller has been arguably the top cornerback in the NFL.
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Overall Rankings
In fact, below is a sum of each cornerbacks ranking in each category. Based on the six categories below combined, these are the top ten cornerbacks in the NFL.
1. Kyle Fuller
2. Bryce Callahan
3. Jalen Ramsey
4. Darious Williams
5. James Bradberry
6. Denzel Ward
7. Jamel Dean
8. Carlton Davis
9. Steven Nelson
10. Marcus Peters
For the most part, fans would not disagree. Fuller, Ramsey, Bradberry, Ward, and Peters are all big-name cornerbacks. Williams, Nelson, Dean, and Davis are breaking out on playoff-contending teams while Callahan appears to finally be healthy and playing well.
Still, if you had to vote for the All-Pro, Fuller and Ramsey are locks. Callahan may not get the love, but should be the third candidate. If Callahan or Williams do not get the benefit of name-brand, Bradberry is deserving of All-Pro for being shut down in New York after a big deal.
Nonetheless, a first and second team, as well as a Pro Bowl ballot should include
Kyle Fuller, Jalen Ramsey, Bryce Callahan, Darious Williams, James Bradberry, Denzel Ward.