2. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

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It’s only been three games since Brady has returned from his four-game Deflategate-induced suspension, but he has already established himself as the best quarterback in football this year. It sounds crazy to say about a player who has appeared in fewer than half his team’s games so far, but he might be the leading contender for the MVP right now. Brady’s 89-percent adjusted completion rate is both insanely good and the highest mark in the league, and it’s not just a product of him picking defenses apart with underneath throws. Just under 10 percent of his passes have been thrown 20 or more yards downfield, and he’s been on target with a league-leading 70 percent of them. The craziest number so far? Brady has an adjusted completion rate of 95 percent on throws made when under pressure. There has been no stopping Brady through his three games this year.

3. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Jones’s 300-yard game in Atlanta’s win over Carolina earlier this year might have been the most noteworthy performance of the year so far (for his fantasy owners, certainly), and in earning a 99.1 PFF grade, Jones now owns three of the five highest-graded game performances from a wide receiver in the last five years. He has played a significant role in the Falcons jumping out to an NFC South lead, and his 3.50 yards per route run average is far and away the highest mark in the NFL right now. He has only dropped one catchable pass all season long, so you can trust him to make the routine plays in addition to the spectacular ones.

4. Taylor Lewan, LT, Tennessee Titans

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Lewan has spent the first part of the 2016 season proving Tennessee right for trading out of the No. 1 pick this year (and likely drafting Ole Miss Laremy Tunsil as their left tackle of the future) and instead compiling extra picks and eventually taking right tackle Jack Conklin later in the first round. Lewan has quietly been the best offensive tackle in football this season. He has yet to allow a sack, and his seven pressures allowed have produced the third-highest pass-blocking efficiency. But he has been even better as a run-blocker, earning a near-perfect grade of 96.4 in that area of the game. The Titans might have the best offensive line in the league so far this season, and Lewan looks like a cornerstone piece for this franchise.

5. Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos

Miller’s demolition of the Panthers in last season’s Super Bowl was a sight to behold, and he’s arguably playing even better to start the 2016 season than he did over the course of last season. He currently ranks first in PFF’s edge defender grades, and what might come as a surprise is that he’s been even better as a run defender than he has been as a pass-rusher. That’s saying something, seeing as how no player has produced more sacks (nine) or a higher PFF pass-rush productivity score so far this season. Miller and the Broncos defense are once again a shutdown unit this year.

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6. Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina Panthers

There’s no question that Olsen will continue to get a push in PFF’s tight end grades from the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski as Gronk returns to full health, but Olsen deserves credit for his awesome start to the year. He has never been nearly as formidable as Gronk (or Martellus Bennett, the other Patriots tight end who currently ranks third in PFF grades) as a blocker, but he has been one of the most productive pass-catchers in football so far this season. He hasn’t dropped a pass on 39 catchable targets, and his 2.70 yards per route run average ranks third among all pass-catchers behind only Julio Jones and A.J. Green.

7. Trent Williams, LT, Washington Redskins

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Williams currently trails only Lewan in PFF’s tackle rankings with a grade of 91.0 – higher than any he’s achieved over the course of a full season to this point in his career. He is the cornerstone for what has quietly become one of the best offensive lines in the league (currently sixth in PFF pass-block grades and fifth in run-blocking), allowing just 10 total QB pressures and proving to be a dominating blocker in the running game.

8. Chandler Jones, OLB, Arizona Cardinals

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Rookie QBs Carson Wentz (Philadelphia) and Dak Prescott (Dallas) have gotten more press, and understandably so, but you could make the argument that the offseason acquisition who has played the best so far for his new team has been Jones, who was acquired from the Patriots in a trade. He currently ranks third in PFF’s overall edge defender grades (at 88.1, considerably higher than he ever earned in a single season) and first in pass-rush grades among edge players, even higher than Miller. He has pressured the QB a whopping 37 times so far this season, and is a big contributor to an Arizona defense that is one of the best in the league this year.

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9. Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers

It might seem odd to have two Panthers on a list of the 10 best players in the NFL so far, given the team’s struggles during its 1-5 start, but Kuechly has been his usual excellent self so far this year. His 91.8 PFF grade ranks first among all linebackers, and he has missed just one total tackle on the season, giving him far and away the best tackling efficiency rate at his position. He has also once again been very good in coverage, making him the best all-around linebacker in the game.

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10. Jay Ajayi, RB, Miami Dolphins