Maryland is sporting a strong contingency in the NFL these days with around a dozen players on active rosters. TSR will be tracking the success of Terps in the pros this fall.
Here’s a look at their performances in Week 15:
Stefon Diggs (WR - Buffalo Bills)
After hauling in 11 receptions for 147 yards on Saturday night in a 48-19 win over the Denver Broncos, Diggs is now third in the league in receiving yards (1,314) and first in receptions (111). Josh Allen has peppered Diggs with a league-high 147 targets and they have paid off as Buffalo is 10-3 and currently the second seed in the AFC playoffs. Although the game won’t be played this season, Diggs was also just named as an AFC Pro Bowl starter.
Quinton Jefferson (DT - Buffalo Bills)
In Buffalo’s 29-point Week 15 blowout victory, Jefferson recorded one tackle and 0.5 tackles for loss. He played 55% of the snaps for the Bills, which was his highest amount since Week 12.
D.J. Moore (WR - Carolina Panthers)
Returning from the COVID-19 list, Moore came up big for the Panthers in Week 15. The third-year wideout caught six of his eight targets and compiled a season-high 131 receiving yards in a 24-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. Despite missing a game due to COVID, Moore is still 11th in the NFL in receiving yards through 15 weeks.
Jermain Carter Jr. (LB - Carolina Panthers)
Playing exactly 50% of Carolina’s defensive snaps on Saturday, Carter picked up six tackles against the Packers. He’s up to 36 tackles this year and the second half of the season has been a bit of a breakout for the third-year linebacker.
Darnell Savage (S - Green Bay Packers)
Savage recorded six tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass defended in Green Bay’s eight-point victory in Week 15. The second-year safety has really come on as of late and has 14 tackles between the last two weeks.
Yannick Ngakoue (DE - Baltimore Ravens)
After a slow start to his career in Baltimore, Ngakoue has picked up the production in his last two games and had his best game as a Raven yet on Sunday. The prolific pass rusher recorded two sacks in Baltimore’s 40-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15. Ngakoue found the quarterback for the first time since Week 12 and third time since joining the Ravens back in the beginning of November. He’s up to eight sacks total this season.
J.C. Jackson (CB - New England Patriots)
Opposing quarterbacks are going to start avoiding Jackson’s side of the field. That’s how dominant his ball skills have been this season, which have helped Jackson pick off eight passes this season. His eight interceptions are second in the NFL and his latest came on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins — one that saved a touchdown. Consider Jackson as one of this year’s biggest Pro Bowl snubs.
Byron Cowart (DT - New England Patriots)
Playing 49% of New England’s defensive snaps, Cowart had one tackle in the Patriots’ 22-12 loss in Week 15 to the Miami Dolphins.
Ty Johnson (RB - New York Jets)
In the biggest upset of the NFL season and perhaps in the last 20+ years, Johnson’s New York Jets overcame a 17-point spread and defeated the Los Angeles Rams outright. Johnson played a big role in the damage, rushing for 16 yards on three carries and hauling in six passes for a career-high 39 receiving yards and a touchdown — the second touchdown of his career.
Josh Woods (LB - Chicago Bears)
Woods only played one defensive snap in Chicago’s 33-27 Week 15 win over the Minnesota Vikings, but he was able to record 1 tackle on Sunday.
Anthony McFarland (RB - Pittsburgh Steelers)
With Steelers starting running back James Conner out for a Week 15 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, it stood to reason that McFarland would see an increased workload on Monday Night Football. While he was second in line for carries behind Benny Snell Jr., McFarland's production only amounted to one carry for 5 yards. He also had one reception for 9 yards. McFarland tied fellow Pittsburgh backup Jaylem Samuels by playing 11% of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 15.
Sean Davis (S - Pittsburgh Steelers)
Davis was active, but did not enter the box score in Pittsburgh’s 27-17 loss to the Bengals in Week 15.