Rams Braden Fiske Isn’t Getting the Credit He Deserves

"On a defense loaded with blue-chippers, Cooper's presence in the middle creates problems for opponents ill-equipped to deal with Green Bay's cadre of playmakers on all three levels. A special athlete, Cooper does things that pop off the film each week. In this past Sunday's win over the Cardinals, the 'backer capably covered Pro Bowl TE Trey McBride up the seam and broke up a would-be touchdown."

Byron Murphy II

Byron Murphy II was ranked eighth.

"Murphy's rookie season was plagued by injuries and inconsistency, but he's been an absolute force on Seattle's ferocious front in Year 2," wrote Brooks. "If you have not paid close attention to the DT's dominance between the tackles, you are missing out on one of the league's most disruptive players at the point of attack."

"The 6-foot, 306-pounder has 4.5 sacks through seven games, exhibiting excellent first-step quickness and heavy hands to destroy blockers on the way to the quarterback. With Murphy coming into his own as a designated playmaker up front, the Seahawks have a future Pro Bowler flourishing in the spine of Mike Macdonald's defense."

Quinyon Mitchell

Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell was ranked sixth.

"The Toledo product has quickly become one of the league's premier cover corners," stated Brooks. "Mitchell played a critical role in Philadelphia's run to the Lombardi Trophy as a rookie starter last season -- and he snagged a pair of picks in the playoffs -- but he has taken his game to the next level this fall."

"After locking down receivers exclusively as an outside corner in 2024, Mitchell has started to travel with elite WR1s as a shutdown specialist. The additional responsibilities and impressive performance on the perimeter have helped the second-year pro move into the VIP club at the position."

My Take

Whether it's film or numbers, there is no reason to exclude Fiske from the list. While he may not have a sack this season, he's getting the penetration that has opened up other opportunities that the Rams have cashed in.

On top of that, Caleb Williams was ranked at eight and while quarterbacks typically get boosted, Fiske was driving the Rams to the postseason last year while Williams stalled a broken offense and to be frank, he has the current Bears offense, a true stallion of offensive design, in cruise control.

Fiske deserves the same flowers that weren't given to Kobie Turner. For some reason, Rams' interior linemen never get the love they deserve unless they're generational.