2013 NFL Mid-Season All-Pro Team

K Matt Prater, Denver Broncos

This one was as easy as it gets, even though guys like Stephen Gostkowski have also played at a high level. Matt Prater has nailed all of his field goals and extra points this season, with nine of his 12 field goals going from beyond 40 yards. Touchbacks are an incredibly underrated part of the game, because having a kicker who can boot the ball through the end zone consistently is a real asset. Prater has done just that, as he leads the league with a whopping 46 touchbacks, and that’s not just because he’s attempted more kick-offs than anyone else; he has legitimately shown a very strong leg. One thing, though, I wonder if Denver’s thin air helps him out with that significantly.

P Shane Lechler, Houston Texans

I had a really tough time with this one and probably got it wrong, but I decided to go with a very familiar name at punter with these All-Pro lists. Even though Shane Lechler’s on a new team, he’s shown the same elite ability with an average of 47.5 yards per punt and a solid seventeen catches. Kevin Huber, Dustin Colquitt, and Matt Bosher received strong consideration as well.

KR Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings

This one was absolute cake, as Cordarelle Patterson has two return touchdowns on the season, an average of 39.1 yards per return, and 703 total return yards. There is no doubt that Patterson has been the league’s best kick returner this season, and the first-round pick out of Tennessee definitely needs to see more time on the field, too.

PR Tandon Doss, Baltimore Ravens

Choosing the best punt returner was incredibly tough, because there were several other candidate who could have easily made this list. Dexter McCluster, Julian Edelman, and Golden Tate have all done an excellent job on returns, but I decided to go with Tandon Doss of the Ravens. He has averaged 17.8 yards per pop this year on PRs with one TD and 267 return yards. He’s been the most efficient punt returner on a per-play basis, too, and he runs with a lot of physicality.

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