I noticed that there was an incorrect link to the NFL.com stat page for Anthony in my original post -
corrected here. Yards and TDs are just two of the metrics used in gauging performance for fullbacks. It's also difficult position for the casual fan (and mainstream media) to evaluate the other factors such as the blocking grades - which are not well published. AS has done a phenomenal job opening holes for Charles the last two years and is more than solid on special teams (and rewarded w/ his new contract). The problem is the Pro Bowl is just as much a popularity contest as anything else and an unglamorous position as FB is not going to get the attention it deserves.
I agree that after 9 years Kuhn is on the downslope and running more on reputation (and team cachet).
I 100% agree that AS is undervalued as a FB. He just needs to keep building the resume...
Sorry if this is piling on you, huskymedic, but only in terms of the pro-bowl being purely a popularity contest is AS not the best FB in the NFL. He is far and away the most effective lead-blocking FB and in terms of value per snap (blocking, rushing, 0r receiving) He is still the best overall FB in the NFL. PFF is just one source for this. True NFL guys (analysts and broadcasters) agree. In every Chiefs game I've ever seen, there are multiple times where the color guy specifically highlights AS and guys like Mayock will often definitively say he is the best in the business.
I think it comes down to this:
- Is AS the best receiving FB? no, probably Reece
- Is AS the fastest FB? No, again Reece
- Is AS the best rushing FB? No, probably Tolbert
- IS AS the best pass blocking FB? No, probably Kuhn
But what percentage of the time is a fullback asked to do those things? Very, very rarely. You are talking about probably less that 10% of plays involving the fullback. Across the league, the vast majority of the time the fullback is asked to run block.
- Is AS the best run blocking FB? Far and away Yes
- Is AS the best impact blocking (i.e. the quality and power of each block) FB? Definitively Yes. On running plays, Sherman is basically the 6th lineman. He routinely destroys the top LBs and DBs in the league.
-Is AS the most effective FB in other areas of the game (i.e. Special teams)? Yes.
He should have at least made the pro-bowl as a special teams guy. He has 13 special teams tackles (2nd in the NFL) and 4(!!!!!) forced fumbles. Only Ryan Kerrigan and Robert Quinn have more with 5 and both of those guys are full time defensive players. Think about that!! He has as many or more forced fumbles than all but 2 of the hundreds of defensive players in the NFL. And he has done that in 220 total ST plays. By comparison, the most plays (Def and ST combined) in the league are Michael Jenkins-Eagles (top DB with 1258 total plays), Preston Brown-Bills (top LB with 1138 total plays), and JJ Watt-Texans (top DL with 1071 total plays).
For Sherman to not make the Pro-bowl for FB or ST is nothing short of an absolute snub and simply a popularity thing.