• Detroit Lions elite tackle tops the chart for the second-straight week: Penei Sewell’s 93.1 PFF grade is the highest cumulative playoff grade this postseason on either side of the ball.
• Kansas City Chiefs franchise quarterback raises the bar in his sixth-playoff run: Patrick Mahomes’ 92.5 PFF grade this postseason ranks as the highest of his career.
• Dig into the numbers for yourself: PFF's Premium Stats is the most in-depth collection of NFL and NCAA player performance data. Subscribe today to get full access!
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
The 2023-24 NFL playoffs are underway. Contenders are going head-to-head vying to be the last team left standing when it’s all said and done. Franchise cornerstones make their names in the regular season, but legends cement their legacies in the playoffs.
These are the top-15 graded players of the conference championship round.
Editor's note: 20% minimum snap share to qualify.
1. OT Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions: 92.3
For the second straight week, Sewell stands above his contemporaries at the top of this list. The Lions right tackle again paved the way as a road-grading run blocker, earning the highest PFF run-blocking grade (94.7) of the championship round – more than six grading points above the next leading blocker. Of the 20 qualifying offensive linemen this past week, none surpassed Sewell’s 34.5% impact run block percentage. The next highest clocked more than 10% lower.
2. OT Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers: 90.2
The PFF All-Pro tackle was incredible in both facets of his game, finishing as the only player to surpass a 75.0-plus PFF grade in both pass protection (88.9) and run blocking (87.9). On 36 pass sets, Williams was unbeaten by a single pass-rusher, contributing to his league-leading 88.9 PFF grade this week. On the ground, the Niners franchise tackle excelled in zone-blocking concepts, producing an impact block on 31.6% of these looks — good for a 90.4 PFF run-blocking grade.
3. QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs: 86.0
The Chiefs controlled the tempo of the AFC championship game due largely to Mahomes masterfully orchestrating this offense in late downs while avoiding mistakes. The Chiefs signal-caller produced an incredible 90.8 PFF passing grade on third and fourth downs, highlighted by the incredible big-time throw to convert a long third down to ice the game away.
Heading into his fourth Super Bowl appearance, the former two-time MVP continues to reach new heights in the postseason. Mahomes’ 92.5 PFF grade so far this postseason marks the highest of his six playoff appearances.
4. TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs: 85.7
Kelce looked nearly un-coverable this past weekend. The Chiefs explosive tight end caught all 11 of his targets, six of which resulted in a first down or touchdown, and he also racked up over 2.97 yards per route run, both of which led the championship round. Prior to this matchup, Kelce had caught just over 30% of his contested targets this season, yet he managed to haul in all three of his contested targets this week, including his third score of the postseason.
5. WR Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers: 85.1
Despite dealing with nagging injuries, Samuel was incredible in the passing game, earning the second-highest PFF receiving grade (87.2) of the championship round. The Niners dynamic receiver was excellent after the catch, racking up over 7.8 yards after the catch per reception and 2.54 yards per route run, both of which were top four this past weekend.
6. HB David Montgomery, Detroit Lions: 81.3
The veteran piece of this Lions backfield had a productive day on the ground. Montgomery produced the highest PFF rushing grade (79.2) from a qualifying back in the conference championships. The Lions running back produced 57% of his yardage after first contact while generating over 6.2 yards per carry and three missed tackles forced.
7. TE George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers: 80.4
While Kittle may have been relatively quiet in the boxscore, his ability as a blocker was out on full display. The Niners impact tight end was solid in pass protection, producing a 100.0 pass-blocking efficiency rate, albeit on just four snaps. Where Kittle really set the tone as a blocker was in the run game, where he earned the third-highest PFF run-blocking grade (85.0) of the week, behind only the aforementioned Penei Sewell and Trent Williams.
8. EDGE Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers: 80.2
Bosa was a terror for this Niners pass rush and undoubtedly made production difficult to come by for Jared Goff and company. The former Defensive Player of the Year racked up eight total pressures, including a pair of sacks, both of which were league-leading marks in the conference round.
Bosa’s fantastic 18.7% pash-rush win rate so far this postseason currently ranks tied for the second-highest among edge rushers in the playoffs, as well as the highest of his playoff career.
9. C Frank Ragnow, Detroit Lions: 78.9
Like his teammate, Penei Sewell, Ragnow makes this list off his terrific play as a run blocker in the conference championship round, earning the highest PFF run-blocking (80.5) from an interior lineman. The Lion center was also exceptional in zone-blocking run concepts, where he earned an 87.6 PFF grade due to producing an impact block on 50% of these runs
10. S Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens: 77.7
The Ravens All-Pro safety had a busy afternoon, managing to produce impact plays all over the defense in every facet of the game. Hamilton finished as one of just two defenders to produce a 70-plus PFF grade in coverage (71.2), run defense (76.7) and pass rushing (70.7). The second-year safety had a nose for the ball, amassing a pair of tackles for loss on run downs, a forced incompletion and a quarterback hit.
11. DI Michael Pierce, Baltimore Ravens: 77.4
The Ravens run-stuffing tackle had an incredible playoff run, marked by the third-highest PFF run-defense grade (79.2) by an interior defender this postseason. In both of the Ravens playoff matchups, Pierce produced a positive grade on over 21% of his run-defense snaps, all without earning a single negative grade. Pierce finished as one of just three interior defenders to surpass a 20% impact block rate without committing a mistake.
12. CB Brian Branch, Detroit Lions: 77.0
Even as a rookie, Branch was a significant producer in the Lions coverage unit this past week. The first-year corner earned the highest PFF coverage grade (77.1) by a defensive back in the championship round. Branch’s sticky coverage surrendered just a single reception for just four yards.
13. EDGE Kyle Van Noy, Baltimore Ravens: 76.1
Along with his teammate, Kyle Hamilton, Van Noy finished the week as one of two players to surpass a 70-plus PFF grade in all three defensive facets. The Ravens edge defender was especially productive rushing the passer, producing the highest pass rush win rate (23.1%) of the championship round.
14. TE Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions: 75.3
LaPorta’s electric ability as a receiver was crucial in the Lions offensive success. His 75.6 PFF receiving grade ranked third in the conference round, powered his consistent and efficient play moving the sticks. The Lions tight end generated five first-down conversions and 2.69 yards per route run, both of which rank in the top three on the week.
15. OT Morgan Moses, Baltimore Ravens: 74.5
Despite surrendering a pivotal sack late in the championship round, Moses had a quality outing in which that was his only mistake. On over 47 pass-blocking snaps, the Ravens tackle allowed just a single knockdown for a 2.1% pressure rate. While the Ravens didn’t run the ball often, Moses was effective, committing no mistakes on his 11 run-defense snaps.
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