- Special teams play of the week: Arizona's Elijah Higgins forced a fumble on kick coverage before Seattle's Chazz Surratt returned the loose ball 35 yards.
- Top kick coverage grade: Cowboys safety Caleb Downs earned a 92.1 PFF grade, the highest among players with at least five kick coverage snaps.
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Each week through the 2026 NFL season, I'll be taking a closer look at the special teams players making an impact around the NFL.
But this won’t just be about the kickers, punters and returners who typically get the attention. We’ll dig deeper into the players who can decide games without touching the ball, from gunners and vices to snappers and members of the kick return and coverage units. I’ll also highlight my favorite special teams plays of the week.
Here is the Special Teams Report for Week 2.
Special teams play of the week
My favorite special teams play came from the Arizona Cardinals for the second straight week, but this time it somehow ended with a negative outcome for them. Elijah Higgins lined up as the L4 on the kick coverage unit, did a great job shedding his blocker and forced a fumble. The loose ball fell to Seahawks linebacker Chazz Surratt, though, and he promptly returned it 35 yards to set Seattle up in Cardinals territory.
Gunners
Only two players in the NFL recorded multiple tackles as gunners this week: Robert Spears-Jennings of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Rayuan Lane III of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Both of Lane’s tackles came against a double vise, while Spears-Jennings won against single blocks.
Vise/Jammers
On the opposite side are the players responsible for slowing down gunners. Three players who were on the field for at least three snaps as a vise/jammer recorded a Vise Win Percentage of 37.5% or better.
| Player | Team | Vise Win Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| George Odum | Houston Texans | 100.0% |
| Davison Igbinosun | Buffalo Bills | 75.0% |
| Tremon Smith | Houston Texans | 37.5% |
On two of their respective wins, Odum and Smith teamed up on a double-team for the Texans.
Long snappers
Long snappers earn high grades by limiting bad snaps and recording tackles in punt coverage. Only one long snapper earned a PFF grade above 70.0 in Week 2: Hogan Hatten of the Detroit Lions. He finished with a 72.4 PFF grade after recording no inaccurate snaps and making a tackle on a punt, though he was also downgraded for a missed tackle on another play.
Kick coverage units
Players can earn high grades on kick coverage units by making tackles and defeating blocks to influence kick returners. Among players who logged at least five snaps on kick coverage units, nine earned PFF grades above 75.0.
| Player | Team | PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Caleb Downs | Dallas Cowboys | 92.1 |
| Evan Williams | Green Bay Packers | 79.2 |
| KhaDarel Hodge | San Francisco 49ers | 78.7 |
| CJ Donaldson | New Orleans Saints | 76.9 |
| Adam Prentice | Denver Broncos | 76.8 |
| Ashtyn Davis | San Francisco 49ers | 76.1 |
| Omar Speights | Los Angeles Rams | 76.0 |
| David Walker | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 75.6 |
| Danny Stutsman | New Orleans Saints | 75.5 |
Kick return units
Players earn positive and negative grades on kick return units based on how well they block the kick coverage unit. This week, nine players earned PFF grades above 85.0 while logging at least five snaps on the kick return unit.
| Player | Team | PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Qwan’tez Stiggers | New York Jets | 90.3 |
| Quintin Morris | Jacksonville Jaguars | 90.2 |
| Jeffrey Bassa | Kansas City Chiefs | 90.0 |
| Marlowe Wax | Los Angeles Chargers | 90.0 |
| Mo Alie-Cox | Indianapolis Colts | 89.8 |
| Travis Homer | Pittsburgh Steelers | 89.7 |
| Laquon Treadwell | Indianapolis Colts | 88.5 |
| Robert Beal Jr. | Miami Dolphins | 88.2 |
| Jack Sawyer | Pittsburgh Steelers | 85.3 |
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