- Punt of the week: Chargers punter JK Scott recorded 5.38 seconds of hang time on a punt that landed at the Bills’ 5-yard line.
- Coverage standouts: Maema Njongmeta led qualifying kick coverage players with a 93.2 PFF grade, followed by Anfernee Jennings at 92.2.
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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 3.
Special teams play of the week
While this report usually stays away from kicking, punting and returning, sometimes you’ve just got to appreciate a really good punt. That’s exactly what JK Scott delivered for the Los Angeles Chargers in the second quarter of their loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Scott delivered 5.38 seconds of hang time on a punt from the Chargers’ 32-yard line that landed at the Bills’ 5-yard line. It’s just a shame nobody could get down there to down the ball before it bounced into the end zone.
Gunners
No player in the NFL recorded more than one tackle as a gunner this week. Fifteen players recorded a tackle, with Houston Texans defensive back Jaylin Smith the only player to miss multiple tackles while lined up as a gunner.
Vice/Jammers
On the opposite side are the players responsible for slowing down gunners. Four players who logged at least three snaps as a vice/jammer recorded a vice win percentage of 33.3% or better.
| Player | Team | Vice Win Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Caelen Carson | Dallas Cowboys | 66.7% |
| Kris Abrams-Draine | Denver Broncos | 50.0% |
| Kevon Key | Denver Broncos | 50.0% |
| Kevin Knowles II | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 33.3% |
Long snappers
Long snappers earn high grades by limiting bad snaps and recording tackles in punt coverage. Three long snappers earned PFF grades above 70.0 in Week 3:
| Player | Team | PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Moore | Baltimore Ravens | 73.8 |
| Joe Cardona | Los Angeles Rams | 73.2 |
| Ben Mann | New York Giants | 72.9 |
Moore had one inaccurate snap but also recorded a tackle, helping offset the downgrade to his overall PFF grade for the game.
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 as part of a kick coverage unit, five earned PFF grades above 85.0:
| Player | Team | PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Maema Njongmeta | Carolina Panthers | 93.2 |
| Anfernee Jennings | New Orleans Saints | 92.2 |
| Ben VanSumeren | Kansas City Chiefs | 89.5 |
| Sam Franklin Jr. | Buffalo Bills | 87.4 |
| Oren Burks | Cincinnati Bengals | 85.7 |
Kick return units
Players earn positive and negative grades on kick return units based on the quality of their blocking against kick coverage units. This week, six players who logged at least five snaps as part of a kick return unit earned PFF grades above 90.0:
| Player | Team | PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Jay Ward | Minnesota Vikings | 91.7 |
| Jake Golday | Minnesota Vikings | 91.6 |
| Ale Kaho | Washington Commanders | 91.2 |
| Max Bredeson | Minnesota Vikings | 90.2 |
| Ivan Pace Jr. | Minnesota Vikings | 90.2 |
| Tommy Eichenberg | Las Vegas Raiders | 90.1 |
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