Serie A

Pedro leads the race with 9 goals after 15 matches for Flamengo. He is 1 goal clear of John Kennedy on 8, while K. Viveros sits 1 back on 8. At the current rate Pedro projects to finish on around 23 for the season.

Pedro has scored 9 goals for Flamengo this season, accounting for 32% of the team's 28 league goals. The output goes well beyond a flat scoring rate. He is the player Flamengo turn to in tight games and the one defenders have to pick up first. Recent goal hauls include 1 goal against Atletico Paranaense, 1 goal against Vasco DA Gama, and 2 goals against Atletico-MG. The numbers put him in the conversation for player of the season as long as the form holds.

1. Pedro (Flamengo) on 9 goals. 2. John Kennedy (Fluminense) on 8 goals. 3. K. Viveros (Atletico Paranaense) on 8 goals. 4. Danilo (Botafogo) on 7 goals. 5. Breno Lopes (Coritiba) on 7 goals.

Andreas Pereira of Palmeiras tops the assists chart with 9. R. Garro (Corinthians) is next on 6, and Josué of Coritiba rounds out the top three on 6.

Breno Lopes of Coritiba is the most efficient finisher in the league at 0.79 goals per 90 minutes. He has 7 goals from 799 minutes, so volume is not the headline. The story is how rarely he wastes time on the pitch.

K. Viveros is the breakout story so far. In a first season at this level he has 8 goals for Atletico Paranaense, the kind of return scouts will keep on file. Defenders did not have much footage to study, and K. Viveros has used that to his advantage.