I really find it amazing how NFL players can screw up these rankings. As I pointed out before, if you’re in an office, you and your other co-workers can probably rank the best employees and come to a smart consensus. NFL players, however, continuously bungle things like this, probably because many of them don’t watch film or pay attention to the other games. They ranked Michael Turner in the top 100 twelve years ago, yet the guy couldn’t even move. Eight years ago, Carson Palmer was 12th, Blake Bortles was 56th, and Chris Ivory was 78th! Here was my reaction:
OH MY GOD. CHRIS IVORY IS 78TH?!??!?! ARE YOU F***ING SERIOUS??? CHRIS IVORY… IS 78TH!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!
Seven years ago, DeMarco Murray was voted in as the 31st-best player in the NFL. Yes, DeMarco Murray, the guy who lost his job during the year. The NFL players ranked Murray ahead of Kam Chancellor, Joey Bosa, Bobby Wagner, Trent Williams, and Jadeveon Clowney.
The following year, Case Keenum was 51st. Let me repeat that. Case Keenum was 51st. Here’s what I wrote:
CASE KEENUM IS 51ST!? WHAT!?!?!?!? HOW IN HELL IS CASE KEENUM BETTER THAN PHILIP RIVERS!?!?!?!?
The NFL players thought that Case Keenum was a better player than Philip Rivers. It was almost as bad in 2020 when Jimmy Garoppolo was somehow slotted at No. 43. Here were my thoughts:
HAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!1
WHAT THE F**K IS THIS!? BUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLLL!!!!!
NFL PLAYERS THINK JIMMY GAROPPOLO IS BETTER THAN J.J. WATT!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAAHHAAHAHHAALAOALAOLOLOLOLAHAHAHAHAHALOLOOLLLHAHAHA!!!!!
In 2022, they rated Mac Jones 85th. Really? Mac Jones, 85th? And then in 2023, Dalvin Cook was ranked 91st even though the Vikings cut him earlier that offseason!
Predictably, there were some very dumb choices in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024. I’ve highlighted them, marking the underrated players in blue and overrated players in red.
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024: 100-91:
100. Zaire Franklin, LB, Colts
99. Lavonte David, LB, Buccaneers
98. Cameron Heyward, DL, Steelers
97. Terry McLaurin, WR, Redskins
96. Dion Dawkins, OT, Bills
95. Julian Love, S, Seahawks
94. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jaguars
93. Harrison Smith, S, Vikings
92. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Jets
91. Tariq Woolen, CB, Seahawks
100. Zaire Franklin: We start off with quite the banger, as Zaire Franklin struggled mightily in coverage last year and wasn’t good enough versus the run to compensate for that weakness.
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024: 90-81:
90. DeVonta Smith, WR, Eagles
89. Budda Baker, S, Cardinals
88. Chris Lindstrom, G, Falcons
87. Haason Reddick, DE/OLB, Jets
86. Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles
85. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Buccaneers
84. D.K. Metcalf, WR, Seahawks
83. Derwin James, S, Chargers
82. Montez Sweat, DE/OLB, Bears
81. Kirk Cousins, QB, Falcons
85. Tristan Wirfs: I consider Tristan Wirfs to be one of the better tackles in the NFL, so No. 85 seems awfully low for him.
81. Kirk Cousins: It seems wrong to rank Kirk Cousins over Aaron Rodgers. Now, before you say, “Aaron Rodgers is old and is coming off an Achilles injury,” recall that the same thing can be said about Cousins.
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024: 80-71:
80. Sam LaPorta, TE, Lions
79. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Steelers
78. Kyren Williams, RB, Rams
77. Trey Hendrickson, DE, Bengals
76. Dre Greenlaw, LB, 49ers
75. Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers
74. Jessie Bates, S, Falcons
73. Jeffery Simmons, DT, Titans
72. Garrett Wilson, WR, Jets
71. Laremy Tunsil, OT, Texans
80. Sam LaPorta: There’s an argument to be made that Sam LaPorta is the best tight end in the NFL right now. Even if he’s just in the top three, he should be ranked higher than No. 80.
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024: 70-61:
70. Amari Cooper, WR, Browns
69. Cooper Kupp, WR, Rams
68. Danielle Hunter, DE, Texans
67. Terron Armstead, OT, Dolphins
66. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, 49ers
65. Jordan Poyer, S, Dolphins
64. Patrick Queen, LB, Steelers
63. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Dolphins
62. Bradley Chubb, DE, Dolphins
61. Justin Madubuike, DL, Ravens
69. Cooper Kupp: Cooper Kupp looked washed up last year. Even if he rebounds this season , no one in their right mind would take a 31-year-old Kupp over D.K. Metcalf, for example.
65. Jordan Poyer: Jordan Poyer!? The same Jordan Poyer no one was willing to give more than $2 million to this offseason? That’s all Poyer got on the open market, and yet he’s the 65th-best player in the NFL? What sort of drugs have these voters taken?
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024: 60-51:
60. Raheem Mostert, RB, Dolphins
59. Bobby Wagner, LB, Seahawks
58. Christian Wilkins, DT, Raiders
57. Justin Simmons, S, Free Agent
56. Stefon Diggs, WR, Texans
55. Brian Burns, DE/OLB, Giants
54. Jonathan Allen, DL, Redskins
53. Zack Martin, G, Cowboys
52. Patrick Surtain II, CB, Broncos
51. Keenan Allen, WR, Bears
60. Raheem Mostert: Apparently, these drugs are very strong. How can someone justify Raheem Mostert being 60th on this list? Yes, that’s right, Mostert is 26 slots better than Saquon Barkley. That makes a lot of sense.
59. Bobby Wagner: I like Bobby Wagner. He used to be a top-60 player. But he’s an older player now, so that’s not the case anymore.
57. Justin Simmons: It’s a bit embarrassing that the 57th-ranked player on this list is an unsigned free agent. Seriously, anyone can sign him right now, and yet no one is doing so.
53. Zack Martin: This is much like the Wagner ranking. Martin used to be a top-20 player, but he’s way past his prime and shouldn’t be on this list as a result.
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024: 50-41:
50. Rashan Gary, DL, Packers
49. Derrick Henry, RB, Ravens
48. Jared Goff, QB, Lions
47. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Lions
46. Antoine Winfield, S, Buccaneers
45. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Bengals
44. Demario Davis, LB, Saints
43. Kyle Hamilton, S, Ravens
42. Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams
41. Lane Johnson, OT, Eagles
49. Derrick Henry: My reaction to seeing this ranking: “Oh my God, Derrick Henry is 49th!?” I didn’t think he would even be on this list, let alone in the top 50. I guess I fully don’t recognize how stupid these voters are. Henry had many games last year in which he had 10-12 carries because he lost touches to Tyjae Spears. He’s not nearly the same dominant player he once was, so slotting him 49th is absolutely ridiculous.
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024: 40-31:
40. Davante Adams, WR, Raiders
39. Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals
38. Sauce Gardner, CB, Jets
37. Quinnen Williams, DT, Jets
36. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins
35. Josh Hines-Allen, DE, Jaguars
34. “No Cookie” Jordan Love, QB, Packers
33. Puka Nacua, WR, Rams
32. Quincy Williams, LB, Jets
31. DaRon Bland, CB, Cowboys
39. Joe Burrow: It takes a very “special” kind of person to think that Joe Burrow is not as good of a quarterback as Tua Tagovailoa and “No Cookie” Jordan Love. Even if you want to argue constant injuries, Tagovailoa is worse than Burrow in that regard.
32. Quincy Williams: Do people really consider Quincy Williams to be the best defender on the Jets? I’d rather have Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, and it’s not even close. Maybe some Jets fans want to weigh in on this one.
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024: 30-21:
30. Deebo Samuel, WR, 49ers
29. Khalil Mack, DE, Chargers
28. Brock Purdy, QB, 49ers
27. Nick Bosa, DE, 49ers
26. Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers
25. Jalen Ramsey, CB, Dolphins
24. Dexter Lawrence, DT, Giants
23. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions
22. Penei Sewell, OT, Lions
21. A.J. Brown, WR, Eagles
28. Brock Purdy: There are NFL players who believe that Brock Purdy is better than Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, “No Cookie” Jordan Love, Matthew Stafford, and Aaron Rodgers. No wonder many of them can’t pass a simple test that asks them to name the eighth month of the year.
NFL Top 100 Players of 2021: 20-11:
20. C.J. Stroud, QB, Texans
19. Roquan Smith, LB, Ravens
18. Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings
17. Micah Parsons, DE, Cowboys
16. Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys
15. Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles
14. George Kittle, TE, 49ers
13. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Cowboys
12. Josh Allen, QB, Bills
11. Fred Warner, LB, 49ers
16. Dak Prescott: The league’s leader in interceptions in 2022 is now the 16th-best player in the NFL somehow. Things can change very quickly, apparently.
NFL Top 100 Players of 2021: 10-1:
10. Maxx Crosby, DE, Raiders
9. Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs
8. T.J. Watt, DE/OLB, Steelers
7. Trent Williams, OT, 49ers
6. Chris Jones, DT, Chiefs
5. Myles Garrett, DE, Browns
4. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
3. Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers
2. Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens
1. Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins
9. Travis Kelce: Travis Kelce had a great three-game stretch in the playoffs, but looked downright decrepit at times during the regular season. I can’t get behind him still being a top-10 player in the NFL.
4. Patrick Mahomes: Congratulations to the players for motivating Patrick Mahomes enough for him to win his third-consecutive and fourth-overall Super Bowl. Nice job, guys. And really, what the hell is this ranking? If all the NFL players are available, and a new franchise could choose any of them, they would have to be brain dead not to select Mahomes No. 1 overall.
2. Lamar Jackson: Lamar Jackson is the superior athlete, but that’s not what this ranking is all about. Jackson is not a better NFL player than Mahomes, or even most of the other individuals in the top 10. He’s a great talent, but hasn’t been able to put it together in tough NFL playoff games. Putting him in the 10-20 range is perfectly fine, but listing him as the best quarterback in the league and the No. 2 overall player is completely absurd.
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024 – Snubs:
Mark Andrews, TE, Ravens – I’d rather have Mark Andrews than Travis Kelce, but then again, I’d rather have almost any tight end on this list over Kelce. Andrews should be in the top 100.
Christian Darrisaw, OT, Vikings – If you want to see the sort of impact that Christian Darrisaw had for the Vikings, check out the games in which he was sidelined in 2022. Minnesota’s offense was not functional without Darrisaw. He was an obvious snub last year, and he once again has that distinction, although his massive contract will make him feel better about it.
Breece Hall, RB, Jets – There are a number of running backs who could be listed, namely Breece Hall, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs. I like Breece Lightning more than the other two, as Hall was producing Marshall Faulk-type receiving stats late last year.
Creed Humphrey, C, Chiefs – Jason Kelce was the top center in the NFL for years. You could make the case that Creed Humphrey deserves that distinction now, so why wasn’t he listed in the top 100? This is the second year in a row that Humphrey has been snubbed, but considering how dumb NFL player voters are, Humphrey should take it as a compliment.
Jaylon Johnson, CB, Bears – Chicago’s pass defense struggled to start the year, but improved considerably as the season progressed. Jaylon Johnson’s return from injury was a huge factor in that transpiring.
Jordan Mailata, OT, Eagles – Once a seventh-round former rugby player, Jordan Mailata has evolved into one of the top left tackles in the NFL. Most of the players voting on this list probably never heard of him.
D.J. Moore, WR, Bears – D.J. Moore has been paired up with some awful quarterbacks in his time with the Panthers and Bears. It’ll be exciting to see what he does with Caleb Williams.
Quenton Nelson, G, Colts – The best guard in the NFL should probably be on this list.
Chris Olave, WR, Saints – Chris Olave has been a big producer despite being hamstrung by Derek Carr, Jameis Winston, and Andy Dalton. Imagine what he’ll do with a real quarterback whenever he gets one.
Rashawn Slater, OT, Chargers – Rashawn Slater missed most of 2022, but came back strong in 2023 and had an amazing year. I suppose the NFL players who voted on this list weren’t paying attention.
Andrew Thomas, OT, Giants – Andrew Thomas missed time with an injury this past season, but that doesn’t mean that someone as talented as him should be kept off this list.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seahawks – Devon Witherspoon didn’t disappoint as the No. 5 overall pick in this past draft. He was one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL despite being just a rookie.
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