Photo Credit: Crescent City Sports
1. 50% of the weight: "The Eye Test" - my own personal assessment of the player's talent, productivity and overall impact on winning. This has to come first, otherwise it wouldn't be my list.
2. 20%: Stats. The raw numbers.
3. 10%: Impact on winning in pressure situations and most importantly, the playoffs.
4. 10%: The experts over at Pro Football Focus really know their stuff; they examine every single play of the NFL season, and I trust their detailed analyses. I'm giving 10% of the weight to their 2019 Top 101 NFL Players.
5. 10%: Recent Pro Bowl selections. Thanks to the coaches, players and fans to their contributions, here.
59. Demario Davis, LB, New Orleans Saints
-2019 Key Stat: 59 defensive stops (explanation of stat, here)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: #21 overall player
I always loved Demario on my Jets. The guy plays his ass off. He plays with a high motor and never gives up on a play. That being said, he never got much recognition with Gang Green. In terms of analytics and statistics, his immense value is really shining through with the Saints. I'm happy he's finally getting the recognition he deserves, and I wish him continued success in the black and gold.
58. Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions
-2019 Key Stat: 106 QB rating
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
Stafford and the Lions are a hot topic on Twitter right now, as Jalen Rose and Dan Orlovsky debate the alternate route of drafting Tua. I had to chime in:
As for Stafford, on his own, I told Rose the following:
57. Fletcher Cox, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
-2019 Key Stat: 56 QB pressures
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: #44 overall player
Always the bridesmaid...never the bride. As far as NFC interior linemen are concerned, Fletcher is always playing second fiddle to the great Aaron Donald. But pay that no mind, Fletch! He's still, obviously, one of the absolute best in the game. You ever watch an Eagles' game on FOX? I feel like Joe Buck is calling out his name every other play (at least). Cox is just one of those true impact defenders. He stuffs the run and rushes the quarterback with crazy consistency.
56. Marcus Peters, CB, Baltimore Ravens
-2019 Key Stat: 5 INTs (2nd-most)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: #63 overall player
This is a matter of personal preference...but I like a ballhawk. I lean in favor of playmakers. Sure, Peters gambles at times, but overall he's a very impactful defensive player. I don't think the Rams got any better when they essentially swapped Peters out for Jalen Ramsey. In all honesty, I think they got worse. Back to the ballhawk thing...I mean, just look at the impact defensive backs like Rod Woodson, Charles Woodson, Ed Reed, Ty Law and Deion Sanders had on their respective teams. Generating turnovers is of paramount importance. Peters knows how to make an aggressive defensive play, then finish that play when it matters.
55. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
-2019 Key Stat: 81 receptions (3rd-straight year, same number)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
Ouch...harsh, Pro Football Focus! Not even in the top 101? One of the most explosive individual players in the NFL? That's highly debatable, as you can see from my No. 55 ranking here. Admittedly, it was a bizarre season for Kamara. Mark Ingram was downgraded to Latavius Murray - the latter is a far more limited all-around back - so we all thought Kamara would pop off in a major way. Yet...his stats were essentially the same, minus the redzone impact. He caught 81 balls for the third-straight season. He was around 800 yards rushing again. But - and it's a big BUT - his rushing TDs dropped from 14 to 5. There's no reason to believe he can't turn that back around this season.
54. Myles Garrett, Edge, Cleveland Browns
-2019 Key Stat: 10 sacks in 10 games
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
He's only outside of the top 50 because of his attitude. You can't try to kill someone on the football field. When we evaluate players, we must evaluate the total package. We must consider all aspects of the player, and person. I'll be honest with ya...on pure talent alone...there's no doubt Garrett is a top-25 player in the NFL. But what if he snaps again? What if he truly cannot control his dangerous impulses? You can't avoid worrying about these things. All possibilities must be considered and analyzed, accordingly.
53. Ryan Ramczyk, T, New Orleans Saints
-2019 Key Stat: Zero sacks allowed
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No. (A travesty.)
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: #9 overall player
If Fletcher Cox always takes a backseat to Aaron Donald, well then, Ramczyk always takes a backseat to his teammate who is about to be No. 51 on my list. I'm sure you know who I am referring to, but I'll leave his name out for now. Ramczyk is one of the absolute best all-around offensive linemen in the NFL. Hands down. Period. But he doesn't get the recognition he deserves because his teammate is a "big name". His teammate is excellent. But so is Ramczyk. I don't sleep on this guy, even if others ignore or dismiss him.
52. Carlos Dunlap, Edge, Cincinnati Bengals
-2019 Key Stat: 9 sacks/50 pressures in 14 games
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: #42 overall player
What a career this guy has had. I know the Bengals stunk up the joint last season, but Dunlap was still doin' his thing at an extremely high level. Gettin' after the QB and setting the tone for a team that needed guidance in the area of winning. He's 31 years old and heading into his 11th season in a long NFL career, but Dunlap shows no signs of slowing down. This freight train ain't stoppin' for nobody.
51. Terron Armstead, T, New Orleans Saints
-2019 Key Stat: Allowed only 1 sack
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: #76 overall player
Yeah...sorry Ramczyk. Terron gets back-to-back Pro Bowl nods and Ramczyk gets...squat. At least PFF ranked the latter No. 9 overall. But yeah, Terron's a beast. Gets the utmost respect from opposing players, coaches, fans...pretty much everybody. He's an immovable force on the offensive line in front of future Hall of Famer Drew Brees.
Tune in next time for the top 50!
ARCHIVE:
Part 4, Players 60-69
Part 3, Players 70-79
Part 2, Players 80-89
Part 1, Players 90-100
59. Demario Davis, LB, New Orleans Saints
-2019 Key Stat: 59 defensive stops (explanation of stat, here)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: #21 overall player
I always loved Demario on my Jets. The guy plays his ass off. He plays with a high motor and never gives up on a play. That being said, he never got much recognition with Gang Green. In terms of analytics and statistics, his immense value is really shining through with the Saints. I'm happy he's finally getting the recognition he deserves, and I wish him continued success in the black and gold.
58. Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions
-2019 Key Stat: 106 QB rating
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
Stafford and the Lions are a hot topic on Twitter right now, as Jalen Rose and Dan Orlovsky debate the alternate route of drafting Tua. I had to chime in:
And that's truly how I feel about Stafford and the Lions. These guys can make some noise, if they can squeak out a few more tight victories. Remember, the Packers went 6-9-1 in 2018 and 7-9 in 2017. They aren't a lock for anything this season. The Bears' results have fluctuated dramatically the past two years. I do like the Vikings, overall, but the NFC North is still anybody's game. On the whole, the Lions played much harder (and better) for head coach Matt Patricia in '19 than they did during his rookie season.Danny, I have to remind you, with Stafford healthy the #Lions started off 2-0 this past season, then lost 4 coin flips in a row to the #Chargers, #Eagles, #Chiefs and #Packers. A couple of those games came down to late calls by the refs. DET was very competitive. #NFL #NFLTwitter— John Frascella (@LegendSports7) May 5, 2020
As for Stafford, on his own, I told Rose the following:
And that's the truth. Matthew Stafford is a solid all-around NFL quarterback who can make all the throws. In the grand scheme, that's an awfully hard thing to come by.Jalen, Stafford is still only 32 years old, and he's still one of the better quarterbacks in the #NFL. Those, as we know, are extremely hard to come by. No guarantees with #Tua or any rookie, for that matter. Currently, I have Stafford somewhere between 10 and 13 in my QB ranks.— John Frascella (@LegendSports7) May 5, 2020
57. Fletcher Cox, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
-2019 Key Stat: 56 QB pressures
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: #44 overall player
Always the bridesmaid...never the bride. As far as NFC interior linemen are concerned, Fletcher is always playing second fiddle to the great Aaron Donald. But pay that no mind, Fletch! He's still, obviously, one of the absolute best in the game. You ever watch an Eagles' game on FOX? I feel like Joe Buck is calling out his name every other play (at least). Cox is just one of those true impact defenders. He stuffs the run and rushes the quarterback with crazy consistency.
56. Marcus Peters, CB, Baltimore Ravens
-2019 Key Stat: 5 INTs (2nd-most)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: #63 overall player
This is a matter of personal preference...but I like a ballhawk. I lean in favor of playmakers. Sure, Peters gambles at times, but overall he's a very impactful defensive player. I don't think the Rams got any better when they essentially swapped Peters out for Jalen Ramsey. In all honesty, I think they got worse. Back to the ballhawk thing...I mean, just look at the impact defensive backs like Rod Woodson, Charles Woodson, Ed Reed, Ty Law and Deion Sanders had on their respective teams. Generating turnovers is of paramount importance. Peters knows how to make an aggressive defensive play, then finish that play when it matters.
55. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
-2019 Key Stat: 81 receptions (3rd-straight year, same number)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
Ouch...harsh, Pro Football Focus! Not even in the top 101? One of the most explosive individual players in the NFL? That's highly debatable, as you can see from my No. 55 ranking here. Admittedly, it was a bizarre season for Kamara. Mark Ingram was downgraded to Latavius Murray - the latter is a far more limited all-around back - so we all thought Kamara would pop off in a major way. Yet...his stats were essentially the same, minus the redzone impact. He caught 81 balls for the third-straight season. He was around 800 yards rushing again. But - and it's a big BUT - his rushing TDs dropped from 14 to 5. There's no reason to believe he can't turn that back around this season.
54. Myles Garrett, Edge, Cleveland Browns
-2019 Key Stat: 10 sacks in 10 games
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
He's only outside of the top 50 because of his attitude. You can't try to kill someone on the football field. When we evaluate players, we must evaluate the total package. We must consider all aspects of the player, and person. I'll be honest with ya...on pure talent alone...there's no doubt Garrett is a top-25 player in the NFL. But what if he snaps again? What if he truly cannot control his dangerous impulses? You can't avoid worrying about these things. All possibilities must be considered and analyzed, accordingly.
53. Ryan Ramczyk, T, New Orleans Saints
-2019 Key Stat: Zero sacks allowed
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No. (A travesty.)
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: #9 overall player
If Fletcher Cox always takes a backseat to Aaron Donald, well then, Ramczyk always takes a backseat to his teammate who is about to be No. 51 on my list. I'm sure you know who I am referring to, but I'll leave his name out for now. Ramczyk is one of the absolute best all-around offensive linemen in the NFL. Hands down. Period. But he doesn't get the recognition he deserves because his teammate is a "big name". His teammate is excellent. But so is Ramczyk. I don't sleep on this guy, even if others ignore or dismiss him.
52. Carlos Dunlap, Edge, Cincinnati Bengals
-2019 Key Stat: 9 sacks/50 pressures in 14 games
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: #42 overall player
What a career this guy has had. I know the Bengals stunk up the joint last season, but Dunlap was still doin' his thing at an extremely high level. Gettin' after the QB and setting the tone for a team that needed guidance in the area of winning. He's 31 years old and heading into his 11th season in a long NFL career, but Dunlap shows no signs of slowing down. This freight train ain't stoppin' for nobody.
51. Terron Armstead, T, New Orleans Saints
-2019 Key Stat: Allowed only 1 sack
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: #76 overall player
Yeah...sorry Ramczyk. Terron gets back-to-back Pro Bowl nods and Ramczyk gets...squat. At least PFF ranked the latter No. 9 overall. But yeah, Terron's a beast. Gets the utmost respect from opposing players, coaches, fans...pretty much everybody. He's an immovable force on the offensive line in front of future Hall of Famer Drew Brees.
Tune in next time for the top 50!
ARCHIVE:
Part 4, Players 60-69
Part 3, Players 70-79
Part 2, Players 80-89
Part 1, Players 90-100
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