Photo Credit: Eagles Wire - USA Today
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.
79. DeMarcus Lawrence, Edge, Dallas Cowboys
-2019 Key Stat: 56 QB pressures
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: #55 overall player
A little over a year ago, he was in the discussion for best overall defensive player in the NFL; but sack totals are like neon signs...they catch your attention when you pass by. When you see only five sacks in 16 games, your reaction is probably going to be meh. What happened, there? But the bigger DeMarcus' name gets, the more double-teams he draws. He still pressures the quarterback, while showcasing electric speed from the edge. Fifty-six pressures have him right up there with the best in the league. He's a defensive player that opposing teams specifically have to prepare for.
78. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
-2019 Key Stat: 88 rec, 6 TDs
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
He's kind of a weird player to evaluate, no? I mean, did you feel his impact this past season? I certainly didn't. I had no idea that he even suited up for 15 games. It definitely felt like less to me. On the flip side, his 88 receptions were the second-most of his career. And, in terms of raw ability as a skill player, there's no question he's a top-five tight end. I'd just like to see more consistent production from him, game-to-game. Fellow tight end Dallas Goedert's superb season certainly didn't help Ertz's chances of being a consistent, go-to target. Carson Wentz will probably lean on both, going forward.
77. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
-2019 Key Stat: 16 games played (for the 13th time)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
You see what I selected as Fitz's "Key Stat": 16 f'n games. Again. Fifth year in a row...and the guy's been ballin' outrageous in the NFL since 2004! Fitz is a football god, plain and simple. He'll obviously benefit from three things this season: (1) New teammate DeAndre Hopkins will draw an awful lot of defensive attention; (2) Kliff Kingsbury will have a higher overall comfort level and (3) Kyler Murray will continue to improve, especially with "Hop" and Kenyan Drake balancing Arizona's offensive attack for an entire year. Yeah, Fitz is 36 years old...but never sleep on this guy. First ballot Hall of Famer, for certain.
76. Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns
-2019 Key Stat: 83 rec for 1,174 yards
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
Here's a real blue-collar guy. Landry works his ass off out there. He'll die for the cause. He's not particularly big and he doesn't have breakaway speed, but he fights corners and safeties for the ball and comes up with it...pretty much every time. He grinds for first downs and is a truly reliable possession receiver. Landry's an old-school, no bullshit wide receiver. My kinda guy.
75. Philip Rivers, QB, Indianapolis Colts
-2019 Key Stat: 4,615 yards (4th-most)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
This fiery vet's season was strikingly similar to both Jared Goff (#93 on my list, see here) and Jameis Winston, in that his passing yardage was sexy-but-deceiving. Winston led the league in passing yards, Goff was third and Rivers was a very-close fourth; but all three were among the interception "leaders". They were sloppy, garbage-time stat seasons. Things should change for Rivers this season though, as he transitions from the Chargers to the Colts. Indy's Quenton Nelson, Anthony Castonzo and Ryan Kelly are three of the best offensive linemen in the game. RG Mark Glowinski is also solid, while WRs T.Y. Hilton and rookie Michael Pittman will be readily available through the air. I expect a bounce-back year from Rivers in terms of efficiency and possession protection.
74. Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions
-2019 Key Stat: 11 receiving TDs (most in the NFL)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
Come on...you're lying if you tell me you knew Golladay had the most receiving touchdowns in the NFL this past season. I knew he had a monster fantasy year - a surprising one at that - but I had no idea he had more touchdowns than Michael Thomas, DeAndre Hopkins and, well...everybody else. Let me back up for a second to that word "surprising" - this wasn't surprising in terms of Golladay's talent and overall skillset (he's always had a standout look to him), but it was very surprising when you consider Detroit's quarterback situation...Matthew Stafford went down, Jeff Driskel played erratically for a while, and then even soft tosser David Blough got a crack at things under center. How do you gain 1,190 yards and pile up 11 touchdowns with that dysfunctional quarterback situation? There's only one way...you're really damn good, no matter what the circumstances. Shame on you, PFF, for leaving Golladay off your list.
73. Brandon Brooks, G, Philadelphia Eagles
-2019 Key Stat: Allowed only 1 sack
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: #5 overall player
You think I'm sittin' around watchin' film of offensive linemen, all day every day? Of course not! But...just look at the facts, here...a back-to-back Pro Bowl starter ranked No. 5 overall by Pro Football Focus? This big fella is clearly a superstar. He only allowed 19 QB pressures all season, and apparently that's a very low number. This Eagles' offensive line is surprisingly loaded.
72. Arik Armstead, Edge, San Francisco 49ers
-2019 Key Stat: 10 sacks and 73 QB pressures
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: #30 overall player
Let's go back to "The Eye Test" here...I saw six or seven 49ers' games and Armstead was all over the backfield in every single one. Nick Bosa was clearly the best player on the 49ers' much-publicized defense; but after that, it was extremely close between veteran great Richard Sherman and Armstead. It's a nightmare dropping back to pass with both Bosa and Armstead barreling toward you. Armstead reminds me of DeMarcus Ware in his prime, and obviously, that's awfully high praise for a pass rusher on the rise.
71. Danielle Hunter, Edge, Minnesota Vikings
-2019 Key Stat: 14.5 sacks (4th-most)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-Pro Football Focus: #37 overall player
At U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota, suiting up against the Vikings' explosive defense is like The Conjuring, or Saw, or some other horror movie that I can barely watch without covering my eyes. Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris form the premier safety tandem in the NFL; Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr are an elite linebacking duo and Hunter is one of the absolute best pass rushers in the game. He's ferocious. He's relentless...and he's intimidating as all hell. At home, Minnesota's defensive speed is blinding. Hunter is right in the middle of at all, eating quarterbacks for three square meals a day.
70. Lane Johnson, T, Philadelphia Eagles
-2019 Key Stat: Allowed only 1 sack
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-Pro Football Focus: #34 overall player
I'm running out of things to write about offensive linemen. The guy's pretty much an automatic Pro Bowler. He doesn't allow sacks and he run blocks as if he were genetically engineered in a lab. Lane's about as reliable as they come...and what's more important than reliability?
Come back next time for the 60s!
Part 2, Players 80-89
Part 1, Players 90-100
79. DeMarcus Lawrence, Edge, Dallas Cowboys
-2019 Key Stat: 56 QB pressures
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: #55 overall player
A little over a year ago, he was in the discussion for best overall defensive player in the NFL; but sack totals are like neon signs...they catch your attention when you pass by. When you see only five sacks in 16 games, your reaction is probably going to be meh. What happened, there? But the bigger DeMarcus' name gets, the more double-teams he draws. He still pressures the quarterback, while showcasing electric speed from the edge. Fifty-six pressures have him right up there with the best in the league. He's a defensive player that opposing teams specifically have to prepare for.
78. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
-2019 Key Stat: 88 rec, 6 TDs
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
He's kind of a weird player to evaluate, no? I mean, did you feel his impact this past season? I certainly didn't. I had no idea that he even suited up for 15 games. It definitely felt like less to me. On the flip side, his 88 receptions were the second-most of his career. And, in terms of raw ability as a skill player, there's no question he's a top-five tight end. I'd just like to see more consistent production from him, game-to-game. Fellow tight end Dallas Goedert's superb season certainly didn't help Ertz's chances of being a consistent, go-to target. Carson Wentz will probably lean on both, going forward.
77. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
-2019 Key Stat: 16 games played (for the 13th time)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
You see what I selected as Fitz's "Key Stat": 16 f'n games. Again. Fifth year in a row...and the guy's been ballin' outrageous in the NFL since 2004! Fitz is a football god, plain and simple. He'll obviously benefit from three things this season: (1) New teammate DeAndre Hopkins will draw an awful lot of defensive attention; (2) Kliff Kingsbury will have a higher overall comfort level and (3) Kyler Murray will continue to improve, especially with "Hop" and Kenyan Drake balancing Arizona's offensive attack for an entire year. Yeah, Fitz is 36 years old...but never sleep on this guy. First ballot Hall of Famer, for certain.
76. Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns
-2019 Key Stat: 83 rec for 1,174 yards
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
Here's a real blue-collar guy. Landry works his ass off out there. He'll die for the cause. He's not particularly big and he doesn't have breakaway speed, but he fights corners and safeties for the ball and comes up with it...pretty much every time. He grinds for first downs and is a truly reliable possession receiver. Landry's an old-school, no bullshit wide receiver. My kinda guy.
75. Philip Rivers, QB, Indianapolis Colts
-2019 Key Stat: 4,615 yards (4th-most)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
This fiery vet's season was strikingly similar to both Jared Goff (#93 on my list, see here) and Jameis Winston, in that his passing yardage was sexy-but-deceiving. Winston led the league in passing yards, Goff was third and Rivers was a very-close fourth; but all three were among the interception "leaders". They were sloppy, garbage-time stat seasons. Things should change for Rivers this season though, as he transitions from the Chargers to the Colts. Indy's Quenton Nelson, Anthony Castonzo and Ryan Kelly are three of the best offensive linemen in the game. RG Mark Glowinski is also solid, while WRs T.Y. Hilton and rookie Michael Pittman will be readily available through the air. I expect a bounce-back year from Rivers in terms of efficiency and possession protection.
74. Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions
-2019 Key Stat: 11 receiving TDs (most in the NFL)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: Unranked
Come on...you're lying if you tell me you knew Golladay had the most receiving touchdowns in the NFL this past season. I knew he had a monster fantasy year - a surprising one at that - but I had no idea he had more touchdowns than Michael Thomas, DeAndre Hopkins and, well...everybody else. Let me back up for a second to that word "surprising" - this wasn't surprising in terms of Golladay's talent and overall skillset (he's always had a standout look to him), but it was very surprising when you consider Detroit's quarterback situation...Matthew Stafford went down, Jeff Driskel played erratically for a while, and then even soft tosser David Blough got a crack at things under center. How do you gain 1,190 yards and pile up 11 touchdowns with that dysfunctional quarterback situation? There's only one way...you're really damn good, no matter what the circumstances. Shame on you, PFF, for leaving Golladay off your list.
73. Brandon Brooks, G, Philadelphia Eagles
-2019 Key Stat: Allowed only 1 sack
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes. A starter.
-Pro Football Focus: #5 overall player
You think I'm sittin' around watchin' film of offensive linemen, all day every day? Of course not! But...just look at the facts, here...a back-to-back Pro Bowl starter ranked No. 5 overall by Pro Football Focus? This big fella is clearly a superstar. He only allowed 19 QB pressures all season, and apparently that's a very low number. This Eagles' offensive line is surprisingly loaded.
72. Arik Armstead, Edge, San Francisco 49ers
-2019 Key Stat: 10 sacks and 73 QB pressures
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? No.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? No.
-Pro Football Focus: #30 overall player
Let's go back to "The Eye Test" here...I saw six or seven 49ers' games and Armstead was all over the backfield in every single one. Nick Bosa was clearly the best player on the 49ers' much-publicized defense; but after that, it was extremely close between veteran great Richard Sherman and Armstead. It's a nightmare dropping back to pass with both Bosa and Armstead barreling toward you. Armstead reminds me of DeMarcus Ware in his prime, and obviously, that's awfully high praise for a pass rusher on the rise.
71. Danielle Hunter, Edge, Minnesota Vikings
-2019 Key Stat: 14.5 sacks (4th-most)
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-Pro Football Focus: #37 overall player
At U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota, suiting up against the Vikings' explosive defense is like The Conjuring, or Saw, or some other horror movie that I can barely watch without covering my eyes. Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris form the premier safety tandem in the NFL; Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr are an elite linebacking duo and Hunter is one of the absolute best pass rushers in the game. He's ferocious. He's relentless...and he's intimidating as all hell. At home, Minnesota's defensive speed is blinding. Hunter is right in the middle of at all, eating quarterbacks for three square meals a day.
70. Lane Johnson, T, Philadelphia Eagles
-2019 Key Stat: Allowed only 1 sack
-2019/20 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-2018/19 Pro Bowler? Yes.
-Pro Football Focus: #34 overall player
I'm running out of things to write about offensive linemen. The guy's pretty much an automatic Pro Bowler. He doesn't allow sacks and he run blocks as if he were genetically engineered in a lab. Lane's about as reliable as they come...and what's more important than reliability?
Come back next time for the 60s!
Part 2, Players 80-89
Part 1, Players 90-100
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