For the 14th consecutive year, current players voted to determine the Top 100 players in the NFL. The series will premier on July 22 on NFL+, airing in increments of 10. The top-10 players will be announced on August 2nd. Last season, the Los Angeles Rams had four players on the list that included Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, Jalen Ramsey, and Bobby Wagner. Here’s who should be considered for the list this season.
QB Matthew Stafford
After being ranked 27th in 2022, Stafford missed the list last year following an injured season. With that said, Stafford was back and played some of the best football of his career in 2023. Every week the Rams quarterback was pulling off trick shots and no-look passes that were impossible to defend.
While he may not be as high as 27, Stafford should make the top-100. Stafford’s 63.5 QBR ranked sixth in the NFL. Over the second half of the season, only Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott, and Jordan Love had a higher EPA/play. Stafford solidified himself as a top-10 quarterback and it will be interesting to see if players around the league recognized that.
WR Puka Nacua
Nacua broke the rookie receiving yards record that had stood for 60 yards and also broke the rookie receptions record. In the playoffs, he had 9 receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown. The fifth-round pick broke onto the scene and was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Despite last year being his first season, it would be a surprise if Nacua didn’t make the list.
In addition to the rookie records, Nacua’s 2.51 yards per route run ranked eighth in the NFL and his total EPA of 73.1 ranked fifth. Nacua certainly impressed and displayed that he’s a player to be reckoned with moving forward. The question is, does the rest of the league also see it that way?
DL Aaron Donald
This is the top-100 players of the 2023 season and while Donald retired, he was still one of the best players in the NFL last year. Following a season in which he spent injured, Donald showed that he was still one of the top defensive linemen. Donald led defensive tackles in pass rush win-rate despite being double-teamed on 63 percent of his snaps.
Donald was ranked 11th last year and will very likely finish somewhere in that range once again in his final appearance on this list. From 2019-2022, Donald finished inside the top-3 and was the top ranked player in 2019.
Honorable Mentions
RB Kyren Williams
Williams is likely another strong year away from being recognized as a top running back in the NFL. NFL executives recently ranked their top running backs and Williams didn’t make the top-17, only earning a spot in the “others receiving votes” section. The Rams running back finished third in yards, fourth in yards per attempt, and led the league in EPA per rush. Despite that, it would be a pleasant surprise to see Williams in the top-100.
DL Kobie Turner
While it wouldn’t be surprising to see Turner make the top-100, he is likely a year away from being recognized as a top player. He ranked 16th in pass rush win rate last season and was double-teamed an astounding 72 percent of the time. He led all rookies in sacks and was one of the more disruptive interior players over the second half of the season. Like Williams, NFL executives recently ranked the top defensive tackles and Turner only made the “also receiving votes” section. If he can do it without Aaron Donald, he’ll get the recognition and be on this list a year from now.
LB Ernest Jones
One of the more underrated players in the NFL is Ernest Jones. Jones finished 11th in tackles to go with six sacks. He was one of the better run defending linebackers in the NFL and made plays when the Rams defense needed one. He’s not seen as a top linebacker just yet, but deserves to be in the conversation in that second tier.
Kevin Dotson
Among all offensive linemen, Kevin Dotson had the sixth-highest PFF grade last season. He was a top run-blocker and respectable in pass-protection. If he can back up his contract with top play again in 2023, he may be on the list at this time next year.