Blaq Optic's 3rd Annual NFL's 100 Most Impactful Players

June 11th, 2007 on Football's Future's Forums, IGN, Helmet2Helmet Forums, ESPN Forums, GameFAQs Forums, a little no-named poster and blogger made a list entitled "The NFL's 50 Most Influential Players..." The response to the topic went on for numerous pages on each forum and resulted in various arguments and even won an award. However, it cemented the poster's legacy on a few of those forums. That blogger/poster was none-other than yours truly and 365 days after that post, on June 10th, 2008 the topic returned for a second consecutive year, adding an addition 30 players to make it "The 2nd Annual NFL's 80 Most Impactful Players". This one was met with much less criticism and was an even more renowned hit than the previous incarceration. Just like the 2008 incarnate, this list will be posted in descending order, Of the three years that I have done this, the 2009 incarnate is the hardest list to compile. There were so many individuals that emerged onto the impact scene over the past one or two seasons. Additionally, there are a few players that have fallen out of grace or on the verge of doing so, thus making it hard to perfectly place individuals on the list. Furthermore, let me reiterate what I have to every year... this is not a "Best Players" list. This is a "Most Impactful" list in which the 100 players explained, and the additional honorable mentions, don't have to be the best at their position, but rather have a considerable impact on the other 21 players on the field during the majority of the snaps that they take.

Here are some key things to consider when viewing this list before going off on me about my decisions...

- In order to make the list, as stated above, they don't have to be the best at their position (though most are).
- The key aspect is that the player has some large form of impact on the other 21 players on the field.
- Consistency is very important, however, recency and severity play a larger role in this year’s list than any other year's list
- I did not compile this list fully of my own wishes, but rather also incorporated some aspects of popularity/general consensus in including certain players at high levels, or including them at all
- Importance to the team is important once again. If there are numerous other people on their unit on the list it could affect their positioning
- Position plays an important role... QuarterBacks, Left Tackles, Nose Tackles, etc have gotten somewhat of a preference over others.
- Like last year, positioning isn't as important as the number purely seems. Player 84 isn't much more impactful than player 89. A large distance between players is where there's an obvious difference.


Key:
#. Name, Pos, Team('08 Ranking, '07 Ranking)
Impact:
Argument:

With that said, here come the honorable mentions...
Honorable Mentions:
Antoine Winfield, CornerBack, MIN - Rashean Mathis, CornerBack, JAX - Leon Washington, Specialist, NYJ - Thomas Howard, Outside LineBacker, OAK - Brian Dawkins, Free Safety, DEN - Luis Castillo, 3-4 Defensive End, SDG - Devin Hester, Kick Returner, CHI - Bradie James, Middle LineBacker, DAL - Marques Colston, Wide Receiver, NWO - Mike McKenzie, CornerBack, FA - Joshua Cribbs, Special Teamer, CLE - Chad Pennington, QuarterBack, MIA - LaMarr Woodley, Outside LineBacker, PIT - Owen Daniels, Tight End, HOU- Gary Brackett, Middle LineBacker, IND- Dallas Clark, Tight End, IND- Bob Sanders, Strong Safety, IND - Chris Hope, Strong Safety, TEN - Chris Johnson, HalfBack, TEN - Casey Weigmann, Center, DEN - Dwayne Bowe, Wide Receiver, KNC - Tanard Jackson, Free Safety, TAM - Aaron Rodgers, QuarterBack, GNB - David Stewart, Right Tackle, TEN - Torry Holt, Wide Receiver, JAX - Greg Jennings, Wide Receiver, GNB - Matt Hasselbeck, QuarterBack, SEA - Reggie Bush, Specialist, NWO -


100. James Farrior, Middle LineBacker, PIT(NR,NR)
Impact: Unquestioned Leader Of 2-time Super Bowl Winning Defense
Argument: James Farrior may very well be the most underrated Defensive Leader in the NFL. While everybody knows the big name players on the Steelers, James Farrior is the cog that makes this defense work. Since Farrior has joined the Steelers in 2002 and became their Defensive Captain they’ve finished 1st in Defense three times. In that span Farrior has received votes for Defensive Player Of The Year twice, once finishing in second. Additionally, no Inside/Middle LineBacker has made more tackles near or behind the Line of Scrimmage during that span, including a ridiculous 14 Stuffs in 2003. But it’s not just Farrior’s ability to make plays near the Line of Scrimmage that makes him so impactful; Farrior has a knack for coverage within the tackle box making him one of the elite coverage LineBackers in the league. Additionally, within the past three seasons, Farrior has been asked to help provide pass rush up the middle, and has done so very well. Farrior has a huge arsenal at his utilization that makes him, in my opinion, the 2nd best 3-4 ILB behind future Hall-of-Famer Ray Lewis.


99. Matt Forte, HalfBack, CHI(NR,NR)
Impact: An Entire Offense By himself/A Franchise Focal Point
Argument: If Matt Forte repeats the success of his rookie campaign, you may very well see Mr. Forte becoming the quickest person to make the top 10 of this list. Conversely, you may not see Matt on next off-seasons’ rendition. Regardless, as it stands right now, the only reason he is this low is because it has only been one season… but what a season it was. In his first NFL season Matt Forte may not have had a flashy Yards per Carry number, but he finished in the top 3 players in Yards from Scrimmage with a grand total of 1,715 and only fumbled once. However, it should be noted that the two individuals that placed higher than him only had 4% of their Yards from Scrimmage come from Receiving Yardage. Perhaps even more impressive is that Forte finished 12th in Touchdowns from Scrimmage on an anemic offense. Forte was the most versatile player in the NFL in the 08-09 season. In fact, Forte was the Bears’ number one rusher, as well as their best Receiver. What’s most impressive about that latter fact is that a significant number of his receptions came when he was lined up as a Wide Out.


98. Zach Miller, Tight End, OAK(NR,NR)
Impact: Future Of The Raiders Offense
Argument: Let me begin by stating that if the criteria to make this list weren’t what they indeed are, then this would probably be Owen Daniels’ spot. However, this isn’t meant to be a 100 best players list, but rather the 100 most impactful. Zach Miller is a young Tight End on an offense that is focused around a young QuarterBack and HalfBack. What is the biggest friend to a young QuarterBack and also to a young HalfBack? None other than a Tight End, and that is exactly what Miller is… a friend to JaMarcus Russell and the stable of HalfBacks that reside in Oakland. Miller is an excellent short yardage target for Russell (made evident by his 74 targets within 20 yards), and a reliable one at that (made evident by the 48 grabs). In the JaMarcus Russell era of the Oakland Raiders, Zach Miller has been his favorite target, bar none, and has rewarded him with 1,200 yards and 100 receptions. Miller, however, isn’t just a reliable receiver. He is an excellent blocker… one of the better blocking receiving Tight Ends, made evident by the success of the Raiders rushing attack, mainly Justin Fargas’ success since Miller was drafted.


97. Brandon Marshall, Wide Receiver, DEN(78,NR)
Impact: A Young Wide Receiver That Makes His QuarterBack Look Elite
Argument: Newsflash to Jay Cutler… if you want to be in the NFL in five years, you’ll stay in Denver. If you get traded, hope you find a WR as talented as Marshall because he is your security blanket. Want proof? Look at the number of targets per Wide Receiver over the last two seasons… Brandon Marshall finishes 1st in 2007 and 1st in 2008. That’s because Cutler forces passes into him, and Marshall just comes down with them, even if he’s getting facemasked. In ’07 Marshall accounted for 36% of Jay Cutler’s passing attempts, and even though Eddie Royal was targeted 128 times in 2008, Marshall accounted for 29% of Jay Cutler’s passing attempts. Perhaps what makes this most impressive is the fact that Marshall missed two games in ‘08, and still led the league in targets. Perhaps more impressive is that 73 of those targets were with Jay facing a blitz, pressure, or getting hit and 39 of them were grabbed for 539 Yards and 28 accompanying First Downs. Brandon Marshall’s athleticism makes Jay Cutler look elite.


96. Kellen Winslow II, Tight End, TAM(23,HM)
Impact: Young Versatile Tight End That Spreads The Field
Argument: It is no coincidence that Kellen Winslow was disgruntled with the Cleveland Browns organization, underperformed, and then Braylon Edwards fell short of proposed goal of 1,300+ Yards and 16+ Touchdowns. In fact, Edwards fell way short, and that was because Winslow wasn’t there to take the heat off of him. Unfortunately because of Winslow’s lack of play in the 2008 season, and a lack of understanding as to how he’ll be utilized on the Buccaneers offense, his positioning on the list has drastically fallen. However, at the end of the day, what Winslow brings to the table keeps him on the list. Winslow averages four Receptions per Game, as well as an additional 55 Receiving Yards per Game for his entire career. His ability to run every route in the tree and stretch defenses aided in turning the Browns Offense into an elite one in 2007, and will aid in the development of a Buccaneers offense that currently has no designated QuarterBack and a stable of capable HalfBacks that Winslow can block, greatly I might add, for. Bringing in 60% of his targets and 35% of those for first downs for his career don’t hurt either.


95. Yeremiah Bell, Strong Safety, MIA(NR,NR)
Impact: The Best Pure In-Box Safety In The NFL
Argument: If Bob Sanders gets credit for revolutionizing the Colts Run Defense, than Yeremiah Ball should get credit for doing the same for the Dolphins Run defense. Bell has been with the Dolphins for five seasons, mostly on a string of one-year contracts, and started all 16 games in two of them. It is no coincidence that when he didn’t start all 16 games the Dolphins field a bottom-half-of-the-league run defense. In 2005 in which Bell was primarily a special teamer, the Dolphins were ranked 17th against the run. The following year, when, after five games Bell became a starter and the Dolphins shot all the way up to 8th. The following season Bell would be injured in the first game of the season, and the Dolphins would go on to become one of the worst Run Defenses in NFL history. The following year with Bell back as a starter? 10th. Last season Bell attributed 45 tackles in the box vs. the run. All together, in his last 33 starts Bell has contributed 190 Tackles, 23 Passes Defensed, 3 Sacks and 6 Forced Fumbles.


94. Terrell Suggs, Outside LineBacker, BAL(NR,NR)
Impact: Versatile X-Factor In An Elite Defense
Argument: Everybody loves to talk about Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and to a lesser extent, Haloti Ngata as a key focal point of why the Ravens Defense is so good, but numerous people tend to forget Terrell Suggs. In fact, let me take this chance to acknowledge that Ed Reed doesn’t have to be versatile because of the versatility presented in the front seven in Baltimore, mainly by Suggs. Under Rex Ryan, the Ravens were the only NFL Defense capable of fielding any formation that they wanted due to the versatility of Suggs and others. Capable of playing the 3-4 OLB, 4-3 DE and 4-3 SLB, Suggs provides matchup problems for Offensive Lineman around the league. Suggs may not be an elite pass rusher, but he is the most consistent 3-4 OLB against the run. Ignoring his rookie campaign as a situational pass rusher, Suggs averages 8 stuffs per years. Over his six year career Suggs averages 15.5 plays behind the Line-of-Scrimmage per year… that may very well be a Hall-of-Fame pace.


93. Julian Peterson, Outside LineBacker, DET(62, NR)
Impact: Versatile 4-3 OLB With Impact At Three Levels
Argument: Seahawks fans can say whatever they want to say, but the fact of the matter is, at the Strongside LineBacker position, Julian Peterson gets the job done. Peterson was recently traded to the ailing Lions in order to fix their obviously week back seven on the Defense, and looks to do so immediately. Usually with a trade, one team wins out, however, as Corey Redding is emerging as an elite DT, I would say the trade was fair, regardless of what those in Seattle think. Peterson, when playing the SLB position provides plays behind the Line-of-Scrimmage, in the box, and downfield in coverage. Now, admittedly, he has lost a step, but even with all the wear and tear on his body, Peterson is still one of the best 4-3 Outside LineBackers, SAM or WILL, in the NFL. While he won’t prevent the pass from getting to the TE or Receiver anymore, he won’t give up the yardage after the catch like the Lions LineBacking Corp was notorious for doing all last season. However, because of this decline, he declines 31 spots.


92. Richard Seymour, 3-4 Defensive End, NWE(NR, 22)
Impact: Versatile 5-Technique Capable Of Providing Pass Rush
Argument: I can only think of two truly great 5-Technique with pass rush skills; all-time Sack leaders Reggie White and Bruce Smith. While Seymour is no Bruce Smith, please believe that he has a great skillset for pass rushing, as evidenced by his average of 5 sacks per season, excluding his injury-filled 2007 campaign. However, as we all know, a 3-4 Defensive Ends primary job is to occupy blockers for the Outside LineBacker to get to the QuarterBack and close the running lanes in order to tackle the HalfBack. Seymour has done this well through his entire career, minus a short period in late 2006 and most of 2007. His and Vince Wilfork’s ability to occupy 3 or 4 blockers per play have allowed Ty Warren to look better than he actually is. Additionally to this, since 2001, players playing the ROLB position behind Seymour have put up 44 QB Sacks, or 5.5 per season. In combination to his 5 sacks per season, this allows for Seymour to be responsible for 10.5 Sacks per season in addition to helping make Ty Warren look elite.


91. Michael Griffin, Free Safety, TEN(NR, NR)
Impact: Young Safety With Range At 2 Of The 3 Levels
Argument: First let it be known that, like Matt Forte, Michael Griffin’s position on this list is based on last season, but completely contingent on his success in the 2009-2010 season. If he doesn’t mirror his success he will not make the list next season, however, if he does he could see a 50+ spot jump in positioning. Additionally, it was hard to pick between Griffin and Finnegan. However, Griffin was very impressive with his range, whether he was responsible for half of the defensive back field in Cover 2 responsibilities, or almost all of it in Cover 3 responsibilities. Griffin was also capable of playing effective man coverage in the few times he was asked to in 2008-09, and did so almost exclusively in his rookie campaign spending a lot of time at the CornerBack position. Griffin brought in 7 Interceptions, tying him for second in the NFL last season. Once Griffin can get a well-rounded game that includes of all the skills required of an elite Hybrid Safety, he could be the future at the position.


90. Wes Welker, Wide Receiver, NWE(67,NR)
Impact: Far And Away The Best 3rd Down Chain Mover In The NFL
Argument: For some reason I don’t really like Wes Welker, but you have to respect him. I didn’t really think he would find his way back onto this list this year, but he sure proved me wrong. Wes Welker, while not one of the better overall WRs in the NFL, still manages to be one of the best in the league due to his ability to catch the ball, move in traffic, and move the chains. You can look at last year’s numbers in order to see how ridiciulous he was in 2007, but even with Matt Cassell at the helm, Welker still kept producing to the tune of 111 receptions for 1,165 Yards and 3 Touchdowns. However, on 3rd Down Welker gave Defenses fits by hauling in 25 receptions on 33 Targets for 258 Yards, 18 First Downs and 2 TDs. Additionally, against the Blitz, Welker brought in 41 of 57 targets for a ridiculous 493 Yards and 24 First Down which doesn’t seem impressive until you realize that of those 493 yards 342 of them were after the catch. Welker has quickly become one of the two most reliable WR in the league.


89. Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver, IND(66,NR)
Impact: Only Elite Skill-Position Player Left In Indianapolis For Manning To Work With
Argument: I will admit it. Reggie Wayne did not originally make this list. In fact, I’m still not sure if I truly feel he deserves to be on this list, but I know the general public does feel as if he deserves it. However, after further evaluation, I figured that, Wayne does have the credentials to be on the list, and, as of last year, he is the only truly elite skill-position weapon that Peyton Manning has anymore. Addai is rumored to not be renewed, Anthony Gonzalez doesn’t have the makings of a superstar, and I can’t tell you who’s in the slot. That leaves rookie Donald Brown who’s success came in college… So who is Manning left to depend on to place the ball in their hands? Reggie Wayne. Over the past two seasons as Peyton Manning’s Flanker/No. 1 WR, Wayne has been thrown at 286 times and brought in 186 of them for 2,655 Yards, 135 First Downs, and 16 TDs. Throw in the fact that Wayne still has a top 5 pair of hands in the NFL and he, alongside Manning, is the reason that the Colt’s Offense remains great.


88. TJ Houshmandzadeh, Wide Receiver, SEA(76,NR)
Impact: NFL’s Best Possession WR That Makes Other Skill-Position Players Look Better
Argument: All off-season I’ve been hearing about how Carson Palmer is going to return to greatness now that his arm is healed and how he’ll lead the Bengals back out of below-mediocrity. I’m sorry, but I don’t see that happening now that this guy has left for the city of Coffee and Rain. Palmer is an elite talent, but it was Houshmandzadeh’s ability to go over the middle, run picture-perfect routes and catch just about anything thrown at him that helped make Palmer look so good. Housh doesn’t exactly spread the field like the other WRs on this list, but he does make it possible for the other Wideouts on his team to do so. Housh was targeted 46 times for 31 Receptions on 3rd Down and gained 344 Yards and 3 TDs. Against the Blitz Housh was targeted 54 times for 30 receptions, 338 Yards and 3 TDs. This means most of his production was on 3rd Down vs. The Blitz. That’s a security blanket. His 16 Receptions for 225 Yards on 22 Targets over the middle is far and away better than the next guy.


87. DeAngelo Williams, HalfBack, CAR(NR,NR)
Impact: Young Staple of The Panthers Run Game For Years To Come
Argument: Like Matt Forte, Mr. Williams needs to repeat his success from the 2008 season in order to remain on this list, and possibly move up. In fact you might call me a hypocrite for allowing Adrian Peterson to move all the way up to the number 15 position after his rookie season when Williams’ first year as a starter saw him produce totals of 1636 Yards From Scrimmage and 20 Touchdowns From Scrimmage on a mere 295 Touches. Hell, that production, if mirrored is worthy of a top 10 position on this list. However, Williams’ ranking on this list is affected by a few things, the first of which has already been mentioned in that it was his first time doing it, making it an anomaly at this point. The second factor effecting his positioning is that he split carries. But let’s not use this paragraph to get down on Williams; let’s explore what he actually did. The aforementioned numbers posted would be worthy of MVP and OPOTY honors in any other season. Williams’ running single-handedly kept the Cats in their two biggest games of the year(TB and @NYG)


86. Plaxico Burress, Wide Receiver, FA(HM,NR)
Impact: Security Blanket/Lynch Pin For A Super Bowl Caliber Offense.
Argument: Be honest, last season, prior to Week 12, when Plaxico Burress shot himself, did it not look like the Giants had the making of a small dynasty? I mean, they’re a young team, with a strong defense, strong run game, and Eli Manning had finally become something other than “Peyton’s Brother”. They were 10-1, best in the league, averaged 29.9 Points Per Game, best in the league, and 367 Yards Per Game, 3rd in the league. Along the way they had beaten the four teams that would play in the Conference Championship Games as well. They were, factually, the best team in the NFL at that point. However, once Burress went down, things changed. The Giants began to lack a deep threat and strong run blocker. After he went down the Giants averaged 18.2 Points Per Game and 326 Yards Per Game and went 2-4. Based on his individual numbers alone, Burress probably doesn’t even make this list, but when you look at the end result of a potential dynasty falling flat on its face, one could argue he’s way too low.
*As a footnote, let me apologize for the NYG logo in the background, but it was the only one available.*


85. Darnell Dockett, 3-4 Defensive End/4-3 Defensive Tackle, ARI(NR,NR)
Impact: Versatile D-Lineman That Allows The Cardinals To Employ Their “Multiple Defense”
Argument: Admittedly, coming into the season, I wasn’t really aware of who Darnell Dockett was. I mean, he made my 2nd-Team All-Pro list last year, but I thought it was just a stop gap in which he would have one outstanding year like a lot of guys do. But, boy I was wrong. Dockett is, quite possibly, the league’s 2nd most versatile Defensive Lineman, and while the first two get props here and there, nobody is really singing Dockett’s praises. However, Dockett is a player with immense versatility in his game, capable of playing the 3-4 Defensive End, the 4-3 Under Tackle, and the Nickel Package Defensive Tackle. Not many players, if any other ones, in the NFL can do that. His rare blend of size and speed allow him to kick inside to be a good run defender and pass rusher in the 4-3, kick outside to be a good run defender in the 3-4, or remain as an outside defender in Nickel packages and play the run and the pass effectively. His 19 Sacks, 24 Stuffs and 3 Interceptions throughout his career should emphasize these points.


84. Lance Briggs, Outside LineBacker, CHI(NR,NR)
Impact: The Prototypical Weakside LineBacker That Makes Chicago’s Tampa 2 Run
Argument: Let me begin my stating that I don’t know how Lance Briggs has been excluded from this list two years in a row. Oh wait, now I remember… strong lobbying from Chicago Bears fans telling me that because Briggs couldn’t play the MIKE in the Tampa 2 he isn’t as good as Urlacher. Well I’m going to sit here and tell you that, Lance Briggs was the better of the 2 LineBackers in 2006 and here again in 2008. The WILL LineBacker’s role is to slip in and out of traffic at the Line of Scrimmage against the rush, and play coverage against HalfBacks and Tight Ends in the passing game. Nobody in the NFL does this as well as Lance Briggs. Briggs is capable of making plays behind the Line of Scrimmage against ball carriers (44.5 Career Stuffs), and is stout in coverage, as evidenced by being number one in pass defense metrics in the NFL during the Bears’ Super Bowl appearance year. Briggs also has a propensity for making big plays, evidenced by his 48Passes Defensed, 9 Interceptions, and 4 TDs in his career.


83. Michael Turner, HalfBack, ATL(NR,NR)
Impact: Franchise Staple That Betters The Franchise QuarterBack
Argument: Allow me to be the first to apologize to Michael Turner. As I said when I named him to one of my All-Pro team’s this post-season, Turner proved me wrong in thinking he could not handle the load as a #1 in the NFL. Turner came out in his first game as the Falcon’s franchise HalfBack and took the league by storm, and never looked back. Like Williams and Forte, his positioning is only so low because it’s only been one year. Don’t get me wrong, Matt Ryan did one hell of a job this past season, but don’t kid yourself in thinking he was not helped by Turner’s 383 Touches last season. That’s a ridiculous number of touches for a HalfBack, and is almost guaranteed to make a QuarterBack look good. His 1,700 Yards and 17 Touchdowns didn’t hurt either. Turner provides a franchise that was in turmoil with a staple next to it’s QuarterBack for years to come. With Tony Gonzalez added to the mix, and Ryan having a full grasp of the playbook next season, look for Turner to do more on less touches. Oh, and Panther’s fans, he’s higher than Williams because he carries the load alone.


82. Aaron Smith, 3-4 Defensive End, PIT(68,NR)
Impact: One Of The League’s Best Run Defenders, Regardless of Position
Argument: In case I need to refresh your memory on just how good Smith is, perhaps you need to check out the link to last year’s list and read his criteria for the 68th spot last season. Smith is on that elite level with about 4 or 5 other guys when it comes to stopping the run, where, you’re better off not running in their direction at all. But, the argument existed that last season might have been a fluke because there was nothing really ever to measure it against. To that I provide evidence of the Steelers 2004-05 15-1 campaign and their recent Super Bowl run in which Smith played an integral role in both years. In 2004-05, despite losing Casey Hampton for 9 games, the Steelers Defense only allowed 83 Yards Per Game on the ground. They mirrored something similar to these stats this past season when Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel were down for a few games. Despite being the only starter left on the D-Line for the Steelers during that run, they were still one of the league’s 3 best Rush Defenses. Aaron Smith is an incredible run defender.


81. Kris Jenkins, 3-4 Nose Tackle, NYJ(NR,NR)
Impact: Focal Point Of The Jets Defense, Regardless Of What They’ll Run
Argument: We all know the story by now… Kris Jenkins is traded to the Jets in order to become their Nose Tackle and succeeds. Heck, that’s evidenced by the fact that the Jets Defense went from allowing 135 Yards Per Game on 4.2 Yards Per Carry(bad enough to rank 29th) to allowing 94 Yards Per Game on 3.7 Yards Per Carry(good enough to rank 7th). That’s about as drastic a change as you can make at the Nose Tackle position. However, as you know, Jenkins has previously been playing the 4-3 Nose Tackle, and at one point was very elite at the position. Rex Ryan is very adept at employing Defenses capable of giving the opposition multiple looks. Kris Jenkins is no Haloti Ngata and while he hasn’t said anything about doing such a thing in New York, there is a very real chance that he might attempt such a thing due to Jenkins’ abilities in both systems, therefore making the Jets a Defense to look out for in 2009-10 thanks to Jenkins. Look for him to make an impact as a Pass Rusher and Run Stopper next year.


80. Robert Mathis, Defensive End, IND(NR,NR)
Impact: One of Two Consistent 4-3 Right Ends; But He Can Silently Take Games Over
Argument: I’m going to go ahead and say that I, like many people, tend to forget about Robert Mathis. Not only may he be the best Defensive End in Indy(I’m not saying he is), he may be one of the best overall Defensive Ends in the league, regardless of side. As many people know, the success of the Tampa 2 Defense is contingent on quite a few things, and one of those two things is that the book ends are capable of providing pressure on the QuarterBack without receiving lots of help, if any. The two guys in Indianapolis manage to do that, and do it very well. Everybody knows about Dwight Freeney and his infamous spin move, but many don’t remember Robert Mathis and his combination of finesse and power moves that make him the most consistent Right Defensive End in the NFL. Mathis averages 10 Sacks, 3 Stuffs, 5 Forced Fumbles, and 2 Passes Defensed Per Season as a starter. Mathis is a turnover producing machine that keeps the Colts anemic Defense in many games, like the Week 13 contest @ Cleveland.


79. Casey Hampton, Nose Tackle, PIT(49,42)
Impact: Still An Elite Nose Tackle That Continues To Anchor Pittsburgh’s Run Defense
Argument: First, First, Thirteenth, First*, Third, Third, Third and Second… These numbers represent the respective rankings from 2001 to the present for the Pittsburgh Steelers Rush Defense. It’s no secret that, since 2001, the anchor behind such a Defense has been Casey Hampton. While Hampton may no longer be the premier prototype at the position, he still remains a prominent Nose Tackle in today’s NFL and does his job very damn well. His ability to clog the A-Gaps allows for player no. 100, James Farrior, to make so many plays near the Line of Scrimmage. His ability to occupy Pulling Guards also allows for the Steelers Outside LineBackers to make plays against the run all over the place. While Hampton doesn’t provide the versatility of a Kris Jenkins, there is no denying that he is one of the league’s 10 best Run Defenders that requires a double team on 40+ Offensive Snaps per game.


78. Dwight Freeney, Defensive End, IND(NR,NR)
Impact: In The Opposition’s Backfield Every Single Game
Argument: I know, I know, I know Colts fans… you guys feel that, in reality, Dwight Freeney is a much better book end than Robert Mathis due to a multitude of factors. But, due to Freeney’s inability to produce for the past two seasons before this one, whether it was due to injury or just down play, in contrast to Mathis’ consistency, they’re going to remain close on this list. Freeney is a guy who made me think about making this list in the first place, but then proceeded not to make the last two because of his down years in which it looked as if his career might have been on the downslide. As with Mathis, in the Tampa 2, great pass rushing book ends are very important, and Dwight Freeney, since coming into the league, has been one of the better ones, even with his two down years. Freeney has 99.5 plays behind the Line of Scrimmage for his 89 Career Regular Season games. That means that, at least once per game, Dwight Freeney is making a play behind the Line-of-Scrimmage. Those are Hall of Fame pace numbers if he can keep it up.


77. Mario Williams, Defensive End, HOU(HM,NR)
Impact: A Franchise Player With A TRUE High Motor.
Argument: Last season Mario Williams enjoyed breakout success and Texans fans were lobbying as hard as possible in order for him to make the list, to which I replied that Williams needed to do it again… and he did, so here he is boys. While I can’t be convinced he’s the best Defensive End in the league, I was convinced by his play that he’s worthy of this list. Williams is a young superstar with a lot of time in this league, and I expect him to spend all of that time in Houston playing for this franchise because that’s the type of character he has. While I don’t think that Williams is as complete as most seem to do, it doesn’t change the fact that, he is one of the few players who’s play remains good throughout the entire game, rather than tail off. In fact, Williams did his best against the run when the opposition’s HalfBacks got more carries. Additionally, Williams recorded all of his Sacks from the 2nd Quarter and on. I don’t believe in the term “high motor”, but if it did exist than Mario Williams is the guy with it.


76. Brian Urlacher, Middle LineBacker, CHI(43,29)
Impact: Versatility Allows Him To Become An In-Box LineBacker And Still Succeed
Argument: I’m going to say that, at this point, Urlacher’s placement on the list is to avoid backlash from Chicago fans. A year after he had the best year of his career through actually living up to his coverage abilities from college, Urlacher regressed last season, but was still a force to be reckoned with in the box. Urlacher still fulfilled his duties as the MIKE in the Tampa 2 last season by making a few plays 20+ yards downfield, and even picked off an underthrown pass 40 yards downfield, but Urlacher’s domain at this point in his career is a 15 by 6 Yard area from 5 Yards behind the Line of Scrimage to 10 Yards away in between the hash marks. Despite not being able to rush the passer this past season, Urlacher supplanted that with the ability to get to the ball carrier behind the Line of Scrimmage. Inside the “box” defined by the Hash marks and 10 yards away from the Line of Scrimmage is where Urlacher works best and will spend the rest of his career succeeding.


75. Vince Wilfork, 3-4 Nose Tackle, NWE (51,NR)
Impact: The Staple Of The Patriots Defense
Argument: Excluding last season, the Patriots have finished top 10 against the run every season since Vince Wilfork has arrived in town. Now the end position isn’t as impressive as Casey Hampton’s totals, so why is Hampton not above Wilfork? It’s simple actually, while it doesn’t seem impressive, Vince Wilfork is capable of doing more than simply corralling blockers and freeing up holes for the other Linemen and LineBackers in New England. He is capable of making plays himself, which is something most other Nose Tackles don’t do. Wilfork manages to make it to the QuarterBack about twice a season from the 3-4 Nose Tackle position which is ridiculously hard to do. However, the most important aspect of Wilfork’s play is that he’s been the only good, consistent and healthy factor in New England’s Defense for the past 2 and a half seasons. When you consider that hey, like Seymour, makes Warren look elite as well, then his impact is a no brainer.


74. Anquan Boldin, Wide Receiver, ARI(NR,NR)
Impact: The Best Red Zone Target In The NFL
Argument: It’s easy to overlook Anquan Boldin with the recent “emergence” of Larry Fitzgerald… in fact, I did so in compiling this list. It wasn’t until a very convincing argument from MVP Khodder that I realized what an egregious mistake I made by not placing Q onto this list. Like two receivers previously mentioned, Welker and Houshmandzadeh, Boldin has been the “other guy” on his team this past season or two, despite being very good in his own right. In fact, Boldin provides third down and Blitz efficiency that rivals that of Houshmandzadeh and Welker with 37 Receptions on 53 Targets for 442 Yards, 22 First Downs, and 4 Touchdowns against the Blitz and 25 Receptions on 34 Targets for 201 Yards and 4 Touchdowns on 3rd Down. But the reason Boldin, a late comer onto this list, isn’t positioned in the same place as the aforementioned Wide Receivers is because he provides a threat that the other two haven’t consistently … in the Red Zone. Boldin has produced 16 Red Zone TDs in his past 24 games. 3 Times in his career he has posted at least 5 in a Season.


73. John Abraham, Defensive End, ATL(NR,NR)
Impact: This Generation’s Best Pure Pass Rusher
Argument: John Abraham could very well be in the top 10 on this list like Jason Taylor was in 2006 or Jared Allen was in 2007… but the problem is he is a one-dimensional player. However, that one dimension is ridiculously good. I don’t’ think that it is too farfetched to say that Abraham is this generation’s best pure pass rusher. Unfortunately, he is often-injured and plays lackadaisically against the run. However, when Abraham plays a full season he averages 12 Sacks a season. Even in his incomplete seasons he averages 6 Sacks. Per every 16 Games in his career Abraham averages 11.89 Sacks a season. That is a ridiculous pace. Any team that can get John Abraham healthy for an entire season is guaranteed to receive a guy that will produce double-digit Sack totals, and as a result will generate considerable double teams. Those double teams allow players such as Jonathan Babineaux to look much better than they actually are, even when watching them in game.


72. Kirk Morrison, Middle LineBacker, OAK(41,NR)
Impact: Versatile Coverage LineBacker Capable of Playing The Run Effectively
Argument: I know, I know Raiders fans… Kirk Morrison had a down year. Heck, I’ll even acknowledge that last Season he missed a few tackles, however, those were a result of him attempting to recover due to the front four not doing its job. Keeping this in mind, in combination with his 2006 and 2007 campaigns, Morrison deserves this list. Honorable Mention, Thomas Howard was the team’s best Run Defending LineBacker last Season, but Morrison was no slouch, and still provided excellent coverage against the run. Despite the absolutely horrid play of Kelly, Warren and Sands in front of him, the Raider’s only allowed slightly under the team average for Yards Per Carry up the middle thanks to Morrison and his 93 Tackles in the box against HalfBacks. While Howard could make this list, it’s Morrison’s role as a MIKE combined with his 2 previous campaigns that keeps him on the list.


71. Tommie Harris, Defensive Tackle, CHI(52,HM)
Impact: 3-Technique That Makes His LineBackers Look Great
Argument: The last Bear that will make this list, Tommie Harris’ impact can be seen in the production that Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs bring to the table. Without Harris in the starting Lineup Urlacher begins to look lost or scared when approaching the Line of Scrimmage and Lance Briggs’ production in the box begins to fall. Harris is the premier 3-Technique/Under Tackle in the NFL when it comes to creating lanes to rush the passer, because he, himself, does it better than everyone else and does is consistently. Harris, despite not being healthy for an entire Season for the past three Seasons has had the pass rushing effect of any other Defensive Tackle in the NFL. Harris is also no slouch against the run either. When it comes down to it, Harris is an elite D-Lineman in today’s NFL; He’ the best Pass Rushing 3-Technique in the league, and he has a good presence against the run that aids Briggs and Urlacher tremendously.


70. Asante Samuel, CornerBack, PHI(33,45)
Impact: The Best BallHawk At The CornerBack Position In the NFL/Capable of Scoring/Best Post-Season CornerBack
Argument: Should I even really have to make an argument for him? Samuel made the list two years ago because of a tremendous “breakout” Season in which he moved from coverage CornerBack to Ballhawk CornerBack and he has never looked back. Asante Samuel just has a nose for the ball when it is in the air. Sure, he may give a Touchdown here or there, but he makes up for them numerous times by giving his offense opportunities by taking the ball away. As stated in his impact last Season, Asante Samuel is a guaranteed 4 to 8 turnovers per Season, and turnovers change games. Additional to those Interceptions is the fact that you can throw in Samuel’s gambling style to bat down 18 or so balls a Season as well too. But it’s not as if Asante Samuel is an Antonio Cromartie-type player, because he can cover as well when he’s in a Zone system. He picks off well thrown passes and has a knack for returning them. Should post-Season and regular Season statistics merge, Samuel would be amongst the top for return TDs, but since they don’t, he’ll settle being at the top for post-Season return TDs.


69. Maurice Jones-Drew, Specialist, JAX(63,NR)
Impact: The League’s Premier Specialist
Argument: What the hell is a “Specialist” you might be asking. Well, that’s why MJD is on this list, despite only having started 4 games three years into his career. I fully expect MJD to leap into the top 40 next Season now that he is a full-time Starter. In short, he is worth that new incredibly high contract that he just received. Why? Well it’s because, as one of only two good/great specialists in the NFL, Jones-Drew does it all. However, unlike the other Specialist, Leon Washington, Jones-Drew is provided numerous opportunities and, as a result, posts large numbers as well. Maurice Jones-Drew, or MJD as he’s known around forums around the net, has posted 1389, 1175 and 1377 Yards From Scrimmage over the past three seasons. Additionally, when you throw in his return yardage to the mix, Jones has provided 1670, 1986 and 1801 total Yards, for an average of 1,819 total Yards and 13 Touchdowns per season . The return numbers will dwindle as he becomes a full-time starter, but the total Yards and TD totals should remain high.


68. Jon Beason, Middle LineBacker, CAR(NR,NR)
Impact: A Premier MIKE with Sideline-to-Sideline Range That Isn’t Afraid To Be A Leader Vocally And Via Performance
Argument: Last season you may recall when compiling this list that a young guy by the name of Patrick Willis made this list because he was one of the true “Sideline-to-Sidline” LineBackers in the NFL, when the term gets thrown around way too often for guys who rarely make plays outside of the box. Well, there must be something in the water, because his draft-class mate, Beason, had a season similar to Willis’ rookie year along the sidelines in ‘08, and did it with tremendously less opportunities to do so. Jon Beason, last season made a ridiculous 36 Tackles along the Left and Right Sidelines, 1.5 of which were plays in which he tackled the ball carrier behind the Line of Scrimmage. He also recovered a fumble and defended a pass along the sidelines. Beason provides Carolina with a young staple on it’s Defense that is capable of tracking down any ball carrier, as well as letting his teammates know that he’s leading them into battle.


67. Chad Clifon, Left Tackle, GNB(28,30)
Impact: Fleet-Footed Finesse Left Tackle That Protected The Franchise’s Hero And Now The Future
Argument: Prior to last season it was believed that Chad Clifton was the best pure pass-blocking Left Tackle in the NFL, but many debated this with the belief that Brett Favre’s quick release had a huge impact on his Sack totals. After looking at his 2008-09 Sack totals one might be inclined to believe that, but if you view the film on the season, than it’s just not true. Even when you factor in his 7.5 Sack season last year, Clifton only gives up a Sack once every four games. Hell, even with giving up 7.5 Sacks on the season, Clifton only allowed Rodgers to be Sacked once every 77 drop backs, while being on an island every game except for the Texans game. That is what you want and need in a Left Tackle when they are blocking for your Franchise QuarterBack, whether it’s the Franchise Legend, or the upcoming Super Star.


66. Nick Barnett, Middle LineBacker, GNB(47,NR)
Impact: Leader Of A Strong Defensive Unit With Impeccable Range
Argument: As I said last season, Nick Barnett is one of the few Sideline-to-Sideline LineBackers in the NFL, and even though he only played in 7 games this season, he still managed to make plays along the sidelines. With that said, Nick Barnett isn’t merely on here simply because of that. Nick Barnett is on here because he’s a difference maker. The second he went down, the Packers Defense looked markedly different with AJ Hawk at the Middle LineBacker position. That’s because Nick Barnett, is a coverage LineBacker, like Hawk, but has the ability to make plays near the Line of Scrimmage, and is better than every other LineBacker in the NFL at reading the screen pass and stopping it before it makes it back to the Line of Scrimmage. The second Barnett went down the Packers began to allow 2.5 more Points Per Game. However, Barnett must return to form after this injury or he, like Morrison, could find himself no longer on this list.


65. DeMeco Ryans, Middle LineBacker, HOU(26,NR)
Impact: Is His Respective Organization’s Defense
Argument: With all due respect to Mario Williams, who’s versatile ability to line up on either the left or right side is, quite possible, the best thing the Texans Defense has going, the Texans Defense goes and comes, like most Defenses with it’s Middle LineBacker… in this case DeMeco Ryans. It’s no coincidence that, despite fielding it’s best offense in Franchise history, as well as it’s best Defense, in terms of talent, in the franchise’s history, that the Defense was worse than the year prior, and didn’t make any drastic jumps. Why is it no coincidence? Well, quite simply, because DeMeco Ryans had his worst season as a Pro, and as a result, so did the Texans Defense under the Ryans/Williams/Akoye regime. That is how much of an impact that Ryans has on the Texans. If he isn’t playing well, even if Williams is, the Defense itself isn’t playing well. He is that kind of a leader, that kind of a captain, and that kind of an impact player. With Ryans playing the way we all know he’s capable of, and the offense being elite, look for the Texans to make noise in 2009-10.


64. Patrick Willis, Middle LineBacker, SNF(57,NR)
Impact: The Future Of The LineBacker Position
Argument: Whether you love his production or hate the fact that he’s overrated in many circles, Patrick Willis is a phenom that, one day, will be the best MIKE LineBacker in football under Mike Singletary’s tutelage. He has all the intangibles and has even displayed some of them. When many people said Willis needed to get better in coverage last off-season, he did just that. Now people make criticisms about him taking on the Line of Scrimmage, and I fully expect him to work on that this off-season and get rid of the criticism. That’s the type of player Willis is. A hardnosed football legend in the making. While his numbers may not seem indicative of it, Willis’ 2nd NFL season was much better than his first one because he was a player teams had to avoid in the run game, and the passing game… in only his 2nd season. Teams learned, the hard way, that if you run at Willis without a FullBack he will be the one tackling your HalfBack. Willis needs to just working on attacking the Line of Scrimmage and remaining a force later on in the ballgame vs. the run in order to be the consummate NFL LineBacker.


63. Brad Butler, Right Guard, BUF(72,NR)
Impact: The Buffalo Bill’s Entire Run Game
Argument: The Bills will miss Peters on the outside, but they still have their best Offensive Lineman, because Butler is one of the league’s better Guards. Why is that? Because he’s already one of the better Pass-Blocking Guards, affording a mere 2.5 Sacks over the past 29 games that he’s played in, but he’s one of the better Linemen in terms of forming holes for his HalfBacks. As I stated last year, Butler doesn’t blow his guy off the Line of Scrimmage, but he just makes holes, even if he’s pushed back. In ‘07 the Bills’ ground game averaged 4.0 Yards Per Carry, but behind Butler they averaged 5.1 YPC and achieved 33% of their 1st Downs behind him as well as 3 TDs. Despite being injured for most of the season in ’08, yet still playing in 13 games, the Bills ran Right Guard Trap with Butler 68 times for 342 Yards(5.0 YPC) and 2 TDs compared to 8 times for 10 Yards(1.25 YPC) in the 3 games he was out. In those 3 games without him they only average 69 Rush Yards Per Game and 4.3 Rushing First Downs A Game.


62. Barrett Ruud, Middle LineBacker, TAM(NR,NR)
Impact: A Complete LineBacker With Few, If Any, Flaws
Argument: I’m going to go ahead right now and say that Barrett Ruud is currently what the media thought Brian Urlacher was for some time… a great MIKE in a Tampa 2 with strong coverage abilities, the ability to play the run, and, above all, a playmaker. In fact, Barrett Ruud might be one of the quintessential LineBackers in this league, but what’s bad about it is that nobody is talking about him. Ruud has shown signs of being a Sideline-to-Sideline LineBacker, with 28 Tackles , 2.5 Stuffs and a PD along the sidelines. Ruud is capable of shedding blocks, taking on FullBacks in the I-Formation to get to the HalfBack or simply getting through the line in SingleBack formations and making the tackle. He is excellent at reading the screen pass, and succeeds at playing deep coverage and making plays on the ball in deep coverage. I don’t know why I slept on Ruud all season, because going back and looking at him, Ruud, quite possibly, had the best season for all MIKE LineBackers bar none.


61. Ronnie Brown, HalfBack, MIA(NR,NR)
Impact: He Is The Dolphins Offense And Strongly Responsible For Their Turnaround
Argument: I keep hearing how Chad Pennington should be on this list because the Dolphins rarely turned the ball over, despite the fact that Pennington was responsible for the majority of their turnovers. People say that Pennington was the deciding factor between 1-15 and 11-5. Sorry people, the decisive factor was the return of Ronnie Brown to health. With Brown during 2007 the Dolphins were contenders, averaging 22.7 Points Per Game on the legs of Brown who was leading the league in rushing. After he went down, they only eclipsed that total once, against the lowly Bengals. That, my friends is impact. However, Brown returned to the league deciding to continue his tear that he started in the 2007 season, and had help from Offensive Coordinator, Dan Henning. Henning employed the Wildcat formation he once used in Carolina, but saw marked success because of Brown’s skillset. Brown was touching the ball some 20-odd times a game, and caused Defensive Coordinators to gameplan around him every week. This wildcat formation is what won the Dolphins so many games as they went 2-5 when losing the time of possession battle.



60. Trent Cole, Defensive End, PHI(HM,NR)
Impact: Complete 4-3 Defensive End Capable Of Doing It All
Argument: With all the teams making the hoopla about switching over to the 3-4, I wasn’t shocked when I heared an extremely late April Fool’s joke stating the Eagles would be switching over. That’s because they have this guy. While other teams are moving over 4-3 DEs that can merely rush the passer, Cole can drop into coverage, rush the passer, and plays the run better than almost all other 4-3 DEs. I’ve had the fortune of living in Philadelphia and thus watching Cole play for the past 3 seasons. In his first season splitting time I knew that Cole would be a superstar when he was part of a 2-Line rotation as the 2nd/3rd DE in Philly and then Jevon Kearse went down with an injury and Cole was the only player to play in both rotations after that. While Cole had, what was in my opinion, a down year due to his inability to get past some of the better pas blockers in the NFL, it doesn’t change the fact that, he makes plays behind the Line of Scrimmage against QuarterBacks and ball carriers. And in Philly’s Zone Blitz, he’s the premier end at dropping into coverage.


59. Jordan Gross, Left Tackle, CAR(NR,NR)
Impact: An Elite Pass-Blocking Left Tackle With Skills In The Run Game
Argument: For years, right after Jon Runyan, Jordan Gross was one of the league’s premier Right Tackles. As a result the Carolina Panthers figured that they could make a 2nd attempt move him to the Left Tackle and see if he could play it at an elite level this time around. Gross hasn’t disappointed the Panthers yet, turning in an All-Pro performance one season after being franchised. However, Gross hasn’t shown any signs of losing the Right Tackle mean streak that most Left Tackles do not have. Although Gross is still a good pass blocker, evidenced by his 3 Sacks allowed last season, he is still an incredible run blocker like most Right Tackles. In the Panthers immensely strong run game which featured a lot of runs between the Tackles, Gross also got the job down running outside the Tackle box. With Gross in the line-up (every game, but Kansas City), the league’s best rushing duo of 2008-09 ran 49 times for 239 Yards (4.8) and 3 Touchdowns.


58. Terrence Newman, CornerBack, DAL(71,28)
Impact: Still An Elite Cover Corner
Argument: Obviously Newman had an injury-plagued season that resulted in him not playing at the level he’s been akin to playing at since 2005 in which he is the only CornerBack with numbers that rival Nnamdi Asomugha, therefore, I cannot leave him off of this list. Now, if last season’s injuries prove to be a nail in the coffin, than Newman will be jettisoned off of this list, but for right now, over the past four seasons Terrence Newman has been an elite Coverage Corner that QuarterBacks have opted to avoid. Terrence Newman hasn’t allowed over 630 Yards in a season since 2005 and is good for 0 to 3 Touchdowns allowed. When you consider that Newman gave up 2 Touchdowns all season, both of which were on a bad groin, you realize just how good he is. Over the past 5 years, Newman has allowed 5.8, 5.8, 7.1, 6.1 and 7.88* Yards Per Attempt over the past 5 seasons… only Nnamdi Asomugha and Sheldon Brown have better or comparable numbers.


57. London Fletcher, Middle LineBacker, WAS(NR,NR)
Impact: A Complete LineBacker Capable Of Lining Up Against Any Non-WR Offensive Weapon And Winning The Matchup
Argument: It’s a darn shame that I’ve missed this guy two seasons in a row in compiling this list. London Fletcher(-Baker) might be the most underrated player in the NFL. Everyone talks about the Ray Lewis’, Patrick Willis’, and Jon Beasons of the world, but nobody ever talks about Fletcher. Hell, a lot of the time he’s even left off of top 10 Middle/Inside LineBacker lists for absolutely no reason. I mean, I know the guy was undrafted, but come on! He’s been the leader of 2 Super Bowl caliber defenses, and is one of the best coverage LineBackers the game has ever seen. Fletcher is capable of running with any HalfBack in the open field to prevent them from making catches, and runs with Tight Ends very well too. In fact, when I made my claims about “Sideline-to-Sidline” LineBackers, I forgot about Fletcher, like I did for the list… and boy was that an error… Fletcher is the penultimate “Sideline-to-Sidline” LineBacker, racking up a ridiculous 47 Tackles, 3.5 Stuffs(involved in 6), and a Forced Fumble. He reads the screen as well as any LineBacker and is ridiculous against the run. The only hole in Fletcher game is that he’s getting old.


56. Justin Tuck, Defensive End/Tackle, NYG(73,NR)
Impact: One Of Four Versatile 4-3 Defensive Ends Capable Of Making Plays All Over The Field
Argument: At 6 Feet 5 Inches and 274 Pounds, Justin Tuck has Ideal Size to be playing the 4-3 Defensive Position as a Bullrusher with some finesse moves. Perhaps this is why, despite losing, supposedly elite, Osi Umenyiora for an entire season, Justin Tuck was capable of putting together a 1st Team All-Pro season. Tuck was capable of doing so because he provides a versatility that only one out of every eight NFL teams has. He provides a Defensive Lineman that is capable of rushing the passer effectively, playing the run effectively and dropping into coverage with ease for a Lineman. However, while Tuck is one of four guys that can do all of these well, Tuck is the only one of the four that is capable of kicking inside and playing Defensive Tackle. What makes it even more scary is that Tuck is just as dominant playing inside at Tackle as he is at End. Tuck provides Defensive Coordinators with endless opportunities for their D-Line, and allows the Giants to employ numerous looks and keep a few rotation in their next season.


55. Sheldon Brown, CornerBack, PHI(NR,NR)
Impact: A Lockdown CornerBack That Allows His Counterparts To Pick Of Passes
Argument: Despite the fact that Sheldon Brown was on my 2nd Team All-Pro this past season, 3rd Team All-Pro in 2007 and made the Eagles “Hero” list at the midway point in 2007, I found myself not really placing Brown on these lists because of the general perception that Lito Sheppard was superior to him despite always having inferior metrics aside from 2006. However, even with a rich-man’s Sheppard, Asante Samuel, playing opposite him, Brown still played like the Eagles best CornerBack. There’s a reason that, whomever plays the LCB for the Philadelphia Eagles will always rack in Interceptions… Sheldon Brown. In Jim Johnson’s complicated Zone-Blitz system, Brown is always on the Right, playing the CornerBack position that requires Man Coverage, while the Left CornerBack plays Zone. Brown stays stout on his man, forcing QuarterBacks to throw to the left and ultimately be picked off. Brown is the type of Corner that only allows 500 to 600 Yards and 1 or 2 TDs to the opposition throughout the season, but last season he just went off, allowing 0 TDs until the NFCCG. Now that his kryptonite, Plaxico Burress, is gone, Brown is to be feared!


54. Lofa Tatupu, Middle LineBacker, SEA(13,HM)
Impact: Versatile LineBacker Capable Of Altering His Game Even While Injured
Argument: Obviously the absence of Matt Hasselbeck for much of the season hurt the Seahawks, which is why I feel very bad about leaving him off of this list, but it’s clear that, at this point, this team is Lofa Tatupu’s and will go as far as his health carries them. Now I know that he too had a down year, but I want non-Seahawk fans to know the type of pain that Lofa played through last season… he started the pre-season with a Bone-Bruise on his knee that wouldn’t go away. He then suffered a concussion halfway through the season and played that out. However, his biggest injury that most players struggle to play with was playing with a groin injury that severely hampered his movement abilities. Despite this, Lofa was intent on finishing the season and in doing so altered his game to be near the Line of Scrimmage due to his lack of movement due to the groin and still put up some impressive totals. No Backer last year was better at getting to the Ballcarrier early on in the game… and that’s where Lofa’s injuries caught up to him… he couldn’t maintain that high level of play all game which he why he sees a 40 spot drop.


53. Joe Thomas, Left Tackle, CLE(27,NR)
Impact: Franchise Cornerstone That Is Already Elite
Argument: Joe Thomas may have regressed last season, but he is still a top seven Left Tackle. Why? Because while he is a great pass blocker, he’s also an effective run blocker. Like most Left Tackles he’s not called on in order to be a strong run blocker, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t. As a lead block for the likes of Lewis, Vickers, Harrison and Cribbs, Thomas didn’t exactly clear lanes, but he had a nice ratio of 11 First Downs to 2 Stuffs when the Browns ran Off-Tackle Left. However, like the Franchise Tackle that he is, Thomas does most of his word in the passing game, where, regardless of who is taking the snaps and throwing the passes, Thomas makes sure they stay off their rear end. DeMarcus Ware, James Harrison, Justin Tuck, Mario Williams, Dwight Freeney and Trent Cole all went against Joe Thomas last Season, and all were held in check and below their seasonal averages per game. Keep in mind, this is despite Derek Anderson’s propensity towards holding onto the ball too long, and Brady Quinn’s indecisiveness.


52. Chris Cooley, Tight End, WAS(NR,NR)
Impact: The Redskins’ Best Pass-Catcher And An Elite Edge-Sealer On The Right Side
Argument: While Jason Witten is the future premier player at the Tight End position, Chris Cooley should continue to hover in the top 7 at the position throughout his career as well providing an interesting comparison. However, Cooley is also on this list because of his versatility presented in lining up in the Backfield as a FullBack/H-Back. The Redskins have trouble running Off-Tackle Right… that is until Cooley lines up over there, in which they then see a rise in Portis’ production, because Cooley is probably the 2nd best Tight End in the NFL when it comes to helping to seal the edge. Additionally, Cooley is, easily the Redskins’ best and most consistent Wide Receiver. On a WR Corp that constantly hovers around mediocrity, Cooley continually stands out as the leader, and always produces numbers comparable to the team’s No. 1 Wide Receiver outside of the 2005 season. For comparison’s sake, Moss the team’s #1 Wide Receiver only has a 900 yard advantage over Cooley for the past 4 seasons, meaning the team’s No. 1 only averages 230 more yards a season than Cooley, but less receptions.


51. Terrell Owens, Wide Receiver, BUF(32,6)
Impact: Still One Of The Premier Deep Threats/A Guaranteed 1,000 Yards and 10 Touchdowns
Argument: When I first compiled a list like this 3 years ago, there were three Receivers that I’d have to have been braid-dead not to include, and a fourth that I probably should have. Those four guys were Owens, Harrison, Holt and Moss. Of those original three guys, Owens is the only one that is still producing at a top level, and hence is still on this list, probably for one last time. Regardless of what many think about him, the fact of the matter is that Owens is still an elite Wide Receiver that is going to help the Buffalo passing game based on the fact that it’s pretty basic as it is. In this decade, including his 7-Game season in Philadelphia, Owens averages 81 Receptions for 55 First Downs, 1,201 Yards Receiving and 12 Receiving Touchdowns. Despite the fact that many feel as if Owens’ regressed last year, his numbers were only 200 Yards and 2 Touchdowns off of those totals, meaning that Owens has still got it. Owens puts up these totals because, even at his age and with his speed dwindling, he still stretches the field better than most Wideouts, evidenced by his ridiculous 21 Targets downfield. His impact could also be his ability to implode teams.


50. Julius Peppers, Defensive End, CAR(HM,10)
Impact: Unparalled Athleticism At The Defensive End Position Resulting In An Elite Skillset
Argument: The fact that Peppers was rated 10th in this list only two years ago should show you how darn effective this guy is. Julius Peppers was the original Jared Allen, for lack of a better phrase. Before the league became enamored with Jared Allen in the 2007 season, Julius Peppers was the premier Defensive End that got it done against the run, could rush the passer, and could drop into coverage from 2002 until 2006. In 2007 Peppers had an absolutely horrid season, which you can blame on various reasons, whether it was battling knee injuries or he was just unmotivated, and there were mumbles around some circles that his career might be over or he was on the downside of his career. Well, Peppers shut those people up, by returning to his old self, well somewhat, and producing in all three of the aforementioned aspects. When motivated, Julius Peppers is a top 10 player on this list, but unfortunately he’s an NFL player and there should be no motivational factor needed. Even when you factor in his horrid 2007, Peppers averages 10.2 Sacks, 3.85 Stuffs, 3.5 Forced Fumbles, and 5.85 PDs per season.


49. Pat Williams, Defensive Tackle, MIN(48,NR)
Impact: Far And Away The League’s Best Run-Defender
Argument: I know I’m going to sound a little out of line here, but I honestly think that Pat Williams is an eventual Hall of Famer. While numerous Nose Tackles, both 3-4 and 4-3 come into the league and play at a high level for a few seasons, Williams has been doing it for 11 Seasons. Williams, unlike most Nose Tackles, however, manages to, not only blow up running plays, but to get to the ball carrier as well. This decade Williams has lead all Defensive Lineman in Stuffs a ridiculous five times! He’s finished with 7 or more Stuffs against the run in a season an outstanding eight times! However, the largest accolade to his career might be that, since joining the Vikings, he has turned the run Defense into one of the best in the history of the NFL, and that is no exaggeration… they have the numbers and records to back that up. Everyone likes to talk about Kevin Williams, but Pat’s ability to occupy two or three blockers on every snap that he takes helps make Kevin, and even Jared Allen look good in their one-on-one matchups.


48. Shawne Merriman, Outside LineBacker, SDG(56,35)
Impact: The League’s Premier Pass-Rushing 3-4 Outside LineBacker/The Heart And Soul of His Defense
Argument: With all due respect to James Harrison and DeMarcus Ware, Shawne Merriman is the premier pass rushing LineBacker in the NFL. Why? Because he’s asked to rush the passer more than the other two individuals are, and creates more pressure as a result. Merriman is a force, that on 1st and 2nd Down will come at the QuarterBack standing up and put fear into them, and then on 3rd Down will play the Defensive End position and rush the QuarterBack some more. Therefore, Merriman must always be accommodated for by the QuarterBack pre-snap. However, you can also find Merriman’s impact in the pressure he provides and how it effects the other members of the Back Seven in San Diego. Quinten Jammer, an elite CornerBack, struggled last season. Antonio Cromartie, a guy whom I protested against last season, was absolutely horrid. Shaun Phillips, moved to Merriman’s spot, couldn’t generate pressure and was lost. The other members of the Back Seven were lost last season without Shawne.


47. Kevin Williams, Defensive Tackle, MIN(HM,HM)
Impact: The League’s Premier Under Tackle Capable Of Stopping The Run And Sacking The QuarterBack At An Elite Level
Argument: I have to say that I’ve made a tremendous error in leaving Williams off this list two years in a row. While I don’t feel he deserved the 50 player list, he almost assuredly deserved the 80 player list.While I feel that Pat Williams means more to what the Vikings look to accomplish than the other Williams “twin”, I can’t deny Kevin’s versatility that adds more to the Vikings Defense. With Kevin playing next to Pat, the opposition is hard pressed to run up the middle. But Kevin provides the ability to get to the QuarterBack making it hard for the QuarterBack to remain in the pocket beyond the average 3 to 5 seconds needed to get the ball off. Williams may be the best UT to play the position since Warren Sapp. Williams averages 6 Sacks per Season, as well as 4.5 Stuffs per Season, making him good for 10.5 Plays behind the Line of Scrimmage a season. Williams also has the ability to get his hands up and knock passes down, which has lead to interceptions for him as well as his teammates.


46. Charles Woodson, CornerBack, GNB(46,NR)
Impact: The League’s 2nd Best Cover CornerBack/Best Playmaking CornerBack
Argument: It sickens me when I see that people think young guys like Darelle Revis or Corey Webster are better than Charles Woodson. Woodson is a stout coverage CornerBack that will allow in the area of 300 to 600 Yards and 1 or 2 Touchdowns a season, and this season was no different. In fact, from the CornerBack position(he played SS from Weeks 13 to 15) I don’t recall Woodson allowing a full Touchdown on his own. However, that’s not why Charles Woodon is so high. Woodson is placed this high because he’s the penultimate playmaker at the CornerBack position. While Asante Samuel pulls in nice Interception totals, Woodson’s numbers rival his (having one less Interception since coming to Green Bay), but Woodson has done more in that span, including scoring 5 Touchdowns, 4 Sacks and 4 Forced Fumbles for a statline of 187 Tackles, 46 Passes Defensed, 5 Stuffs, 4 Sacks, 4 Forced Fumbles, 19 Interceptions and 5 Touchdowns over the past three seasons in addition to being a top 5 coverage Corner.


45. Karlos Dansby, LineBacker, ARI(NR,HM)
Impact: A LineBacker Capable Of Playing Almost Every LineBacking Position
Argument: The fact that he is listed as a “LineBacker” with no other specifics listed should let you know how darn good Mr. Dansby is. However, the only person that ever talks about him, including in the Cardinals fanbase, is our MVP Khodder. Why is Dansby this high over the likes of some of the more well-known guys? Well, plain and simple, because Dansby is one of two LineBackers in the NFL that can play the 3-4 ILB, 4-3 OLB, and 4-3 MLB at a high level, the other being Bart Scott. However, unlike Scott, Dansby has a complete skill set that allows him to play the run and the pass very well. If Dansby were ever to hit the Free Agency market he’d be a hot commodity, as he is scheme diverse which would allow him to be an attractive offer to every team out there, regardless of who their personnel are. But it’s not just Dansby’s diversity that have him ranked so high… it’s the fact that he is also one of the bigger playmakers at the position since becoming a starter, with a stat line as follows; 444 Tackles, 25.5 Stuffs, 24.5 Sacks, 11 Forced Fumbles, 26 Passes Defensed, 9 Interceptions and 2 Touchdowns.


44. Antonio Gates, Tight End, SDG(53,NR)
Impact: An “Instant” 900 Yards And 10 Touchdowns
Argument: People have listed Antonio Gates as one of the best Tight Ends to ever play the game after only 6 seasons in the NFL… I completely and totally disagree, but that should tell you the type of impact he has. Why do people feel this way? It’s because of his career averages. His rookie year aside where he was still learning nuances, Antonio Gates averages 900 Yards and 10 Touchdowns Receiving on 75 Receptions. What is most impressive about this is the fact that most of this was done when Gates was the primary receiver because the Wide Receiver Corps in San Diego wasn’t anything to write home about. While that changed last season, it doesn’t negate how strong of an impact Antonio Gates had in the passing game in San Diego from 2004 to 2007, which aided in the resulting emergence of top-5 QuarterBacks Drew Brees and Philip Rivers. While they’ve gone on to prove they no longer need him to produce at an elite level to be elite, you’re kidding if you don’t think he was instrumental in their development.


43. Roddy White, Wide Receiver, ATL(NR,NR)
Impact: Franchise Wide Receiver Of A Young Franchise With An Elite Trio
Argument: With all due respect to Matt Ryan, the reason he isn’t going to make this list is because I feel as if the presence of players 43 and 83 are two of the huge reasons for the comeback that the Falcons experienced last season. I feel that Ryan could very well make this list next year with a good year, but as it stands right now, it looks like Ryan, White and Turner will be the future “Elite Trio” in the NFL, hence White’s placement on this list as he is the only member to have done it more than once. White has produced two 1,200+ Yards Receiving seasons in a row, as well as 13 Touchdowns to go along with it, and yet he’s not a household name. White provides the franchise QuarterBack with an opportunity to fit tight balls into tight spaces, and his ability to fight for the ball in the air, at this point, is only bested by Jennings, Smith and Moss. But why you’ll find him here and not Greg(Sorry) is because, prior to the Gonzo trade, there was no one to take the heat off him in his Receiving Corp.


42. Philip Rivers, QuarterBack, SDG(NR,NR)
Impact: An Elite QuarterBack With Strong Leadership Skills
Argument: Despite the fact that they immensely underachieved by going 8-8 last season, I have to admit that last off-season I predicted the Chargers to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. That’s because Philip Rivers, unbeknownst to most, is one of the better leaders in the NFL both in the huddle and through his play. Philip Rivers has deadly accuracy and a beautiful deep ball. In fact, to quote Khodder, “Rivers lead the NFL in Touchdown Percentage, Yards per Attempt, Adjusted Yards Per Attempt and QuarterBack Rating. Since 1990, only 4 other QB's have achieved that feat in a single season. They are Manning and Brady in their TD Record years ,Kurt Warner in 99 and 01, and Steve Young in the years 92-94. That is some pretty elite company.” That is impact. But the thing about Rivers that differs from those other guys is his lack of an elite Wide Receiver like the other 4 QuarterBacks had. Elaborating what I mean further is that Rivers didn’t have an elite Receiver but his pinpoint accuracy has helped turn Chambers and Jackson into a good WR Corp as opposed to an underachieving one.


41. Champ Bailey, CornerBack, DEN(16,5)
Impact: Still A Top 3 CornerBack That QuarterBacks Question Targeting
Argument: Honestly, this is, quite possibly, the last time Bailey will make this list… which isn’t bad for a CornerBack to have made it three years in a row. But he, like Newman, could very well be done next year based on age, injuries and varying other factors taking a toll. Anyway, with that said, despite only playing for nine games last season, Bailey was only thrown at 20 times and allowed 215 Yards and a Receiving Touchdown. Averaged out, that is being thrown at a little under 2 times per game, and allowing about 24 Yards Per Game. Realistically, that would’ve been one of Bailey’s better seasons if extrapolated over an entire season to read thrown at 35 times for 382 Yards and 1 or 2 Touchdowns… That’s a Nnamdi Asomugha-esque season. Bailey still has it. Hell, he even still gets his nose wet against the run, recording 23 Tackles against Ballcarrying HalfBacks and that includes a stuff and a forced fumble. Champ Bailey is still a top 4 CornerBack in this NFL, and I would argue that the placement of the #2 spot is solely between him and Charles Woodson.


40. Jason Witten, Tight End, DAL(58,NR)
Impact: Largest Non-QuarterBack Contributor To The Dallas Offense
Argument: Last year Terrell Owens got placed ahead of Jason Witten based on the virtue that common sense dictates that Owens leading the league in Routes Run Deep spread the field for Witten. Well, last season, Owens was a deep threat, but nowhere near the level recorded in 2007, and Witten still produced at an elite level, and did so with numerous injuries to his body last season, plus all the drama. For the guy who was the faster player, ever, to reach 400 Career Receptions, it’s no coincidence that he is a guaranteed 79 Receptions per season. With those Receptions come 917 Receiving Yards, and 5 Receiving Touchdowns annually. However, why Witten is so high on this list is because he is one of only two Elite Tight Ends that can give you a near-1000 Yard Season and elite Run Blocking. Additionally, in the passing game, Witten is a freak of nature on 3rd Down and against the Blitz, and his production throughout all four quarters is virtually even, which is a rarity for any position, let alone a Receiving position. 


39. Brad Meester, Center, JAX(40,NR)
Impact: Premier Run-Blocking Center In The NFL/Key Figure In Offensive Scheme
Argument: When Brad Meester was already out for the first 6 Games of the Season it looked bleek for the Super Bowl hopeful Jaguars. When three more Jaguars Linemen went down, it looked like the Season was just over, even with Meester scheduled to return. That’s because that is the impact that the Jaguars’ interior line has on their entire offense, and at the center of that interior offensive line is Brad Meester. The Jaguars had trouble moving the ball when Meester was out, but eventually had success, posting numbers of 3.92 Yards Per Carry Up The Middle for 361 Yards on 92 Carries and 5 Touchdowns. Those numbers are impressive, until you realize that there were 3 42+ Yard Runs by Jones-Drew and Montell Owens in which a lot of the work was done by these two guys. If you take those numbers away, the team averages a under 3 Yards Per Carry and had 2 close-ranged rushing Touchdowns. With Meester returning to the lineup, the Jag’s HalfBacks put up 405 Yards on 121 Carries and an additional 4 Touchdowns, all close ranged. Meester makes the difference in the run game.


38. Joey Porter, 3-4 Outside LineBacker, MIA(NR,NR)
Impact: Versatile 3-4 LineBacker Capable of Dominating In The 3-4 Scheme And Covering In the 4-3 Scheme
Argument: When Joey Porter left for Miami, despite the huge contract, it looked like a good signing under the assumption that he’d be playing 3-4 OLB opposite reigning Defensive MVP Jason Taylor, but the Phins went with a 4-3 Scheme placing Porter as a 4-3 Weakside LineBacker where he saw moderate success, but didn’t really dazzle. After all, the coaching staff told Porter to simply play lots and lots of coverage and predominately ignored his primary skillset. Despite this, Porter was capable of racking up a few Sacks and would make a few plays on the ball in the air. However, his most impressive feat that season was being top three amongst all 4-3 Outside LineBackers in run stuffs. Moving back to the 3-4, Joey Porter had a resurgent season, being an instrumental part of the Dolphins’ resurgence, putting an end to many 4th Quarter Comeback attempts by the opposition (9 Sacks). Additionally, as Jetsfan4life would say, Porter created 9 “Virtual Turnovers” with 8 3rd Down Sacks(4 Forced Fumbles) and 1 4th Down Sack.


37. Bobbie Williams, Right Guard, CIN(25,NR)
Impact: Bobbie Williams IS The Bengals Entire Running Game
Argument: I’m just going to repeat what I wrote last season, and then add the impressive numbers this season. In 2004, 33% of Rudi Johnson’s Rushing Yards and 7 of his Touchdowns came running Right Guard Trap. In 2005, 38% of Rudi Johnson’s Rushing Yards and 3 of his Touchdowns came running Right Guard Trap. In 2006, 36% of Rudi Johnson’s Rushing Yards and 9 of his Touchdowns came running Right Guard Trap, this time on 4.6 Yards Per Carry. In 2007, when Johnson was “done” due to injury, Kenny Watson replaced Johnson and the two of them ran for a collective 7 Touchdowns running Right Guard Trap. Finally, Williams showed that it was no fluke in 2008 even with a HalfBack stable consisting of Cedric Benson, Chris Perry and Kenny Watson, and the QuarterBack Ryan Fitzpatrick accounting for a considerable portion of the rushing yardage. He accounted for 28.5% of their Rushing production, and added an additional 5 Rushing Touchdowns. That is 31 Touchdowns running Right Guard Trap between 2004 and 2008.


35b. Tony Romo, QuarterBack, DAL(NR,NR)
Impact: The Cowboys Can Only Go As Far As Romo’s Leadership And Play Lead Them
Argument: 1-3 Without Romo is all that needs to be said to support this argument. I mean, let’s be honest, Brad Johnson is not a horrible QuarterBack, though he somewhat played like it last season, and despite the massive amounts of talent on that roster, the Cowboys went 1-3 over the span that Romo was gone. No, but seriously, Tony Romo provides a Dallas offense that isn’t as talented as its production would suggest, especially now with Owens gone, with a leader (using the term loosely) that makes the smart plays more often than not. His mobility in the pocket is what provides the Offense with a chance to look elite, because he extends the play and finds Witten, Williams or (formerly) Owens on a big play that can move the chains. Perhaps why Romo is capable of doing this is because he is capable of distributing the ball evenly all over the field with touch, which backs Defenders off to allow Choice, Barber III and Jones to find such success. Did you honestly think those HalfBacks were THAT good?


35a. Donovan McNabb, QuarterBack, PHI(60,13)
Impact: The Eagles Can Only Go As Far As McNabb’s Play Takes Them
Argument: I would have hoped that the lot of Philadelphia Eagles fans that continue to blame McNabb for the team’s ineptitudes would’ve learned their lesson last season, but as I sat and watched the NFC Championship game in an apartment filled with Eagles fans, I began to see that it will never change. Despite the unnecessary crap that goes on from his own team’s fans, McNabb shows up and just plays. He was solely responsible for the Eagles Offenses’ success(over 70% of Offensive Production each year) from 2000 to 2004. After that he has had some weapons, but despite that, McNabb’s play has determined how well the rest of the team, sans Brian Westbrook has played. When McNabb has been off, the Receivers have looked erratic, the Offensive Line lost, and the team in and of itself just is mired. Want an example? Look at the infamous Baltimore Ravens game of last season, and then look at how McNabb carried the team into the post-season after that. Allow me to point back to the magical QB Rating of 85, in which over the past two seasons the Birds are 13-1 when he posts a rating over and 3-11-1 when he doesn’t.


32c. Clinton Portis, HalfBack, WAS(36,NR)
Impact: You Can’t Ask For Much More From A HalfBack Than His Production
Argument: I don’t think many people notice this, or at least didn’t until this year, but Clinton Portis has only gone under 1,700 Yards From Scrimmage twice in his career; one time was his injury shortened 2006 campaign and the other was when he went for 1,550 his first year in Washington. Additionally, Portis has only gone under double-digit Touchdowns three times in his career. Once in his injury shortened 2006 campaign, and two other times in which he scored 7 and 9 Touchdowns respectively. When you average this out, per season it comes to 116 Yards From Scrimmage Per Game over a 7 year career and .8 TDs per season. What does this mean? It basically means that for every game that he plays Clinton Portis will give you 124 total Yards and a Touchdown except for 1 or 2 games where he won’t score. In only 7 short seasons in the NFL Portis has produced an outstanding 11,108 Yards From Scrimmage and 76 Touchdowns From Scrimmage, and he’s only 27. It’s very realistic that, at the end of his career, Portis could finish with both Emmit Smith’s Rushing Yardage and Jerry Rice’s Scrimmage Yardage Records with another 7+ years. I hate this saying, but barring injury Portis is a sure-fire Hall of Famer.


32b. Frank Gore, HalfBack, SNF(34,NR)
Impact: A HalfBack That Single-Handedly Wills His Team Into Games
Argument: The guy that will draw comparisons to Portis for as long as they both remain in the league due to being in the same backfield in college before injuries struck, Frank Gore is no slouch himself, proving why he was going to usurp Portis for the starting job once Clinton left for the league before his knee injury struck. While he hasn’t enjoyed the fan success that Portis did due to his quick emergence, Gore is no slouch himself, and while not on a Hall-of-Fame pace due to injuries and an absolutely average, at best, offense around him, Gore has some comparable numbers to Portis on a per-start basis. Clinton Portis averages 124 Yards From Scrimmage Per Start over his 95 Career Starts. Frank Gore, over his true starts in which he was the No. 1 HalfBack, averages 124 Yards From Scrimmage Per Start. When you don’t just factor for starts, he averages 162 Yards From Scrimmage Per Start. Gore only has 26 Touchdowns to his name, however, which keeps him from recognizing the fame that Portis has achieved globally. Gore, however, has had to single handedly will his pathetic team into games, where as Portis has been on some average to good teams.


32a. Steven Jackson, HalfBack, STL(35,6)
Impact: A HalfBack That Single-Handedly Wills His Team Into Games With His Production
Argument: Steven Jackson, like Frank Gore and Clinton Portis, is a freak of nature HalfBack with production out of the “hoo-ha” that people need to learn how to respect. Just like Portis and Gore he averages well over 100 Yards From Scrimmage Per Start with 154, and even tops the 100-Yard Mark in terms of games played, with 105 Yards From Scrimmage Per Game played in. Additionally, Jackson averages a very considerable 8.8 Touchdowns Per Season over his career as well, which is very strong given that he has only played two full seasons. Jackson is more than production though. Jackson has an incredible blend of power and speed that allow him to succeed even when the Rams Offensive Line has been bad, which is the last two years, as evidenced by the fact that, even excluding his Pro-Bowl and All-Pro worthy seasons, in which he averaged 112 Yards From Scrimmage and had 14 Touchdowns.


31. Jeff Saturday, Center, IND(24,23)
Impact: The 2nd Most Important Piece In The Historic Colts Offense
Argument: The fact of the matter is that the Colts offense is up there with some of the more elite ones throughout history such as Kelly’s K-Gun and Walsh’s 1980WCO. I mean, it’s not a new offense that was created out of nowhere, and it borrowed heavily from both, but it also produces akin to both of them over numerous seasons, which is what makes it so darn historical. And since 2000, the second most important aspect of that offense has been Jeffrey Bryant Saturday, even when the likes of Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison were there. Saturday has been the secondary signal caller for that offense, given full control over the blocking scheme coinciding with Manning’s audibles at the Line of Scrimmage. Despite this immense responsibility, Saturday has only afforded a career 7.25 Sacks, and has been responsible for a considerate portion of Edgerrin James and Joseph Addai’s production, and soon Donald Brown’s. Want Saturday’s impact? Look at the Cleveland game in which it required a Defensive TD to win the game because on the Cleveland Goal Line, with Saturday out due to injury, on 3rd and 4th and 1, the Colts couldn’t push it in. With Saturday in their YPC rose a full 1.2 Yards.


30. Adrian Wilson, Strong Safety, ARI(18,33)
Impact: A Threat Downfield And Behind The Line-of-Scrimmage
Argument: Adrian Wilson had somewhat of a down year… and still produced like a top 10 Safety and still played like one. That should about let you know how darn good the guy is. I’ve said it in the past and I’ll say it again… Wilson is the best Blitzing Safety in the NFL (4.5 Sacks in 19 Games last season), and is, quite possibly, the hardest hitting based on his size alone. Don’t believe me? Ask Trent Edwards who Wilson didn’t even hit with everything he had, yet Edwards became concussed simply from Wilson falling on him. While I have called Yeremiah Bell the best pure Strong Safety in the Box, Wilson is a step above that with his ability to play within the Box just as effective as Bell (32.5 Stuffs over the past 5 seasons), if not better, but Wilson can step back and play coverage with the best of them. Theres a reason that there have been a rash of CornerBacks in Arizona that have had success. Arizona has the offensive players to win games, but without Wilson and Dansby on the Defensive Side of the Ball there’s no way in hell they would’ve reached Super Bowl XLIII.


29. Ray Lewis, Middle LineBacker, BAL(44,14)
Impact: The Penultimate LineBacker Capable Of Taking Over Whole Games
Argument: Don’t believe me that Ray Lewis is still the best LineBacker in the game? Just look at the fact that he takes over games. A lot of LineBackers are capable of taking over games, but few actually do it. Even less actually do it multiple times a season like Ray did against Cleveland, Tennessee (twice), Houston and Washington. Ray Lewis is a freak of nature and a sure-fire Hall of Famer who makes plays at the Line of Scrimmage and downfield. I don’t know if there was a better LineBacker against the run than him last season, evidenced by his whopping 65 Tackles against the run last season. Additionally, Lewis was a Sideline-to-Sideline Backer that made plays along the Sidelines, 27 Tackles, 1.5 Stuffs and a Pass Defensed. But you can look at statistics, and then you can watch someone play… if you saw the way Lewis slid through holes at the Line of Scrimmage you’d realize exactly how much better than the other guys he was and why, until week 12, he was the runaway Defensive Player of The Year.


28. Calvin Johnson, Wide Receiver, DET(NR,NR)
Impact: A Wideout That Single-Handedly Willed His 0-16 Team Into Any Game They Were In
Argument: You’re probably aware of my “Young + Good =/= Great” campaign in which I argue young players with seasons/stats comparable to veterans don’t majestically surpass them. Well there are few people that make me alter that stance and, alongside Adrian Peterson, Calvin Johnson is one of them. Why is Johnson one of the exceptions? It’s because he single-handedly willed a pathetic Lions team into games that they had absolutely no business being in. For instance, in Week 2 when the Lions were down 24-3 to the Packers, Johnson single-handedly caught passes and made plays after the catch to get into the End Zone to temporarily give the Lions the lead until their QuarterBack coughed the game away with 2 4th Quarter Pick 6s. Against Washington he did all he could in the 4th Quarter to bring the Lions back, but the Defense was too inept. Despite having no business being in a game with the Colts, Johnson single-handedly kept the Lions in the game, getting the Lions in the Red Zone in the 2nd, scoring in the 2nd and getting them to the 1 in the 4th (being robbed of a TD) and getting the game to a 21-21 score.


27. Steve Hutchinson, Left Guard, MIN(22,41)
Impact: The Viking’s Run Game’s Clutch
Argument: Plain and simple, Hutchinson is amazing. Hutchinson was a lead block on an absolutely 30 Touchdowns from 2004 to 2007, which is ridiculous. What this means is that, Hutchinson being on your Offensive Line allows for 45 Points throughout every season. That alone is impact. As I stated last season, The Seahawks and Vikings from ’04 to ’07 had run Left Guard Trap for 2,018 Yards, or roughly 504 Yards Per Season, making him responsible for about half a thousand yards per season. This continued last season as well with Peterson and Taylor running for 456 Yards when running Left Guard Trap last season. Additionally they ran for an additional 4 Touchdowns running Right Guard trap. As I stated on last season’s list, Hutchinson’s HalfBacks have averaged 6.5, 4.4, 4.4, 5.0 and now 3.8 Yards Per Carry. However, despite the low number this year, Hutch was responsible for 29 First Downs this past season in comparison to a mere 7 Stuffs for a ridiculous 4 to 1 Ratio while being the 2nd most run behind Lineman last season in Minnesota. While Hutch might be on the decline in his career, he’s still an elite Guard. Hutch is still an awesomely composed Lineman though, not committing a single penalty for the 3rd time in his career.


26. Chris Snee, Right Guard, NYG (54,HM)
Impact: Despite How Elite Their Offensive Line Is, Snee Is Their Entire Run Game
Argument: I love today’s NFL. Positions like the Guard, once considered a “filler” position that had no real effect on the game are now almost, if not just as, important, as the Tackle position. Truly Elite NFL Guards like Snee, Hutchinson, Dielman and Williams are asked to be the foundation for an entire team’s run game and succeed. Over the past 2 seasons the Giants have proven how important it is to have an elite Guard to establish a Super Bowl-caliber Run Game. This is why, during Super Bowl XLII I was lobbying for Chris Snee to receive some MVP votes until Eli through up that prayer. The Giants ran for 7 Touchdowns running Guard Trap Right in 2007, and in 2008 they ran for 5 more. In addition to these 5 Touchdowns were 644 Yards Rushing and 36 First Downs vs. a mere 16 Stuffs on 153 Carries for an Average of 4.2 Yards Per Carry. Chris Snee is, far and away, the best Right Guards in the NFL, and as long as he’s the premier Lineman on the team Giants HalfBacks will continue to put up elite totals like Tiki, Jacobs, Ward and Bradshaw have. He’s also a complete Lineman as he’s good in Pass Blocking too.


25.Ben Roethlisberger, QuarterBack, PIT(NR,NR)
Impact: He. Just. Wins. Games.
Argument: When I posted last year’s edition of this list a fellow Steelers fan argued with me that Ben Roethlisberger should have been on the list above all other Steelers, and that his lack of placement was a travesty. I countered with the argument that the Steelers’ team was so talented that, without Roethlisberger they were still a Playoff caliber team. Well, it would seem that we were both right, as the Steelers are a playoff caliber team without Roethlisberger, but with them they’re a team capable of winning a Super Bowl… and that’s the end-all, be-all. Now I hate the “He’s a winner” argument, but there’s no denying what Roethlisberger does. 18 4th Quarter comebacks in his short NFL Career, and 2 Super Bowl championships in that span speak volumes about how important it is to the Steelers to have him under center. Sure, some other QB might be able to take snaps for the Steelers and they’ll win games, but few QuarterBacks in the NFL will win the critical games the Steelers need in order to contend for a championship. Why? Because Ben is the best at what he does… extending plays and making big throws downfield.


24. Tony Gonzalez, Tight End, ATL(29,NR)
Impact: The Best To Ever Do It
Argument: I recently got to watch the NFL Network’s Countdown of Top 10 Tight Ends all time, and I was very disappointed about two things… that Antonio Gates got onto the list, and that Tony Gonzalez was only ranked two spots ahead of him at 8th… Now I understand the list was compiled before Tony owned every record at the position ever, but they had to realize he was going to get them anyway barring a career-ending injury. While I respect John Mackey, Ozzie Newsome (even more so for being a great GM too), and Kellen Winslow, I just feel that once you reach the summit at a position like this where not everyone’s careers are cut short, you’re the best. Furthermore, Gonzalez has been both a premier Pass-Catching Tight End in the NFL, as well as a premier Run-Blocking Tight End in the NFL, as well as both at the same time. Alongside Shannon Sharpe, who was 4th on that list, Gonzalez was part of the 90s generation of Tight Ends that helped bring back the popularity of the position that we now see with guys like Witten, Gates, etc. Gonzalez averages 83 Receptions, 1,011 Yards and about 7 TDs per season, and should look to greatly improve the Falcons in 2009 due to the connection he’ll develop with White, Ryan and Turner. And Sorry Chiefs fans… I compiled the list before he was traded, and therefore you lost your only player on it.


23. Brian Westbrook, HalfBack, PHI(5,16)
Impact: Despite His Age He Is Still One Of The 5 Biggest Offensive Matchup Problems For Defenses
Argument: Let’s simply ignore the numbers for a second and focus on the single aspect that Brian Westbrook is still, quite possibly, the biggest matchup problem in the NFL. Few, if any LineBackers can remain in Man Coverage on him, and few if any Safeties in the NFL can recover in time once they come into the Box trying to meet him. As a result, despite the fact that the Birds live and die with McNabb, the Birds also rely equally on Westbrook since his emergence outside of the 3-Headed Monster of 2003. It is because of Westbrook that, despite their lack of quality Receivers lately, they’ve still gotten it done through the air, because their Wideouts are able to see easier matchups with him being keyed on. Over the past 5 seasons Westbrook has averaged 1,621 Yards From Scrimmage and an accompanying 10 to 11 Touchdowns per season. While those numbers should diminish with the arrival of LeSean McCoy, who might posses a superior skillset to Westbrook when he was at the stage in his career, he should see a decline in play time, as well as his age and recent string of injuries saw him with a 19-spot drop. But I’m one of the few people who still believe he’ll get it done next season, and get it done big time.


22. Ed Reed, Free Safety, BAL(30,25)
Impact: Defense To Offense In One 3 Seconds Flat.
Argument: I’m not much of a fan of players who tend to get lots of Interceptions because I’m under the understanding that, when this happens, the majority of them are on poorly thrown balls. However, I can’t take away from Ed Reed’s impact just because of this, because as guys like Sheldon Brown and Ike Taylor have proven… you still have to catch the ball, and Reed can do that. 43 Times in a 7-Year Career to be exact, or roughly 6 times a season. Ed Reed is a freak of nature, because even if the ball is thrown well, he has a chance to pick it off on almost every single play, and unlike any other player in the NFL, when Reed gets that ball, he’s searching for the End Zone, which makes him different from all other Ball-Hawking players. Since 2002 Ed Reed has found the ball in his hands as he enters the End Zone a ridiculous 11 times. What this means is that, once about every four times that Ed Reed gets the ball in his hands, he manages to reach the End Zone. Reed may not have the range of other Safeties, but he doesn’t need to because other Safeties can’t do what he does… and to think the last 2 years, he underperformed.


21. Steve L. Smith, Wide Receiver, CAR(31,12)
Impact: The Difference Maker For His Team
Argument: Everything I said about Calvin Johnson can be appointed to Steve Smith as well. What do I mean exactly? Well Smith can single-handedly will his team into games. For instance, when the Panters were playing Green Bay in one of the best games of the season, in the 4th Quarter Jake Delhomme tossed up a prayer against one of the best secondaries in the NFL and Smith went up between 2 Defenders and caught the ball on a crucial 3rd down, placing the Panthers in field goal range, allowing them to go on an win the game. In the Season Finale that could’ve sent the Rival Falcons to a 1st Round Bye, trailing by 1 with a little over 3 minute left, Smith broke the game open with a 38-Yard catch and run. Steve Smith was the only Wide Receiver in the NFL last season to average 100 Yards per game, having 1,421 Yards Receiving in 14 games. What makes that so impressive is that it was virtually 13 games given how Nnamdi Asomugha held him to 1 Reception for 9 Yards when they met up. All things considered, last year was better than his triple crown season, given that his presence made things easier for Williams and Stewart.



20. Kris Dielman, Left Guard, SDG(21,36)
Impact: A Run Game In And Of Himself
Argument: I kinda feel bad for using Steve Hutchinson’s impact from last year here, word for word, but as it stands, Kris Dielman on your offensive line guarantees that your HalfBacks are going to get some considerable production. As I said last season, despite starting for 1 less year than Hutchinson over the 5 year criteria for Guards that I examine, Dielman is only 1 Touchdown as a Lead Block behind Hutchinson as both were responsible for 4 TDs this season. Additionally Dielman attributed another 400 Yards Rushing for the Chargers when they ran Right Guard Trap last season for an outstanding 4th season in a row. Kris Dielman in your lineup guarantees that your team is going to at least get 400 Yards rushing running Right Guard Trap and in some way your HalfBacks will put up at least 46 Points on the board throughout the season. What differs him from the others(at least Hutchinson) is that he’s a good pass blocker as well, evidence by his .5 Sacks allowed over the past 31 Games.


19. Haloti Ngata, 3-4 Defensive Lineman, BAL(37,NR)
Impact: The Ultimate 3-4 Defensive Lineman
Argument: It’s absolutely ridiculous what Haloti Ngata can do for a Defense. A few years ago, despite still having a passion for the game Ray Lewis was contemplating retirement because the lack of a big body up front in Baltimore, and respecting his wishes the front office went out and got him one… Ngata. Since then the Ravens Defense has been dominant, and it’s 2006 incarnate and 2008 incarnates have been the best the team has ever had since the infamous 2000 squad. It’s no coincidence that it coincides with Ngata’s arrival. Ngata is the premier 3-4 END, with the ability to stop the run like Baltimore loves, but his athleticism allows him to be an effective Defensive Lineman capable of employing Zone-Blitz looks. What this means is that when teams expect Ngata to hold blockers up, he’s capable of dropping into coverage with the HalfBack in the flat, and does it well. Moving over to the NT position this season due to Kelly Gregg’s injury, Ngata proved his rumored versatility by anchoring down the Run Defense, proving that he can play the 3-4 DE, 3-4 NT, 4-3 NT and 4-3 UT positions, all at a high level.


18. Kerry Rhodes, Strong Safety, NYJ(12,HM)
Impact: An Elite Safety Who’s Defense Will Probably Be Built Around Him
Argument: Did you really think that I was going to drop Kerry Rhodes into the mid-50s or even off the list as the result of a single down season? Rhodes had his worst season as a professional and was still better than a good 70% of the starting Safeties in the NFL. Rhodes is the reason you will not find Darelle Revis on this list. While Revis is a good Coverage Corner, in the whole Jets games I watched I noticed that I would consistently see half of Rhodes body on the screen on replays when a pass was completed against Revis… meaning Rhodes was there to help. Not all the time, but an amount worth noting in my book. While the rest of the Jets secondary was horrible outside of Rhodes and Revis, the fact that he still showed up as a force to be reckoned with outside of a botched assignment here or there tells me that, under Rex Ryan, this guy will probably be in the top 10 on this list next season. With his ability to play Man Coverage, Blitz the QuarterBack and Stuff the run, Rex Ryan has to be salivating right now… he just needs to react faster in Zone Coverage.


17. Jammal Brown, Left Tackle, NWO(42,NR)
Impact: A Pass Blocking Force For A Pass-Heavy Offense
Argument: 1,841… Do you know what that number represents? That is the number of Pass Attempts that Drew Brees has undergone since coming to New Orleans three years ago. It takes about a good 4 or 5 Seasons for some QuarterBacks to reach that total. Almost equally as impressive is that Jammal Brown has taken snaps for about 1,750 of those pass attempts, and yet only afforded 7 Sacks over that span, and prior to last season did it with an average amount of Holding Penalties. So what this means is that, while the Saints go as far as Drew Brees takes them, they also go as far as Jammal Brown can protect Mr. Brees. Jammal Brown could very well be the consummate Left Tackle in the NFL by the time it is all said and done in his career, judging from how he’s learned to take on power rushers whom he once struggled with. However, before he achieves that feat he needs to learn to become more disciplined and rid himself of both the False Start and the Holding penalties.


16. Randy Moss, Wide Receiver, NWE(4,NR)
Impact: Even At His Age He Still Dictates What Defenses Will Do, Regardless Of His QuarterBack
Argument: Like Brian Westbrook, a motivated Randy Moss is one of the premier non-QuarterBack skill position players that is a matchup problem for any Defenders… Do you want to know why Wes Welker has made this list two years in a row? Because of the little term we like to call “product of a system” with said system being Randy Moss drawing roll over coverage and Welker slipping underneath the said gap left open. Additionally, there’s a reason that Matt Casell, who hadn’t actually played a down of football in a meaningful game in what seemed like forever, is suddenly a hot commodity that people think can be a top half of the league QuarterBack… Randy Moss and the coverage matchups that he creates. For Moss to put up 1,000 Yards and 11 Touchdowns on 99 Targets (125 minus the overthrows, underthrows, wide throws, misscomunications and Line of Scrimmage bat downs) is ridiculous. What this means is that, out of catchable passes, Randy Moss caught a little under 70% of them and made the most out of them, despite having a no-name average guy throwing the ball, all while being keyed on by Defenses due to the lack of a Run Game in New England.


15. Michael Roos, Left Tackle, TEN(45,NR)
Impact: The Best Pass Blocker In The NFL
Argument: Michael Roos finds himself on the this list for a second year in a row, but making a 30 spot leap because he established himself as more than an excellent pass blocker; He established himself as a dominant pass blocker, and even established himself as a decent run blocker… at least more than he’s been given credit for in the past. Roos was a key reason for the Titan’s offensive success, keeping entirely average Quarterback Kerry Collins upright and never having to worry about his blindside, making his job much easier. However, Roos also was capable of getting out in space from time to time in order to be an impact blocker for rookie sensation Chris Johnson. However, what sets Roos apart from the other elite Tackles in the NFL that tend to be pure Pass Blockers is Roos’s discipline that prevents him from drawing any more than one Holding penalty a season(2 career) meaning even if one were to use “Adjusted Sacks”, Roos has, on average, allowed an adjusted 4.125 Sacks per season… that’s tops in the league behind Clifton. Difference is Roos has numerous years left in the league.


14. Chris Samuels, Left Tackle, WAS(17,50)
Impact: Quite Possibly The Only Elite Dual Skillset Possessing Left Tackle In The NFL
Argument: Usually, at least in today’s NFL, Right Guards are guys that couldn’t make it as a Left Tackle because, while a good Pass Blocker, they’re a slightly better Run Blocker. Of the 32 starting Left Tackles in the NFL, I can only think of two that happen to excel at Run Blocking… Bryant McKinnie and Chris Samuels. However, unlike McKinnie, Samuels can Pass Block at an elite level, and as a result is the only Left Tackle in the NFL that Pass Blocks and Run Blocks at an elite level. Chris Samuels had another great season Pass Blocking, though he did have a few extra holds than normal, but what made it so darn impressive was his mauling ability in the Run Game. Clinton Portis was the league-leader in MVP voting for the first half of the season because he was running away with the rushing title, and who do you think that can be attributed to? Mr. Samuels was leading Clinton to daylight, again, and once Chris went down with a torn triceps, Portis’ production took a sharp nose dive… go ahead check it out if you don’t believe me. It’s no coincidence that the Skins’ HalfBacks ran for over 400 Yards running Off-Tackle Left… AGAIN.


13. Jared Allen, Defensive End, MIN(9,NR)
Impact: A Defensive Weapon Matchup Problem For All Offenses
Argument: Let me put it this way… Jared Allen produced the following statline; 54 Total Tackles, 14.5 Sacks, 6.5 Run Stuffs, 3 Forced Fumbles, 2 Safeties and 3 Passes Defensed on a bad knee… and he underachieved. Jared Allen underachieving is akin to the best season possible for some so-called elite guys. That alone is impact. Allen guarantees double digit plays behind the Line of Scrimmage, with a career average of 18.5 Negative Players per season throughout his 5 year career! When one includes his 28 Career Passes Defensed(or 5.6 Per Season), it means that Allen makes 20+ Splash players per season, meaning at least one per game. Why is this? Because Jared Allen is a matchup problem for every Left Tackle in the NFL in terms of his pass rushing, and it’s not even a debate. His ability to play the run is of an elite level as well, and Allen always gets his hands up to defend the pass, as well as can drop into short zone coverage making him a triple threat that leaves Offensive Coordinators in fits.


12. James Harrison, 3-4 Outside LineBacker, PIT(NR,NR)
Impact: A Defensive Player That Can Absolutely Take A Game Over
Argument: Prior to the 2007 season when the Steelers released Joey Porter because James Harrison was in the wings, we Steelers fans didn’t feel there would be a large fall-off and production wise we were correct. However, I did not think that James Harrison would be a force that Joey Porter never was (at least as a Steeler) capable of taking over games. Glad I was wrong. I somehow was fortunate enough for the second time in my life (the first being the 2006 season as reigning champs), was capable of watching all 16 Steelers games in a season, and it allowed me to watch James Harrison very carefully. What I saw of James Harrison was inhuman! I saw a man fighting through triple teams every game and still winning. I saw a man getting held numerous times, with no call and still winning. Harrison’s 16 Sacks in 15 games were good, but the fact that he led the league in Sack Yardage is even better. His 16 Forced Fumbles over the past 2 seasons means he’s a turnover creating machine, and the fact that opposing Linemen were flagged 7 times for holding show his impact.


11. LaDainian Tomlinson, HalfBack, SDG(3,1)
Impact: Even when Injured, Tomlinson Is Still An Elite Offensive Weapon
Argument: Let’s set the record straight here… LaDainian Tomlinson has been injured for the past couple of seasons and still won a rushing title and put up 1,500+ Yards From Scrimmage on 4.46 Yards Per Touch, and an additional 12 Touchdowns From Scrimmage… That is an elite season, regardless of the 3.8 Yards Per Carry running the ball, and he did all this with injuries. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that he only fumbled the ball once. So it’s pretty intriguing that reports show that Tomlinson has returned to camp at about 90% health and should be 100% before the start of the season. Tomlinson’s career averages aside, which are some of the best of all time, the fact remains that, like Philip Rivers, Tomlinson’s presence has been a contributing factor in the development of Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers, as well as Philip Rivers for the first two seasons as a starter in his career. While Tomlinson may no longer create the Offensive matchup problems that Westbrook and Moss do due to slowing down, he’s still an elite offensive weapon, and no… these new one-year wonder guys are not better than him.


10. DeMarcus Ware, 3-4 Outside LineBacker, DAL(8,27)
Impact: Is Single-Handedly The Cowboys Defense
Argument: What? Ware over Harrison? I’m not a homer people! Remember the criteria for this list and then tell me how James Harrison could be higher. DeMarcus Ware IS the Cowboys Defense. I’ve never seen, nor do I ever think that I ever will again see a guy carry an entire Defense the way that Ware did. The Cowboys Defense is not as talented, at least at getting to the QuarterBack, as their statistics would indicated, and yet they finished with an asinine 60+ Sacks last season. Even if you were to take out Ware’s 20, that leaves the rest of the team with 40, few of which came from 12-Sack man from 2007, Greg Ellis. So where did these Sacks come from? I’ll tell you… team’s overcompensating for Ware’s ability to rush the passer. Elaborating further, team’s were overcompensating for Ware’s ridiculous first step, which was falsely flagged at least 7 times as a False Start last season, because Ware can time a Snap better than anyone else in the league. However, DeMarcus Ware is a 3-4 Outside LineBacker that is capable of dropping into coverage fluidly and running with some of the better and more athletic Tight Ends in the league, making him a complete Defensive player. He is the Brian Westbrook or Reggie Bush of Defenders… he creates matchup problems.


9. Larry Fitzgerald, Wide Receiver, ARI(NR,NR)
Impact: An Difficult Matchup For Any Single Defender/Single-Handedly Willed His Team 2:00 Minutes From A Super Bowl Championship
Argument: Coming into the season the general consensus amongst Cardinals fans was that impact player no. 76, Anquan Boldin, was the better Receiver of the two because Fitz wasn’t making the movements to become a complete Receiver like Boldin, although he had better hands and was more athletic. Somewhere along the line, last season Fitz realized that if he played a little more like Anquan (in terms of running precise routes and toughness after the catch) he could be, at age 25, the premier Wide Receiver in the league in the eyes of many NFL Fans. Even ignoring his 2009 post-season dominance, Fitzgerald has had 3 95+ Reception, 1,400+ Yards and 10+ Touchdown seasons out of five played. Why has he gotten numbers like this? Because Larry Fitzgerald is a freak of nature when it comes to attacking the ball at its highest point in the air, meaning not one Defensive Back in the NFL can beat him in a jump ball. Look at the NFCCG and Super Bowl XLIII in which he beat Sheldon Brown and Ike Taylor, who allowed a combined 2 TDs on the season, on jump balls for TDs. In the latter game, Fitz used this TD as a starting point to single-handedly will his team into the lead. Fitz is so high on this list because I feel that he learned something last season and I saw a desire in his eyes during Super Bowl XLIII that said if he has to, he’ll will another team to a championship.


8. Andre Johnson, Wide Receiver, HOU(32,NR)
Impact: A Passing Game In And Off Himself
Argument: The casual fan probably doesn’t really know about Andre Johnson because he plays in Houston, but a lot of people, especially Football’s Future, realize that he is the league’s best Wide Receiver. Over the past 25 games that Andre Johnson has played in, he has averaged an absolutely ridiculous 97 Yards Receiving… Doing such a feat in a 16-game season is tough enough as it is, but doing it over 25 games is Jerry Rice-like. However, what makes Andre Johnson so impressive is that he is an absolute force that, with all respect to Owen Daniels and Kevin Walter, makes the remaining members of his Offense look better than they actually are. Owen Daniels have put together a combined for 3,329 Receiving Yards and 17 Touchdowns. You had best believe that a majority of those numbers are a direct result of the coverage that Andre Johnson sees rolled his way because, at this point, no CornerBack can cover him one-on-one and expect to succeed for an entire game. Johnson has a complete skillset that is ridiculous, with his crisp route running ability that allows him to explore the entire field, speed and resulting ability to separate, and jumping ability only bested by about 3 or 4 Receivers, Andre Johnson is uncoverable.


7. Nnamdi Asomugha, CornerBack, OAK(7,NR)
Impact: Metrically, The Best 2-Year Span In The Modern Era
Argument: This just in… Nnamdi Asomugha just isn’t comparable to the rest of the league’s CornerBacks. Seriously, the CornerBack position is a hard one to judge on who is truly elite every year, and even with the public being afforded metrics since 2004, it is still tough as every year there are 4 or 5 guys that have metrically elite seasons, only to be bottom 20 seasons the year following. Nnamdi Asomugha isn’t one of those guys. In fact, since 2005, Nnamdi Asomugha has been top 5 in Yards Per Attempt against a CornerBack every season. In the 2007 season Asomugha was thrown at a mere 35 times and allowed a mere 22 Receptions… the great Deion Sanders never even had a season like that. So how does Asomugha follow up such an astounding season? By being thrown at only 29 Times and allowing 13 Receptions, one of which was in Zone against a FullBack! What does this mean? Asomugha, over a 2 Season span has allowed 35 Receptions on 64 Targets for only 368 Yards and 1 Touchdown. To give you a better understanding the next best guys have given up 65 Receptions on 121 Targets for 789 Yards and 3 Touchdowns. You think it’s because he doesn’t play elite competition? Look no further when he shut down Steve Smith and held him to a single reception for 9 yards.


6. Troy Polamalu, Strong Safety, PIT(38,24)
Impact: The Consumate Defender In Any Back Seven In The NFL
Argument: If you got to watch Troy Polamalu play last season than you saw something absolutely special. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that from a Defender in all my years watching football. His 2 one-handed interceptions against Philly and San Diego were absolutely the two sickest plays this season. But it wasn’t just those plays that required extreme athleticism… it was his ability to play Deep Zone Coverage and take opposing Receivers out of the game, then return to the box and take down HalfBacks. Only 2 of his PDs were from bad QuarterBack throws, and another was QB-WR Misscomunication that Troy caused with his mere presence.
Of his 5 non-tipped one-handed interceptions, 4 were on well thrown passes, and the remaining one involved a Patriots player getting hit in the Steelers Red Zone and Troy catching the pass. But Troy was capable of flying all over the field, as evidenced by the regular season game against the Chargers where he batted down a lateral and proceeded to take it into the Endzone, or his AFC Championship Game where he single-handedly dismantled the Ravens. When Troy Polamalu is on his game, he is the 2nd most destructive force on the Defensive Side of the Ball.


5. Drew Brees, QuarterBack, NWO(10,4)
Impact: A Passing Game In And Of Himself/Is What The Bears Believe Jay Cutler Is
Argument: Drew Brees is scary good. Do you remember those numbers I posted earlier when discussing Jammal Brown? That’s why Drew is here. For instance, let me make a comparison… the NFL community developed a Man Crush on Jay Cutler last season who lead his team to an 8-8 Record on a cakewalk schedule, yet the fans were enamored with his statistics. My question was simply “why?” I mean, if you looked at a TRULY elite NFL QuarterBack in a worse situation in Brees you would notice he wasn’t as prone to turning the ball over, and was capable of leading his team to the End Zone much more, all while missing Honorable Mentions Reggie Bush and Marques Colston, nor with Jeremy Shockey. Brees predominately worked with 3rd and 4th string Wide Receivers that he turned into 1,000-Yard Receivers. Drew Brees has essentially had a different Wide Receiver Corp every year of his career due to transferring teams, the draft, and losing players due to injury. I don’t believe that I’ve ever said this about any QuarterBack, but if you put Brees on any team, he can turn them into an Offensive Juggernaut, rather than be made to look elite like Cutler was in Denver. Furthermore, he can turn said team into a contender.


4. Albert Haynesworth, Defensive Tackle, WAS(19,NR)
Impact: The Most Disruptive Defensive Force In The League
Argument: I guess I couldn’t put Big Al here without the obvious disclaimer that he must perform at an elite level now that he is no longer in a contract year with the Redskins. I also aknowledge that he has a very strong and considerable injury history. However, that doesn’t change the fact that, for those 13 to 15 games that Al plays a season, over the past two years, he is the league’s most disruptive force on the Defensive Side of the Ball. He is an Under Tackle that can get to the QuarterBack like impactful player no. 71 Tommie Harris and impactful player no. 47 Kevin Williams, but Haynesworth also has the skillset of impactful player no. 48, Pat Williams in terms of stopping the run. What this means is that Haynesworth is capable of taking away both your run game better than all other Defensive Tackles except for one, and can affect your passing game as well as some of the more elite Pass Rushers in the league such as Ware or Allen. For a 4-3 Under Tackle to average 14 Negative plays a season (since he’s become motivated), and aid in making the members of his secondary look elite is tremendous impact.


3. Adrian Peterson, HalfBack, MIN(15,NR)
Impact: The Future Of His Position Only Two Years Into His Career
Argument: Hell, having placed Adrian Peterson at 15 on this list last year caught me a lot of flack last season. Some people felt it was too low and others felt that I was hypocritical for placing a one-year guy that high. Well, I guess I can say I’m validated, because Peterson had one hell of a Sophomore season, winning his first of what I am sure will be many Rushing Titles. The only knock on Adrian Peterson was that he had a case of fumbilitis, but I can look past that. But when you dig deep into Adrian Peterson’s season, you realize that, unlike his rookie season, Adrian Peterson had a good, at best, run blocking Offensive Line this year, and even Steve Hutchinson was only Above-Average, rather than great. Yet, despite this, Peterson ran his butt off for the aforementioned Rushing Title. As I stated last year, Adrian Peterson is the future of the position because he brings a new reckless style of running that kids will emulate and bring to the league one day in order to reap the same benefits that AD does. Peterson runs with reckless abandon for his body, leaving his feet, spinning, diving, cutting, and juking often, fighting for more than the guaranteed yardage on every play. Not to mention, Peterson, like the last bit of Offensive skill-position players mentioned on this list has a little habit of single-handedly willing his team into games.


1b. Tom Brady, QuarterBack, NWE(2,2)
Impact: A Leader That Makes You Feel As If You Deserve To Be Playing In February
Argument: With all the copping out I did this year with guys like Romo/McNabb or Jackson/Gore/Portis, I decided that I would let our Friend Tom get a 1 listing next to his name this year, despite the fact that he played. No why is that? Well, quite simply, it’s because not only is Tom Brady one of the most productive QuarterBacks in the NFL when he is in the game, but Tom Brady is also arguably the best Leader in the NFL, and if he isn’t the best, than he is one of them. Matt Casell is a good QuarterBack. Not an elite one, but one that can get the job done at the NFL level, and despite this, the Patriots Offense, though brilliant at times, despite being opened up, wasn’t the same. Randy Moss’ YPC dropped down, the Offensive Line looked like complete crap, even when they were healthy, and the general demeanor of some of the Patriots was different than usual. That’s because with Tom Brady at the helm of your team’s Offense you expect to be playing in February, even if nobody else does. That is the kind of confidence he instills into a team with his mere presence as a field general. Furthermore, from a production standpoint, please remember the numbers that he put up in his last full season to understand his numerical impact on the game. Plain and simple, if you place Tom Brady on a team, despite only being one man, he’ll turn that team into a winner.


1a. Peyton Manning, QuarterBack, IND(1,3)
Impact: He’s Just The Perfect QuarterBack
Argument: Whether you agree with whether or not Manning deserved the MVP or not, one thing you have to agree upon is that he did deserve to be in the consideration with Peterson, Williams, Harrison, Brees and Rivers. Why? Because despite missing numerous players on the Offensive Line to injury, returning from a surgery that cost him to lose 18 points, and the Titans overachieveing beyond what anyone had them penciled in at, the Colts still made the post-season as a 5-Seed with a record that matched the 2-Seed, whom they beat, thanks to Peyton Manning. In short, what I’m saying is that Peyton Manning’s understanding of the Xs and Os of football is unparalled in comparison to the rest of the league. That’s right, no matter how good a player is, no matter where they placed no this list… Manning just knows that much more about football than them, and what makes it scary is that he can execute it with just the littlest bit of help. Manning, once again, threw for over 4,000 Yards, but this time it wasn’t to keep his team ahead or to pad stats, no this time it was because they truly needed the yards just to even compete in games. Say what you want about Manning in the post-season, but the fact remains that he is the best QB, both when it comes to winning and when it comes to producing for 16 games out of the year, and like Brees you can place him anywhere and he’ll turn it into a passing attack. Like Brady, place him anywhere and you have a winner.