NFL Network has now revealed 90 of the players on this year’s list of the Top 100 players as voted on by their peers, with only the Top 10 players in the NFL remaining to be named. And although we don’t yet know the exact order, we can more or less figure out who the Top 10 are going to be.
Packers quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, the reigning league MVP, will surely be No. 1 on this year’s list after ranking No. 11 last year. Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the only player other than Rodgers to get any MVP votes last year, will almost certainly be No. 2. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who topped the list last year, is a likely No. 3.
Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, who ranked No. 27 last year, seems like a good bet as the highest-ranked non-quarterback. Two other offensive skill position players, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (No. 3 last year) and Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald (No. 14) will also appear in this year’s Top 10.
That leaves four defensive players to fill out the Top 10: Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (No. 8 last year), Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware (No. 12), Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (No. 17) and 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis (No. 23). Revis would seem likely to rank as the best defensive player in the league, according to his fellow players. Something he and his agent may point out to the Jets in the weeks ahead.