ESPN.com is ranking NFL players and counting them down (follow on Twitter @ESPNNFL) from No. 100 to No. 1 on offense and on defense, 10 per day for 10 days. The top 10 on both sides of the ball will be revealed Friday, Aug. 29.
What is #NFLRank?
#NFLRank is the Twitter hashtag to use if you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along. You can also follow along @ESPNNFL and on Facebook.
How did we rank the players?
We polled 85 experts to rate each player on a 0-to-10 scale, with 10 being the best regardless of position in the NFL. Ties, as denoted by an asterisk, were broken by determining which player had more ballots with the higher number (if players are tied, the player with three 10s is ranked higher than the player with two 10s; if the tied players had the same amount of highest numbers -- each with two 10s -- we moved to the next number: three 9s beats two 9s).
Here is the full list of voters from ESPN.com, ESPN TV, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Insider (including Football Outsiders and Pro Football Focus), ESPN fantasy, ESPN locals and ESPN Stats & Information.
Despite missing nearly half of last season, Atkins leads all defensive tackles with 29 sacks since he entered the league in 2010. Atkins is the first Bengals defender selected to consecutive Pro Bowls since David Fulcher (1988-90).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
9
8.73
Ndamukong Suh | @NdamukongSuh
Detroit Lions | DT | Age: 27 | NFL Experience: 5th year
2013 #NFLRank: 16
ESPN Fantasy rank: DL 37, overall 129
Since 2010 (his rookie season), the Lions have allowed 6.2 yards per dropback with Suh on the field, which would rank 10th in the league during that span. Without Suh on the field, the Lions have allowed 7.1 yards per dropback, which would be last in the league.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
8
8.81
Patrick Peterson | @RealPeterson21
Arizona Cardinals | CB | Age: 24 | NFL Experience: 4th year
2013 #NFLRank: 19
ESPN Fantasy rank: NR, ARI D5
Peterson is the first defensive back selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons since Charles Woodson (1998-2000). Since 2011 (his rookie season), Peterson has 20 combined interceptions and fumble recoveries, trailing only Richard Sherman (23) during that span.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
7
8.87*
Patrick Willis | @PatrickWillis52
San Francisco 49ers | LB | Age: 29 | NFL Experience: 8th year
2013 #NFLRank: 3
ESPN Fantasy rank: LB5, overall 8
Willis has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his seven seasons, becoming only the third defensive player since the merger to do so (Lawrence Taylor and Derrick Thomas).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
6
8.87*
Robert Quinn | @RQuinn94
St. Louis Rams | DE | Age: 24 | NFL Experience: 4th year
2013 #NFLRank: NR
ESPN Fantasy rank: DL2; overall 3
Quinn led the NFC with 19 sacks last season, the most by a Ram since sacks became official in 1982. Quinn's seven forced fumbles also led the NFC last season.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
5
9.01*
Darrelle Revis | Team Twitter: @Patriots
New England Patriots | CB | Age: 29 | NFL Experience: 8th year
2013 #NFLRank: 4
ESPN Fantasy rank: NR, NE D9
Despite missing nearly all of the 2012 season due to injury, Revis is the only cornerback to be selected to three All-Pro First Teams over the past five years.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
4
9.01*
Luke Kuechly | @LukeKuechly
Carolina Panthers | LB | Age: 23 | NFL Experience: 3rd year
2013 #NFLRank: 22
ESPN Fantasy rank: LB1; overall 2
Kuechly's 320 tackles -- after back-to-back 150-plus tackle seasons -- are the most by a player in his first two seasons. Kuechly's 24 tackles in the Panthers' Week 16 win against the Saints were the most in a game since 2007 (David Harris, 24).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
3
9.26
Earl Thomas | @Earl_Thomas
Seattle Seahawks | FS | Age: 25 | NFL Experience: 5th year
2013 #NFLRank: 17
ESPN Fantasy rank: DB12, overall 55
Last season, the Seahawks allowed the fewest passing yards on deep passes (15+ yards downfield), while leading the league in interceptions (14) on such throws. Since 2010 (his rookie season), Thomas has 15 interceptions. Only Ed Reed (18) has more among safeties during that span.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
2
9.40
Richard Sherman | @RSherman_25
Seattle Seahawks | CB | Age: 26 | NFL Experience: 4th year
2013 #NFLRank: 8
ESPN Fantasy rank: NR, SEA D1
Since 2011 (his rookie season), Sherman leads the NFL with 20 interceptions, five more than the next closest player during that span. Over the past 30 years, the only player with more interceptions than Sherman in his first three seasons is Ed Reed (21).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
1
9.78
J.J. Watt | @JJWatt
Houston Texans | DE | Age: 25 | NFL experience: 4th year
2013 #NFLRank: 1
ESPN Fantasy rank: DL1, overall 1
Over the past two seasons, Watt led the NFL with 31 sacks and 53 disrupted dropbacks (sacks + interceptions + passes defended + batted balls). The next closest player was Richard Sherman with 37 disrupted dropbacks. Watt is one of three players to record 200+ tackles and 35+ sacks in his first three seasons, joining Reggie White and Derrick Thomas.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)