Welcome to ranks 40-31 for the Top 100 Players of the 2023 Season!
Players whose average rank landed them in places 40-31 are on this portion of the list revealed today. Players are associated with the team they finished playing for at the end of the 2023 season
Below you will see some write-ups from the community summarizing the players’ 2023 season and why they were among the best in 2023. Stats for each player are included below. Additionally, their ranks from previous years are available for y’all to see
METHODOLOGY
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Step 1: A right after the Conference Championship games
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Step 2: Rankers from each team nominated players to rank, with a 11 game minimum threshold. Players are associated with the team they played for in 2023
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Step 3: The Grind. We instructed users to tier positions groups into T25, T50, etc based on 2023 regular season play only. This took several weeks as the rankers tiered each position group and discussed them. There were no individual player threads and no arbitrary position caps. Just questions and rankings.
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Step 4: Users submitted their own personal Top 125 lists.
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Step 5: User lists were reviewed by myself, and . The rankers were expected to answer questions about their lists. They were allowed to make any changes to their list, and were not forced to make any changes
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Step 6: The Reveal… where we are now!
And without further ado, here are the players ranked 40-31 in the Top 100 Players of the 2023 Season!
#40 - Roquan Smith - Baltimore Ravens - Off-Ball Linebacker
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Written by:
Two years, two AP First Team All-Pros. Roquan Smith’s time in Baltimore has certainly gotten off to a roaring start. In the 2023 season, Roquan anchored a Ravens defense that ended the year ranked first in DVOA and first in points allowed, and he made his presence known in just about every game.
Roquan Smith is involved in all facets of the Ravens defense. In pass defense, he followed Tua’s eyes and jumped in front of a pass for a nice . Later in the same game, he got in Tua’s way yet again, intended for Tyreek Hill right into Geno Stone’s waiting arms for another interception. Roaming the middle of the field is always nice, but Roquan also showed off his athleticism by with Kalif Raymond 40 yards downfield on this play. But coverage isn’t the only way Roquan Smith can impact the passing game, as in his first game as a pro. And if he’s rushing the passer, you better have more than a RB assigned to him if you’re .
Of course, a linebacker also needs to be able to play run defense. Luckily, that’s not a problem for Roquan Smith either. Here he the pulling Wyatt Teller in order to meet the RB in the hole. On this play, Roquan to meet future Raven Derrick Henry for no gain on the play.
The coming season will see Roquan once again shoulder a large workload, with the departure of linebacker Patrick Queen and defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald creating some question marks in the Ravens defense. If Roquan Smith is able to continue his high level of play, Trenton Simpson and Zach Orr should find their transitions into new responsibilities a lot easier.
#39 - Travis Kelce - Kansas City Chiefs - Tight End
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30
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15
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13
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31
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28
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83
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Written by:
Ladies and Gentlemen it is with great sadness in my heart that I inform you all that Travis Kelce's 1000 yard season streak has finally come to an end. However, we won't dwell on that too much, because borrowing the words from my colleague , our "down season" is better than most team's good seasons, and that certainly rings true with Travis. He missed the thousand yard cutoff with 984 yards receiving on the season, third lowest of his career (And had he not sat out for rest against the Chargers in Week 18, he more than likely would've hit that number). Despite this though, he led the Chiefs in targets, receptions and receiving yards, being really the only cornerstone receiving option in a tumultuous at best wideout room. This was good for 2nd in receiving yards for Tight Ends, and his five touchdowns had him tied for third.
I go more in depth about this in , but what makes Travis so lethal as a Tight End is that he views the Tight End position with a Quarterback's mentality, being a high school QB himself. He reads coverages and defenses himself better than most NFL QBs do, and because of this, Andy Reid gives him the ability to improvise on his routes, and it pays off tremendously. If you're ever screaming at your TV going "How is Kelce so wide open on every play!" that's probably why.
Of course the elephant in the room is that Travis is now one of the most popular NFL players currently because not only is he a future Hall of Famer who is still playing at an elite level, but you also might have heard he's dating one of the most popular pop-stars in the world right now? I still think the only thing that can really stop Travis Kelce is father time, and there is some concern there as he missed a game for the first time since his rookie year, but I think he's going to continue to push the envelope for as long as the league will let him.
#38 - Khalil Mack - Los Angeles Chargers - EDGE Rusher
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23
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64
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6
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20
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3
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7
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44
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Khalil Mack's 2023 season was a masterclass in defensive play. In a year the Chargers had very few bright spots, Mack turned back the hands of time to his best seasons with the Raiders and Bears. His career high 17 sacks included a against the team that drafted him in Oakland. His forced fumbles (5), hits on the QB (22), and tackles for loss (21) were all among the top 3 for his career.
Mack consistently opposing offenses, contributing significantly to the limited success his team did have. His ability to and made him a nightmare for offensive coordinators.... . Mack's impact on the field also went past the stats. His persistent pash rush drew double teams at times, allowing his teammates to make plays. Mack's football intelligence and experience allowed him to anticipate and react swiftly, often stopping plays before they could develop.
Off the field, he has become a voice and leader in the locker room not just on defense but for the entire team. His decision to keep playing football despite a collapse in 2022 and a disappointing 2023 will most certainly bear fruit for him and the team in a highly anticipated year under a new direction. Perhaps the start of a 2nd prime?
#37 - Puka Nacua - Los Angeles Rams - Wide Receiver
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Why don't more teams just draft their all pro receivers in the 3rd-5th rounds? Les Snead has another masterclass of a draft in 2023 drafting several contributing rookies such as Byron Young, Kobie Turner, and Steve Avila. No rookie receiver in NFL history has had as much of an immediate impact as Puka Nacua. Earning 2nd team All Pro honors and setting the NFL rookie receiving yard record with 1,486 yards. He also broke the rookie receptions record hauling in 106 grabs. What sets Puka apart, aside from his tremendous route running and sticky hands, is his ferocity in the run game. Learning from one of the best WR run blockers in the game, Cooper Kupp, Puka has taken his role seriously and has straight dogged defenses. These types of hits weren't foreign to him throughout the year, and he'll have to get better about avoiding contact, but he's off to the greatest start to a receiving carrier in NFL history and has already been putting in the work during his sophomore off season to build upon his success.
#36 - L’Jarius Sneed - Kansas City Chiefs - Cornerback
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Sneed was one of the major leaders of the Chiefs much improved defense in 2023, and he achieved that by being frankly one of the best press-man corners we've ever seen. I'm sure you've all seen the graphics about Revis' legendary 2010 season and the receivers he allowed fewer than 35 yards in coverage against. This is a list of receivers that Sneed faced this season and allowed fewer than 33 yards against:
Calvin Ridley, DJ Moore, Garrett Wilson, Justin Jefferson, Courtland Sutton, AJ Brown, Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen, Tyreek Hill, Ja'Marr Chase.
He didn't allow a touchdown in coverage through the ENTIRE regular season. He had just 1 more first down surrendered in coverage than PBUs. He had the highest shadow rate of WR1s in the league and he dominated just about everybody he faced. Just about his only flaw is that his physical nature of play draws PI flags, which is what hurts his PFF score. Him and Trent McDuffie were as effective as any coverage duo in the NFL last year, it boggles my mind that he didn't make the All-Pro team.
He was always going to get paid a lot of money, and between him and Chris Jones it was going to be a tough decision for the Chiefs, and unfortunately he won't be playing in Red next year. Titans fans, you're getting a good one.
#35 - Aidan Hutchinson - Detroit Lions - EDGE Rusher
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Despite not posting eye-popping sack totals, Aidan Hutchinson turned in a sterling 2023 season. He recorded 23 QB hits — first in the league — and registered an astonishing 101 pressures, second only to Micah Parsons. Playing around 90% of defensive snaps through all 17 games, Hutchinson was an iron man for Detroit and a one-man wrecking crew off the edge. The eye test matches the stat sheet, too — the former second overall pick lived in the backfield in 2023. He did all this despite a generally lackluster supporting cast, a group that allowed opposing offenses to plan around the 6'7", 270-pound Hutchinson, who constantly drew double or even triple-teams from the offense. Given the numbers he put up regardless, it's hard to overstate how impressive of a campaign he just turned in. The Lions defense would have been an absolute disaster without the ceaseless pressure Aidan Hutchinson provided. He's cemented himself as one of the very best in the league at his position.
#34 - Frank Ragnow - Detroit Lions - Center
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Frank Ragnow was the highest-graded interior offensive lineman in the league with an 88.8 PFF grade. He played a crucial role in Detroit’s road-grading offensive line, setting the tone for the group. His interior run-blocking grade was an outstanding 91.3. Despite dealing with injuries, he held his ground remarkably well giving up only 3 sacks in 14 games started. This is in line with a Detroit unit that was one of the best in the league at keeping the QB clean. They surrendered only 31 sacks on 646 dropbacks, achieving the fourth-best rate in the league. He is one of the most technically effective centers in the game throwing combo blocks with guards Graham Glasgow and Jonah Jackson. The Lions finished second in the NFL with 869 rushing yards before contact this season and led the NFL with 16 games of at least 325 total net yards, which tied for the most a team has had in a season in NFL history. If Ragnow can recover from nagging injuries he will remain one of the best centers in the game and be right back on this list next offseason.
#33 - Dak Prescott - Dallas Cowboys - Quarterback
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A year after being maligned for interception woes, Dak Prescott turned in a career year, leading the league in passing touchdowns (36), earning a second team All-Pro nod, and finishing as the runner up in the MVP race.
After a scathing Week 5 loss to San Francisco that led to a retooling of the offense, Prescott went on a tear the rest of the way, completing 69.5% of his passes, posting a 31:5 TD-INT ratio, and leading the Cowboys to their third consecutive 12 win campaign.
For the second time in three years, Dallas had the league’s highest scoring offense. The emergence of CeeDee Lamb taking the leap into elite territory resulted in the best QB-WR connection in football, and Jake Ferguson provided a big body target to catch a high dosage of what I have coined Dak Balls™.“Dak Balls” are smothered seam routes which Prescott rips anyways, because he can. And in 2023, he took it to another level, throwing a plethora of these pinpoint lasers every week, tearing defenses apart at the, uh, seams. Here's a
It’s *his* throw, and nobody in the league does it better.
Toss that in with his recent uptick in aggression, his penchant for keeping plays alive, and his pre-snap prowess, and you're left with one of the best players in football.
#32 - Quinnen Williams - New York Jets - Interior Defensive Lineman
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84
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I am ashamed to admit how much of the New York Jets I watched in the year 2023, but I am not ashamed to admit how much I enjoyed watching the player coming in at number 32 on the official non controversial NFL top 100 rankings; himself. If I could choose any 3 things the city of New York is most known for its pizza, terrible qb play, and elite interior defensive lineman, something that once again became very true this past season. Wearing number 95 Quinnen Williams is the most recent member of elite defensive tackles in the NFL, easily living up to his 3rd overall draft capital
Coming into the NFL at 6’3”, 303 pounds, Williams former Alabama teammate Jonah Williams said trying to block Quinnen Williams is like “trying to block a 300 pound bar of soap”, and when you watch him play it's very easy to understand why. At 6’3, 303 pounds. Quinnen Williams uses his incredibly unique mix of size, strength, athleticism, and speed to dominate opposing players who stand in his way.
Playing alongside many fellow elite defensive players like Sauce Gardner, CJ Mosley, Jermaine Johnson, DJ Reed, and even his own brother Quincey Williams, you could very well argue Quinnen is the most important of them all. His ability to not only stop the run, but also rush the passer at such an elite level is an incredibly sought after trait in today's NFL. With how dynamic modern NFL offenses are, it cannot be understated how valuable it is having someone who thrives against any play call or scheme, almost never coming off the field. He truly is an offensive coordinator's nightmare, but boy is he fun for us to watch.
To start off his 2023 campaign, we all got a look into the Jets training camp with our 2023 edition of Hard Knocks, where not only did Mike Evans , but he also claims to have had when facing the Panthers, and honestly, after watching both Williams and the Panthers play this past season, I’m inclined to believe him.
My favourite highlight of his this season is when he reminded the Falcons to always double team him during week 13 when he absolutely . He continued his dominance that game when he showed . Both these highlights along with his entire are a great demonstration of him using his speed and size to dominate on the field with every snap.
As someone who loves watching an elite defense go to work every week, and loves himself monster defensive tackles even more, I cannot wait to watch Quinnen Williams continue his dominance during the upcoming 2024 season, and hope plenty of you keep an eye out for him during the Jets many primetime games this year, he truly is a treat to watch
I’m not a writer so if you read this far hope you enjoyed, and of course, BLESS YOU, THANK YOU
#31 - Brandon Aiyuk - San Francisco 49ers - Wide Receiver
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Brandon Aiyuk has arrived. One of the best route runners and run blockers at his position for a couple seasons emerged as the 49ers clear top receiver, and one of the best in the league, in a new-ish role made possible by a quarterback Kyle Shanahan appears to actually trust.
Aiyuk had never had an average depth of target of 10 before this season. His 13.8 ranked 4th in the league among players with 100 targets. His 13.0 yards per reception in 2022 ballooned to 17.9 in 2023 (2nd in the league) as a result. Aiyuk's 2023 season set the mark for the highest DVOA ever in a single season for a wide receiver, narrowly beating out Jerry Rice's 1989. For WR1s this year, his 70.5% success rate leads the next by 7 percentage points. His 12.8 yards per target is the highest figure ever for a receiver with 100 targets. Aiyuk finished 7th this year in receiving yards while 52nd in routes run and 36th in targets. On a less talented, more pass heavy offense, it's easy to see Aiyuk's historic efficiency becoming historic volume. That might be more than a hypothetical in a year, though Niners fans would prefer it stay one.
When you average nearly 18 yards a catch there are a ton of big plays to choose from for a highlight reel, one of my favorites this year was against the Seahawks in primetime, but Aiyuk was eating all year, not just on Thanksgiving. His longest catch was on the first drive of the second half of a game that had been a little too close. There was also a sick against the Cardinals, one that demonstrates Aiyuk's individual ability to make plays. There's a lot of talk about how easy the offense is, but Aiyuk isn't just running around catching wide open passes or screens. His 5.1 YAC per reception ranks 11th among the 27 receivers (and one Kittle) with 1000+ yards this season.
Can't talk about Brandon Aiyuk and not mention the blocking. He's one of the best receivers in the league at it, with blocking highlights like where Aiyuk makes his block and continues to move down the field in case he's needed again. The level of consistent effort (something that was an alleged issue in his 2nd season), even on runs with a 2 possession lead like that, is more reminiscent of a bubble player in the preseason than a bonafide WR1 who leads a top 5 passing offense in receiving yards. Like almost everyone on the team right now, the immediate future for Aiyuk is uncertain. The team has a few months to figure this out and lock in one of the most well rounded offensive players in the league or find out just how difficult it is to replace that.
