It’s time to identify the 100 best players in football, beginning with Nos. 100 through 91:
No. 100: D.J. Moore, Wide Receiver, Carolina Panthers
After a fairly quiet rookie season, Moore popped onto the stage in a big way with 87 catches and 1,175 receiving yards. Through 14 games, he was on pace for over 1,300 yards, but he played just six snaps in the final two weeks. Statistically a top-10 receiver in 2019, Moore will look to build on his breakout campaign with Teddy Bridgewater. Moore’s floor should only rise as the Panthers try to patch up a sieve of a defense. He had 12 games with at least 50 yards, plus a quartet of 100-yard games.
No. 99: Melvin Ingram, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers
Ingram made it three-for-three in earning Pro Bowl nods in Los Angeles. For the fifth season in a row, Ingram had at least seven sacks, eight tackles for loss, and a dozen quarterback hits. He benefits from playing alongside another stud pass rusher in Joey Bosa, but Ingram does his fair share. Ingram’s most dominant stretch of the season came in November as he terrorized the Packers, Raiders, and Chiefs for 4.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits. Now 31, Ingram will look to have yet another productive season for the Chargers.
No. 98: Mark Andrews, Tight End, Baltimore Ravens
Only one pass-catcher had more receiving touchdowns than Andrews did last season with his 10. The 2018 third-round pick was a large section of the passing offense for the NFL’s top-scoring offense in Baltimore. He had 852 yards on 64 catches and was a consistent chain mover. 54 of his 64 catches either went for a first down or a touchdown. Andrews was named to what should be the first of many Pro Bowls, and he could make a play at 1,000 yards in a full 2020. The Ravens will likely throw the ball more in 2020, and Andrews should be the beneficiary of more targets.
No. 97: Jarvis Landry, Wide Receiver, Cleveland Browns
Landry posted his career-high in receiving yards in 2019, his third season with more than 1,100 yards. He seemed to be the only stable option for a Cleveland passing attack that was erratic for most of the season. Landry nabbed 83 balls, scoring six touchdowns. The five-time Pro Bowler went supersonic against the Ravens and Dolphins, racking up 167 and 148 yards, respectively, to go along with 14 games of normal productivity. If Odell Beckham Jr. has a bounce-back campaign, he and Landry will have an argument of being the best wide receiver duo in the NFL and the Browns could make the playoffs.
No. 96: Devin McCourty, Safety, New England Patriots
McCourty had a big season for the Patriots. Anchoring the league’s best defense, the safety hauled in his most interceptions since 2012 and his most pass defenses since 2016. McCourty allowed a passer rating of 61.0 while in coverage, a massive improvement over his 2018 numbers. McCourty and the defense slipped off its mighty perch in the final few weeks of the season but the elite secondary will remain intact in 2020. Even if the offense falls off, expect New England to have another top-tier secondary with the two-time Pro Bowl safety anchoring it.
No. 95: Jadeveon Clowney, EDGE, Free Agent
Clowney is one of the weirdest players in the NFL. The former Texan and Seahawk has only 32 sacks across six seasons, but the attention he requires while on the field is as much as anyone. When Clowney is on, he is one of the best players in the NFL. Clowney is one of the biggest reasons why the Seahawks were able to topple the undefeated 49ers in Week 10 as he romped for five quarterback hits, a sack, and a touchdown. Clowney was dynamic in the playoffs, recording 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, and three tackles for loss.
No. 94: Dak Prescott, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott had his best season as a pro in 2019. After two down years, Prescott led the Cowboys to the sixth-best scoring offense and best total offense in the NFL. Prescott threw for 4,900 yards, the second-most in the league, and he tossed 30 touchdown passes. Had Brett Maher been able to consistently hit a field goal from beyond 30 yards, the Cowboys likely would have made the playoffs and Prescott would be saved from much of the “overrated” talk. Prescott is about to be paid, but the price tag seems a little steep at the moment. However, Prescott’s consistency might be worth paying in the short-term.
No. 93: Alex Mack, Interior Offensive Line, Atlanta Falcons
Mack’s streak of consecutive Pro Bowls may be over, but the 11-year veteran had another productive season with the Falcons. In four years in Atlanta, Mack has only missed a handful of snaps, and he has been one of the only bright spots on an otherwise abysmal line. In 2019, the tackle spots were secured by Jake Matthews and first-rounder Kaleb McGary, but the interior of the Atlanta line (besides Mack) was a revolving door of below-average options. Atlanta likely drafted the heir apparent to Mack in Matt Hennessy, but at the minimum, the latter should give the Falcons valuable snaps until Mack decides to hang his cleats up.
No. 92: Kenny Golladay, Wide Receiver, Detroit Lions
Golladay’s second consecutive 1,000-yard season was rewarded with a Pro Bowl appearance. He snagged a league-leading 11 touchdowns, including a pair of multi-touchdown games. Regardless of the quarterback, Golladay consistently produced. He did have a couple of stinkers that drew the ire of the fantasy football crowd, but Golladay had five games with 100 yards and 13 games with at least 40. When he is targeted, there are few in the game better at turning it into points. Of his 65 catches, 63 went for first downs or touchdowns, and his 18.3 yards per catch was the third-best among those with 30 catches.
No. 91: Stefon Diggs, Wide Receiver, Buffalo Bills
After five seasons with the Vikings, Diggs was traded to Buffalo in March. 2019 saw Diggs’s second 1,000-yard season as he posted his career-high of 1,130. While his running mate Adam Thielen missed more than half the season, Diggs thrived as a top option. Diggs averaged 17.9 yards per catch, notching six touchdowns. He was not spectacular in the playoffs, but he did catch a touchdown against the 49ers. Diggs had five 100-yard games including a three-game stretch with 167, 143, and 143 yards against the Eagles, Lions, and Redskins, respectively. Diggs should have a big year in Buffalo.
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