The NFL's top 100 players in 2022, 80-71

With the 2022 NFL campaign nearly here, it was time to take a look at the top players in the league. Ranking NFL players in any position can be controversial. It only gets tougher when you expand that to every player in the NFL.

Every player on this list is unquestionably talented. A lot of players players didn't make the cut, but were close. If they play well in the upcoming campaign, they could easily be on this list next year.

Let's count down the top-100 players in the NFL. Here are players 80-71:

#80. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

New York Giants v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Evans has been an ultra-consistent receiver. He has now reached 1,000 receiving yards for an NFL-record eight times to start his career. There seems to be no slowing down for him.

Evans has become even more effective with his targets from Tom Brady, with passer ratings in the mid-120’s when going his way each of the last two years. He’s one of the few guys in the league they still throw goal-line fades up to, because of how dominant he is at the catch-point. He scored on 14 of his 19 red-zone targets last year. With Chris Godwin out, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used him a lot more as a power slot. He was a nightmare to cover.

#79. Harold Landry, Tennesee Titans

Indianapolis Colts v Tennessee Titans

Harold Landry continues to develop as a run-defender in the NFL and he recorded a career-high 14 tackles for loss last season. He also had his best year for rushing the passer and recorded 12.5 sacks and 43 additional pressures.

He has the ability to stress tackles with his burst off the ball, dip underneath their reach and flatten the arc. That along with being able to hit those quick counters makes him really tough to handle once you get to those longer downs.

#78. Vita Vea, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC Wild Card Playoffs - Philadelphia Eagles v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In terms of somebody who can just take 320+ pounders and move them backwards against their will, Vita Vea is at the top of the list in the NFL. Along with that, he’s one of the freakiest nominal nose-tackles in terms of his lateral movement. He can re-set the line of scrimmage, but then also disengage from blocks.

He’s the rock that has led this team to a top-three ranking against the run for three straight years. If you leave him soloed up in passing situations, he will ride the guy in front of him into the quarterback’s lap. In the last NFL campaign, his four sacks and five tackles for loss were career-highs. But those numbers will never be able to measure the impact he has on that group. He also recorded another 12 quarterback hits.

#77. Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs

AFC Divisional Playoffs - Buffalo Bills v Kansas City Chiefs

Coming off their Super Bowl loss to the Buccaneers, the Kansas City Chiefs' front-office made it their main priority last offseason to fortify the offensive line. They exhausted all possible avenues.

In the draft, they were lucky to have center Creed Humphrey fall to them at the end of the second round and they took a chance on guard Trey Smith’s health in the sixth round. Both started all of their 20 games and Humphrey in particular went immediately to the top in his position.

With just one sack and eight total pressures surrendered on an absurd 754 pass-blocking snaps, he finished behind only Rodney Hudson (who missed five games) in terms of the lowest pressure percentage responsible for (1.33%). He was also outstanding at climbing up to the second level and getting hands on people in the screen game. Not to mention, being tied for the second-best run block win rate for centers (72%) in the NFL, based on ESPN’s metrics.

#76. Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys

Atlanta Falcons v Dallas Cowboys

In the 2021 NFL campaign, Trevon Diggs recorded the most interceptions in a season since 1981 (11) and returned two of them to the house. He could certainly be higher on this list. But Diggs also gave up the most receiving yards in the NFL (907) for 16.8 yards per completion. Additionally, he missed 16.1% of his tackling attempts and surrendered some big plays too.

Now, playing in a scheme that left their corners one-on-one in passing situations certainly played a part in this. That 75-yard touchdown by Kendrick Bourne sticks in the mind. Diggs perfectly funneled the receiver to his safety and was charged for it, even though it was his teammate misjudging the ball.

A lot of people go overboard and say he’s not a great corner because he is vulnerable to getting turned around. But in today’s explosive passing landscape, being able to make big plays on defense is as valuable as ever. Diggs' overall passer rating of just 55.8 is pretty damn good as well.

#75. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

Pittsburgh Steelers v Los Angeles Chargers

Because he doesn’t fit the description of an overpowering outside receiver, Keenan Allen may never quite reach that upper echelon of pass catchers. However, Allen has arguably been the most productive pass-catcher in the NFL over the past five seasons.

This is even more impressive considering his struggles with injuries early on in his career. Across that stretch (missing only three combined games), he’s hauled in 519 of his 748 targets for over 5,900 yards and 32 touchdowns. He does operate mostly out of the slot and Mike Williams is more of a vertical/ball-winning type for that team. But Allen is so good at finding voids in zone coverage and because of his unique step-sequencing as a route-runner, nobody in the NFL covers this guy one-on-one.

#74. Roquan Smith, Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals v Chicago Bears

Finishing among the top-five for total tackles in the NFL for the last two consecutive years is impressive. Though it is partly due to playing for a team with a bad offense and having to clean up a lot of the mess. Yet the sheer numbers for Roquan Smith are pretty bonkers.

Over that stretch, he’s cracked the 300-tackle mark (193 solo), with 30 of those for loss, seven sacks, three interceptions (one returned to the house) and ten more PBUs. Looking at how Pro Football Focus assesses his play, they say the tape doesn’t match those, but their grading for linebackers seems faulty at best.

Smith surrendered a solid 4.4 yards per target and created pressure on almost exactly a quarter of his blitzes since 2020. His ability to see things before they happen and get there in time makes him one of the biggest screen-killers and best pursuit defenders in the NFL today.

#73. Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles

Chicago Bears v Philadelphia Eagles

Despite being 32 years old, Lane Johnson remains one of the premier athletes at the tackle position. Not only does that allow him to execute difficult blocks in the run game, but he also excels at mirroring twitchy pass-rushers.

In 2021, he earned a 83.3 PFF grade (third among qualifying right tackles behind just Wirfs and Ramczyk), which is his fifth consecutive season coming away with an 80.0-plus grade. This is with the exception of the 2020 season when he was troubled by an ankle injury.

He didn’t surrender any sacks and only allowed seven pressures in 399 pass-blocking snaps. Additionally, he was a huge piece in paving the way for a bullying ground game, which finished first in rushing yards (2715) and touchdowns (25).

#72. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders

Washington Redskins v Philadelphia Eagles

After getting a substantial new contract, people will finally start talking more about what Terry McLaurin has done and what he can do going forward. He has had the likes of Case Keenum, Dwayne Haskins, Alex Smith, Taylor Heinicke, Garrett Gilbert and unfortunately half a game of Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing him the ball. But McLaurin has hauled in 222 passes for 3,090 yards and 16 touchdowns through 36 career games.

He’s been one of the most effective deep threats in the league, with at least 15 receptions of 20+ yards. 63.5% of his catches have resulted in first downs and he’s done it with very little around him that would scare defenses. This is why he accounted for 41.8% of Washington’s total air yardage last season.

#71. Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers v Philadelphia Eagles

You must have had a really special rookie season to be the number five overall tackle. But Rashawn Slater truly did. The Chargers desperately needed a steady presence on the blind-side of Justin Herbert. Slater falling to 13th overall in last year’s draft must have been a dream scenario for them.

Slater’s 3.7% pressure rate was tied with Jedrick Wills’ 2020 mark for the lowest pressure rate allowed by a rookie left tackle with at least 250 pass-blocking snaps in a season since 2010. Not only that, but as part of that reformed left side of L.A.’s O-line, he helped them get one of the worst rushing attacks back on track, averaging 0.5 yards more per carry (4.3).

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