NFL Top 100 Rankings Revealed

Ah yes, it’s the most divisive time of the year. NFL superstars have cast their votes and identified who they feel are the best performers in the league heading into the 2021 season. The results are in, and players 100-41 have officially been revealed. As per usual, the list has already created plenty of discussion among fans regarding who may be overrated or underrated. I’ve singled out three individuals in particular who deserve more respect than they’ve been given. Let’s go.

Tristan Wirfs, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It may be bold of me to lead this off with a player coming off his rookie season, but that’s how good Wirfs was for the Super Bowl-winning Buccaneers last season. Wirfs came in at No. 89 on the list, but his rookie campaign was so rare and impressive that he deserves even better than this. Wirfs played 100% of the team’s offensive snaps at right tackle and allowed just one sack all season long (six-time Pro Bowler Khalil Mack was the one that got him, in case you were wondering).  

There is room on this list for Wirfs to make a leap into the top 75. If the Buccaneers’ offense is firing on all cylinders in 2021 the way that it did in 2020, and there’s plenty of reason to believe it will, then Wirfs will be ranked much higher on this list 12 months from now.

Allen Robinson, WR, Chicago Bears

The craziest thing about Robinson’s placement on this list (No. 87) is that it’s actually six spots better than he was ranked a year ago. Is there another receiver in the game that’s constantly disrespected the way Robinson is? I don’t think so.

A player that seems to get better every year, Robinson is coming off the best season of his NFL career. He crossed the 100-reception mark for the first time in 2020 with 102 catches, which was the sixth-best total in the league. There are just two receivers in the league that have totaled more receiving yards than Robinson has over the past two years: DeAndre Hopkins and Stefon Diggs.

If Robinson had better quarterback play in Chicago, he’d get into the top-50 conversation here. Let’s hope Justin Fields is the passer that Robinson, and all of Bears Nation, has been waiting for.

Jessie Bates III, S, Cincinnati Bengals

Another victim of his environment, Bates clocked in at No. 90 on this list. Since being drafted with the 54th overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, Bates has been a model of consistency for the Bengals. He’s started in every Cincinnati game (48) since entering the league. 

It doesn’t take a genius to realize and appreciate the impact he’s made. The numbers speak for themselves. Bates has totaled 312 tackles, nine interceptions and an impressive 31 passes deflected while serving as a commanding presence in the secondary.

So what’s the issue here? Although it’s no fault of his own, the Bengals have won an average of just four games per year since drafting Bates. If Bates played in a bigger market, or for a team that’s even sniffed the playoffs since his arrival, he’d likely be a lot more popular not just among fans, but among his peers as well.