The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner, as the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs kick off the regular season Thursday, Sept. 7. And now is the perfect time to roll out our 2023 NFL Rank -- and debate the final list.
NFL Rank is our annual projection of the top 100 players based on expectations for the upcoming season, compiled by dozens of ESPN experts. Of course, there were conflicting thoughts on who should or shouldn't have been on the list, and who was ranked too high or too low. So we asked seven NFL analysts -- Matt Bowen, Matt Miller, Eric Moody, Jordan Reid, Mike Tannenbaum, Seth Walder and Field Yates -- to debate our ranking. They identified snubs, overrated/underrated players, second-year stars and rookies who could crack the top 100 next year.
Which 2022 breakout players should have made the top 100? Which well-known quarterback might be a little too overrated? Are we sleeping on a veteran offensive lineman too much? And which first-rounders could make the list in 2024? Our panelists make their cases, starting with the biggest snubs.
Jump to a section:
Ranking biggest snubs
Who's overrated? | Who's underrated?
Top-10 snubs | Surprising addition
Rookies to watch | Second-year jumps
More: Our NFL Rank list of the top 100
Which players were snubbed from the top 100?
James Bradberry, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Are you kidding me? No Bradberry?! Last season, he led all outside corners in yards per coverage snap allowed (0.7) and EPA allowed when targeted (minus-33), per NFL Next Gen Stats. It was also his second time in three seasons with a yards per coverage snap allowed under 1.0. The average for outside corners is 1.2. -- Seth Walder, sports analytics writer
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
Hockenson is a top-100 player based on his game tape and his offensive deployment in Minnesota. He's a premier tight end, with route-running traits and the physical demeanor to produce as a run blocker. In 10 games with the Vikings last season (after being traded from the Lions in November) Hockenson logged 60 receptions, 519 yards and 3 touchdowns. -- Matt Bowen, NFL analyst
Talanoa Hufanga, S, San Francisco 49ers
The rangy 49ers safety made a massive impact in 2022, breaking out with All-Pro honors. Hufanga has a penchant for playmaking and is a vacuum for the football -- he pulled in four interceptions, the second-most on the team -- making him one of the most fun players to watch in the league. -- Field Yates, NFL analyst
Frank Ragnow, C, Detroit Lions
I was surprised Ragnow didn't crack the top 100. Since being drafted in the first round back in 2018, he has been one of the best run-blocking centers in the league. His 72% run block win rate helped the Lions finish ninth in the stat last season. And for Detroit's offensive line, Ragnow's run blocking, pass protection and communication of assignments are all crucial to the team's success. -- Eric Moody, fantasy and sports betting analyst
Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Pollard is incredibly productive as a receiving back. In addition to his 17 career rushing touchdowns, he has 121 receptions and averages 8.3 yards per catch. The Cowboys will be better on offense this season, and Pollard should be a big part of both their ground and passing attacks. -- Mike Tannenbaum, NFL front office insider
Will Anderson Jr., DE, Houston Texans
We're forecasting the 2023 season, so there's no reason rookies can't make this list. Anderson was an exceptional prospect who should stand out in the NFL immediately and is someone I'd be excited to have on my roster in Houston. And that's not just a personal opinion about Anderson -- it's also taking cues from the massive amount of draft capital the Texans spent to acquire him. -- Walder
Kevin Byard, S, Tennessee Titans
Byard is a blue-chip player with multidimensional traits in the secondary, so I was shocked to not see him ranked. He can track the ball, match in coverage and play an impact role as a three-level defender. He led the Titans' defense in tackles (106) and interceptions (4). He's a very noticeable omission from the top 100. -- Bowen
Kyle Dugger, S, New England Patriots
Few players bring the versatility of Dugger, and he scored three defensive touchdowns last season. He is just as likely to bowl over a 315-pound offensive lineman as he is to break up a pass -- and his eight pass breakups were the Patriots' second-most in 2022. -- Yates
Chris Lindstrom, G, Atlanta Falcons
Lindstrom should have cracked the top 100. He has started every game for the Falcons over the past three seasons, and there's an argument to be made that he's one of the league's top three guards. Earlier this year, he solidified that argument when a $105 million extension made him the highest-paid offensive guard. Lindstrom is an expert technician at the position who earned his first Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors last season. -- Moody
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers
If we truly go by what we see, Purdy is easily one of the top 100 players in the league. He had 13 touchdowns and four interceptions in nine games and completed an incredible 67.1% of his passes as a rookie. Considering he was a third-string QB to start the year, he's on a meteoric trajectory. Although he is coming off a torn UCL in his right elbow, he is primed to put up big numbers leading a talented 49ers offense. -- Tannenbaum
Who is too high/overrated on our list?
Orlando Brown Jr., OT, Cincinnati Bengals (No. 66)
I'm normally in the pro-Brown camp, and I was all for the Bengals signing him, but his ranking is way too rich. He's not the sixth-best tackle in the NFL. Brown ranked 18th in pass block win rate among tackles last season and 36th in run block win rate. He's a good tackle, just not an elite one. -- Walder
Joey Bosa, DE, Los Angeles Chargers (No. 17)
Bosa is a high-level technician coming off the edge, and is well deserving of being on this top-100 list. We know he can produce, but at No. 17 overall -- ahead of the likes of Trent Williams, A.J. Brown, Stefon Diggs and Fred Warner -- this rank is a little too high for me. -- Bowen
Kayvon Thibodeaux, OLB, New York Giants (No. 86)
We might view Thibodeaux in a much different light a year from now, but there were edge rushers ranked below him who are simply better. He flashed as a rookie, no doubt, but players such as Matthew Judon and Von Miller deserved to be higher. -- Yates
Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys (No. 38)
It's surprising to see Prescott in the top 40 and as the ninth quarterback. He has had a plethora of playmakers and a very good offensive line, but he has not been successful in the postseason and was just OK in 2022. Prescott tied Texans quarterback Davis Mills for the most interceptions in the league (15), and there was a big drop in his yards per game (238.3) and passer rating (91.1). Prescott is still a solid QB, but he's ranked too high. -- Moody
Trey Hendrickson, DE, Cincinnati Bengals (No. 53)
While I like Hendrickson, I don't see him as an elite, difference-making pass-rusher, and I'm not sure he is a top-60 player in the NFL. Last year, he posted 8 sacks, 32 total tackles and 3 forced fumbles in 15 starts. Good numbers, but this seems high for him. -- Tannenbaum
Who is too low/underrated in our ranking?
Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints (No. 63)
As a rookie, Olave posted an 82 Open Score in our Receiver Tracking Metrics, which ranked seventh among wide receivers and put him in the same area as other top wideouts such as Stefon Diggs and Davante Adams. With better QB play in 2023, his box-score production should explode, and he could surpass his rookie-season 1,042 receiving yards. -- Walder
Matt Milano, LB, Buffalo Bills (No. 85)
Milano is still underrated when we look at his overall skill set and the impact he has on the Buffalo defense. He led the team in fumble recoveries (2) and finished second in tackles (99), pass breakups (11) and interceptions (4). With his range and instincts in coverage, the Bills can live in nickel personnel. Milano is a tough and physical player who reads his keys with speed and finds the ball. -- Bowen
Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans Saints (No. 78)
While there are many quality cornerbacks in the NFL right now, there are few I trust more to own a man-to-man coverage matchup than Lattimore. He's competitive and tough, with a desire to take on the best opposing player every week. Although he battled a hamstring injury during the 2022 season, he finished the year with 29 tackles, 1 interception and 1 defensive touchdown. -- Yates
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins (No. 50)
Waddle should be recognized as one of the most talented receivers in the league. In his first two seasons, he has accumulated 179 receptions for 2,371 yards and 14 touchdowns. He led the league with 18.1 yards per reception last season and finished fourth in yards per route run (2.7). Waddle is underrated playing alongside Tyreek Hill, but this could be the season he gets even more national attention. -- Moody
Jason Kelce, C, Philadelphia Eagles (No. 77)
Kelce's movement skills and ability to get out on the perimeter are rare. He's an all-time great center. As the leader of one of the best offensive lines in the league, he helps keep quarterback Jalen Hurts out of harm's way. Kelce posted a 95.5% pass block win rate in 2022, which ranked fourth among linemen who had a minimum of 1,000 snaps. -- Tannenbaum
Which player deserves to be in the top 10?
Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers (No. 11)
It's a boring choice to pick the guy at No. 11, but he should be in there. Herbert will have a greater impact on the Chargers' ability to win than Christian McCaffrey (No. 10) will for the 49ers. He threw for 4,739 yards (second-most in the NFL) and 25 touchdowns last season. Tyreek Hill (No. 16) is an honorable mention for me here, too. -- Walder
Herbert is a top-three player in my mind. Assuming he stays healthy, he has the potential to win MVP this season. With Rashawn Slater returning from injury and the receiving trio of Mike Williams, Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston catching his passes, Herbert should be unstoppable. -- Tannenbaum
Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs (No. 12)
Kelce, a volume target at tight end who produces WR1 numbers, is a top-10 player in this league. I think we take his upper-level production for granted at times, despite his ability to create consistent conflict for opposing defenses because of his receiving skill set. -- Bowen
There are many ways to best describe a mismatch, but few illustrate Kelce's dominance more than this fundamental truth: Teams know he's getting the ball and still haven't found an answer. He has gone seven straight seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards. His 814 receptions and 4,838 yards after the catch since entering the league in 2014 rank first in the NFL during that span. -- Yates
It's easy to make a case for Kelce to be in the top 10. He leads all tight ends with 5,108 receiving yards since 2019. In that span, he also has averaged 8.8 targets per game. Tight ends play a bigger role in the modern NFL now that it's a passing league, and in the past three seasons, more than 20% of passes have been thrown to the position. And Kelce is the best of the best there. -- Moody
Who is the most surprising addition to the top 100?
Lane Johnson, OT, Philadelphia Eagles (No. 42)
This is surprising because I don't know how Johnson missed the cut last year. In 2021, he ranked second in pass block win rate (94.9%) among all starting tackles and had an above-average run block win rate (76.2%). He followed that up by ranking No. 1 in PBWR (95%) last season. This was an oversight on our 2022 list. -- Walder
Jevon Holland, S, Miami Dolphins (No. 84)
I really like Holland's tape. He can cover, pressure and drive top down on the ball. But I don't see him at the same level as safeties Kevin Byard, Jessie Bates III or Antoine Winfield Jr., who are missing from the top 100. He finished the 2022 season with 93 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2 interceptions. -- Bowen
Andrew Thomas, OT, New York Giants (No. 56)
This isn't a surprise in the sense that I don't agree with it -- Thomas is a megastar left tackle -- but rather that a year into his career, the Giants were panned for taking him fourth overall ahead of other coveted tackle prospects. A reminder that not all players enter the NFL and assert dominance; development is essential to team-building. -- Yates
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions (No. 91)
Goff had disappointing seasons with the Rams in 2019 and 2020, then a suboptimal year with the Lions in 2021. It all changed in 2022 when he finished in the top 10 in most major passing categories, including yards (4,438), touchdown passes (29) and QBR (61.1). Following a 1-6 start to last season, he played a major role in helping the Lions go 8-2 to close the year. Goff is well-positioned for success in 2023 with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery at his disposal. -- Moody
Haason Reddick, OLB, Philadelphia Eagles (No. 41)
While I thought Philadelphia signing Reddick was a smart move, he averaged only 6.2 sacks per year over his first five years. His production exploded in his first season with the Eagles, with 16 sacks in 2022. -- Tannenbaum
Which rookies could crack the top 100 in 2024?
Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
The 2023 draft was loaded with future stars, but Carter was arguably the most talented player in the entire class. He fell to No. 9 overall and joins a defense made up of many former teammates at Georgia. Carter will thrive at 3-technique in Philly. -- Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst
Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
With the Falcons selecting him at No. 8 overall, Robinson is expected to post big rushing numbers in Year 1. But he could also quickly become a key option in the team's pass game. He has high-level traits and should make an immediate impact. -- Jordan Reid, NFL draft analyst
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks
Witherspoon, the No. 5 overall selection, could thrive in Seattle. He's expected to pair nicely alongside Riq Woolen and follow in the footsteps of the 2022 Pro Bowler, who had six interceptions last year on his way to a top-100 ranking. -- Miller
Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers
Young is already the favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year, and the Panthers wasted little time naming him as their QB1. The No. 1 overall pick is expected to be the driving force behind the team's 2023 offense, and because of his pocket navigation skills and playmaking ability, Young has an opportunity to quickly become one of the better young passers in the league. -- Reid
Which of the six second-year players in this top 100 is the most surprising inclusion?
Riq Woolen, CB, Seattle Seahawks (No. 82)
Many scouts viewed fifth-rounder Woolen as a work-in-progress who could become a high-level starter in due time. Well, he didn't need long to develop. Woolen's six interceptions in 2022 earned him a spot ahead of many cornerbacks, including the No. 3 overall pick and first corner selected, Derek Stingley Jr. -- Miller
Kayvon Thibodeaux, OLB, New York Giants (No. 86)
Thibodeaux was the biggest surprise for me. He had an inconsistent rookie season that included flashy moments but just four sacks -- three of which came during the final four weeks of the regular season. He needs to display more consistency as a pass-rusher, and I think he takes a big step during his second year. -- Reid