The NFL's top 100 players in 2022, 50-41
With the 2022 NFL campaign tantalizingly close, it seemed like a good time to take a look at the best players in the league. Ranking NFL players in any position can be controversial. This only gets tougher when you expand that to every player in the NFL.
Every player on this list is incredibly talented. Many players didn't make the cut because there's only 100 spots on the list. With strong campaigns in 2022, they could well be on this list next year.
Let's count down the top-100 players in the NFL. Here are players 50-41:
#50. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Where are all the Matthew Stafford doubters now? After getting banged around and trying to carry inferior teams for so many years in Detroit, in his first year with a competent squad around him he finished with the second-most touchdown passes in the NFL (41). He also led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl trophy.
(via @NFLFilms)When Matthew Stafford played through a hurt shoulder to score a game-winning touchdown.
Legendary moment. 👏 (via @NFLFilms) https://t.co/MTRdHYwicg
Though he was tied for the NFL-lead with 17 interceptions, but his 18 completions of 40+ yards were also atop the list and he led seven total game-winning drives, including the playoffs. This despite being complemented by a bottom-ten rushing attack among all standard categories.
#49. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings
This guy kind of feels like the forgotten man in the running back position. You have Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry, and Nick Chubb in the AFC, but in the NFC, Dalvin Cook has stood above the rest in terms of rushing production. Over 27 combined games since 2020, he has touched the ball 639 times for 3,300 yards and 23 touchdowns.
The last time Dalvin Cook played against the Packers: 32 touches, 226 yards, 4 touchdowns. https://t.co/Jn3i6jeNn4
He does get banged up every once in a while. But in terms of somebody who can press the front-side, punish a linebacker who shades too far over behind a block and then has the home-run capability to make your safeties turn and run, he’s in that class of the most dangerous backs in the NFL.
#48. Jeffery Simmons, Tennesee Titans
I was a big fan of Jeffery Simmons at Mississippi State already and since coming back from a torn ACL, he has improved every year in the NFL. Last season, he logged career-highs in snap percentage (85%), tackles for loss (12), sacks (8.5), QB hits (16) and passes batted down (six).
Jeffery Simmons 
🛑 Josh Allen on 4th & inches to seal the W as @Titans win a wild one on #MNF, 
WHAT A FINISH‼️ Jeffery Simmons ✋🚫🛑 Josh Allen on 4th & inches to seal the W as @Titans win a wild one on #MNF, 3️⃣4️⃣➖3️⃣1️⃣‼️ https://t.co/ZwCgNmgg6t
The two most memorable moments were him plowing through the line to single-handedly stop Josh Allen on a fourth-down quarterback sneak to win that game and his six total hits (three sacks) on Joe Burrow in the Divisional Round. He’s a bully on the interior.
#47. Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers
Following a phenomenal rookie NFL season, Derwin James missed all but five games in the next two seasons. He then jumped back onto the scene as one of the top safeties in the league last year.
Today is a GREAT day for the Los Angeles Chargers to pay Derwin James https://t.co/4sNyIjdBNg
His traditional numbers in 2021 were not as impressive as they were in his debut campaign. But as the closest defender in coverage, he was responsible for a completion percentage of just 56.7% and gave up just one touchdown compared to his two interceptions. He also reached seven tackles for loss when allowed to come upfield, and despite challenging one-on-one tackling situations, as the Los Angeles Chargers front was vulnerable to presenting clear rushing lanes, he missed a career-low 7.1% of attempts.
#46. Derrick Henry, Tennesee Titans
After leading the league in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns in each of the prior two NFL seasons, Derrick Henry was put on injured reserve eight games into the 2021 campaign. At that point, he was on track to finish atop the list once again, with nearly 300 yards more than anybody else (937, along with ten touchdowns).
UNREAL.
Derrick Henry just stiff arms everyone in one of the best TD runs you will ever see!
#JAXvsTEN https://t.co/VrteMn4oM8
He certainly didn’t look like himself in his one playoff appearance. But with a full offseason to get healthy again, King Henry will be determined to return to the throne. Henry has the best combination of speed and power for any runner in the NFL. However, he’s simply never offered much as a pass-catcher.
#45. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Let’s just start like this – the Lamar Jackson hate is just absurd. Purely looking at his 16 passing touchdowns versus 13 interceptions, the numbers didn’t look very good last season. But due to not having any of their top three running backs heading into season preparations, Lamar ultimately accounted for 78.4% of the offensive production in the games he was available for.
298 Total YardsNo. 8, again, was great. 🏆
😈 298 Total Yards
😈 5 Passing Touchdowns
😈 Single Season QB Rushing Record
@Ravens | #RavensFlock | @Lj_era8 https://t.co/sy6QZO81u3
After looking to have made strides as a passer earlier in the year and making some incredible individual plays to win tight games, teams started blitzing the hell out of Baltimore. They simply didn’t have any solution structurally or in terms of singular receivers winning cleanly. Jackson was 7-4 as a starter, despite having some of the worst interceptions and certainly the worst injury luck as a team.
#44. Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers
L.A.’s defense structurally didn’t set up their players for success necessarily, particularly looking at their front-seven – or rather that was somewhat the issue, with them having less than six guys in the box regularly.
Drew Lock points to Joey Bosa and says “Yeah he’s tired”, Bosa then tackles Gordon for a 4 yard loss 😂 https://t.co/LendoysOaE
With all the soft looks to run against, Joey Bosa didn’t have many chances to create negative plays on early downs, resulting in a career-low five tackles for loss. However, he did crack double-digit sacks and 43 additional pressures on 333 pass-rush snaps, along with a career-best seven forced fumbles.
#43. Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens defense saw a major drop-off in level of play due to suffering several injuries and a lack of adjustments to those schematically, particularly in the secondary. Running so many blitzes with zero-coverage behind them put a lot of stress on their defensive backs, and when smart teams would run cross-releases and stuff like that, it was a major challenge.
The season he became Pro Bowl Marlo❗️
@marlon_humphrey's 2019 season highlights❗️ https://t.co/M1WyXzK7ZW
Marlon Humphrey missed four games himself with a pectoral injury and he certainly didn’t have his best year, but in terms of coverage numbers, they were comparable to the year prior, when he also led the NFL with eight fumbles forced.
#42. Jessie Bates III, Cincinnati Bengals
Dropping down eleven spots from last year, Jessie Bates didn’t have his best season in 2021, but he was still one of the top all-around safeties in the NFL. He had career-lows in interceptions (one) and passes broken up (four) whilst missing a couple of weeks, but he cut down his missed tackle rate to a career-low 7.4% of attempts. His ability to control the deep post was key whenever they used that second safety as a robber or buzzed him down late.
Happy Thursday. Should the #Bengals pay Jessie Bates III? Enjoy this wild interception and then decide. https://t.co/8bS0OPpAAb
With talk about Bates’ unwillingness of playing on the franchise tag, his status for the 2022 NFL campaign is somewhat up in the air.
#41. A.J. Terrell, Atlanta Falcons
While Trevon Diggs intercepted an NFL-best 11 passes, you can argue that in terms of the basic job description for the position (don’t let the guy in front of you get open), A.J. Terrell did as well as anybody in the league.
A.J. Terrell picks off Mac Jones ‼️
@NFL | #DirtyBirds
https://t.co/YeTwCUG59n
Looking at the 86 targets his way, not only did he defend 19 of those (three INTs), but he allowed exactly half of those to be completed, with just 4.8 yards per target and three touchdowns. This was despite constantly being asked to trail the opposing team’s top receiver. Just once was he responsible for more than 42 yards. Those stats are from pro-football-reference.com – PFF has him with even better numbers.
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