NFL Network is still counting down it’s list of the Top 100 Players of 2016 and we’re still debating it. Let’s get to it.
No. 70. Carlos Dunlap, Defensive End, Cincinnati Bengals
Dunlap was a good player for the Bengals in 2013-2014, but last year he flipped the switch becoming a great player. Dunlap is a playmaker and a perfect outside compliment to defensive tackle Geno Atkins, a player you’re going to see on this list at a much lower number. Dunlap is just getting started. A second-round pick out of Florida, he’s got a good five or six more years of this ahead of him on a consistent playoff team. Last year: Not on the list
No. 69. LeSean McCoy, Running Back, Buffalo Bills
McCoy showed up on this list by reputation alone, but that’s OK. So did Jamaal Charles. McCoy missed four games last season and that probably cost him another 1,000-plus yard season. He’s still one of the best weapons in football and could really benefit by the Bills adding a real quarterback to the roster, which they refuse to do. He carried the ball 203 times for 895 yards and three touchdowns and averaged 4.4 yards per carry. That was a solid 100 carries fewer than he had over the last two seasons. Last year: No. 29
No. 68. T.J. Ward, Safety, Denver Broncos
After toiling away in Cleveland for four seasons, Ward not only got out of jail, he got a Super Bowl ring. Ward is one of the hardest hitting safeties in the game, a lost art in the defensive backfield since the 1980s. It cost him a few games last year with some injuries, but he showed up when it counted. Last year: Not on the list
No. 67. Andrew Whitworth, Offensive Tackle, Cincinnati Bengals
See now, here’s the problem. I’m not offended that Whitworth is on the list. I’m offended that he wasn’t on last year’s list. The man is a brick wall with spider legs who’s not given up a single sack in two seasons. How is this his first showing on this list? He made the Pro Bowl, but not here? If he’s not the best left tackle in the game, he’s one of the Top Three and not only should be on this list, but should be way higher than 67. Last year: Not on the list
No. 66. Earl Thomas, Safety, Seattle Seahawks
No. 66? This is the problem with letting the players vote on this list. They don’t watch the games. Earl Thomas is probably the best safety in the NFL and the one player the so-called Legion of Boom couldn’t replace. He’s like a hybrid of Ronnie Lott and Ed Reed. He brings a load every time he delivers a hit and plays center field as good as anybody in the league. He had five picks last year. 45 solo tackles. Ridiculous. Last year: No. 21
No. 65. Marcus Peters, Cornerback, Kansas City Chiefs
Peters came into the league with some baggage when the Chiefs picked him at No. 18 in the first round. After his first few games in the NFL, everybody seemed to forget all about that. He’s already the best natural corner and athlete to come into the league since Patrick Peterson. His 60 tackles, 53 solo, one forced fumble and eight interceptions has to be one of the best rookie seasons in history. Last year: Not on the list
No. 64. Reshad Jones, Safety, Miami Dolphins
Here’s another mystery player who has somehow missed this list for the last three seasons. Jones had 135 tackles, 106 solo, two sacks, a fumble recovery and five interceptions. Yes, those are monster numbers and deserve this recognition. Frankly, No. 64 is too low. What’s crazy is he’s been on the cusp of numbers and performances like that for the last four seasons. In 2011 he had 94 tackles and four picks. He’s done this kind of thing for the last five seasons. Last year: Not on the list
No. 63. Gerald McCoy, Defensive Tackle, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Odd to see McCoy drop so far, especially after a year where the Bucs were decent enough to actually be in the playoff hunt in the second half of the season. His production hasn’t dropped at all and he continues to be one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the game. Last year: No. 28
No. 62. Demaryius Thomas, Wide Receiver, Denver Broncos
Don’t let Thomas’ stats from last year fool you (105 catches, 1,304 yards and six touchdowns), when the Broncos needed him most down the stretch he all but disappeared. In the playoffs and Super Bowl he had a total of seven catches for 60 yards and was targeted 21 times that means 2/3 of the time he’d either drop the ball or not make the catch. That’s a hell of a lot missed balls. I don’t know what got into Thomas’ head in that Super Bowl run, but for his sake I hope it’s over. Last year: No. 20
No. 61. Novarro Bowman, Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers
Bowman wasn’t on the list last year because he missed the entire season recovering from a horrible knee injury he suffered in the 2013-14 NFC Championship game. He needed the whole year to recover and when he got back, his teammates were all retired and Trent Baalke had hired the janitor as the head coach. In spite of all that Bowman came back and had one of his best seasons as a pro. For his sake I hope he can escape San Francisco soon. Last year: Not on the list
