Voting leads to disagreements. Whether discussing national elections or ranking NFL players, reaching a consensus is often difficult.
While Pro Football Network’s NFL staff collectively voted on our Top 100 NFL players for the 2024 season, our rankings inevitably left out several players who could have made a case. Here are the top 15 snubs from the PFN 100.
Top Snubs From the PFN 100
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
While injuries and a contract dispute marred Jonathan Taylor’s last two seasons, the former second-round pick was arguably the NFL’s best running back as recently as 2021, when he led the league in yards from scrimmage and total touchdowns.
Can Taylor return to those highs next season? Anthony Richardson’s development, head coach Shane Steichen’s scheme, and the Indianapolis Colts’ excellent offensive line should help Taylor thrive again. At the same time, the club’s lack of RB depth means he’ll receive plenty of touches.
Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
Nico Collins finished second to only Tyreek Hill with 3.11 yards per route run in 2023, dominating as the Houston Texans’ WR1 while catching passes from Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud.
Collins failed to top 500 yards in either of his first two NFL seasons, but that was hardly his fault. In addition to dealing with injury issues, he also worked with one of the league’s worst quarterback situations. The Texans rewarded Collins with a three-year, $72.75 million extension in May.
Andrew Thomas, OT, New York Giants
Andrew Thomas is a testament to development. Drafted fourth overall in 2020, Thomas struggled mightily in his first NFL season and allowed 10 sacks. But at some point in his sophomore campaign, he figured things out.
MORE:Â Will Your Favorite NFL Team Make the Playoffs? Try Our Playoff Predictor
Thomas has taken great strides forward as a pass blocker thanks to improved footwork, locking down the left side of the Giants’ line. Injuries limited him to just 10 games and 577 snaps in 2023. If he can stay healthy next season, he’ll return as the top lineman along a New York Giants front five that now includes new guards in Jermaine Eluemunor and Jon Runyan Jr.
Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis Colts
Arguably the most glaring snub from PFN’s Top 100, Quenton Nelson remains one of the league’s best guards and recently made PFN’s 2020s All-Decade Team.
After struggling with injuries in 2022, Nelson rebounded to land his sixth Pro Bowl nod last season. The former No. 6 overall pick is a dominant physical specimen, but Nelson also boasts an exceptionally high football IQ that allows him to account for every detail in pass protection.
Joel Bitonio, G, Cleveland Browns
Joel Bitonio was a first- or second-team All-Pro for five consecutive seasons from 2018 through 2022, while he earned his sixth straight Pro Bowl nod last year.
The Cleveland Browns have one of the best offensive lines in the league, and Bitonio is their most talented player up front. The 31-year-old is an excellent communicator, as evidenced by how he coordinates blocking assignments with his linemates.
Tyler Smith, G, Dallas Cowboys
After playing primarily left tackle during his rookie campaign, Tyler Smith spent the entirety of the 2023 season at left guard and improved every phase of his game. He’s a find for the Dallas Cowboys and will be critical as the club integrates rookie starters at left tackle (Tyler Guyton) and center (Cooper Beebe).
Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Houston Texans
The Texans gave up a haul to move up for Will Anderson Jr. in the 2023 NFL Draft, and the No. 3 overall pick more than delivered while winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Despite missing time with a high ankle sprain, Anderson still posted seven sacks, 22 QB hits, and ranked third among edge defenders in pass-rush win rate, trailing only Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett.
Houston bolstered its interior defensive line and signed fellow EDGE Danielle Hunter in free agency. Now that he has more help, Anderson could manage double-digit sacks and insert himself into the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.
Montez Sweat, EDGE, Chicago Bears
After being traded to the Chicago Bears last October, Montez Sweat was dominant, posting six sacks and 14 QB hits in nine games.
While he wasn’t the only reason for the Bears’ late-season defensive improvement, Sweat certainly didn’t hurt. Chicago’s defense ranked 30th in EPA per play before he came aboard; they were fifth after he joined the roster.
Javon Hargrave, DT, San Francisco 49ers
Consistency is the name of the game for Javon Hargrave, who’s never made an All-Pro team but has been incredibly valuable for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Francisco 49ers over eight NFL campaigns.
Hargrave has managed at least seven sacks and 14 QB hits in each of the past three seasons and earned his second Pro Bowl nod in 2023. He’ll be even more critical for the Niners now that Arik Armstead has departed the Bay Area.
Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
While Lavonte David is already 34, he’s shown few signs of slowing down. The three-time All-Pro has racked up 100+ tackles in six of his past seven seasons, demonstrating his seemingly never-ending capabilities as a read-and-react linebacker.
David’s uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time probably means he’ll always be a solid coverage defender.
D.J. Reed, CB, New York Jets
One of the best free agent value signings in recent memory, D.J. Reed has been the Robin to Sauce Gardner’s Batman over the past two seasons. Reed plays much bigger than his 5’9″ stature and can handle any additional targets that quarterbacks are afraid to send Gardner’s way.
The New York Jets have the NFL’s best cornerback duo, and it’s not particularly close.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks
Rookie cornerbacks usually have much to learn before becoming the player we believe they could be at the NFL level. But that’s changed over the past few seasons, and Devon Witherspoon is the prime example.
A menace at the college level, Witherspoon excelled from Day 1 with the Seattle Seahawks. His 10 QB pressures ranked second among cornerbacks, and we expect new Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald to continue using Witherspoon as a slot blitzer.
Derek Stingley Jr., CB, Houston Texans
Hamstring injuries have hampered Derek Stingley Jr. since the Texans selected him No. 3 overall in 2022. He’s only appeared in 20 NFL games, but Stingley looked like a lockdown CB1 at the end of last season.
Stingley earned AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors for December after leading the league with three interceptions and nine pass breakups while allowing just a 1.7 passer rating in coverage. DeMeco Ryans can design Houston’s entire coverage plan around him.
Tyrann Mathieu, S, New Orleans Saints
Few players in the NFL have been able to meld instincts and process the way Tyrann Mathieu has. His playmaking ability has never diminished his consistency.
Mathieu, 33, is no spring chicken, but he’s found a home with the New Orleans Saints, where his superior decision-making ability has been on display. He allowed the lowest completion rate (54.3%) and third-lowest passer rating (60.6) of his career in 2023.
FREE: Subscribe to PFN’s NFL Newsletter
Mathieu is always available; he’s played at least 975 defensive snaps in each of the last seven seasons.
Brian Branch, S, Detroit Lions
Viewed as a hybrid safety/corner coming out of Alabama, Brian Branch made an immediate impact after being selected in Round 2 of last year’s draft. He picked off Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on Opening Night of the 2023 campaign, returning his first career interception for a pick-six in the Detroit Lions’ Week 1 victory.
Playing primarily in the slot, Branch intercepted two more passes during the regular season while showing off his abilities as a run defender and nickel blitzer. Now that Chauncey Gardner-Johnson has left Detroit, Branch could see time as a true safety in base packages.
