NFL Personnel Question Omissions from ESPN 2026 Top 100 Player Rankings

Sports media network ESPN has released its annual “NFL Rank” project, predicting the 100 top-performing players for the upcoming 2026 National Football League season. Compiled by internal network experts, the list aims to identify key figures across the league. However, when shown to active NFL personnel evaluators—including unnamed team executives, scouts, and coaches—several experienced league personnel identified notable omissions. According to these evaluators, at least nine marquee players were left off the 100-man list despite demonstrating elite performance in previous seasons.

One prominent player omitted from the ranking was Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. Sixteen quarterbacks were included in the top 100, but Mayfield was left off despite accumulating 12,237 passing yards and 95 touchdown passes since 2023. Those totals place him third in passing yards and second in touchdown passes in the NFL over that span. Mayfield recently rejected a two-year extension proposal worth over $100 million from Tampa Bay as he seeks longer-term security. Evaluating Mayfield’s performance, an unnamed league personnel evaluator noted, “When he’s healthy, he’s a top-10 quarterback.”

Defense also saw major omissions, including Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward. Over eight seasons, Ward has compiled 18 interceptions and 74 pass deflections. An unnamed AFC executive attributed Ward’s exclusion from top rank conversations to his injury history and playing in Cleveland, while describing him as “one of the smoothest athletes in all of football.”

On offense, 23-year-old New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers was left off the list of 12 receivers selected for the top 100. Nabers suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament last season, limiting him to 18 receptions for 271 yards in four appearances. However, in 2024 he became one of only 10 players in league history to achieve at least 1,200 receiving yards as a rookie. An unnamed NFC executive remarked that Nabers “completely changes the [Giants’] offense if he’s healthy this year.”

Evaluators also highlighted 25-year-old running back Kenneth Walker, who earned a Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award following a three-game playoff run where he recorded 313 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Walker tied for third in the league last season with 10 rushing plays of at least 20 yards. Meanwhile, 24-year-old safety Brian Branch was left off after suffering a late-season Achilles injury, despite holding a 1.9 percent pass breakup percentage over two seasons. An unnamed AFC evaluator labeled Branch “Definitely a top-100 player.”

Background

The ESPN NFL Rank project is an annual preseason feature that ranks the top 100 players in the National Football League based on expected performance for the upcoming season. The rankings are published alongside a separate annual project that surveys league executives, coaches, and scouts to establish top-10 rankings at individual positions.

Certain players were explicitly excluded from consideration for the 2026 predictions due to timing and health factors. Washington Commanders offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil was left out following a recent triceps injury, while Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was excluded because he only recently came out of retirement.