Ron Schwane/Associated Press

Odell Beckham Jr., George Kittle Vault Up in NFL Network Top 100 Players of 2019

Joseph Zucker

Only 20 more players remain in the NFL Network's top 100 players for 2019.

The network revealed the next 10 entrants Monday, part of its series to unveil the league's best stars as voted by their peers.

Here's a look at the top 50 from this year's ranking, with the full list available on NFL.com.

         

NFL Network List: No. 100-No. 21

100. Eric Weddle, S, Los Angeles Rams

99. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

98. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

97. Byron Jones, CB, Dallas Cowboys

96. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

95. Kyle Fuller, CB, Chicago Bears

94. Mitchell Schwartz, OT, Kansas City Chiefs

93. T.J. Watt, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers

92. Jurrell Casey, DT, Tennessee Titans

91. Andrew Whitworth, OT, Los Angeles Rams

90. Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

89. Devin McCourty, S, New England Patriots

88. Cameron Heyward, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers

87. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

86. Darius Slay, CB, Detroit Lions

85. Frank Clark, DE, Kansas City Chiefs

84. Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns

83. Harrison Smith, S, Minnesota Vikings

82. Bradley Chubb, LB, Denver Broncos

81. Trent Williams, OT, Washington

80. Mark Ingram, RB, Baltimore Ravens

79. Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals

78. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings

77. Taylor Lewan, OT, Tennessee Titans

76. Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams

75. Gerald McCoy, DT, Carolina Panthers

74. Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Dallas Cowboys

73. Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings

72. Jason Kelce, C, Philadelphia Eagles

71. C.J. Mosley, LB, New York Jets

70. T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts

69. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons

68. Phillip Lindsay, RB, Denver Broncos

67. Dee Ford, DE, San Francisco 49ers

66. Eric Ebron, TE, Indianapolis Colts

65. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

64. Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys

63. Jadeveon Clowney, LB, Houston Texans

62. James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

61. Jaylon Smith, LB, Dallas Cowboys

60. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals

59. Zack Martin, OG, Dallas Cowboys

58. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

57. Danielle Hunter, DE, Minnesota Vikings

56. Joey Bosa, DE, Los Angeles Chargers

55. Xavien Howard, CB, Miami Dolphins

54. Calais Campbell, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars

53. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

52. Tyron Smith, OT, Dallas Cowboys

51. Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans

50. Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns

49. Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns

48. Melvin Ingram, DE, Los Angeles Chargers

47. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

46. Patrick Peterson, CB, Arizona Cardinals

45. Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Dallas Cowboys

44. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

43. David Bakhtiari, OT, Green Bay Packers

42. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

41. Cameron Jordan, DE, New Orleans Saints

40. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

39. Akiem Hicks, DT, Chicago Bears

38. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

37. Jamal Adams, SS, New York Jets

36. Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs

35. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

34. Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

33. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings

32. Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams

31. Derwin James, SS, Los Angeles Chargers

30. Eddie Jackson, FS, Chicago Bears

29. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

28. Fletcher Cox, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

27. Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars

26. Darius Leonard, LB, Indianapolis Colts

25. Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks

24. Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers

23. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns

22. Stephon Gilmore, CB, New England Patriots

21. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

         

George Kittle and Darius Leonard enjoyed breakout seasons in 2018. As a result, they climbed into the top 30 after being unranked a year ago.

Despite Jimmy Garoppolo suffering a season-ending torn ACL after three games, Kittle set an NFL record by finishing with 1,377 receiving yards, the most for a tight end in a single season. To put that number into perspective, Kittle had 1,252 receiving yards between his four-year career at Iowa and rookie campaign with the San Francisco 49ers.

Kittle's colleagues were clearly taking notice as he moved up to 29th.

Leonard's performance as a rookie was impressive but not altogether unexpected after the Indianapolis Colts selected him in the second round of the 2018 draft. He finished with 163 combined tackles, seven sacks, eight passes defended and two interceptions.

Leonard had the rare distinction of missing the Pro Bowl yet earning first-team All-Pro honors.

Now, he can call himself one of the NFL's best 100 players.

After an injury-shortened 2017, Odell Beckham Jr. enjoyed a return to form, which led to him jumping from No. 77 to No. 23. Beckham caught 77 passes for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns.

The three-time Pro Bowler should be able to do even more in 2019 now that he's paired with Baker Mayfield, whose 27 passing touchdowns set a rookie record. The Cleveland Browns are certainly counting on Beckham to help them achieve what are lofty expectations.

The Jacksonville Jaguars won the AFC South in 2017 but missed the postseason altogether in 2018 after going 5-11. Few blamed the defense, with Blake Bortles receiving the lion's share.

But Jalen Ramsey suffered the consequences for the team's struggles nonetheless, coming in at 27th after sitting 17th last year. Ramsey took exception to his ranking:

Russell Wilson went backward a bit as well, slipping to 25th. He threw for 3,448 yards, 35 touchdowns and seven interceptions, which was somewhat underwhelming production by his lofty standards.

Wilson can comfort himself with the four-year, $140 million extension he signed with the Seahawks in April.


From his first "Oh Sh*t!" moment with Aaron Rodgers to his wild experience with the Raiders, Jordy Nelson brought some juicy nuggets to the pod. Not to be outdone, Kyle Rudolph took us inside the "Anthony Barr almost signed with the Jets" fiasco. Lefkoe also investigates if there's an OBJ curse on the Giants, cries for AJ Green and navigates the loaded first week of Training Camp WHOAS on the latest episode of The Lefkoe Show!

Click to expand figure....
   

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