ESPN.com is ranking NFL players and counting them down (follow on Twitter -- @ESPNNFL) from No. 100 to No. 1 on offense and on defense, 10 per day for 10 days.
What is #NFLRank?
#NFLrank is the Twitter hashtag to use if you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along.
You can also follow along here: @ESPNNFL (NFL on ESPN) and on Facebook.
How did we rank the players?
We polled 90 experts to rate each player on a 0-to-10 scale, with 10 being the best regardless of position in the NFL. Ties, as denoted by an asterisk, were broken by determining which player had more ballots with the higher number (if players are tied, the player with three 10s is ranked higher than the player with two 10s; if the tied players had the same amount of highest numbers -- each with two 10s -- we moved to the next number: three 9s beats two 9s).
Here is the full list of voters from ESPN.com, ESPN TV, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Insider (including Football Outsiders and Pro Football Focus), ESPN Fantasy, ESPN locals and ESPN Stats & Information.
Green was the most-targeted receiver in the NFL last year, leading the league with 178 targets. Green's eight touchdown receptions on passes thrown 15 or more yards downfield last season were the most in the NFL.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
8
9.17
LeSean McCoy | @CutonDime25
Philadelphia Eagles | RB | Age: 26 | NFL Experience: 6th year
2013 #NFLRank: 38
ESPN Fantasy rank: RB2
McCoy led the NFL last season in both rushing yards (1,607) and total yards from scrimmage (2,146). McCoy's 10.4 yards per reception last season were second among running backs.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
7
9.29
Tom Brady | Team Twitter: @Patriots
New England Patriots | QB | Age: 37 | NFL Experience: 15th year
2013 #NFLRank: 4
ESPN Fantasy rank: QB12
Since Brady became the Patriots' starting QB in 2001, the Patriots' 18 playoff wins are six more than any other team. Brady needs one regular-season win to pass John Elway for third-most in NFL history.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
6
9.52
Drew Brees | @drewbrees
New Orleans Saints | QB | Age: 35 | NFL Experience: 14th year
2013 #NFLRank: 6
ESPN Fantasy rank: QB3
Brees has thrown 195 touchdowns in the last five seasons, 33 more than any other quarterback. Brees also leads the league in passing yards (24,823) and completion percentage (68.2 percent) during that span.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
5
9.53
Jimmy Graham | @TheJimmyGraham
New Orleans Saints | TE | Age: 27 | NFL Experience: 5th year
2013 #NFLRank: 11
ESPN Fantasy rank: TE1
Graham caught an NFL-high 16 touchdowns last season, and had a league-high five games with multiple touchdown receptions.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
4
9.61
Adrian Peterson | @AdrianPeterson
Minnesota Vikings | RB | Age: 29 | NFL Experience: 8th year
2013 #NFLRank: 3
ESPN Fantasy rank: RB1
Peterson has scored at least 10 rushing touchdowns in each of his first seven seasons in the NFL, and his league-high 64 rushing touchdowns during the last five seasons are 19 more than any other player. Peterson has also led the NFL in yards after contact in four of the last five seasons.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
3
9.77
Peyton Manning | Team Twitter: @DenverBroncos
Denver Broncos | QB | Age: 38 | NFL Experience: 17th year
2013 #NFLRank: 5
ESPN Fantasy rank: QB1
Manning threw an NFL-record 55 touchdown passes last season, and with 18 more this season will pass Brett Favre (508) for the most in NFL history. Manning threw more touchdown passes in 2013 than each of the other 31 teams scored TOTAL touchdowns last season.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
2
9.79
Aaron Rodgers | @AaronRodgers12
Green Bay Packers | QB | Age: 30 | NFL Experience: 10th year
2013 #NFLRank: 1
ESPN Fantasy rank: QB2
Since he became the Packers' starting QB in 2008, Rodgers' 3.67 TD/Int ratio is the best in the NFL. Rodgers' Total QBR of 74 during that span is second only to Peyton Manning (80).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
1
9.89
Calvin Johnson | Team Twitter: @Lions
Detroit Lions | WR | Age: 28 | NFL Experience: 8th year
2013 #NFLRank: 2
ESPN Fantasy rank: WR1
Johnson's 6,257 receiving yards since 2010 are 1,200 more than any other receiver. His 45 touchdown receptions during that span also lead the NFL.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)