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. The top 10 on both sides of the ball will be revealed Friday, Aug. 29.
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 @ESPNNFL and on Facebook.
How did we rank the players?
We polled 85 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.
Despite missing three games, Talib earned his first Pro Bowl selection last season after recording four interceptions. Since 2010, Talib is third in the NFL with four interception returns for touchdowns.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
29
7.65
Mario Williams | @bbwolf94
Buffalo Bills | DE | Age: 29 | NFL experience: 9th year
2013 #NFLRank: 38
ESPN Fantasy rank: DL8; overall 23
Williams became the third Bills player to record 10+ sacks in consecutive seasons, joining Bruce Smith (1986-90, 92-98) and Aaron Schobel (2005-06). In last season's Week 2 win over the Panthers, Williams set the Bills record for most sacks in a game with 4.5 against Cam Newton.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
28
7.66
Terrell Suggs | Team Twitter: @Ravens
Baltimore Ravens | LB | Age: 31 | NFL experience: 12th year
2013 #NFLRank: 23
ESPN Fantasy rank: LB34; overall 78
Despite the Ravens missing the playoffs last season, Suggs still leads the league in postseason sacks (eight) over the last five seasons. Suggs tied a career high with 80 tackles last year in his 11th season.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
27
7.68
Tamba Hali | @TambaHali91
Kansas City | LB | Age: 30 | NFL experience: 9th year
2013 #NFLRank: 30
ESPN Fantasy rank: LB30; overall 69
Over the last five seasons, Hali is one of three players to record at least eight sacks in each season (Robert Mathis and Jared Allen). During that span, Hali is tied for fourth in the NFL with 17 forced fumbles.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
26
7.70
Justin Smith | Team Twitter: @49ers
San Francisco 49ers | DE | Age: 34 | NFL experience: 14th year
2013 #NFLRank: 11
ESPN Fantasy rank: DL47; overall 148
Last season, the 49ers recorded a sack on 7.4 percent of pass attempts with Smith on the field compared with only 4.3 percent when Smith was on the sideline. Since Smith joined the 49ers in 2008, opposing quarterbacks' Total QBR is nearly 20 points lower when he is on the field (42.9) compared with off (60.5).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
25
7.74
Lavonte David | @NewEra_54
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | LB | Age: 24 | NFL experience: 3rd year
2013 #NFLRank: 98
ESPN Fantasy rank: LB2; overall 4
David led the league with 23 tackles for loss last season. Since 2012 (his rookie season), David leads the NFL with 42 tackles for loss. J.J. Watt is the only other player with more than 22 tackles for loss during that span.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
24
7.81
Cameron Wake | @Kold91
Miami Dolphins | LB | Age: 32 | NFL experience: 6th year
2013 #NFLRank: 20
ESPN Fantasy rank: DL4; overall 14
Since 2009 (his rookie season), Wake leads the league with 29 third-down sacks, including seven forced fumbles. Last season, opposing quarterbacks' Total QBR was more than 20 points higher against the Dolphins with Wake off the field (57.1) compared with Wake on the field (36.6).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
23
7.82
DeMarcus Ware | @DeMarcusWare
Denver Broncos | DE | Age: 32 | NFL experience: 10th year
2013 #NFLRank: 5
ESPN Fantasy rank: DL5; overall 18
Since Ware entered the league in 2005, the only player with more sacks than his 117 is Jared Allen (119.5). Ware was the first Cowboy defender selected to seven Pro Bowls since Randy White (1975-88).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
22
7.86
Haloti Ngata | Team Twitter: @Ravens
Baltimore Ravens | DT | Age: 30 | NFL experience: 9th year
2013 #NFLRank: 9
ESPN Fantasy rank: NR; BAL D14
Over the last five seasons, Ngata has 11 disrupted dropbacks (sacks + interceptions + passes defended + batted balls) as a nose tackle, most in the league during that span. Ngata is one of three defensive players to be named to the last five Pro Bowls, along with San Francisco 49ers Patrick Willis and Justin Smith.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
21
7.88
Eric Berry | @Stuntman1429
Kansas City Chiefs | SS | Age: 25 | NFL experience: 5th year
2013 #NFLRank: 31
ESPN Fantasy rank: DB8, overall 37
Berry was one of two defensive backs last season with at least three sacks and three interceptions (Mike Mitchell). Berry also tied for the league lead with two interceptions returned for touchdowns in 2013.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)