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 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.
Flacco threw for a career-high 3,912 yards last season, second most in franchise history (Vinny Testaverde - 4,177 in 1996) . Since entering the league in 2008, Flacco has won nine postseason games, four more than any other quarterback during that span.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
79
6.70
Greg Olsen | @gregolsen88
Carolina Panthers | TE | Age: 28 | NFL experience: 6th year
2013 #NFLRank: NR
ESPN Fantasy rank: TE7
Since joining the Panthers in 2011, Olson is among the top five tight ends in both receptions (187) and receiving yards (2,199).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
78
6.73*
Marshal Yanda | Team Twitter: @Ravens
Baltimore Ravens | C | Age: 29 | NFL experience: 8th year
2013 #NFLRank: NR
ESPN Fantasy rank: Ravens' projections
Yanda has made the Pro Bowl in each of the past three seasons. Yanda played every offensive snap for the Ravens last season.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
77
6.73*
Josh Sitton | @jsitton71
Green Bay Packers | G | Age: 28 | NFL experience: 7th year
2013 #NFLRank: NR
ESPN Fantasy rank: Packers' projections
Sitton and the Packers' offensive line allowed their running game to average 2.9 yards before contact per rush last season, fifth best in the NFL. Sitton played more offensive snaps than any other Packer last season.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
76
6.77
Ben Grubbs | Team Twitter: @Saints
New Orleans Saints | G | Age: 30 | NFL experience: 8th year
2013 #NFLRank: 86
ESPN Fantasy rank: Saints' projections
Grubbs has made the Pro Bowl in two of the past three seasons. Grubbs has played every offensive snap in his two seasons with the Saints.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
75
6.79
Keenan Allen | @Keenan13Allen
San Diego Chargers | WR | Age: 22 | NFL experience: 2nd year
2013 #NFLRank: NR
ESPN Fantasy rank: WR15
Allen was the only rookie last season with over 1,000 receiving yards. He was tied for eighth in the NFL with 6.1 yards after the catch per reception.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
74
6.80
Torrey Smith | @TorreySmithWR
Baltimore Ravens | WR | Age: 25 | NFL experience: 4th year
2013 #NFLRank: 63
ESPN Fantasy rank: WR22
Last season, Smith's average target was 15.3 yards downfield, second highest among qualified receivers (Kenny Stills - 16.5).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
73
6.82
Marques Colston | @MarquesColston
New Orleans Saints | WR | Age: 31 | NFL experience: 9th year
2013 #NFLRank: 65
ESPN Fantasy rank: WR29
Since he entered the league in 2006, only Larry Fitzgerald (69) and Calvin Johnson (66) have more touchdown receptions than Colston (63).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
72
6.84
Nate Solder | Team Twitter: @Patriots
New England Patriots | OT | Age: 26 | NFL experience: 4th year
2013 #NFLRank: 89
ESPN Fantasy rank: Patriots' projections
Since Solder was drafted 17th overall in 2011, only Tom Brady has played more snaps than Solder among Patriots players.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
71
6.86
Matthew Stafford | @Staff_9
Detroit Lions | QB | Age: 26 | NFL experience: 6th year
2013 #NFLRank: 94
ESPN Fantasy rank: QB4
Stafford's 14,655 passing yards in the past three seasons trail only Drew Brees (15,815). No one has attempted more passes 15 or more yards downfield during that span than Stafford (418).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)