The NFL has polled its players to determine who is the best of the best in the league each year since 2011. The latest results were unveiled Monday night.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was voted No. 1 on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2023 rankings, as determined by his peers. Mahomes won his second league MVP award last season on his way to leading the Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory. This is the second time in three seasons that Mahomes has placed first on the list.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce rounded out the top five. The top end of the list features a variety of changes compared to the players voted highest in 2022.
Here are the biggest risers, along with the players who dropped significantly.
Biggest risers on NFL Top 100 of 2023
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had the largest year-to-year leap on the list.
Lamb set career highs in receptions (107), receiving yards (1,359) and touchdowns (nine) last season, his third in the NFL. After being ranked 95th in 2022, Lamb jumped 61 spots up to No. 34 on this year's list.
Right behind Lamb is Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith. The first-team All-Pro recorded 169 tackles, 4.5 sacks and three interceptions between his time with the Chicago Bears and Ravens last season to earn the No. 24 ranking, up 60 spots from 2022.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (up 57 spots to No. 42), Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (up 42 spots to No. 17), and Washington Commanders defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (up 36 spots to No. 52) are among the other biggest risers.
Eight players who were ranked last year moved up 30 or more spots in 2023.
Hurts, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown appeared in the top 25 this year after not being in the top 100 last year. New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner debuted at No. 23 after he became the first rookie cornerback to be named first-team All-Pro since Ronnie Lott in 1981.
Cook, Wirfs suffer largest falls
Dalvin Cook just can't catch a break.
The four-time Pro Bowler was released by the Vikings this offseason, ending his six-year run with the team. ESPN reported in June that Cook's $14.1 million cap number in 2023 was too high for Minnesota to retain him, even after a season in which he contributed 1,468 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns.
Eleven players from the 2022 list moved down 30 or more spots in 2023. None fell further than Cook, who was ranked No. 91, down 60 spots from 2022.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs fell 57 spots to No. 98 after battling an ankle injury and missing four games in 2022.
Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (down 56 spots to No. 90), Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (down 48 spots to No. 80) and New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (down 48 spots to No. 51) also fell significantly.
Tom Brady was the top-ranked player last year before playing his final season. Brady was joined in the top five last year by Aaron Donald, Rodgers, Cooper Kupp, and Jonathan Taylor, none of whom are even in the top 10 this year.
