Welcome to the reveal for players ranked 90-81 for this year’s r/NFL Top 100 Players for the 2020 Season!
Players whose average rank had them land in places 90-81 are on this portion of the list revealed today. Players are associated with the team they finished 2020 with.
Below you will see write-ups from rankers summarizing the players' 2020 season and why they were among the best in 2020. Stats for each player are from this season and are included below. Additionally, their previous ranks in this long running series are also available for all of you.
As you’ll see below, we have a tie at rank 88! Gross!
Lastly, we have a return of the individual player cards this year with some fun “facts” about each player.
Methodology
LINK TO THE HUB POST WITH A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODOLOGY
- A CALL FOR RANKERS just before the Super Bowl.
- Rankers for each team nominated players to rank. 10 Games Played Minimum Threshold. Players are associated with the team they finished the 2020 Season with.
- The Grind. Utilize ranking threads for individual rankers broken up by positional groups. Users were tasked with ranking players within the following tiers based on their evaluation: T-25, T-50, T-100, T-125 based on 2020 regular season only. There were no individual user case threads. There were no arbitrary position limit caps. Just questions and rankings.
- Users submitted their individual Top 125 list.
- User lists were reviewed for outliers by me with assistance from two former rankers. Users were permitted to correct any mistakes found. Once complete, lists were locked.
- Reveal the list… right now.
So now, without further ado, here are the players ranked 90-81 in the r/NFL Top 100 Players of the 2020 Season!
#90 - Mike Evans - Wide Receiver (WR) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Previous Ranks
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/R | N/R | 19 | N/R | 51 | 48 |
Written By: /u/Manimal4eva
With a stat line of 70/1006/13 in the 2020 season, Mike Evans became the first player to start their career with seven 1,000 yard seasons. This included such stat lines like week 16 against Detroit, 10/181/2. But also games like week 3 against Denver, 2/2/2. Sure, it wasn’t the most amazing year for Evans, but he was still as reliable as they come.
Brady was able to take full advantage of Evans' size and athleticism, dropping deep passes just over the coverage for Evans to snag, or throwing it underneath and just letting Evans do his thing. Evans' ability to get past defenders then stretch to make the catch came in handy time and time again while Arians was trying to implement a downfield element of the offense. However, don’t think of him as a one trick pony. According to PFF, while Evans had 0 drops on 23 deep targets, he also had 0 drops on 34 targets out of the slot. Combine this with Chris Godwin’s 3% drop rate overall, and they create one of the most lethal receiving attacks in the league.
It’s exciting to see how Evans was able to produce in the first year with Brady with barely any off-season. I look forward to seeing a more complex offense next year, getting even more out of the skillset Evans brings.
#T-88 - Zack Martin - Offensive Guard - Dallas Cowboys
Previous Ranks
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | 59 | 41 | 24 | 17 | 35 | 40 |
Written By: /u/slayer1791
Zack Martin’s greatness is so consistent that it has become expected and almost boring to discuss. 2020 was another dominant year for Martin. In a season which had a ton of poor offensive line play for Dallas, Martin did what he could to hold everything together. Overall, Martin gave up just 1 sack, 2 QB hits and 10 pressures while committing 1 penalty. His pass block win rate of 96% was second best among guards and significantly higher than the Cowboys 26th overall ranked pass block win rate of 51%. In the run game, his run block win rate of 77% was third best among guards and again was above the Cowboys 15th overall run block win rate of 70%.
With such a dominant season, why on earth is Martin landing in a tie for 88th in this year’s rankings? Well, unfortunately for Cowboys nation, Martin introduced something new to his game… injuries. Martin played 100% of snaps in 8 games, played 17% and 8% in two other games and missed an additional 6 games. Given the significant amount of time missed there was strong debate on if Martin should even be nominated. In the end, he was and his performance in the games he played was too good to ignore.
As Cowboys fans look towards the 2021 season, everyone is hoping that the injuries that plagued Martin this past year are an anomaly and not a new trend for the future HOFer. If Martin is able to stay healthy there is little doubt that he will be jumping up towards the top 25 of next year’s rankings.
#T-88 - Devin White - Off-Ball Linebacker (LB) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Previous Ranks
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/R |
Written By: /u/MysticTyph00n
Devin White followed up on somewhat of a decent, yet promising, rookie season by being a major factor in Todd Bowles' defense this year on their way to a Super Bowl victory. While not still not great in coverage, he was able to showcase his absurd sideline to sideline speed, as well as an incredible blitzer at times.
He earned 2nd Team All-Pro honors alongside his mentor, and most underrated linebacker, Lavonte David. He also was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week twice (Weeks 7 & 15) for his two 3 sack performances this year as a blitzy boi. The second game made him the only player in the NFL since 2000 to have multiple games of 10+ tackles & 3+ sacks.
He's honestly what Bucs fans always wanted Kwon Alexander to be, and he's shown to be so much more (still love u bby). He's got the tools and cast around him to even be better in year three. The future is incredibly bright for him as he seems he'll be a cornerstone of this franchise's defense for years to come.
Dear god Devin, please be better in coverage though.
#87 - Carl Lawson - EDGE Rusher (EDGE) - Cincinnati Bengals
Previous Ranks
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/R | N/R | N/R |
Written By: /u/sanswagata
For the first time since his rookie year in 2017 Carl Lawson finally played all 16 games. Despite playing in all 16 this year he only finished with 5.5 sacks, so why would he be listed as a top 100 player? Well let's look a little deeper than just the raw sack total. According to ESPN's "sacks created" statistic (basically who got to the QB first on a play that ended in a sack) Carl Lawson created 10 sacks - good for 7th in the NFL. Let's also stop and realize that the Cincinnati Bengals as a team this past year only had 17 sacks, which was the worst in the entire league. By this stat Carl Lawson created 10 out of the team's 17 sacks which is a herculean performance, a shining diamond in a pile of crap. To go further into these nerd numbers Carl Lawson had 64 pressures (4th amond edge defenders) and 24 QB hits (2nd most and literally 4x Chase Young!). So despite less than stellar surface statistics Carl is represented well by nearly every more advanced statistic.
Enough numbers though. It's time to show how Carl Lawson is an elite edge defender worth every penny that the New York Jets gave him. Starting with what most DL coaches say is the most important area for any DL, Carl has a fantastic "get off" which is how fast they are able to explode off the line when the ball is snapped. He likes to use that get off to rip around the edge. He also likes to get OTs to bite on his speed so he can convert speed to power and BULLY offensive linemen. When OL like the recently paid Alejandro Villenueva overset the speed he can just club them and go inside to get to the QB. He gave Villy nightmares over two games. He strung together a stab-club-rip combo, made him nearly fall over in fear, threw him to the ground with a long arm bullrush, and then went and beat up on the LG. He tallied 6 qb hits against Pittsburgh on Muppet Night Football. That's as many as Chase Young had THE ENTIRE SEASON. To continue to showcase what Lawson does well a lot of it comes off his long arm bullrush. He gets Jason Peters with a long arm bullrush for a strip sack. Then in the same game turns Peters around with his powerful strike and swims for a sack. He should have even had a third sack off Peters with his long arm. Here he opens up the OT's chest with a fake chop to set up his long arm for a sack. Another win off the long arm of the law(son). One last showing of high quality long arm usage. Early in the season he even showed off a pretty nice spin move to go inside against OTs. All this to show he is a high quality pass rusher. Despite a smallish frame he bullies offensive tackles with his long arm and has a few moves off of it to counter. As long as he stays healthy I'm willing to bet that he ends up back on this list next year.
#86 - Michael Onwenu - Offensive Tackle (OT) - New England Patriots
Previous Ranks
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Written By: /u/O_The_Scientist
Early in the season, the New England Patriots suffered an injury that forced the team to turn to an unheralded 6th round pick from Michigan to step up and deliver. Mike Onwenu would spend the rest of the season playing 3 of 5 positions on the OL at a borderline all-pro level.
Physically Onwenu is a tank. Standing an OT-relative-stout 6'3'' he weighed in a robust 344 lbs at the 2020 combine and he packs all the power you could want from a guy of his size. He's a pancake machine, a people mover, and a genuinely game-changing run blocker. But he also moves in a way people his size should not be able to move. He's quick in short areas and over longer distances in the pull/screen game. Here he is blocking 2 dudes 10 yards downfield to spring James White the final 5 yards on 3rd and 16. Here he is using AJ Klein to block Tremaine Edmunds after beating Klein to the point of attack. Here he throws down Emmanuel Ogbah on the double team then immediately throws Elandon Roberts out of the hole. This is what Big Mike does, and for all his 350lbs, he's shockingly nimble when pulling, running out ahead of screens or sealing off the second level,
What makes Onwenu elite is his ability in the run game, but he is an excellent pass protector as well with fast feet, good hand technique and veteran awareness in picking up stunts and making post-snap decisions and bonus at a high level. Here he avoids Shaq Lawson's chop with patient hands, keeps Lawson out of his chest then walks him right up past the pocket. Here and here he shuts down the power rush with solid footwork and strong hands.
Big Mike was the 2nd best rookie offensive lineman of 2020 and looks like a smash hit for the Patriots, who need to start taking Michigan players exclusively in the 6th round.
#85 - Denzel Ward - Cornerback (CB) - Cleveland Browns
Previous Ranks
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 86 | N/R |
Written By: /u/UnbiasedBrownsFan
After a year off the list, not even the Coronavirus could keep Denzel Washington from popping off on the big screen. This verse is of course quite similar to the first, where this season, Denzel's unrivaled tenacity was met only by his ability to track the eyes of the opposing counsel. Much like his rookie debut into the NFL, Denzel managed to rack up a few turnovers, and as the only functional member of the Browns secondary, he was tasked with holding up a weak supporting cast, much like in Flight. Even then, Denzel was still hampered by injury throughout the season.
Fortunately, we all know that pain builds character, so despite his injuries, Ward continued to impress throughout 2020. His competitive nature allows him to always be fighting at the point of attack, and his sheer intuition means he's never far from the football. In fact, despite playing only 12 games, Denzel managed to be tied for second in the league for most passes defended, a triumph in a year full of them for the Cleveland Browns. Next year, he'll seek to build off his humble beginnings, with a rebuilt secondary and a Myles Garrett who keeps getting hungrier somehow. Hopefully, his stardom will be just as apparent as it was at times this season.
#84 - Quinnen Williams - Interior Defensive Line (IDL) - New York Jets
Previous Ranks
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/R |
Written By: /u/Astro63
Expectations were extremely high for Quinnen after being drafted #3 overall following a dominant season at Alabama. Quinnen was touted as an unstoppable disruptor up-front who could plug running lanes and wreak havoc in the backfield with consistency. His rookie season was a season to forget as he was set-back by an early ankle injury and never quite rounded into dominant form, leaving him as a bit of an afterthought in the minds of NFL fans. However, Quinnen’s 2020 form not only met those lofty draft expectations but may have exceeded them, as he stepped up as one of the most dominant interior defensive linemen in the league. In 13 games during 2020, Quinnen produced 55 tackles, 7 sacks, 3 batted passes, and 2 forced fumbles as New York’s most threatening player up-front. Quinnen lived in opponents backfields, showcasing the brute strength and variety of pass-rush moves that had scouts raving over in college, and being credited with 40 pressures by PFF and a 17% Pass-Rush Win Rate by ESPN which ranks 4th among all DTs. While his pass rush production was a huge step up from his rookie season, it was his run defense where he was nearly unmatched. Quinnen took root as an immovable object up-front, being credited with a league-leading 38 run stops by PFF and a ridiculous 49% Run Stop Win Rate by ESPN, which ranked #1 overall among all DTs. Ultimately, Quinnen turned the corner as a freakishly disruptive player both against the pass and against the run, and there is still a ton of room to grow. Fans around the league may not have fully realized it yet, but the Jets found themselves a monster in the making, and I can’t wait to see how he continues to develop.
#83 - John Johnson III - Safety (SAF) - Los Angeles Rams
Previous Ranks
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/R | 85 | N/R |
Written By: /u/Phantom444
John Johnson III is appropriately named because he has an unbelievably large Johnson. We are talking over 10 inches — trust me, I've seen it. This criminally underrated free safety was a core piece of the Rams' top-of-the-league Defense in 2020.
The Rams had an offense so bad they gave up a significant number of draft picks to unload their young first overall QB Jared Goof for a 33 year old Matt Stafford. But they still finished the year 10-6 and made the playoffs, largely due to a defensive powerhouse led by Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Donald, Darious Williams, Jordan Fuller (6th rookie round GOD), and John Johnson III. Frankly, this defensive corps kept us alive last year.
Because the Rams had two elite corners in Jalen Ramsey and Darious Willaims, John Johnson was targeted more than most safeties in the NFL, and even with 67 targets he only gave up 3 TDs and a 96.4 QBR. When compared to Justin Simmons' 7 TDs allowed and Jamal Adams' 121.7 QBR allowed, it puts JJ3's underrated season into context. Possibly explaining the rank in the 80s, JJ3 played a high percentage of snaps on slot coverage, as Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams handled the outside receivers. But he allowed an 88.6 QBR in slot coverage, one of the best among safeties nominated for the Top 100. But beyond stats, he was a universally beloved figure in the Rams' community, and we were devastated to lose him as a cap casualty. He's the kind of guy every Rams fan hopes thrives as a Brown and redeems us from a history of defensive personnel who struggle after leaving the team.
Essentially, he was a total lockdown safety who was somewhat overshadowed by an elite defensive corps. If you still aren't sold, I present you this.
#82 - Fletcher Cox - Interior Defensive Line (IDL) - Philadelphia Eagles
Previous Ranks
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/R | N/R | 72 | 26 | 38 | 30 | 5 | 66 |
Written By: /u/wrhslax1996
Fletcher Cox is good at football. He is good at stopping the run. He is good at rushing the passer. He does it from the 0T to the 5T. He is versatile. He is life. He is love.
Fletch has a pretty solid arsenal of moves for an interior rusher. He can rip through guards like it's nobody's business. Here you can see Cox attack the outside punching arm of the guard (53), giving himself a nice window to rip through with his inside arm. Any time you can turn a guard around like that, you're going to have a good time. Cox has a strong bull rush, as seen here. Cox shoots off the line and uses Wyatt Teller, one of 2020's best OGs, to beautifully penetrate the pocket and strip the ball out of Baker's weak small hands. Those little hands were not prepared for a Cox that size. Fletch is also capable of stringing various moves together on a single rep. For example, here he is starting with a two-handed swipe that he transitions into a bull rush. By swiping the hands, Cox is able to attack 53's (I refuse to even remember this player's name) exposed shoulder and drive Burrow's own lineman back into his lap. Finally (for the pass rush section) here's a funny clip where Cox serves as the penetrator on a T-E stunt. On this play, Cox is supposed to work his way to the tackle, taking Zack Martin with him while Brandon Graham loops in behind him, hopefully catching Martin off-guard. The only problem is, Martin is smart. Unfortunately for Ben DiNucci, the same cannot be said for Terence Steele. Cox does his job, Martin does his job in passing Cox off to the tackle, but Steele just has no idea what year it is and Cox absolutely pounds DiNucci into the turf. Yowie Wowie!
Cox also excels when it comes to stiffing opposing running backs and, occasionally, WRs in the run game. Cox is capable of plowing his way through offensive linemen en route to blowing up an entire rushing attempt. I mean just look at how the entire right side of that line goes into complete disarray thanks to Cox. On this play, Cox shows his awareness by not biting on the cheese on the reverse. Instead he keeps his head up, sees what's going on, and blows up the play for an 11-yard loss. Here he is just nuking a screen. As we all know, screens are just the run game with extra steps. Cox's ability to recognize what is going on in front of him, react quickly, and thrust himself into the thick of the play never ceases to amaze. Finally, Cox can just play two gaps vs the run no matter what the offense does. If they try to seal him, he can just swat them aside like a rag doll (as he does to Austin Blythe in the above clip) and make the play anyway.
Finally I'll leave you with a hustle play. There's just something beautiful about a Cox that big being that smooth. Also he helped Burrow up after the play so he's a good guy, too!
#81 - Marcus Maye - Safety (SAF) - New York Jets
Previous Ranks
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/R | N/A | N/R | N/R | N/R |
Written By: /u/Ronon_Dex
Safety is one of the harder positions to evaluate - especially deep Free Safeties who are rarely on screen and don’t tend to rack up the stats. That being said, if you watched a Jets game this year, you’d have to come away extremely impressed with Marcus Maye.
In 2020, Maye got more freedom to move around and play some different roles with the departure of Jamal Adams, setting career highs in snaps in the slot and in the box. Playing 99.82% of snaps, Maye had 27 run stops, 2 interceptions, 7 pass breakups, 2 sacks/5 total pressures, and a pair of forced fumbles. He was not often targeted (only 36 targets on 662 coverage snaps), and held up quite well with only 6.4 yards/target and 0.37 yards/coverage snap. PFF thought very highly of him - he was their 4th highest graded safety overall (82.8) and his coverage grade of 85.8 was the 3rd best among safeties. On film, he showed some decent pass rush skills, the ability to fly up from a deep S spot and stick it to a ball carrier despite the CB losing the edge, terrific range and ball skills - 1 & 2, and the ability to cover man to man - and come up with a clutch play when his team absolutely needs it.
But to me, the most impressive part about Maye’s impressive 2020 season was the context. It’s not exactly easy for a S to stand out and consistently make plays when his DB mates are a rotating cast of young players and cast offs in what might have been the worst secondary in football. Similarly, the 2020 Jets front 7 was...bad, to say the least. So to put it all together - we have a player who was impressive statistically, impressive on film, and did it despite having as little help as you could possibly imagine. If that’s not a top 100 player, then I don’t know what is.
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