The NFL Top 100 is a futile exercise in naming the game’s best players, but nevertheless it manages to ruffle some feathers every season.
In a vacuum, the idea of the list is good. It’s interesting to consider a list that is voted on purely by the players, but this would only work if all of the players voted. It’s when they don’t that you end up with results like Case Keenum being ranked higher than Ezekiel Elliott (this happened).
Regardless of the level of value you place on the list it’s undeniable that it is some sort of barometer for the best players in the NFL. The list concluded on Monday night with Tom Brady earning the top spot, but there are 99 others to discuss.
In total there were four Cowboys who earned spots on the list:
- DeMarcus Lawrence (34)
- Tyron Smith (39)
- Ezekiel Elliott (54)
- Zack Martin (71)
What about the non-Cowboys, though? Specifically the one that the Cowboys will play against, that is. Who is being defined as the game’s best that Dallas will have to square off against this season?
NFC East (8)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Carson Wentz (3)
- Zach Ertz (68)
- Fletcher Cox (69)
- Lane Johnson (95)
- Malcolm Jenkins (96)
New York Giants
- Odell Beckham Jr. (77)
- Landon Collins (92)
Washington Redskins
- Trent Williams (57)
NFC South (12*)
New Orleans Saints
- Drew Brees (8)
- Alvin Kamara (20)
- Cameron Jordan (26)
- Mark Ingram (43)
- Michael Thomas (81)
- Marshon Lattimore (82)
Atlanta Falcons
- Julio Jones (4)
- Matt Ryan (29)
- Devonta Freeman (70)
Carolina Panthers
- Luke Kuechly (12)
- Cam Newton (25)
- Thomas Davis* (73)
*Thomas Davis is serving a four-game suspension to start the season and won’t play against Dallas in Week 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
N/A
AFC South (14)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Calais Campbell (14)
- Jalen Ramsey (17)
- A.J. Bouye (35)
- Leonard Fournette (58)
- Telvin Smith (67)
- Yannick Ngakoue (88)
Houston Texans
- DeAndre Hopkins (13)
- Jadeveon Clowney (32)
- Deshaun Watson (50)
- J.J. Watt (84)
Tennessee Titans
- Jurrell Casey (66)
- Delanie Walker (72)
- Taylor Lewan (78)
- Kevin Byard (80)
Indianapolis Colts
N/A
Seahawks & Lions (7)
Seattle Seahawks
- Russell Wilson (11)
- Bobby Wagner (21)
- Earl Thomas (42)
- Kam Chancellor (75)
- Doug Baldwin (99)
Detroit Lions
- Matthew Stafford (31)
- Darius Slay (49)
All together the Cowboys are scheduled to play against 41 (40 without Thomas Davis) of The NFL Top 100. Considering they have four themselves that’s 41/96, 43%.
Just like the Davis suspension it’s possible (and in fact probable) that they won’t ultimately play against all of these players. Unfortunately injuries happen so Dallas will likely dodge a few and if one of the teams on this list happened to trade a certain player to a certain other team that would also lighten the load.
Seven of the 16 quarterbacks on the list are on the Cowboys schedule (eight if you count Wentz twice). Considering it’s a quarterback league that’s the “scariest” element of all of this, but it’s not like we didn’t know that we were in for that tall task already.