Ranking the Top 200 NFL players for 2022: Part 1
This is the first article in a four-part series that aims to provide a broad overview of the league’s best players
Last summer, I wrote an in-depth series covering the top 200 NFL players entering the 2021 season. I didn’t have time to write a paragraph or two for every player this year because of summer scouting and work. However, I still wanted to keep the annual series running by releasing a new set of rankings.
This is the first article in a four-part series that aims to provide a broad overview of the league’s best players. This opening edition covers the 58 lowest-ranking players and honorable mentions. I don’t have player-specific write-ups for everyone mentioned, but I try to hit the highlights and themes.
I divided the top 200 into nine general tiers this year. Most players are interchangeable within their tiers. This means a player at 190 could jump someone 20 spots higher so long as they belong to the same tier. I’m mainly aiming to get players in the right bucket instead of trying to pin down 200 specific rankings.
Every player picked for this list is accompanied by their position, team, and rank at their position (in parentheses). There’s no scientific way to compare players that play different positions, so this list is highly subjective. I’ve included the positional rankings in parentheses to counteract this cross-positional subjectivity and give readers a better understanding of how players stack up against their competition in my opinion.
The positional rankings for the top 200 came from a position-by-position breakdown I conducted over the past two months. You can find those rankings at the links below.
Quarterbacks l Running Backs l Wide Receivers l Tight Ends l Offensive Tackles l Guards l Centers l Edge Rushers l Interior Defensive Linemen l Linebackers l Cornerbacks l Safeties
I factored in past success, age and regression, injuries, supporting cast, and scheme to generate these rankings. There was some projecting involved during this process. Breakdowns occur at the end of each tier.
It’s worth noting that some injuries occurred after I put these rankings together, so players like Ryan Jensen will still appear even if they’ll miss most of the year.
All statistics come from NFL.com, Pro Football Focus, and Pro Football Reference. Please direct any comments or concerns to @Sam_Teets33 on Twitter or the comment section.
Check the bottom of this article for the honorable mentions. If you don’t see a player you believe belongs on the list, check back in a few days for the second part of this series where I cover roughly 30 new players.
Now, let’s kick off the NFL top 200.
*Indicates rookie
Tier 9: Fluctuating High-End Starters
200. Hunter Renfrow, WR (30) Las Vegas Raiders
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
199. DeVonta Smith, WR (29) Philadelphia Eagles
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
198. Arik Armstead, EDGE/IDL (27) San Francisco 49ers
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
197. Matt Judon, EDGE (26) New England Patriots
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
196. Jadeveon Clowney, EDGE (25) Cleveland Browns
2021 Top 200 Rank: 200
195. Chidobe Awuzie, CB (20) Cincinnati Bengals
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
194. Dexter Lawrence, IDL (18) New York Giants
2021 Top 200 Rank: 157
193. Trey Smith, G (11) Kansas City Chiefs
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
192. Garett Bolles, OT (22) Denver Broncos
2021 Top 200 Rank: 60
191. Laken Tomlinson, G (10) New York Jets
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
190. John Johnson III, S (20) Cleveland Browns
2021 Top 200 Rank: 73
189. Leonard Williams, IDL (17) New York Giants
2021 Top 200 Rank: 104
188. J.K. Dobbins, RB (13) Baltimore Ravens
2021 Top 200 Rank: 143
187. Courtland Sutton, WR (28) Denver Broncos
2021 Top 200 Rank: 182
186. Michael Onwenu, G (9) New England Patriots
2021 Top 200 Rank: 121
185. Chris Lindstrom, G (8) Atlanta Falcons
2021 Top 200 Rank: Honorable Mention
184. Casey Hayward Jr., CB (19) Atlanta Falcons
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
183. Fletcher Cox, IDL (16) Philadelphia Eagles
2021 Top 200 Rank: 93
182. Adam Thielen, WR (27) Minnesota Vikings
2021 Top 200 Rank: 126
181. Haason Reddick, EDGE (24) Philadelphia Eagles
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
180. Kenny Moore II, CB (18) Indianapolis Colts
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Tier 9 players are high-end starters when healthy. They have high upward mobility and occasionally perform at the level of top-100 players. However, injuries, inconsistent play, or age keep these players in the bottom tier.
John Johnson III is a perfect example of a Tier 9 player. He was a top 100 selection in 2021 and the ninth-highest ranked safety. However, he joined the Browns last year and began playing a new role that limited his effectiveness. The transition caused him to drop to Tier 9. Fletcher Cox, who is 31 years old and coming off his worst season since 2013, is another prime example.
Ranking Arik Armstead and Matt Judon in the final five spots didn’t sit well with me. Unfortunately, the edge class is so loaded that I couldn’t reshape the list to place them higher. Judon had a career year in his first season with the Patriots, while Armstead remains a consistent force capable of deploying from most alignments.
I anticipate several young players in this tier will rise in the rankings throughout the season and probably crack Tier 7 (the top 142 players). Philadelphia’s DeVonta Smith is a prime candidate if Jalen Hurts increases his passing volume. Baltimore’s J.K. Dobbins and Kansas City’s Trey Smith also have promising futures.
Eleven players out of the 21 in Tier 9 didn’t make the top 200 last year. Slot corner Kenny Moore II is the highest-ranking new edition in this tier, followed closely by Haason Reddick. Former All-Pro Casey Hayward Jr. also debuted in this series after a terrific rebound campaign in 2021.
Garett Bolles, Jadeveon Clowney, and Adam Thielen are other former All-Pros who fell to Tier 9. Clowney and Thielen are still productive players, but they’ve dealt with injuries. They aren’t ideal options to have as a team’s top wide receiver or pass rusher either. Bolles had an excellent campaign during the COVID-19 season, but the relaxed officiating helped him greatly.
Tier 8: High-End Starters
179. Darnell Mooney, WR (26) Chicago Bears
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
178. Denico Autry, EDGE/IDL (23) Tennessee Titans
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
177. Nick Bolton, LB (11) Kansas City Chiefs
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
176. Xavier McKinney, S (19) New York Giants
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
175. Devin McCourty, S (18) New England Patriots
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
174. Harold Landry, EDGE (22) Tennessee Titans
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
173. Taylor Decker, OT (21) Detroit Lions
2021 Top 200 Rank: 117
172. Javonte Williams, RB (12) Denver Broncos
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
171. Michael Pittman Jr., WR (25) Indianapolis Colts
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
170. Andrew Thomas, OT (20) New York Giants
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
169. Amari Cooper, WR (24) Cleveland Browns
2021 Top 200 Rank: 141
168. Javon Hargrave, IDL (15) Philadelphia Eagles
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
167. Christian Barmore, IDL (14) New England Patriots
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
166. J.J. Watt, EDGE/IDL (21) Arizona Cardinals
2021 Top 200 Rank: 92
165. Patrick Surtain II, CB (17) Denver Broncos
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
164. Adoree' Jackson, CB (16) New York Giants
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
163. T.J. Hockenson, TE (9) Detroit Lions
2021 Top 200 Rank: 132
162. Mike Gesicki, TE (8) Miami Dolphins
2021 Top 200 Rank: 133
161. Braden Smith, OT (19) Indianapolis Colts
2021 Top 200 Rank: 134
160. Dalton Schultz, TE (7) Dallas Cowboys
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
159. Montez Sweat, EDGE (20) Washington Commanders
2021 Top 200 Rank: 112
158. Jaylen Waddle, WR (23) Miami Dolphins
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
157. Tee Higgins, WR (22) Cincinnati Bengals
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
156. Josh Allen, EDGE (19) Jacksonville Jaguars
2021 Top 200 Rank: 197
155. Jamel Dean, CB (15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2021 Top 200 Rank: 170
154. Kolton Miller, OT (18) Las Vegas Raiders
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
153. Brandin Cooks, WR (21) Houston Texans
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
152. Ryan Jensen, C (5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
151. Elgton Jenkins, OT (17) Green Bay Packers
2021 Top 200 Rank: Honorable Mention
150. Diontae Johnson, WR (20) Pittsburgh Steelers
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
149. Quandre Diggs, S (17) Seattle Seahawks
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
148. Aaron Jones, RB (11) Green Bay Packers
2021 Top 200 Rank: 99
147. Marcus Maye, S (16) New Orleans Saints
2021 Top 200 Rank: 95
146. Calais Campbell, IDL (13) Baltimore Ravens
2021 Top 200 Rank: 154
145. Kareem Hunt, RB (10) Cleveland Browns
2021 Top 200 Rank: 127
144. Dion Dawkins, OT (16) Buffalo Bills
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
143. Tyler Lockett, WR (19) Seattle Seahawks
2021 Top 200 Rank: 181
Out of the 37 players in Tier 8, 23 are first-time members of the top 200. Bills tackle Dion Dawkins is the highest-ranking newcomer. This tier featured many new offensive tackles who continued climbing the position’s ranks. Elgton Jenkins (a 2021 Honorable Mention), Kolton Miller, and Andrew Thomas also made their first appearances.
Just like in Tier 9, three former members of the top 100 appear in Tier 8. Aaron Jones, Marcus Maye, and J.J. Watt all took steep falls. Maye is recovering from a torn Achilles and starting with a new team, while Watt continues battling mid-season setbacks. Jones is the only member of the trio who was healthy for most of 2021, but he’s competing with AJ Dillon for touches.
Josh Allen, Calais Campbell, Jamel Dean, and Tyler Lockett were the only returning members of last year’s list in Tier 8 and moved up the board. Credit Allen and Campbell for equally overcoming injury-shortened 2020 campaigns, even if they’re separated by a decade in age. Dean and Lockett aren’t superstars at their positions, but they continue improving as they string together productive seasons.
DeVonta Smith and Trey Smith were the only second-year players in Tier 9, but five members of the 2021 NFL Draft class appear in Tier 8, starting with Nick Bolton. Two second-year Broncos, Patrick Surtain II and Javonte Williams, also made the list. While those three are from the AFC West, Christian Barmore and Jaylen Waddle represent the AFC East.
Twelve wide receivers appear in the bottom 58 selections (Tiers 8 and 9), making up roughly 20.69% of the players in Tiers 8 and 9. Many of these receivers are younger players, like Diontae Johnson, who only recently hit their strides or are still building toward the final culmination of their abilities, like Tee Higgins, Darnell Mooney, Michael Pittman Jr., DeVonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle.
Some veteran receivers cracked the top 200. Notably, Tyler Lockett and Brandin Cooks appeared despite playing with questionable quarterbacks. Amari Cooper, Courtland Sutton, and Adam Thielen made the list for the second consecutive year, but concerns about injuries and regression pushed them down the board.
Nine edge rushers earned spots in Tiers 8 and 9, although Arik Armstead and J.J. Watt could also classify as interior defensive linemen. Edge rusher and wide receiver were the only positions with more than 25 players in the top 200. The two roles make up 28.5% of the total list.
Honorable Mentions Offense
Ben Jones, C (6) Tennessee Titans
2021 Top 200 Rank: 189
Kevin Zeitler, G (12) Baltimore Ravens
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Rodger Saffold, G (13) Buffalo Bills
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Orlando Brown Jr., OT (23) Kansas City Chiefs
2021 Top 200 Rank: 190
Brian O'Neill, OT (24) Minnesota Vikings
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Jake Matthews, OT (25) Atlanta Falcons
2021 Top 200 Rank: 174
Rob Havenstein, OT (26) Los Angeles Rams
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Duane Brown, OT (27) New York Jets
2021 Top 200 Rank: 55
James Robinson, RB (14) Jacksonville Jaguars
2021 Top 200 Rank: 183
Antonio Gibson, RB (15) Washington Commanders
2021 Top 200 Rank: 125
Tony Pollard, RB (16) Dallas Cowboys
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Melvin Gordon, RB (17) Denver Broncos
2021 Top 200 Rank: 195
Damien Harris, RB (18) New England Patriots
2021 Top 200 Rank: 153
Ezekiel Elliott, RB (19) Dallas Cowboys
2021 Top 200 Rank: 122
Cordarrelle Patterson, RB (20) Atlanta Falcons
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Hunter Henry, TE (10) New England Patriots
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Zach Ertz, TE (11) Arizona Cardinals
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Pat Freiermuth, TE (12) Pittsburgh Steelers
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Ryan Tannehill, QB (14) Tennessee Titans
2021 Top 200 Rank: 64
Matt Ryan, QB (15) Indianapolis Colts
2021 Top 200 Rank: 103
Honorable Mentions Defense
Akiem Hicks, IDL (19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2021 Top 200 Rank: 165
Poona Ford, IDL (20) Seattle Seahawks
2021 Top 200 Rank: 185
Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE (28) Indianapolis Colts
2021 Top 200 Rank: 192
Shaq Thompson, LB (12) Carolina Panthers
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Matt Milano, LB (13) Buffalo Bills
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Greg Newsome II, CB (21) Cleveland Browns
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Eric Stokes, CB (22) Green Bay Packers
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Kristian Fulton, CB (23) Tennessee Titans
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Amani Hooker, S (21) Tennessee Titans
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Honorable Mentions Special Teams
Michael Dickson, P Seattle Seahawks
2021 Top 200 Rank: Honorable Mention