The "NFL Top 100" -- voted on by the players themselves -- reveal just wrapped up on X and *NFL+*! One Top 10 player were unveiled each weekday beginning at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 24 through Thursday, Sept. 3.
2025 stats: 14 games | 47 tackles | 12 PD | 1 INT
Surtain was once again a cornerstone in Denver's top-three overall and scoring defense, earning his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl nod despite missing three games due to a pectoral injury. According to Next Gen Stats, he allowed just one touchdown on 63 targets and 572 coverage snaps last season. Finishing in the top 10 in this list in back-to-back seasons, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year remains the standard at the position.
NFL Pro Insight for Surtain: Pass catchers averaged just 2.1 yards of separation versus Surtain when he was targeted in 2025, second-lowest in the league (min. 50 targets) behind only Philadelphia's Quinyon Mitchell (1.8).
2025 stats: 17 games | 243 att | 1,223 rush yds | 5.0 ypc | 13 rush TD | 77 rec | 616 rec yds | 5 rec TD | 2 fumbles
Gibbs' incredible 2025 effort -- one that saw him amass nearly 2,000 scrimmage yards -- flew under the radar thanks to a 9-8, playoffless season from the Lions. The three-time Pro Bowler has racked up 3,580 rushing yards, 1,449 receiving yards and 49 total touchdowns in his first three seasons, making him more than worthy of his new contract that made him the NFL's highest-paid player at his position. Making his Top 100 debut at No. 27 a year ago, Gibbs lands at a new apex in this list just as the team, which traded "Knuckles" teammate David Montgomery to Houston this offseason, pivots to make him its bell cow for 2026.
NFL Pro Insight for Gibbs: Gibbs recorded the second-most rushing yards before contact in 2025 with 490, behind only Buffalo's James Cook (517).
2025 stats: 14 games | 41 tackles | 12 tfl | 12.5 sacks | 27 QB hits | 1 PD | 2 FF
The Packers made the splashiest move of 2025 when they traded for Parsons. The five-time Pro Bowler made his presence felt from the jump with a sack in his debut Green Bay, and his impact continued all the way until his season-ending knee injury in Week 15, through which he ranked top three in the NFL in sacks (12.5, tied for third) and QB pressures (83, first). By season's end, he was the only player in the top seven in QB pressures to not play in all 17 regular-season games. When healthy, Parsons is an absolute menace and he'll continue to be when he returns to the field, which won't be until mid-October, for new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. He has recorded at least 12 sacks in each of his five NFL seasons; can he continue that impressive streak despite missing the start of the season? Magic 8-ball says: Outlook good.
NFL Pro Insight for Parsons: Parsons is tied with Danielle Hunter for the second-most quarterback pressures (158) since 2024, behind only Myles Garrett's 161.
2025 stats: 16 games | 129 rec | 1,715 rec yds | 13.3 ypr | 10 rec TD
Nacua has made this list in each of his three NFL seasons, but this is his best landing spot by far. In 2025, the Rams' No. 1 receiver led the league in receptions with 129, tied for seventh in NFL history, and receiving yards per game with 107.2, while finishing second in receiving yards and tying for sixth in TD catches. He had the most receptions for first downs (80) and 150-yard receiving games (four), helping the Rams get to the Super Bowl's doorstep. Despite the off-field concerns that have circled Nacua, the All-Pro wideout's on-field ability isn't in question. Also a willing and tenacious blocker, Nacua is one of the crucial engines that makes Sean McVay's offense go.
NFL Pro Insight for Nacua: In 2025, Nacua posted 3.8 yards per route run, the second-highest in the Next Gen Stats era (minimum 100 routes). Nacua also sits fourth on the all-time list with 3.6 yards per route run in 2024.
2025 stats: 17 games | 311 att | 1,202 rush yds | 3.9 ypc | 10 rush TD | 102 rec | 924 rec yds | 7 rec TD | 2 fumbles
There might not be a more valuable non-quarterback to his team than McCaffrey is to the 49ers, who likely would not have made it all the way to the Divisional Round without him in 2025 -- considering the laundry list of injuries that struck other star players on the squad. Not only did CMC predictably lead the team in rushing yards, but he also led in receptions and receiving yards, setting a franchise-record 413 touches on the season. The four-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro and 2025 NFL Comeback Player of the Year will again be the focal point of Kyle Shanahan's offense entering his age-30 season.
NFL Pro Insight for McCaffrey: McCaffrey had his second career season with 2,000-plus scrimmage yards and 100-plus receptions (2025, 2019). Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson is the only other player with one such season all time (2003).
2025 stats: 17 games | 119 rec | 1,793 rec yds | 15.1 ypr | 10 rec TD
Did any player raise his stock more in 2025 than Smith-Njigba? Not likely. The Seahawks put all of their WR eggs in his basket last offseason when they traded away DK Metcalf to Pittsburgh, and boy, did their new WR1 deliver. The focal point of former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's aerial attack led the league in receiving yards (eighth in the all-time ranks) and 14.5 scrimmage yards per touch on the way to winning 2025 Offensive Player of the Year and signing a lucrative four-year, $168.6 million extension, which made him the highest-paid wideout in NFL history. JSN is optimistic about building on his career year in 2026 despite Seattle having a new offensive coordinator (Brian Fleury) for the fourth time in four years.
NFL Pro Insight for Smith-Njigba: Smith-Njigba led the NFL with 88 receptions and 1,378 receiving yards when aligned out wide in 2025, after leading the league with 79 catches and 965 yards when aligned in the slot in 2024.
2025 stats: 17 games | 65.0 pct | 4,707 pass yds | 7.7ypa | 46 pass TD | 8 INT | 7 fumbles
The fine wine that is Stafford had perhaps his best campaign at age 37. Not only did he earn his first NFL MVP, he joined G.O.A.T. Tom Brady (2007) as the only quarterbacks to lead the league in passing yards and passing TDs in a season in which he threw fewer than 10 interceptions. Plus, the last time a QB won MVP on a wild-card team? Peyton Manning in 2008 -- the year before Stafford was drafted No. 1 overall by the Lions. The veteran passer has taken Sean McVay's offense to the next level over the last half-decade, and the gunslinger's ability to come up in the clutch in 2025 made the Rams extremely watchable and took them to the brink of his second Super Bowl appearance. Opposing defenses get the unfortunate task of facing the reigning MVP this fall, and thanks to Drew Brees, 2026 might not be his last in an NFL uniform.
NFL Pro Insight for Stafford: Stafford is the fifth quarterback to lead the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns outright while leading the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense, joining Patrick Mahomes (with Chiefs in 2022), Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (Broncos, 2013), Tom Brady (Patriots, 2007) and Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (Rams, 2001).
2025 stats: 17 games | 287 att | 1,478 rush yds | 5.1 ypc | 7 rush TD | 79 rec | 820 rec yds | 4 rec TD | 4 fumbles
Even if the Falcons' 24th-ranked offense didn't live up to expectation in 2025, Robinson sure did. He compiled a league-leading 2,298 scrimmage yards, 12th all-time in a single season, and eclipsed 5.0 rushing yards per carry on the season for the first time in his career. The one area of Robinson's game to nitpick was his lack of touchdowns, as most of the goal-line carries went to Tyler Allgeier, who departed in free agency. Robinson should earn more of those short-yardage scoring opportunities -- and touches in general -- in an offense that's seen a lot of change over the last several months. Expect the newly paid back to dominate defenses in Kevin Stefanski's scheme regardless of the level of play Atlanta gets from Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback.
NFL Pro Insight for Robinson: Robinson is the first player with five-plus games with 100-plus rushing yards and two-plus games with 100-plus receiving yards in the same season since Christian McCaffrey in 2019 with Carolina.
2025 stats: 17 games | 69.3 pct | 3,683 pass yds | 8.0 ypa | 25 pass TD | 10 INT | 579 rush yds | 14 rush TD | 7 fumbles
This marks Allen's seventh year in the Top 100 and his highest ranking after finishing third in the player voting a year ago after his MVP campaign. The dual-threat quarterback followed his MVP season with another stellar performance in 2025, leading Buffalo to the Divisional Round before falling to the Broncos. Allen, who finished third in MVP voting in '25, totaled 39 touchdowns, including 14 rushing scores, which ranked first among quarterbacks. The four-time Pro Bowler has recorded six straight 3,500-plus passing seasons and three consecutive campaigns with at least 500 rushing yards and 10-plus rushing TDs. There isn't much Allen can't do, and while the Bills are experiencing plenty of change at the top this offseason, they should be contenders as long as he's under center.
NFL Pro Insight for Allen: Allen threw behind the line of scrimmage at the fourth-highest rate among quarterbacks last season and the highest rate of his career (23.7%). Allen led the league in passing yards (723) and yards per attempt (6.6) on throws behind the line of scrimmage while also posting the second-highest passer rating (112.7) and throwing for the second-most touchdowns (six).
2025 stats: 17 games | 60 tackles | 33 tfl | 23 sacks | 39 QB hits | 1 PD | 3 FF
We've run out of superlatives for Garrett, who's had quite the year. He set a new NFL single-season sack record on the way to his second Defensive Player of the Year honor, joining the likes of new teammate Aaron Donald (three), J.J. Watt (three), Lawrence Taylor (three), Ray Lewis (two), Bruce Smith (two), Reggie White (two), Mike Singletary (two) and Joe Greene (two) as players to win multiple DPOY awards. He belongs in that company after six straight Pro Bowls (seven total), five first-team All-Pro selections and eight consecutive seasons with double-digit sacks (he had seven in his rookie season). And yet, it's possible that the elite edge rusher's biggest win of the last 12 months was landing in Los Angeles this offseason via trade. He did everything in his power to elevate his former club in Cleveland, with two playoff appearances and a drawer full of individual accolades to show for it. Now in L.A., he has his first real shot at getting a ring.
NFL Pro Insight for Garrett: Garrett was chipped on a league-high 139 pass rushes in 2025 and was double-teamed 57 times when aligned at edge, second in the NFL behind only Micah Parsons' 61.
