NFL Top 100 Players of 2024: Patrick Mahomes reigns again; Myles Garrett top defender in Prisco’s rankings

Choosing the best player in the NFL is easy, one layup, one putt.

It’s Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes – and then everyone else. Mahomes has won two consecutive Super Bowls, three in total, has two regular season MVPs and three Super Bowl MVPs. He showed last season that he can win anything, even at a time when the Chiefs looked vulnerable for much of the season.

Mahomes could be on his way to being the best of all time, not just as a quarterback but also as a player.

Mahomes, who is once again the No. 1 player in my annual list of the 100 best NFL playershas a chance to be a three-time champion this season, which could give him four Super Bowl titles in seven seasons as a starter.

Tom Brady is considered the best quarterback of all time with his seven Super Bowl rings, but one more for Mahomes would make an interesting GOAT argument. Brady has never won three consecutive Super Bowls.

As for the greatest player of all time, I always choose Jerry Rice, who is the greatest receiver of all time. But what makes him the best player, in my opinion, is that there is no argument to be made about the best receiver, which you can make for any other position in the league.

If Mahomes continues his winning ways, he could knock them both off. For now, there is no discussion about first place in any league player rankings.

One thing that stood out about this year’s rankings was how obvious it is that the league is in transition. Aaron Donald, a surefire top-2 player, has retired. Some veterans who have been near the top of my rankings in recent years haven’t played as well and the young players are still on the rise, heading towards the top 10, but they aren’t there yet.

That made filling out the rest of the top 25 a challenge this year. There isn’t the usual star-studded top 20, although that could change with the emergence of young players like CJ Stroud and other second- and third-year players.

This is my list, based on my assessments as well as some conversations with some league officials. Mostly, though, it’s my list.

So be mad at me. Talk about the omissions, about who you think is too high and who is too low. That’s what it’s all about.

But it is not easy. This I can promise you. Putting together a top 100 list is harder than you think – besides number 1, of course. That’s easy. This is a player who now clearly looks down from the top spot in these rankings and could soon look down from the top spot in every player ranking in NFL history.

HONORABLE MENTION: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts; Dre Greenlaw, LB, 49ers; Evan Engram, TE, Jaguares; Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals; Tyron Smith, T, Jets; Andrew Thomas, T, Giants; Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions; Quenton Nelson, G, Colts; Terry McLaurin, WR, Commanders; Brian Branch, DB, Lions; Kobie Turner, DT, Rams; Quincy Williams, LB, Jets; Calvin Ridley, WR, Titans; Paulson Adebo, CB, Santos; Alex Highsmith, EDGE, Steelers; Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams; David Njoku, TE, Browns; Quinn Meinerz, G, Broncos; Jaycee Horn, CB, Panthers; Cooper Kupp, WR, Rams; Xavier McKinney, S, Packers; Patrick Queen, LB, Steelers; Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles; Joey Bosa, EDGE, Chargers; Jonathan Allen, DT, Commanders; Aaron Jones, RB, Vikings; Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcões; Travis Etienne, RB, Jaguares; Kyren Williams, RB, Rams; Joel Bitonio, G, Browns; CJ Mosley, LB, Jets; Landon Dickerson, G, Eagles; Foye Oluokun, LB, Jaguares; Keenan Allen, WR, Bears; Kyle Dugger, S, New England Patriots; Michael Pittman, WR, Colts; Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Dolphins; Matt Milano, LB, accounts; Cameron Heyward, DT, Steelers; Bobby Okereke, LB Giants; Javon Hargrave, DT, 49ers; Derwin James, S, Chargers, DeForest Buckner, DT, Colts; Amari Cooper, WR, Browns; Robert Hunt, G, Panthers; DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Titans; Rashan Gary, EDGE, Packers; Denzel Ward, CB, Browns; Raheem Mostert, RB, Dolphins; DaRon Bland, CB, Cowboys