After months of grinding tape and crunching numbers, our friend Doug Farrar over at Touchdown Wire has come up with a list of the top-100 players in the NFL today.
Here’s the five Chiefs players that made Farrar’s list, their rankings and links to see what Farrar said about each player.
Below you’ll find my thoughts on where each Chiefs player ranks in Farrar’s top-100 and whether they should be moved up, down, or are ranked in the right spot. Also I’ll cover some notable omissions for the Chiefs that should have been in consideration to make the list.
Tyreek Hill
“As is the case when he’s running past interior defenders from the slot, Hill makes things very difficult for outside cornerbacks as well because of his natural speed, but it’s his acceleration downfield that really sets him apart. Just when you think you have a bead on Hill downfield, he’ll kick it into another gear and make the big play.”
There is no other player in the NFL that can do what Hill does. You just don’t see receivers running by multiple defenders like it’s nothing in the NFL. A bit of separation is one thing, but several yards is an entirely different level. Because of that simple fact, this ranking for Hill is too low and should be adjusted accordingly.
TD Wire: No. 54
Chiefs Wire: No. 15
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Chris Jones
“While Jones has the wherewithal to play the run well from the three-tech or end positions, he’s best served going after the quarterback as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, regardless of gap responsibility. Tall for a defensive tackle at 6-6 and 310 pounds, Jones nonetheless creates leverage by getting low off the snap and poleaxing guards and centers with a difficult combination of speed and power. He also has the upper-body strength to stack and shed blockers, take them where he wants them to go, and close to the pocket through the empty spaces he creates.”
Jones led the Chiefs in sacks in 2018, and he’s proven to be a dominant interior defender. I think the big question that remains is if he can consistently put up that level of play. His penchant for freelancing is a problem when he gets upfield, but taken out of the play. If the reward is some extra blown up plays it might be worth it. Ultimately, I like No. 38 for Jones.
TD Wire: No. 38
Chiefs Wire: No. 38
Travis Kelce
“Why is Kelce such a dangerous receiver? Simply because he does everything well. If he needs speed off the line of scrimmage to beat a defender, he has that. But he’s also great at delaying a route to trick an opponent, and when it’s time to make a contested catch, few are better. Not only can Kelce body a cornerback or safety for the key catch in the red zone, but he’s also great at moving through a defender to grab the ball. Factor in his improvement as a blocker over his career, and Kelce has become the gold standard at the position.”
Now that Rob Gronkowski has retired, Kelce has lone claim over the title of best TE in football. Between his exemplary blocking and his run after the catch ability, there is truly no one like Kelce in the NFL right now. I think that No. 35 is too low when you’re the best of the best for your position group. In our version of these rankings we’d bump him up into the top-20 players.
TD Wire: No. 35
Chiefs Wire: No. 20
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Mitchell Schwartz
“Not only does Schwartz have to maintain his pass pro against some of the best edge rushers in the league, he also has to do it as Patrick Mahomes improvises in and out of the pocket, which complicates things for any blocker. But he’s such a good technician, he can catch defenders through the arc and into the pocket, work them from side to side as they try counters, and bull them out with his arms. Schwartz will occasionally let a better edge rusher slip by, but for the most part, he’s as reliable as they come.”
Look no further than how Schwartz has faired against the No. 37 ranked player, Von Miller, to see just how great of a player he is. The guy is as solid as the come against the toughest competition. He’s also an Iron Man, with a snap streak that’s set to crack 8,000 this season. Tackle is not a sexy position in the NFL, so I actually feel like this ranking for Schwartz is spot on.
TD Wire: No. 32
Chiefs Wire: No. 32
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Patrick Mahomes
“Mahomes has a stunning trick-shot ability to make accurate throws to moving targets from all kinds of platforms, but he’s not just a gimmick guy. He brings an uncanny sense of timing and accuracy for his age and experience, his throwing ability on the run is positively artful at times, and there isn’t an NFL throw he can’t make. There’s a lot of talk about how Mahomes will inevitably regress in 2019 and beyond, but it would be a fool’s errand to bet on that.”
I get why Aaron Donald came in at No. 1 in Farrar’s list. You poll any player in the NFL about the toughest interior defender they’ve ever faced and Donald is likely that guy. Still, I find it hard to believe that the top player in the NFL doesn’t play the most important position in football. Mahomes proved to be the best player in football in 2018, and he played the most important position in the game. He should be recognized as such heading into 2019.
TD Wire: No. 2
Chiefs Wire: No. 1
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Notable omissions
For the most part I feel like there weren’t any glaring omissions by Farrar for the Chiefs. However, the following four players should have been in strong consideration to make this list.
- DE Frank Clark
- S Tyrann Mathieu
- CB Kendall Fuller
- RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
The Chiefs front office has me sold on Clark being one of the most dominant edge defenders in game. If any of these four players deserves to be on the list, it’s him. Farrar did say that Clark was among the players who just missed the cut.
Mathieu hasn’t returned to his 2015 season form, where he made the Pro Bowl and was a first team All-Pro selection. But he’s still regarded as one of the elite defensive backs in the NFL. His ability to play virtually any spot in the secondary leaves him with an unparalleled skill set.
In 2017, Fuller had a case to be described as the best slot corner in the game. A season later, after a down year in Bob Sutton’s dumpster fire of a defense it appears that his success has too been forgotten.
Duvernay-Tardif is one of the best young guards in the game and people have quickly forgotten because of his injury in 2018. I suspect a big bounce back in 2019, which will have people viewing him as one of the top right guards in football.
The group that Farrar selected for his list is definitely a good group, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see a few new Chiefs recognized on next seasons iteration of the list.
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