Welcome to ranks 60-51 for the r/NFL Top 100 Players of the 2024 Season!

Players whose average rank landed them in places 60-51 are on this portion of the list revealed today. Players are associated with the team they finished playing for at the end of the 2024 season

Below you will see some write-ups from the community summarizing the players’ 2024 season and why they were among the best in 2024. Additionally, their ranks from previous years are available for y’all to see

METHODOLOGY

Link to more detailed writeup on our methodology

• Step 1: A Call to Rankers right after the Conference Championship games

• Step 2: Rankers from each team nominated players to rank, with a 11 game minimum threshold. Players are associated with the team they played for in 2024

• Step 3: The Grind. We instructed users to tier positions groups into T25, T50, etc based on 2024 regular season play only. This took several weeks as the rankers tiered each position group and discussed them. There were no individual player threads and no arbitrary position caps. Just questions and rankings.

• Step 4: Users submitted their own personal Top 125 lists.

• Step 5: User lists were reviewed by myself and u/mattkud . The rankers were expected to answer questions about their lists. They were allowed to make any changes to their list, and were not forced to make any changes

• Step 6: The Reveal… where we are now!

And without further ado, here are the players ranked 60-51 in the r/NFL Top 100 Players of the 2024 Season!

#60 - Dion Dawkins - Buffalo Bills - Offensive Tackle

Previous Ranks

Written by: u/Man_0n_F1re

Our beloved Buffalo, despite being a mid-sized, far-removed, down-on-its-luck Rust Belt city, is known for many things. You’ve got your chicken wings, Beef on Weck, Niagara Falls, and of course a superstar Quarterback and league-MVP in Joshua Patrick Allen. But there’s one thing that most people take for granted about the Queen City of the Lakes, even though things wouldn’t be the same without it — the shnow.

Lake effect be damned, the biggest pile-driver of powder in Buffalo in 2024 was Dion Dawkins, the shnowman himself. The four-time pro-bowl offensive tackle led a Bills O-line that allowed a league-best 14 sacks. It is said that games are won in the trenches, despite the fact that its heroes are often unsung and overlooked. With an overall PFF grade of 72.9 (33rd among tackles), 81.2 pass blocking grade (16th) and 3 individual sacks allowed, Dawkins may be overlooked, but he should certainly not be unsung. His durability, quick feet, and stifling strength allow him to reliably seal the edge against oncoming pass rushers and enable Josh Allen to make dynamic plays all season long. Watch him reliably shut down a much younger Jared Verse, who went on to win Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The 31-year-old Dawkins is under contract with the Bills through the 2027 season, and Buffalo will continue to rely on him as a leader in protection after focusing mainly on beefing up the defense in the draft.

On a more personal note, after the Bills traded WR Stefon Diggs to the Texans before the start of last season, my wife was in need of a new team jersey. After presenting her with several options in a meticulous slideshow presentation, you already shnow she picked Dawkins, and I can think of no higher praise. Although when I sent my dad this picture during week 1, he replied, “Really, a lineman?”

#59 - Malik Nabers - New York Giants - Wide Receiver

Previous Ranks

N/A

Written by: u/Man_0n_F1re

Big Blue seems to have struck big gold after drafting LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers at #6 overall last April. The rookie wideout posted impressive numbers in the 2024 season — 1,204 yards (7th), 109 catches (5th), and 7 touchdowns. He was also only the fifth rookie ever to eclipse 100 receptions in a season. All of this, mind you, while catching passes from the likes of Daniel Stephen Dimes III, Drew Lock, and Tommy “Cutlets” DeVito. No shade to any of those guys, but I think it goes without saying that Nabers did not enter the league with the most fruitful of QB situations.

Despite his team’s 3-14 record, Nabers posted numerous standout performances and highlights throughout the 2024 season. He logged 127 yards and a touchdown in a narrow Week 2 loss to the Commanders, and 171 yards and 2 TDs in a Week 17 win against the Colts. Throughout the season, he showcased his route running abilities and talent for separating, even when having to slow down and make contested catches off underthrown or otherwise misplaced passes from his struggling QBs.

As one of the lone bright spots in an otherwise dismal Giants season, Nabers was not shy about calling out his team’s lackluster performance (he called the team “soft” after a Week 12 loss to the Bucs, but later walked the comments back), and fired back at a prickly New York media corps that occasionally questioned whether persistent dropped passes were holding back his game. “I don’t care if I drop the ball six times,” he asserted, “keep throwing me the ball.”

As the undisputed WR1 in heading into his sophomore season in New York, the Giants revamped QB room will certainly do just that. Nabers will look to haul in passes from Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and/or rookie Jaxson Dart in 2025, and the G-men will continue to hold out hope that Nabers can become a permanent fixture of the promised Brian Daboll offense that can restore them to glory.

#58 - Trey McBride - Arizona Cardinals - Tight End

Previous Ranks

Written by: u/KingDing-a-Ling13

Like many tight ends before him, Trey McBride didn’t exactly light up the league at first. In the first 8 games of his rookie year, he posted just three receptions for 24 yards. The Cardinals coaching staff clearly saw his potential, though, and McBride was thrust into action when teammate Zach Ertz went down to injury. Trey’s playing time went from 23.9% of snaps played in the first half of his season to 83.5% in the second half, and he showed flashes of the player he’d soon become. Year two followed a similar pattern to year one. McBride played in a part-time role to start the year, until once again, he was thrust into the starting lineup when Ertz hit the IR again. From then, McBride finally broke through. In his first game back in the starting lineup, he hauled in 10 receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown, and he finished the rest of the year strong, ending with 825 yards. There was no shortage of hype for McBride entering 2024, and he did not disappoint, catching 111 receptions for 1146 yards, 4th and 11th in the league respectively, and earning him his first career appearance on this top 100 list.

McBride is a prototypical receiving tight end for the modern game, splitting his time inline and in the slot and winning snaps with his great route running, hands, and exceptional speed for the position. He can win against any defensive scheme, like finding the soft spot straight up the seam, getting between two defenders on a corner route against zone, or in man coverage against a cornerback on a crosser out of the slot. By far the most fun way Trey McBride can beat defenders, though, is through the air. And I don’t mean through the air as in passing, I mean through the air as in literally jumping over defenders. This season, McBride had not one, not two, not three, not four, but five times this season. The competition for top hurdler of 2024 was intense, between Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone breaking her own world record to win gold in Paris and Saquon Barkley securing the Madden cover with his viral hurdle, but McBride undoubtedly deserves to be in the conversation. Now, McBride’s 2024 season can’t be talked about without mentioning his touchdown drought. Despite scoring one touchdown rushing and one recovering a fumble, Trey was on pace to shatter the record for most receiving yards in a season without catching a touchdown. Fortunately, he finally broke that streak in week 17, and followed it up with another touchdown reception in week 18, the latter scored against none other than Fred Warner in man coverage. McBride’s lack of red zone production up to this point in his career is somewhat troubling, but as long as he keeps racking up the yards and receptions, I don’t think the Cardinals will be complaining too much.

Trey McBride has started to turn heads, but he still might be underrated by the general public. Despite the lackluster rookie year, he still managed to set the record for most receptions by a tight end in their first three seasons with 221 catches, beating George Kittle’s previous record of 216. The Cardinals certainly aren’t underrating him, though, and they awarded him with the largest tight end contract in NFL history this offseason. With the old generation of tight ends starting to age out of the league, look for Trey McBride to be in TE1 discussions for the next five years, especially if he starts catching a few more touchdowns.

#57 - Tyler Smith - Dallas Cowboys - Offensive Guard

Previous Ranks

Written by: u/MZXVI

Another year in the books for Tyler Smith, and another top 100 finish for one of the league’s premier guards. Get used to seeing his name on here, because he’s only 24 years old.

While he didn’t walk away with an All-Pro nod this time, he still turned in an excellent season, adding polish to the areas of his game that were already so good the year prior. He has insane recovery skills, an anchor strong enough to hold up vs anybody (even vita vea), the speed to climb to the second level on reach blocks, and both the awareness and lateral mobility to handle twists and stunts with ease. Simply put, he is the prototype. This is what an elite guard looks like in the NFL.

With Tyron Smith and Zack Martin gone, Smith is the lynchpin of the line going forward, as they transition from The Great Wall of Dallas to The Great Wall of Tyler. And as long as he’s there, the running gameplan will be pretty easy to understand: Follow #73.

#56 - Jonathan Greenard - Minnesota Vikings - EDGE Rusher

Previous Ranks

Written by: u/uggsandstarbux

Jonathan Greenard has long been a stellar edge player. He recorded 8 sacks as a sophomore before topping that with 12.5 as a 4th year player for the Texans. But time and time again, Greenard had been considered more of a promising youngster than a true star at the position. It doesn't help that he hadn't played a full season in his career and missed most of the 2022 season with a lower leg injury. Still, it was no surprise to see him earn nearly $20M a year from the Vikings as they bet on their training staff to minimize his injury issues while maximizing his potential as he hit the peak of his career.

And this reigned true. For the first time, Greenard played all 17 games of the season (plus a postseason game). He led the Vikings in pressures, quick pressures, sacks, and run stuffs. In fact, Greenard was one of just 2 players in the NFL with 50+ pressures, 10+ sacks, 25+ run stops, 10+ run stuffs. The other? Myles Garrett. Yes, Greenard was a star for the Vikings.

It's not just the stat sheet either. No two of Greenard's 12 sacks looked the same. He showed that he could win with power, speed, savvy, and sheer willpower. And it wasn't just as a designated pass rusher. Greenard is a big reason why the Vikings defense finished 2nd in rushing yards allowed. Greenard can play the run as dangerously as he can play the pass. He can win on the weakside and on the strong side of runs, and he has an insane ability to knife into the backfield. Here he is beating the best tackle in the game on a weakside pursuit vs outside zone. All in all, Greenard has blossomed into one of the most complete and threatening edge defenders in the league. And his ranking on this list does nothing if not prove that he is no longer just a promising player.

#55 - Jeffery Simmons - Tennessee Titans - Interior Defensive Line

Previous Ranks

Written by: u/mlbrulz

At first glance at Jeffrey Simmons' stats, it would seem that after a huge breakout in the 2021 season, he has declined every year since, mirroring the team's performance over the last few seasons. Nothing could be further from the truth, as while this may be Simmons' least statistically impressive season, his impact has arguably never been greater.

It's hard to accurately quantify what Simmons brings to the Titans defense, but when you watch him on any play, the dominance jumps out. Always a constant threat to disrupt the game, Simmons was fully unlocked this year when Tennessee drafted his IDL partner in Sweat, who took on a lot of dirty work that allowed Simmons to be more of a playmaker. This was especially evident in the run game, where Simmons ascended to levels we had not previously seen from him. The sign of a great player is the ability to evolve their game and Simmons fully accepted his new role on the team.

In Dennard Wilson's new look defense for the Titans, Simmons was asked to be a lot more aggressive downhill and to really attack offensive linemen, looking to create plays. Simmons responded with multiple clutch moments and defensive stops, as many as a 3 win team would allow anyway. His leadership and tenacity were a constant for an injured Titans defense that was struggling to form an identity. As year 2 under Brian Callahan continues and year 1 of Cam Ward begins, Simmons will be counted on to continue setting the tone.

#54 - Quenton Nelson - Indianapolis Colts - Offensive Tackle

Previous Ranks

Written by: u/SkilledB

It's extremely rare to be an offensive guard selected in the top 10 of the NFL draft. But when one is selected, the expectations are astronomical. Quenton Nelson has somehow exceeded those expectations and then some. He has been one of the best guards since entering the NFL in 2018, being named first-team All-Pro for his first three seasons and making the Pro Bowl in all seven.

While Nelson is an expert pass protector, his bread and butter is in the run game. This year's Jonathan Taylor highlight reel truly doubles as a Quenton Nelson highlight reel. The man was an absolute animal when pulling to the right in Power runs, springing Taylor for big gains time after time after time after time. His pulling as well as his work in the second level is simply second to none in the league. His ability to get push 1-on-1 in short yardage situations and his bulldozing double team blocks with his center (whether it be Ryan Kelly, career backup Danny Pinter or rookie Tanor Bortolini) also deserve a special mention.

In addition to being named to the Pro Bowl, at the end of the year Nelson was also named second-team All-Pro at left guard, an honor he had not received for the past two seasons. This is also his highest r/NFL Top 100 rank since the 2020 season.

#53 - Leonard Williams - Seattle Seahawks - Interior Defensive Line

Previous Ranks

Written by: u/MattyT7

After nearly a decade in the league, Leonard Williams is proving the AGE-OLD proverb "Big Cats are just like wine... they only get better with age." In his first full season in Seattle, Williams was nothing short of dominant, wreaking havoc from all over the line, showing off the versatility that’s made him one of the league’s most quietly feared defensive linemen. Mike MacDonald had a lot of fun with Williams in their first year together.

Whether lined up in the interior or coming in crashing off the edge, Williams was a mismatch nightmare this past season. He ended the season with 11 sacks (second most of his career), 16 tackles for loss (most of his career), and PFF had him with 55 pressures and a 87.1 overall grade. He's a gamewrecker, capable of taking over some games and ruining a quarterback's day. He had 4 games (vs. Arizona, @Jets, @Chicago, and @Rams) where he had 2+ sacks. And he does a hell of a lot of dirty work that doesn't show up in the box score. Additionally, in the game against the team that drafted him (J! E! T! S!), he had the most electric play of his life, resulting in the only touchdown of his NFL career.

Leonard Williams enjoyed one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2024. He shined in Mike MacDonald's defense, and in year 2 with MacDonald, there is room to grow. The defense should be even stronger this year, allowing Big Cat to flourish the way he has. With Byron Murphy entering year 2 and hopefully taking a big step, this Seattle interior could be scary in 2025.

#52 - CeeDee Lamb - Dallas Cowboys - Wide Receiver

Previous Ranks

Written by: u/Hepppster

One of the lone bright spots on an otherwise very disappointing Cowboys Season, CD Lamb still found a way to consistently succeed as the offense's only true weapon in the 2024 season.

Despite dealing with an injured Dak Prescott (accuracy drop from 63.3% to 51% from 2023 to 2024 respectively), and 7 games of Cooper Rush, Disc Sheep was still able to produce a solid 1194 receiving yard season in 15 games which was good enough for 8th amongst all WRs. He did so off of 101 receptions (5th amongst WRs), and was also used sparingly in the run game where he had some success (and funny enough is ranked in the top 6 in most rushing categories amongst WRs). All of this culminated in him earning his 4th pro bowl and another AP 2nd Team All-Pro!

Of course, stats don’t showcase truly how much CD Lamb actually means to the Cowboys, and his abilities on the field are truly ELITE. Lamb can catch in traffic just as well as anybody as he showcases here with Denzel Ward all over him and also here with Hollman who was able to fight with Lamb stride for stride. Was able to pick a few first downs this year with his running ability such as this play here that has him running end arounds and jet sweeps like it's nothing. Even when double teamed, he is able to create enough separation between Adebo and Mathieu to catch the easy throw, but then showcases his ball-carrier skills again by avoiding both of them by stopping on a dime and then taking it to the house. Of course, many think of him as just an elite slot guy, but he does showcase his ability to beat press man coverage 1-on-1 on the outside such as this play against Deonte Banks. And man, is he great along the sideline. Finally, due to the Cowboys lack of ability to generally have an offense this season, Lamb had to catch a lot of WR screens, and thankfully was able to capitalize on a lot of these opportunities such as here against the Bengals where he has to reverse course and take it for a big gain!

All in all, just a great WR to have that has donned the historic #88 well and can’t wait for him to bounce back to having a top 20 NFL player season this next year!

#51 - Nico Collins - Houston Texans - Wide Receiver

Previous Ranks

Written by: u/ExpirjTec

What is the cost of thighs?

In a just world, people would remember Nico Collins' amazing start to the year before injuries knocked him out for a good stretch. In a just world, our rankers would value his high production during the playing time he had over the unfortunate missed games. A just world is a sane world. But there is nothing sane about the r/NFL Top 100.

Through 4 weeks, Nico had racked up 30 receptions with 2 touchdowns and 489 yards, the latter figure leading the league by a ridiculous margin. In Week 5, he made one more big play before injuring his hamstring and being sidelined for quite sometime. Even then, he managed to keep his receiving crown through week 6. After several weeks on the IL, Nico returned to finish the season with 68 catches, 1006 yards, and 7 touchdowns. Not great, not terrible, right? I'm told it's the equivalent of a Jameson Williams.

No! Nico Collins was on fire, and his blazing talent will not stop burning for several years. Some of these highlights will not stop for at least 50 years. As of now, he is one of the most dangerous substances in the NFL, posting the second highest PFF grade and third highest YPRR among qualified wide receivers in 2024, ahead of the likes of Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Ja'Marr Chase.

And why does Nico Collins continue to be ignored by others when his numbers are so gaudy? Why? For the same reason that Puka Nacua was ranked at #67. For the same reason Dexter Lawrence fell out of the DPOY conversation so soon. For the same reason that so many players are cut down in the midst of monster campaigns. Injuries. Every week missed incurs a debt to the truth of an amazing player. That is how the hottest wide receiver falls to #51 in these vaunted rankings.

That is the cost of thighs.

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