ESPN.com is ranking NFL players and counting them down (follow on Twitter -- @ESPNNFL) from No. 100 to No. 1 on offense and on defense, 10 per day for 10 days. The top 10 on both sides of the ball will be revealed on Friday, Aug. 30.
What is #NFLRank?
#NFLrank is the Twitter hashtag to use if you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along.
You can also follow along here: @ESPNNFL (NFL on ESPN) and on Facebook.
How did we rank the players?
We polled 63 experts to rate each player on a 0-to-10 scale, with 10 being the best regardless of position in the NFL. Ties, as denoted by an asterisk, were broken by determining which player had more ballots with the highest number. (If players were tied, the player with three 10s was ranked higher than the player with two 10s. If the tied players had the same amount of the highest number -- each with two 10s -- we moved to the next number; three 9s beat two 9s).
Here is the full list of voters from ESPN.com, ESPN TV, ESPN Radio, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Insider (including Football Outsiders and Pro Football Focus), ESPN Fantasy, ESPN Boston, ESPN Chicago, ESPN Dallas, ESPN New York and ESPN Stats & Information.
Last year, Decker became the first player in Broncos history with at least 80 receptions and 13 receiving touchdowns in a single season.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
83
6.79*
Anquan Boldin | @AnquanBoldin
San Francisco 49ers | WR | Age: 32 | NFL experience: 11th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: WR31
Boldin led all players in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and targets in last year's postseason. He was especially effective on third down, catching eight passes -- the same number as the rest of the Ravens combined.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
84
6.79*
Trent Richardson | Team Twitter: @Browns
Cleveland Browns | RB | Age: 22 | NFL experience: 2nd year
ESPN Fantasy rank: RB8
Richardson broke Jim Brown's franchise rookie record with 11 rushing touchdowns last season (of course, Brown's season in 1957 lasted only 12 games). Ten of them were between the tackles, which ranked second in the NFL behind Arian Foster.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
85
6.76
Andy Levitre | @LevitreAndy
Tennessee Titans | G | Age: 27 | NFL experience: 5th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: Titans' projections
Levitre made all 64 starts in his four years with the Bills. Buffalo averaged 4.7 yards per rush with Levitre on the field (which would have ranked seventh best as standalone total) and 4.1 yards per rush without him (which would have been 19th).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
86
6.75*
Ben Grubbs | @BenGrubbs66
New Orleans Saints | G | Age: 29 | NFL experience: 7th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: Saints' projections
Grubbs played every offensive snap for the Saints last season. On third or fourth down with 2 yards or fewer to go, the Saints averaged 3.4 yards before contact per rush, third best in the NFL.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
87
6.75*
Steven Jackson | @sj39
Atlanta Falcons | RB | Age: 30 | NFL experience: 10th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: RB11
Jackson is the only player to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of the past eight seasons. He is one of eight players in NFL history to reach 1,000 rushing yards in eight of his first nine seasons.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
88
6.68
Evan Mathis | @EvanMathis69
Philadelphia Eagles | G | Age: 31 | NFL experience: 9th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: Eagles' projections
Mathis signed with the Eagles in 2011 after an effective stint with the Bengals. In the past five years, Eagles or Bengals rushers have averaged over a half-yard more per rush with Mathis on the field (4.56 yards per rush) than without him (3.96).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
89
6.67
Nate Solder | Team Twitter: @Patriots
New England Patriots | OT | Age: 25 | NFL experience: 3rd year
ESPN Fantasy rank: Patriots' projections
Solder played 1,189 snaps last season, most of any player in the past five seasons. In Solder's career, Tom Brady has been sacked every 23.6 drop-backs with Solder on the field and every 17.4 without Solder.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
90
6.63*
Andrew Whitworth | Team Twitter: @Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals | OT | Age: 31 | NFL experience: 8th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: Bengals' projections
Whitworth has started every game for the Bengals over the past four seasons. He is one of 19 players to play at least 4,000 offensive snaps since 2009. Last season, Whitworth became the first Bengals left tackle to make the Pro Bowl since Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz in 1991.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)