Bosa and the Diggs brothers are close to the top of the list of the Top 100 Players of 2022, Nos. 30–21.
Bosa and the Diggs brothers are close to the top of the list of the Top 100 Players of 2022, Nos. 30–21. It’s that time of the year again, when NFL players vote for the best players in the league for the 2022 season. Check out how your favorite players did in this year’s voting to see where they stand.
#21 Joe Burrow
- Side – Cincinnati Bengals
- Position – QB
In 2021, Burrow led his team further than Cincinnati had gone in more than 30 years. It was only his second season as a coach. With Burrow calling the plays, the Bengals won their first playoff game since 1990 and went all the way to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1988. In order to get to the big game, he beat Derek Carr and the Raiders, Ryan Tannehill and the Titans, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in overtime. During that time, he had a passer rating of 108.3, which was second in the NFL only to Aaron Rodgers. This finish was even more impressive because he had major knee surgery at the end of the 2020 season. Because of this, he was named the AP Comeback Player of the Year for 2021.
#22 George Kittle
- Side – San Francisco 49ers
- Position – TE
Kittle has been a consistent leader in the 49ers’ locker room for the past five years. He also keeps having good seasons on the field. Pro Football Focus said that Kittle was the third-best player at his position in 2021. In addition to his usual dominance as a blocker, Kittle also had the fourth-most receiving yards by a tight end that year with 910. He has a lot of skills and is a good leader, which is why he is at No. 22 on this list for the fourth year in a row.
#23 Trevon Diggs
- Side – Dallas Cowboys
- Position – CB
Diggs is so high on the list because, in a league where passing is often the best way to win, he is one of the best players to stop it in its tracks. Diggs is only in his second season with the Cowboys, but the young star is already making a name for himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the game. Last season, he had 11 interceptions and two defensive touchdowns, which were both the best in the league. However, the fact that he had 11 interceptions is what makes him really stand out. The last time a player had at least 11 interceptions was in 1981, so Diggs’ performance in 2021 was truly once in a generation.
#24 Ja’Marr Chase
- Side – Cincinnati Bengals
- Position – WR
Simply put, Chase was one of the best first-year wide receivers ever in 2021. His first year was a big surprise, and Cincinnati’s No. 5 overall pick was money well spent. Chase was a big part of the Bengals’ run to the Super Bowl, and he also broke a number of records for the team, including the record for most receiving yards in a game (266) in addition to the most receiving yards in a season. He also broke the NFL’s records for receiving yards by a rookie in a game, in the playoffs (368 yards), and for the whole season. His 1,455 receiving yards also put him in fourth place in the league. At the end of the season, Chase was named to the Pro Bowl and was named the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
#25 Nick Bosa
- Side – San Francisco 49ers
- Position – DE
In 2019, Bosa won the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. However, he was unable to have a strong Sophomore season because he tore his ACL in Week 2 of the 2020 season. But the third time was the charm because Bosa came back strong in his third year and made more than he did in his first season. During San Francisco’s run to the NFC championship game, Bosa started all 20 games and set a new career-high with 15.5 sacks. He added four more in the playoffs, tying AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt for having the maximum tackles for loss in the NFL (21). Bosa has only been playing football for three years, so it will be interesting to see how high he can move up the Top 100 list in the coming years.
#26 Stefon Diggs
- Side – Buffalo Bills
- Positions – WR
Since he moved to Buffalo two years ago, Diggs has become the Bills’ top receiver, Josh Allen’s favorite target, and one of the best receivers in the game. In 2020, he had the most receptions (127) and the most receiving yards in the NFL (1,535). In 2021, he caught 103 passes for 1,225 yards, which was close to what he did in 2020. Both years, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl. Diggs can perform at all 3 tiers and against all types of coverage. This makes it hard for defenses to stop him without leaving other players open. The Bills saw how good Diggs was and gave him a $96 million four-year contract extension this offseason to keep him in the squad until 2027.
#27 Matthew Stafford
- Side – Los Angeles Rams
- Position – QB
After 12 years with the Lions that didn’t go anywhere, Stafford moved to Los Angeles in 2021 to play for the Rams. This was a smart move that paid off. Stafford led the Rams to their first Super Bowl win since 1999 and their first win since moving to Los Angeles. During that season, Stafford had 4,886 passing yards, which was the third most in the league. He also led the Rams to a 12-5 record and playoff wins over Kyler Murray, Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Joe Burrow on the way to the championship.
#28 Quenton Nelson
- Side – Indianapolis Colts
- Position – G
Even though offensive linemen don’t always have the most impressive stats, Nelson has made a name for himself in the league in just four years. He has been named first-team All-Pro three times and will go to his fourth Pro Bowl because he is a wall on the offensive line. In 2021, Nelson played 767 snaps and only gave up one sack the whole season. In his four-year career, which has included 4,029 snaps, he has only given up four sacks. Those numbers are completely crazy. You can already talk about Nelson as one of the best guards the Colts have ever had.
#29 Bobby Wagner
- Side – Los Angeles Rams
- Position – MLB
Wagner is one of the best Seahawks of all time, and he was one of the last players still on the team when it won the Super Bowl in 2013. Wagner is still one of the best at his position, even though he is 32 years old. He has had great seasons over and over again, even as he gets older and closer to the end of his career. Wagner’s 10th season in the NFL was 2021, and he celebrated by making a career-high 170 tackles (his 10th straight season with at least 100 tackles) and making it to the Pro Bowl for the eighth time in a row, which is a fantastic feat. Wagner was rewarded for his consistency when he signed a five-year, $50 million deal with the rival Rams in the offseason.
#30 Joey Bosa
- Side – Los Angeles Chargers
- Position – LB
The former AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year has been a vital part of the Chargers’ defense for more than six years. Bosa missed some time in 2020 because of injuries, but he came back and started 16 games. He was all over the field messing up opposing offenses, forcing seven fumbles, and getting 10.5 sacks, both career highs. His work got him a spot in the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. He and Junior Seau, who is now in the Hall of Fame, are the only Chargers to be named to the Pro Bowl four times in their first five seasons.