ESPN’s 2026 Top-10 Player Rankings: Who Fell, Who Was Overlooked, and What It Means

ESPN’s seventh-annual survey of more than 70 league executives, coaches and scouts released the 2026 top-10 lists for 11 position groups between July 6 and July 16. The process combined individual ballots, composite vote totals, film study and research assistance from ESPN analyst Matt Bowen. While the rankings spotlight the league’s current elite, they also expose a wave of players who slipped out of the top-10 from the previous year and several high-performing athletes who received no recognition at all.

ESPN

Voters submitted their personal top-10 at each position; ESPN then ranked candidates by the number of top-10 votes, composite averages and follow-up interviews. The methodology is intended to capture “who are the best players right now,” not career achievement or long-term projections.

ESPN

• Running backs: Josh Jacobs (Green Bay Packers) fell to 6 after his yards-per-carry dropped from 4.4 to 4.0 and his yards-after-contact fell from 3rd to 17th. Joe Mixon (Texans) was released after missing 2025 with a foot injury and remained unsigned. Alvin Kamara (Saints) slipped to 10 as his receiving yards fell to 182 and his yards-per-carry to 3.6.

ESPN

• Cornerbacks: Jaylon Johnson (Chicago Bears) dropped to 8 after missing 10 games in 2025; an NFL personnel evaluator noted, “Time on task has been an issue. He missed a lot of camp and game action.”

ESPN

• Edge rushers: Trey Hendrickson (Baltimore Ravens) fell to 6 after a 10-game absence; a personnel evaluator warned, “When age and injuries pile up, it’s harder for him to stay toward the top.”

ESPN

• Defensive tackles: Nnamdi Madubuike (Ravens) landed at 7 after playing only two games due to neck surgery; DeForest Buckner (Colts) slipped to 8 despite “no real drop-off in his play.”

ESPN

• Offensive tackles: Rashawn Slater (Chargers) dropped to 6 after missing the entire 2025 season with injury; an NFC executive asserted, “He’s absolutely a top-10 tackle. He’ll be back on it next year, I believe.”

ESPN

• Interior linemen: Landon Dickerson (Eagles) fell to 5 after a down year; Elgton Jenkins (Browns) dropped to 9 after a nine-game 2025 and a release by Green Bay.

ESPN

• Quarterbacks: Jayden Daniels (Commanders) slipped to 5 after a rookie-of-the-year season followed by a seven-game 2025 campaign with declining numbers. Jalen Hurts (Eagles) fell to 9 despite “up-and-down” play, with an AFC offensive coach still betting on his “Super Bowl credentials.”

ESPN

• Wide receivers: Tyreek Hill (Dolphins) fell to 3 after a four-game 2025 season ended by a ligament tear; Malik Nabers (Giants) dropped to 7 while recovering from an ACL injury; Mike Evans (49ers) slipped to 9 after an eight-game 2025 stint.

ESPN

• Safeties: Minkah Fitzpatrick (Jets) fell to 9 after a trade and missing the Pro Bowl; Julian Love (Seahawks) dropped to 10 despite a Super Bowl-winning interception.

ESPN

The survey’s exclusion of several standout players sparked debate. New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry posted 60 receptions for 768 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, ranking ahead of several listed tight ends in advanced metrics, yet he received no mention from ESPN or Sports Illustrated. Similarly, Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year with 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns, was absent from the wide-receiver list. Analysts highlighted his 79.3 Pro Football Focus grade (tied for 20th league-wide) and No. 87 spot on the NFL Top 100, arguing the omission reflects a disconnect between voter perception and on-field production.

Heavy

• “He’s got juice when he’s full tilt,” an NFL personnel evaluator said of Jaylon Johnson, emphasizing the player’s youth (27) as a factor in potential rebound.

ESPN

• Regarding Trey Hendrickson, a personnel source noted, “He’s been a great performer but doesn’t have the dominant traits as some of the others, so when age and injuries pile up, it’s harder for him to stay toward the top.”

ESPN

• On Rashawn Slater’s injury-ridden season, an NFC executive affirmed confidence in his return: “He’s absolutely a top-10 tackle. He’ll be back on it next year, I believe.”

ESPN

• A scout praised DeMarvion Overshown’s resilience after multiple ligament tears: “He moves like a safety. Incredibly talented. I want to see how he does this year after the injuries.”

ESPN

• An AFC offensive coach defended Jalen Hurts despite a down year: “I know it has been up and down, but I’m still betting on the Super Bowl credentials, the intangibles and the toughness.”

ESPN

• “Time on task has been an issue. He missed a lot of camp and game action.” — NFL personnel evaluator, on Jaylon Johnson

ESPN

• “He’s absolutely a top-10 tackle. He’ll be back on it next year, I believe.” — NFC executive, on Rashawn Slater

ESPN

• “He moves like a safety. Incredibly talented.” — NFC scout, on DeMarvion Overshown

ESPN

• “I know it has been up and down, but I’m still betting on the Super Bowl credentials, the intangibles and the toughness.” — AFC offensive coach, on Jalen Hurts

ESPN

Dropping out of the top-10 can affect player market value, as seen with Josh Jacobs entering the third year of a $48 million contract and Joe Mixon remaining unsigned after his release. Conversely, being omitted despite strong production—exemplified by Hunter Henry and Tetairoa McMillan—raises questions about the weighting of advanced metrics versus traditional voting patterns. Teams and agents may cite these rankings in negotiations, while fans and analysts use them to gauge league trends such as the impact of injuries on elite status.

Sports Illustrated

The sources provide no direct explanation for why certain high-performing players (e.g., Hunter Henry, Tetairoa McMillan) were excluded, nor do they disclose the full voting breakdown for each position, leaving a gap in understanding the precise criteria that led to their omission. Additionally, while several evaluators comment on injuries, the exact medical status of players like Rashawn Slater remains unverified beyond the quoted optimism.

Sports Illustrated