"The Top 100 Players of 2023" -- voted on by the players themselves -- is underway on NFL+! The series concludes with a two-hour live show -- "The Top 100 Players of 2023: The Top 10" -- on Monday, Aug. 7, on NFL+.
Garrett has shown himself to be one of the most consistent edge rushers in the league, collecting double-digit sacks in six of his seven seasons, only excluding his rookie year. His four passes defensed and 18 tackles for loss in 2022 were both career highs, and his second-straight 16-sack total was the second-highest in the league, earning him the highest PFF grade among edge defenders (92.5).
Even with the 49ers' carousel of quarterbacks and plethora of other available weapons available on the roster, Kittle continues to prove himself as one of the top tight ends in the league both in pass catching and blocking. Kittle had the second-best overall grade among TEs (84.7), per PFF, and ranked top-five at the position in receiving yards (765) while setting a career high in touchdowns (11).
Fitzpatrick opened the 2022 season by intercepting Joe Burrow for a pick-six in Week 1, an indication of what was to come the rest of the year. He finished the year tied for the league lead with six total INTs, along with 11 passes defensed, and his skills as a ballhawk earned him first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors after a year off.
Crosby can make a case for being one of the best pass rushers in the league after earning the second Pro Bowl trip of his young career. Crosby put up a career-high 12.5 sacks in 2022, his second time hitting double-digits after his rookie season. He clearly made his presence felt in backfields, finishing first in the league in tackles for loss (22) and second in quarterback hits (36).
Diggs continues to show himself to be a consistently excellent No. 1 WR for the Bills, recording his fifth straight season with at least 1,000 receiving yards, his third straight year with over 100 receptions, and a career-high 11 touchdowns, all of which ranked top-five in the league in 2022.
Warner has been the picture of consistency as part of the 49ers’ top-ranked defense, missing only one game over his five-year career, an incredible feat for any player. In his 17 games in 2022, Warner racked up 130 tackles, with 79 of them solo, along with two sacks, six QB hits and a career-high 10 passes defensed to earn first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
Williams played 872 snaps in 2022 and gave up just one sack. His continued ability to be a dominating presence on the offensive line led to Williams' 10th Pro Bowl selection, second first-team All-Pro nod and, most notably, third straight year of being ranked No. 1 on PFF’s rankings of tackles with a 91.7 grade. Williams has been one of the best, if not the best, OTs in the NFL since arriving in The Bay.
With his Fresno State teammate Derek Carr tossing passes to him again in Las Vegas, Adams finished with 1,516 receiving yards in 2022, third-most in the league and just 37 yards off his career high. And notably, Adams’ end-zone productivity continued to be top-notch, leading all players in receiving TDs (14) for the second time in his career on his way to a sixth-straight Pro Bowl selection.
Jacobs had his fifth-year option declined by the Raiders leading into 2022, setting up a prove-it season for the RB during which he showed why his team was wrong to doubt him. The 25-year-old led the league with a career-high 1,653 rushing yards, earning his first first-team All-Pro selection and his highest career ranking on this list.
Donald debated retirement after the Rams' Super Bowl LVI win but decided to return for 2022 with a restructured contract that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. And that money is no surprise when you consider his reputation as one of the best defensive players in the game. Despite injuries limiting him to 11 games, Donald still earned a Pro Bowl nod and the third-highest PFF ranking among interior defenders (90.5).
