1. Ameer Abdullah
   Khalil Mack
2. Paxton Lynch
   Greg Robinson

In 2018, Khalil Mack signed a contract extension with the Bears worth $141 million. The contract made him the highest paid defensive player ever.

1. Rob Gronkowski​
   Greg Olsen
2. Travis Kelce
   Kyle Rudolph

Rob Gronkowski has often been criticized for his off-the-field antics. However, between the white lines, he is a force to be reckoned with because of his size and physical nature.

1. Dak Prescott
   Russell Wilson
2. Matt Ryan
   Nick Foles

After Carson Wentz went down with an ACL tear, many Eagles fans thought the season was over. Little did they know Nick Foles would step in and have one of the greatest playoff runs of any quarterback to win a Super Bowl.

1. Earl Thomas
   Kam Chancellor
2. Richard Sherman
   Brandon Browner

Richard Sherman was a vocal leader of the Seahawks' defense during their Super Bowl run in 2013-14. Sherman often called out opposing players but was known to criticize his own team as well.

1. Russell Wilson
   Dak Prescott
2. Andrew Luck
   Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy in his final season with the Oklahoma Sooners. He was the first walk-on player to earn the award.

1. Julio Jones
   Antonio Brown
2. Odell Beckham Jr.
   DeAndre Hopkins

During the 2016-17 playoffs, Antonio Brown recorded a video of the Steelers locker room after a victory over the Chiefs. Brown was heavily criticized for the video, which included head coach Mike Tomlin talking about the next game against the Patriots.

1. J.J. Watt
   Terrell Suggs
2. Aaron Donald
   Julius Peppers

Since joining the NFL in 2014, Aaron Donald has earned numerous awards for his play. He was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014 and named the AP Defensive Player of the Year in 2017.

1. Luke Kuechly
   James Harrison
2. Michael Thomas
   Jameis Winston

Luke Kuechly has anchored the Carolina defense for years. During the 2015-16 season, he helped lead the team to the Super Bowl, though they lost to the Broncos.

1. Aaron Rodgers
   Tom Brady
2. Andrew Luck
   Kirk Cousins

Aaron Rodgers is an exceptional talent with both in-the-pocket presence and a rocket for an arm. He has earned two NFL MVP awards and won the Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XLV.

1. DeAndre Hopkins
   Keenan Allen
2. Odell Beckham Jr.
   Davante Adams

In 2018, Odell Beckham Jr. signed a contract that made him the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL. The deal is worth $95 million.

1. Marcus Allen
   Jalen Ramsey
2. Landon Collins
   Justin Evans

Jalen Ramsey played college football at Florida State where he won a national championship in 2013. He was taken as the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft.

1. Todd Gurley
   David Johnson
2. Ezekiel Elliot
   Le'Veon Bell

Each year, Le'Veon Bell proves he's the best running back of his generation. However, the Steelers have yet to sign him to a long-term deal, using the franchise tag on Bell in both 2017 and 2018.

1. Kareem Hunt
   Adrian Peterson
2. Leonard Fournette
   Todd Gurley

In 2012, Adrian Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards. The record, held by Eric Dickerson, is 2,105 yards.

1. Matt Ryan
   Cam Newton
2. Tom Brady
   Drew Brees

Tom Brady has managed to extend his playing career into his early 40s. No quarterback has had success this late in his career, showing just how well Brady takes care of his body.

1. Alvin Kamara
   David Johnson
2. Ezekiel Elliot
   Saquon Barkley

Saquon Barkley played college football at Penn State where he set several records. Surprisingly, he was taken with the second pick in the 2018 NFL draft by the New York Giants, who many thought would draft a quarterback.

1. Todd Gurley
   Cam Newton
2. Alvin Kamara
   Julio Jones

Todd Gurley's career took off his first season in the NFL. He rushed for 1,106 yards and was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

1. J.J. Watt
   Cameron Heyward
2. Von Miller
   Mike Daniels

Von Miller had quite the performance in Super Bowl L. He finished the game with six tackles, two sacks, and forced two fumbles.

1. Drew Brees
   Matt Ryan
2. Tyrod Taylor
   Mark Sanchez

Drew Brees spent his first few seasons in the NFL with the Chargers before tearing the labrum in his throwing shoulder. After the injury, the Chargers refused to commit long-term to Brees, forcing the quarterback to look elsewhere.

1. Akiem Hicks
   Leonard Williams
2. Jurrell Casey
   J.J. Watt

J.J. Watt came into the NFL and quickly made a name for himself as a disruptive force on the defensive line. However, a back injury seems to have slowed him down somewhat, though he is still a productive player.

1. Cam Newton
   Julio Jones
2. Leonard Fournette
   David Johnson

In 2015, Julio Jones led the league in receptions and receiving yards. He finished the season with 136 receptions for 1,871 yards.

1. Matt Ryan
   Carson Wentz
2. Jameis Winston
   Cam Newton

Cam Newton spent one year at Auburn University. That season, he won both the Heisman Trophy and the national championship.

1. Chris Jones
   Fletcher Cox
2. Ndamukong Suh
   Jonathan Allen

Drafted out of Mississippi State, Fletcher Cox came into the NFL in 2012. From 2015 through 2017, Cox was selected to three straight Pro Bowls.

1. Joey Bosa
   Stephon Tuitt
2. Brandon Williams
   Mike Daniels

Joey Bosa missed the first four games of his rookie season because of a hamstring injury. Still, he finished the season with 10.5 sacks and earned the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

1. Carson Wentz
   Dak Prescott
2. Matt Ryan
   Russell Wilson

During his MVP season, Matt Ryan threw for 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns. He also advanced to the Super Bowl, but the Falcons lost to the New England Patriots.

1. Ezekiel Elliott
   Kareem Hunt
2. Leonard Fournette
   Alvin Kamara

In the 2016 NFL draft, Ohio State had five players drafted in the first round. Ezekiel Elliot was one of them, drafted fourth overall.

1. David Johnson
   Jared Goff
2. Cameron Heyward
   Myles Garrett

Myles Garrett played three seasons at Texas A&M. Each year, he amassed at least 8 sacks, finishing his college career with 31 sacks.

1. Davante Adams
   A.J. Green
2. Michael Thomas
   Keenan Allen

A.J. Green is one of the most overlooked wide receivers in the NFL. He has had at least 1,000 yards receiving every year except one when he played in only 10 games.

1. Dak Prescott
   Carson Wentz
2. Russell Wilson
   Jameis Winston

An undersized quarterback, Russell Wilson wasn't drafted until the third round. However, he has since proven that size doesn't matter, making it to four Pro Bowls and winning Super Bowl XLVIII.

1. Davante Adams
   DeAndre Hopkins
2. Dez Bryant
   Jordy Nelson

Dez Bryant did not really come onto the scene until his third season in the NFL. That year, he caught 92 passes for 1,382 yards.

1. Case Keenum
   Larry Fitzgerald
2. Doug Baldwin
   Harrison Smith

Harrison Smith led a Vikings defense in 2017 that was the best in the league. The defense finished with the fewest yards allowed per game.

1. Leonard Fournette
   Marshawn Lynch
2. Dalvin Cook
   Melvin Gordon

Marshawn Lynch famously ignores the media during interviews. He was heavily criticized for this during Media Day leading up to Super Bowl XLIX when he only gave scripted answers.

1. Ben Roethlisberger
   Jameis Winston
2. Andrew Luck
   Kirk Cousins

Ben Roethlisberger has been with the Steelers since he was drafted by the team in 2004. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Year that season and has since gone on to win two Super Bowls.

1. Zach Ertz
   Travis Kelce
2. Greg Olsen
   Jimmy Graham

Travis Kelce got into trouble while playing college football at Cincinnati for partying during Bowl Week. He was almost thrown off the team but managed to earn his way back.

1. Keenan Allen
   Michael Thomas
2. Davante Adams
   DeAndre Hopkins

In 2017, DeAndre Hopkins led the league in touchdown receptions. He finished the season with 13 touchdowns, the most in his career.

1. Jimmy Graham
   Jameis Winston
2. David Johnson
   Alvin Kamara

While playing college football at Northern Iowa, David Johnson rushed for more than 1,000 yards in three different seasons. He finished his college career with 4,682 rushing yards and 49 rushing touchdowns.

1. Jared Goff
   Andrew Luck
2. Kirk Cousins
   Andy Dalton

After his rookie season, Jared Goff seemed like a bust for the Rams' franchise. However, with a coaching change following that season, Goff exploded his second year in the league, passing for 3,804 yards.

1. Mike Daniels
   Devin McCourty
2. Akiem Hicks
   Cameron Heyward

Devin McCourty has been the starting safety for the New England Patriots since his rookie season in 2010. He has helped anchor a defense that has won two Super Bowls since he joined the team.

1. Alvin Kamara
   Leonard Fourette
2. Dalvin Cook
   Joe Mixon

Alvin Kamara is a dual-threat running back for the Saints. In 2017, his first season in the league, Kamara rushed for more than 700 yards and caught passes for more than 800 yards.

1. Tyron Smith
   Zack Martin
2. Travis Frederick
   Nate Solder

The Giants offensive line couldn't get much worse than it was in 2017. With the addition of players like Nate Solder, the team hopes to get back to running the football and protecting Eli Manning.

1. Kareem Hunt
   Mike Daniels
2. Matthew Stafford
   Andrew Luck

Matthew Stafford is one of only a few quarterbacks to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a season. Stafford accomplished this in 2011 after coming off of a shoulder injury.