MY NFL TOP 100 PLAYERS LIST: 11-20

My 11-20 list includes several breakout stars on defense.  My #2 & #3 RBs are the only offensive players on this list.  In my top 10, only four defensive players make the list.  The 49ers defense is represented well her with three players.


11. ARIAN FOSTER-HOUSTON TEXANS-RB #2

The guy is just amazing.  He had 17 TDs and 1,641 total yards last year.  He does it so consistently and makes it look so easy that people sometimes take his greatness for granted.  He is clearly the second best RB in the NFL today.  If he and the Texans take the next step and make it to the Super Bowl people should start to see him as Adrian Peterson's equal.

Season	Team			Rushing					Receiving					Fumbles
		G	GS	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	FUM	Lost
2012	Houston Texans	16	16	351	1,424	4.1	46	15	40	217	5.4	23	2	3	2
2011	Houston Texans	13	13	278	1,224	4.4	43	10	53	617	11.6	78T	2	5	3
2010	Houston Texans	16	13	327	1,616	4.9	74T	16	66	604	9.2	50	2	3	2

12. GENO ATKINS-CINCINNATI BENGALS-DT #2 

Aktins and #15 on my list Earl Thomas are probably the two most underrated players in the NFL to the common fan.  Playing in a small market for the Bengals and playing the non glamorous DT position hurt Atkins' notoriety.  However his stats don't lie.  He was 6th in the league with 12.5 sacks and also had 4 forced fumbles.  In advanced stats, according to Pro Football Focus, he was 4th in in run stop percentage among DT's.  The guy can do everything from the DT position.  He is only 25 years old so the sky is the limit for this already productive player.  

Season	Team			Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
		G	GS	Comb	Total	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF
2012	Cincinnati Bengals	16	16	53	39	14	12.5	--	2	--	--	0.0	--	--	4
2011	Cincinnati Bengals	16	15	47	26	21	7.5	0	2	--	--	0.0	--	--	2
2010	Cincinnati Bengals	16	1	16	10	6	3.0	--	1	--	--	0.0	--	--	0

13. JARED ALLEN-MINNESOTA VIKINGS-DE/PR #4

It was going to be nearly impossible for Allen to duplicate his 22 sacks of 2011.  However a 12 sack season is no disappointment and good enough to have him finish 8th in the league in sacks.  Since 2007, Allen has averaged 14.9 sacks per season.  He is one of the best pass rushers in a league that values getting to the QB.  

Season	Team			Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
		G	GS	Comb	Total	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF
2012	Minnesota Vikings	16	16	45	35	10	12.0	--	3	--	--	0.0	--	--	1
2011	Minnesota Vikings	16	16	66	48	18	22.0	1	3	1	14	14.0	14	0	4
2010	Minnesota Vikings	16	16	60	45	15	11.0	0	6	2	40	20.0	36T	1	1

14. PATRICK WILLIS-SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-ILB (non edge) #1

His teammate NaVorro Bowman (#20 on my list) may get more tackles than Willis but Willis is the better all around play maker and frees up Bowman to make many of his tackles.  Willis does a little bit of everything from the ILB spot, he covers TE's and WR's in the slot, he takes on blocks and makes tackles.  He had 2 interceptions and 9 passes deflected in 2012.  He runs like a safety and hits like a DE.  His skills in coverage are second to none compared to any LB in the league.  

Season	Team			Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
		G	GS	Comb	Total	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF
2012	San Francisco 49ers	16	16	120	88	32	0.5	--	9	2	2	1.0	2	0	2
2011	San Francisco 49ers	13	13	97	74	23	2.0	--	12	1	10	10.0	10	0	4
2010	San Francisco 49ers	15	15	128	101	27	6.0	--	5	--	--	0.0	--	--	2

15. EARL THOMAS-SEATTLE SEAHAWKS-S #1

Thomas is the best player on an elite Seahwaks defense.  His range and ball hawking ability allow Seattle's two big corners, Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner to play physical press man.  Thomas' skills as a free safety also allow big strong safety Kam Chancellor to play in the box most of the time.  His numbers don't show just how important he is to the Seattle defense.  

Season	Team			Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
		G	GS	Comb	Total	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF
2012	Seattle Seahawks	16	16	66	42	24	0.0	0	9	3	80	26.7	57T	1	1
2011	Seattle Seahawks	16	16	98	69	29	0.0	--	7	2	19	9.5	11	0	1
2010	Seattle Seahawks	16	16	76	64	12	0.0	0	7	5	68	13.6	34	0	1

16. HALOTI NGATA-BALTIMORE RAVENS-DT #3

Ngata is another guy where numbers don't illustrate how great and important he is.  Even when he wasn't at 100%, Ngata was still a force in the middle of the Ravens Super Bowl winning defense.   In 2012, Ngata made his 5th straight All-Pro team.  If he keeps having All-Pro seasons, he should join his former Raven's teammates Ray Lewis and Ed Reed in Canton one day.  

Season	Team			Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
		G	GS	Comb	Total	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF
2012	Baltimore Ravens	14	14	51	33	18	5.0	--	1	--	--	0.0	--	--	0
2011	Baltimore Ravens	16	16	64	36	28	5.0	0	5	--	--	0.0	--	--	2
2010	Baltimore Ravens	16	15	63	46	17	5.5	--	5	--	--	0.0	--	--	0

17. CHARLES TILLMAN-CHICAGO BEARS-CB #1

Over the past two seasons, Tillman has come out of no where to become one of the best playmaking DB's in the NFL.  In 2012 he tied for the lead in defensive TD's with 3 interceptions returned for scores.  His 10 forced fumbles were also tops in the league.  It seemed like he was single handily responsible for the Bears fantasy defense having several MONSTER games in 2012.  Over the past two seasons, he has 5 TD's, 6 interceptions and 28 passes deflected.  Tillman is the best player on a stacked Bears defense.  

Season	Team			Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
		G	GS	Comb	Total	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF
2012	Chicago Bears	16	16	86	74	12	0.0	0	16	3	71	23.7	36T	3	10
2011	Chicago Bears	16	16	99	82	17	1.0	0	12	3	66	22.0	44T	2	4
2010	Chicago Bears	16	16	82	71	11	0.0	--	14	5	127	25.4	56	0	3

18. ALDON SMITH-SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-OLB/PR #5

Smith improved on his rookie sack numbers going from 14 sacks in 2011 to 19.5 sacks last year.  He made the jump from situational pass rusher as a rookie to a full time player in 2012.  While Aldon is an emerging superstar, he is clearly a product of playing along side the best interior defensive lineman in the league Justin Smith.  Once Justin Smith got hurt in Week 15, Aldon didn't have a single sack the rest of the season and didn't have a sack in the playoffs neither.  The 49ers need more consistency from their young stud in order to WIN the Super Bowl next year.  

Season	Team			Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
		G	GS	Comb	Total	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF
2012	San Francisco 49ers	16	16	66	50	16	19.5	--	1	1	6	6.0	6	0	3
2011	San Francisco 49ers	16	0	37	31	6	14.0	1	4	--	--	0.0	--	--	2

19. RAY RICE-BALTIMORE RAVENS-RB #3

In 2012 Rice had a less productive season than usual.  Yet when it matters most, Ray Rice is a go to guy.  On 4th and 29 against the Chargers in week 12 he had arguably the play of the season.  

It is a must watch in Real Time! 

Rice was also a key member of the Ravens offense en route to a win in Super Bowl XLVII.  

Season	Team			Rushing					Receiving					Fumbles
		G	GS	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	FUM	Lost
2012	Baltimore Ravens	16	16	257	1,143	4.4	46	9	61	478	7.8	43	1	1	0
2011	Baltimore Ravens	16	16	291	1,364	4.7	70T	12	76	704	9.3	52	3	2	2
2010	Baltimore Ravens	16	14	307	1,220	4.0	50	5	63	556	8.8	34	1	--	--

20. NaVORRO BOWMAN-SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-ILB (non edge) #2

Bowman is the second best ILB on his own defense but he's also the second best ILB in the league.  He's the perfect fit to play along side Willis and Aldon Smith because he doesn't miss tackles.  With Justin Smith, Willis and Aldon Smith taking getting extra blocks, Bowman is often free to roam.  Bowman has made the best of his opportunity. finishing tied for second in the league in tackles last year.  Over the past two seasons he has averaged 145.5 tackles per season.  

Season	Team			Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
		G	GS	Comb	Total	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF
2012	San Francisco 49ers	16	16	148	96	52	2.0	--	6	1	11	11.0	11	0	1
2011	San Francisco 49ers	16	16	143	111	32	2.0	--	8	--	--	0.0	--	--	0
2010	San Francisco 49ers	16	1	46	38	8	0.0	--	0	--	--	0.0	--	--	0
TOTAL				337	245	92	4.0	0	14	1	11	--	11	0	1