ESPN.com is ranking NFL players and counting them down (follow on Twitter -- @ESPNNFL) from No. 100 to No. 1 on offense and on defense, 10 per day for 10 days. The top 10 on both sides of the ball will be revealed on Friday, Aug. 29.
What is #NFLRank?
#NFLrank is the Twitter hashtag to use if you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along.
You can also follow along here: @ESPNNFL (NFL on ESPN) and on Facebook.
How did we rank the players?
We polled 90 experts to rate each player on a 0-to-10 scale, with 10 being the best regardless of position in the NFL. Ties, as denoted by an asterisk, were broken by determining which player had more ballots with the highest number. (If players were tied, the player with three 10s was ranked higher than the player with two 10s. If the tied players had the same amount of the highest number -- each with two 10s -- we moved to the next number; three 9s beat two 9s).
Here is the full list of voters from ESPN.com, ESPN TV, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Insider (including Football Outsiders and Pro Football Focus), ESPN fantasy, ESPN locals and ESPN Stats & Information.
Eddie Lacy was the only rookie with more than 1,000 rushing yards and at least 10 touchdowns last season. He had the fourth-most yards after contact in the league (531).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
59
7.17*
Evan Mathis | @EvanMathis69
Philadelphia Eagles | G | Age: 32 | NFL experience: 10th year
2013 #NFLRank: 88
ESPN Fantasy rank: Eagles' projections
Mathis played every offensive snap for the Eagles last season. Mathis made his first Pro Bowl and was also named first-team All-Pro.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
58
7.18
Antonio Gates | @AntonioGates85
San Diego Chargers | TE | Age: 34 | NFL experience: 12th year
2013 #NFLRank: 69
ESPN Fantasy rank: TE15
Gates' average target depth was 7.0 yards downfield, his shortest in any season dating back to 2006. He caught 77 passes in 2013 and played a full season for the first time since 2009.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
57
7.21*
Pierre Garcon | @PierreGarcon
Washington Redskins | WR | Age: 28 | NFL experience: 7th year
2013 #NFLRank: NR
ESPN Fantasy rank: WR13
Garcon led the NFL with 113 receptions last season. Among wideouts, only Demaryius Thomas had more yards after the catch than Garcon.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
56
7.23
Reggie Wayne | Team Twitter: @Colts
Indianapolis Colts | WR | Age: 35 | NFL experience: 14th year
2013 #NFLRank: 36
ESPN Fantasy rank: WR28
Wayne has 13,566 career receiving yards, 11th-most all time. If Wayne reaches 1,015 yards this season, he will break Marvin Harrison's Colts franchise record and move into seventh place all time.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
55
7.24*
Matt Ryan | @M_Ryan02
Atlanta Falcons | QB | Age: 29 | NFL experience: 7th year
2013 #NFLRank: 22
ESPN Fantasy rank: QB11
Ryan's Total QBR of 61.1 was the highest of any QB on a losing team last season. Ryan's career Total QBR of 68.4 ranks fifth in the NFL since he entered the league in 2008 behind only Manning, Brady, Brees and Rodgers.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
54
7.24*
Anquan Boldin | @AnquanBoldin
San Francisco 49ers | WR | Age: 33 | NFL experience: 12th year
2013 #NFLRank: 83
ESPN Fantasy rank: WR38
Boldin led the NFL in third-down receptions (33), receiving yards (529) and first downs (27) last season. His 1,179 receiving yards in 2013 were the most by a 49er since Terrell Owens in 2002.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
53
7.24*
Mike Iupati | Team Twitter: @49ers
San Francisco 49ers | G | Age: 27 | NFL experience: 5th year
2013 #NFLRank: 32
ESPN Fantasy rank: 49ers projections
Iupati was first-team All-Pro in 2012 and made the Pro Bowl in 2012 and 2013, but a fractured left fibula suffered in last season's NFC Championship Game puts the start of his season in jeopardy.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
52
7.28*
Cam Newton | @CameronNewton
Carolina Panthers | QB | Age: 25 | NFL experience: 4th year
2013 #NFLRank: 100
ESPN Fantasy rank: QB5
Newton has 14 rushing touchdowns in the last two seasons, five more than any other quarterback and tied for eighth-most among all players.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
51
7.28*
Michael Crabtree | @KingCrab15
San Francisco 49ers | WR | Age: 26 | NFL experience: 6th year
2013 #NFLRank: 78
ESPN Fantasy rank: WR21
Crabtree's drop percentage has gone down each year of his career (3.2 percent last season). He averaged a career-high 7.0 yards after the catch (per reception) last season despite coming off an Achilles injury.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)