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Jeremy Fowler, senior NFL national reporter
With 2024 NFL training camps on the horizon, it is again time for the league’s true insiders to make their voices heard. ESPN surveyed league executives, coaches and scouts to help us rank the top 10 players at 11 different positions, from quarterback to cornerback and all positions in between. This is the fifth edition of these rankings, and as usual, several players have moved up or fallen off last year’s lists.
A reminder of the rankings process: Voters give us their best 10 players at a position, then we compile the results and rank candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film-study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. In total, nearly 80 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. Additional voting and follow-up calls with those surveyed help us break any ties.
Each section includes quotes and nuggets from the voters on every ranked player — even the honorable mentions. The objective is to identify the best players right now for 2024. This is not a five-year projection or a career achievement award. Who are the best players today?
We will roll out a position per day over 11 days. The schedule: running backs (July 8), defensive tackles (July 9), edge rushers (July 10), safeties (July 11), tight ends (July 12), interior offensive linemen (July 13), offensive tackles (July 14), quarterbacks (July 15), off-ball linebackers (July 16), wide receivers (July 17), cornerbacks (July 18).
The demise of the running backs was greatly — OK, mildly — exaggerated.
The glory days of the 350-carry back are mostly gone, but the position has experienced a major infusion of young talent.
Just look at the past two drafts, which produced three of the top eight recipients in this year’s top-10 ranking. All three players are 23 or younger.
None are close to unseating this year’s No. 1, who garnered more votes than just about any player at any position. But they are eager to try — and might just have the skill sets to do it.
Overall, teams leaned on the running game slightly less in 2023. Thirteen teams surpassed 2,000 yards on the ground, compared to 18 in 2022.
But that didn’t discount the great performances, and free agency showed us that running the ball still pays. Six different backs earned deals worth between $16 and $48 million. Several are on this list … and in new uniforms. Let’s look at some of the game’s top ball carriers as ranked by execs, coaches and scouts around the NFL.