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It’s not an NFL offseason without discourse surrounding the latest NFL Top 100 list.
With the series’ 10th installment set to premiere tonight, we took a crack at listing the Bengals players we think could make this year’s list in order of most confident to least confident.
Joe Mixon
Mixon just turned 24 a couple days ago and is the safest bet to make this year’s list. He’s established himself as one of the most physically gifted running backs in the game, especially out of those who’re on the younger side, and he’s got the production to back it up. Last year, 10 running backs made up the 100-player list, and it’s hard to name 10 running backs better than Mixon at this point in time.
Geno Atkins
Despite not having one of his better seasons in 2019, Atkins still carries a respectable reputation amongst the league’s player base. His ranking in the list has dropped nearly every year since 2016; going from 29th down to 68th, back up to 63rd, and then coming 79th on last year’s list. The 3-technique position continues to grow with talent, leaving Atkins’ standing amongst the best shaky at this point in his career. Still, he may squeak in near the bottom of the list.
Carlos Dunlap
Dunlap’s dominant second half of last season might’ve been enough for players give him the nod as they were filling out the end of their ballots, and it’s not like he was a total pedestrian for the first half of the season. He was Pro Football Focus’ fifth-highest graded edge defender after all. His accomplished veteran status also gives him a chance. It should be noted that nearly a quarter of last year’s list was made up of defensive lineman; most of them being edge defenders.
D.J. Reader
The Bengals’ prized free agent acquisition from this offseason elevated his game during his fourth and final year with the Houston Texans last year. Reader’s new contract with the Bengals won’t impact his popularity amongst the voting players, considering the ballots are collected near the end of the regular season, but his impressive 2019 season that helped earn him that contract may’ve just pushed him onto the list.
Tyler Boyd
If Boyd didn’t make last year’s list after his fantastic 2018 season, he probably won’t make this year’s list either. Crossing the 1,000 yard threshold for the second season in a row isn’t anything to sneeze at, but his efficiency in how he got there again dropped in nearly all regards, and by no real fault of his own. Seeing his name pop up would be a pleasant surprise.
A.J. Green
We have to include Green, even if there’s less than a 1% chance he makes the list after missing the entire season. He dropped from the 22nd spot in 2018 to the 58th spot in 2019 after missing half of the 2018 season. For him to remain on the list anywhere this year would be a miracle based on the standards established by the voting system.