The NFL will kick off its 2024 Top 100 players on Monday, rolling through the list of names throughout the rest of the summer. Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker figures to land closer to the top than the bottom, though four ballots released by the league show a mixed bag when it comes to where he slots.
NFL Films tweeted out four anonymous ballots of their top 20 players. All four ranked Watt in different spots.
Ballot No. 1 – No. 9
Ballot No. 2 – No. 8
Ballot No. 3 – No. 11
Ballot No. 4 – Unranked
If this small sample size is any indication, Watt will likely rank around the top 10. It would be a boost over where he finished a year ago coming off an injury-marred 202 campaign. Here’s his year-by-year finishes.
T.J. Watt Top-100 Rankings
2023 – No. 27
2022 – No. 6
2021 – No. 9
2020 – No. 25
2019 – No. 93
2018 – Unranked
While the first three ballots are reasonable, it’s interesting the fourth ballot left Watt of the top-20 list entirely. Instead, players like Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield, San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy, and San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle were all ranked ahead of him (I’m going out on a limb and suggest this was made by a 49ers player).
How the NFL uses this information from players is unclear. It’s not even certain players are asked to rank all Top 100. These ballots only show the top 20. It’s possible there are multiple cards, but it seems silly to ask players to rank their 87th versus 86th best players in football.
While Watt will place somewhere inside the Top 100, will any other Steelers join him? FS Minkah Fitzpatrick should make the list, he’s certainly one of football’s best 100 players, but he’s coming off an injury-riddled season where he failed to record an interception. Last year, Fitzpatrick ranked 18th and will likely finish far lower on this year’s list. DL Cam Heyward placed 45th a season ago but after a groin injury that cost him half the year, he might not make the list. Perhaps WR George Pickens could come in low on the list, but receiver is a competitive spot and it’s likely he falls outside the rankings. Ditto with CB Joey Porter Jr.
The NFL will reveal the top 10 players on Aug. 2 at 8 PM/EST on NFL Network.
