Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley claimed the top spot on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2025 list, voted by players across the league. The rankings recognize the best performers from the regular season and playoffs, with Barkley rising after leading the Eagles to Super Bowl glory. This list expands far beyond typical MVP talks involving quarterbacks like Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford.
Background
The NFL Top 100 Players list comes out each year after the season ends. Players vote for the top performers they faced on the field. This marks the 15th year of the list. Only one other running back has ever held the No. 1 spot: Adrian Peterson in 2013. Barkley's jump to the top came after he rushed for over 2,000 yards in his first year with Philadelphia. He joined the rare group of players to hit that mark in a season.
Barkley moved to the Eagles before the 2024 season. His vision, speed, and ability to dodge tackles stood out. He had 11 games with 100 or more rushing yards, including five over 150. A highlight came when he leaped over a defender, a play now on the cover of Madden 26. Philadelphia's strong offensive line helped, giving him 829 yards before contact. In the playoffs, he ran for 119, 205, and 118 yards in key games leading to Super Bowl LIX.
Quarterbacks often dominate these talks, but this list mixes positions. Myles Garrett of the Browns took the top defender spot for the second year in a row. Derrick Henry and Joe Burrow also ranked high based on their stats. The list shows how players value different skills across the league.
Key Details
Top 10 Players
Saquon Barkley sits at No. 1. Lamar Jackson of the Ravens holds No. 2 as the top quarterback. Jackson had his best passing year with career highs in yards, touchdowns, and a 119.6 passer rating. He led all QBs in rushing yards and set records like being the first to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 800 in one season.
Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs is No. 3. He went 15-1 as a starter and led Kansas City to a third straight Super Bowl. Mahomes excelled in the fourth quarter with five comebacks and seven game-winning drives. He joined Aaron Rodgers as one of few with five seasons of 40-plus offensive touchdowns.
Joe Burrow of the Bengals ranks No. 4. Burrow set team records in completions, yards, and touchdowns. From Weeks 9 to 17, he had eight straight games with 250-plus yards and three-plus TDs, an NFL record. He won his second Comeback Player of the Year award.
Derrick Henry of the Ravens is No. 5. Henry led the league with 562 rushing yards over expected. He gained 1,361 yards after contact and forced 100 missed tackles. His 675 yards after missed tackles topped the NFL.
Myles Garrett, Browns edge rusher, is No. 6, the top defender. He had seven straight seasons with 10-plus sacks, tying for the third-longest streak ever. Garrett reached 100 sacks before turning 29, the fastest in NFL history to that point.
Other top 10 spots went to Patrick Surtain II of the Broncos at No. 7, the top defensive back, and strong showings from Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and Christian McCaffrey.
Standouts Beyond the Top 10
Drake Maye of the Patriots led the NFL in QBR at 77.2, well ahead of others. Matthew Stafford of the Rams ranked high with top marks in air yards and points above average. His Rams offense led in EPA per drive.
DK Metcalf? Wait, no—Jaxon Smith-Njigba led receivers with 119 catches for 1,793 yards and top yards per route run. Bijan Robinson of the Falcons was the best running back by some measures, excelling in run and pass games with high YAC over expected.
Chris Jones of the Chiefs had the best pass rush win rate at defensive tackle. Joe Thuney of the Bears led guards in pass block win rate at 97.6%.
"Barkley is the NFL's Superman this year," said an anonymous Eagles teammate. "His runs changed every game for us."
The full list runs from No. 100 Ladd McConkey of the Chargers to Barkley at No. 1. It includes players like Aaron Jones at 98 and Leonard Williams at 99.
What This Means
Barkley's No. 1 ranking sets a high bar for running backs. It shows teams that invest in strong lines and versatile backs can dominate. His Super Bowl win adds weight—only a few players top the list after championship success.
Quarterbacks like Jackson and Mahomes stay elite, but Barkley proves other positions matter. Teams without top QBs, like the Eagles, still compete with balance. The Eagles' line created space that let Barkley thrive, a model for others.
For players lower on the list, like Mahomes after an ACL injury, it signals resilience counts. Stafford and Maye in MVP talks highlight how stats like QBR and EPA shape views. Defenders like Garrett remind that pressure up front wins games.
Free agency and drafts will shift based on this. Barkley's success might boost running back values. Teams eye players like Henry or Robinson for similar impact. The list guides GMs on who builds winners.
Injuries affected some, like Mahomes missing games, but voters focused on full impact. It pushes young players like Maye to chase top spots next year. The NFL stays quarterback-driven, but Barkley's year opens doors for skill players.
League-wide, more dual-threat QBs like Jackson lead trends. RBs gaining after contact, like Henry, become prized. Offensive lines, key for Barkley and Thuney, get more attention in builds.
This list sparks offseason moves. Chiefs aim to rebound with Mahomes healthy. Bengals build around Burrow's late surge. Eagles defend their title with Barkley leading.
