http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10877567/rssAny listing of even the top 2 players, let alone the top 50, will be controversial...
Even so, there are a few major points I disagree with completely. JT is missing from the list, that's a mistake, but, OK, considering his status, maybe he wasn't really being considered.
Moving on, look at the top quarterbacks:
1) Brady
2) Manning
3) Palmer
WHAT? Carson friggin Palmer is the third best quarterback in the league? By what metric? He's had 3 years of declining performance (his whole career as a starter). Sure, it's all been solid (going from very good to average), but if you're looking at the best quarterbacks RIGHT NOW (or as of last year), how can you possibly choose Palmer over Drew Brees?
Brees has had better traditional stats the past two years and his advanced metrics are even better. And looking at his games, well, he's just a much better quarterback.
He also has lists Roethlisberger before finally taking Brees to round out the top 5 quarterbacks. (The only ones on the list).
Top 5 running backs:
1) LaDanian Tomlinson
2) Adrian Peterson
3) Brian Westbrook
4) Stephen Jackson
5) Fred Taylor
I agree completely with the #1 pick here, but I'd slot Westbrook in at #2. Peterson is a rookie and he might turn out great or he might turn out like Cadillac... It's also noteworthy that when Peterson went down, Chester Taylor (!!!) kept it going with no drop in production. That makes me think: REALLY GREAT OLINE, not necessarily one (or two) of the best running backs in the game.
As for Steven Jackson, you've gotta be kidding me. The only way he even gets close is with a massive oline adjustment, which the author obviously isn't doing or Peterson wouldn't be there. Anyway, Jackson is massively overrated for a simple reason: Inflated stats. Lots of 6 yard runs on 3rd and 7. Lots and LOTS of garbage time yards. Look at his two best games last year. 115 yards against TB in week 3 and 143 against GB in week 15. They lost those games 24-3 and 33-14 respectively (down 3 scores in each). Seriously, it's not hard to rack up yards when you're that far down.
He had some really good games in 2006 and I'm guessing that memory coupled with the inflated stats last year is what gets him a spot.
Uninjured, I'm confident Ronnie would have cracked the list as well. I really hope he'll return to that level of performance, but it's probably not going to be this year.
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