With the NFL regular season starting in eight days, it’s time to start looking at players who could be the best in the league this season, and ESPN ranked the top 100 players for the season.
ESPN asked 12 NFL reporters to help create the list: Aaron Schatz, Ben Solak, Dan Graziano, Eric Moody, Field Yates, Jeff Legwold, Liz Loza, Matt Bowen, Mina Kimes, Mike Clay, Nick Wagoner, and Seth Walder.
Buffalo Bills Quarterback Josh Allen Comes in at No. 2
The 12 reporters ranked the players by how they expected them to do this season, and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen ranked No. 2.
“Allen is back for his ninth NFL season, armed with a new head coach (Joe Brady) who has worked closely with him since 2022 and a new No. 1 wide receiver (DJ Moore). In each of the past three seasons, Allen has scored at least 25 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns. In NFL history, all other players combined have only two such seasons,” ESPN wrote on Tuesday.
ESPN also predicted that Allen will have 3,946 passing yards, 26 TDs, 12 INTs; 116 carries, 580 rushing yards, 12 TDs this season.
Even though ESPN ranked Allen the No. 2 player on the list, he was the top quarterback ranked. The only player ranked above Allen was Los Angeles Rams pass rusher Myles Garrett.
Other quarterback rankings in the top 10 included Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens at No. 3, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 5, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 8, and Matthew Stafford of the Rams at No. 9.
Two Other Bills Players Made the Top 100 List
The Bills had two other players that ESPN ranked in the top 100, with offensive tackle Dion Dawkins coming in at No. 83.
“Dawkins, in his 10th NFL season, has been ultra-reliable up front and is coming off one of his best seasons. The left tackle has played in at least 15 games every season, and he lost some weight over the offseason to help him play faster,” ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg wrote.
The other player was running back James Cook, who came in at No. 66.
“After leading the league with 1,621 rushing yards last season, Cook is primed for another big year with coach Joe Brady calling plays for him yet again,” Getzenberg added. “He’s the best back in the league,” quarterback Josh Allen said in June. “… He’s a tremendous talent, tremendous player, tremendous teammate.” A component to watch in his game is whether Cook will increase his receiving production (33 catches, 291 yards and two touchdowns in 2025).”
ESPN predicted that Cook will record 300 carries, 1,401 rushing yards, 11 TDs; 36 receptions, 302 receiving yards, two TDs this season.
It’s a little unsettling that the Bills have only three players in the NFL’s top 100, since they are supposed to be a Super Bowl contender this season.
The Bills will kick off their season on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m. ET against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium.
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