Pete Prisco’s Top 100 NFL Players of 2026: Myles Garrett tops rankings

Quarterbacks are by far the most valuable players in football, especially in the NFL.

If you picked a list of team MVPs, it would almost certainly be filled with starting quarterbacks. But that doesn’t mean they are always the best players, although many are that and more.

So when putting together my list of the top 100 players in the league, it would be easy to put a quarterback at the top. But that’s not the case this year, although several are in the top 10 and scattered throughout the list.

The top player this year is Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett. He is the league’s best pass rusher and last year set a single-season sack record with 23 for the Cleveland Browns. His ability to dominate a game is why the Rams traded a haul to get him in May in one of the league’s biggest trades of all time.

Trading away a Defensive Player of the Year the season after he won the award had never happened before this deal. But it works for the Rams. They are all in this year, so they made the move to get Garrett by giving up a haul. That tells you his value. It speaks to why he sits atop my list of the NFL’s best 100 players.

With Garrett at the top and Rams quarterback Matt Stafford, fresh off an MVP season, at No. 2, the Rams have the two best players in the league heading into the 2026 season. They also have No. 9 on this list in receiver Puka Nacua. They are a star-laden team for sure.

Garrett is truly an all-time great. But is he the best edge player ever? Not in my book. Lawrence Taylor is.

But Garrett is closing fast. If he has another 20-sack season, it becomes an interesting conversation. For now, he’s the best player in the league.

Putting together this list made me realize how many top-tier players are coming off major injuries. That made it tough to compile. How do you rate Patrick Mahomes? Nick Bosa? Malik Nabers? Jayden Daniels?

It made it a real challenge. But here it is. Have at it. I’m sure you will.