Vikings Nearly Shut Out of ‘NFL Top 100’ Rankings
Justin Jefferson — he was the only Minnesota Viking to find some love on CBS Sports‘ annual Top 100 players list this go-around. Los Angeles Rams Myles Garrett pass rusher led the way, with Matthew Stafford curiously outranking Josh Allen, but after that, Jefferson alone represented Minnesota.
The Vikings usually have at least two players on the list; 2026 is a different story.
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Jefferson at No. 8
Ahead of Puka Nacua (Los Angeles Rams, WR) and Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens, QB), Jefferson checked in at No. 8, with Pete Prisco explaining, “He was hurt by poor quarterback play last year, but he remains the most talented receiver in the game.”
“He had 84 catches and only two touchdowns last season. Kyler Murray should help his numbers this year. (Last season: No. 5)”
Penei Sewell (Detroit Lions, OT) and Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs, QB) were ranked ahead of Jefferson at No. 6 and 7, respectively.
Prisco clarified about his criteria, “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.”
Love for Jefferson Despite Quiet Year by His Standards
Jefferson’s 2025 season needs some context. The Vikings’ passing game was a mess, cycling through J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. This inconsistency crippled their aerial attack, disrupting timing and forcing receivers to adapt to inaccurate throws and stalled drives. Despite those challenges, Jefferson still managed 84 catches, 1,048 yards, and 2 touchdowns, a testament to his talent, not a sign of decline or tarnish.
And the lofty expectations stem from his extraordinary past performance. In 2022, with Kirk Cousins at quarterback, Jefferson amassed over 1,800 yards, earned Offensive Player of the Year, and finished fifth in MVP voting. That exceptional player hasn’t vanished; instead, they were placed in a production backseat because of Minnesota’s offensive woes a year ago.
Turning just 27 this summer, Jefferson remains firmly in his prime. With a decent quarterback, a 1,500-yard season is undoubtedly within reach. The Vikings’ chaotic passing game hindered Jefferson’s production, and he paid the price.
Snubs on Offense
While the following three men didn’t deserve mandatory inclusion on Prisco’s list, they were assuredly considered during compilation:
- Jordan Addison (WR)
- Christian Darrisaw (LT)
- Brian O’Neill (RT)
Addison hasn’t yet topped 1,000 yards in a single season, and he, like Jefferson, struggled a bit in 2025 due to Minnesota’s shoddy quarterbacking. There’s a world where he’ll be considered a Top 100 player at this time next year if the aforementioned Murray unlocks his skill set to the fullest.
Darrisaw didn’t play a full season in 2025, nursing an ACL recovery that dates back to October 2024. It’s fair to leave Darrisaw off the Top 100 this time because of his shortened 2025 campaign, but overall, he’s a Top 100 player in the NFL.
So is O’Neill. If Prisco wholly snubbed anyone, it was O’Neill. The man never posts bad seasons, and if you polled players and coaches, O’Neill would probably make the cut in the Top 100. He’s also due for a contract extension this summer that will likely attach him to the Vikings for a few more years.
Snubs on Defense
Like the offense, three Vikings defensive players had a reasonable claim to Prisco’s list:
- Blake Cashman (LB)
- Jalen Redmond (DT)
- Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB)
Admittedly, Cashman would be a long shot for the Top 100; he doesn’t quite get nationwide recognition and misses about four games annually.
Redmond, though, has posted back-to-back fantastic seasons. Due to his humble background — rising to power in the UFL — the league and its fans just don’t really know about him yet. Pound for pound, after Minnesota traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles in April, Redmond might be the club’s best defensive player.
Regarding name recognition, and similar to O’Neill on offense, Van Ginkel is arguably the top snub on defense. Van Ginkel is versatile and productive; most of the league knows about him by now.
These former Vikings made the cut for Prisco:
- Danielle Hunter (No. 37)
- Sam Darnold (No. 72)
Other Top 100 lists will circulate online later this summer. Perhaps the Vikings will be represented by more than one player.
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