News: ESPN: Bryant fails to make top 101 player list

[SDCowboy]

Wait...so Dez, Romo and Witten don't make the list...but Hatcher and Murray did? That list...

 

[Nova]

Grading by whom? Journalists?

Honestly I’m not sure who they are. I’ve heard one person from the company have a nice debate with Broaddus one Saturday morning. For the life of me, I can’t remember his credentials.

But if you look at any of their in-depth analysis, it’s evident they have some background in the sport, or are just super fans that managed to land a job.

 

[Nova]

2nd most TDs (13) from WRs in the league.
8th in receptions
13th in yards

Give me a break

And the other stats--especially the deference between 2 and 3 fumbles making this huge difference--is a joke. And yes, blocking is important. But far less so for you primary WR target. I'm glad Harris blocks well...that adds value. But if Dez gets a -2.5 in blocking, that should effect his rating by .00001%.
When really silly stuff starts getting factored in more than it should, it shows gaping holes in the overall football savvy of those observing the player.

Some of it is silly, I agree. But again, it’s important to remember…

The first thing to note about our “rankings” is that they are not rankings in the traditional sense. We don’t measure talent; we’re not telling you who the best players are. Our rankings are more of a performance evaluation, and a reflection of how efficiently a player made plays in the time he was on the field.

Also on PFF's home page, they give their explanation of why Bryant missed the list, but they admit the guy is a top 5 receiver.

 

[gimmesix]

​

When you compile a list of the top 100 players in the NFL it's a major undertaking. You need to look at the stats, the type of talent, the opponents played against, almost everything. Pro Football Focus recently came out with its Top 101 players and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant wasn't listed. Bryant earned his first Pro Bowl berth in 2013 after catching 93 passes for 1,233 yards with 13 touchdowns. He finished tied for third in touchdowns and was fifth in first downs earned (67) for players at his position.

Steve Palazzolo of PFF wrote a column about Bryant missing the list.

Palazzolo wrote in part: "Just going through Bryant's positives and negatives have me going back and forth about Bryant's inclusion on the list. He has the ability to take over and dominate a game, and he certainly did that his fair share of the time in 2013, but his pedestrian finish is tough to overlook. When combined with the deep class of wide receivers, it made it difficult to find a place for Bryant, though I still think he should have landed somewhere in the 90's."

Continue reading...

Seems to me based on this quote that a player is hindered in making a top 100 players list if he plays the same position as a "deep class." That's a poor way to view players for an overall list. A top 100 list shouldn't limit itself to a certain number of players at a position, it should be done regardless of position.

 

[Pittman4Two]

I simply agree with the list. Although McCoy should be higher, the list is long and distinguished.

 

[theSHOW]

I won't defend PFF's methodology or the really stupid idea of using their numbers to compare across positions, but...

Dez simply didn't have an elite-receiver year last year. His catch percentage was too low (58%), his ypc was too low (13.3) and he fumbled too often. He was much more productive in 2012. As I've said before, it wasn't all his fault, but we're talking about his 2013 production here, not his talent or ability or ceiling.

He was great in the red zone. You can't take that away from him. But apart from that, his numbers were what they were primarily because of the sheer volume of passes thrown his way.

Someone mentioned Keenan Allen. He had 22 fewer catches than Dez, but 56 fewer passes thrown his way (his catch rate was a tremendous 68%). And his ypc was a yard and a half better, 14.73 to Dez's 13.26. Plus, he scored TDs at essentially the same rate (per pass thrown to him) as Dez. So yeah, he did have a better season. Less volume, but he did a lot more with what came his way, and a lot fewer passes ended up on the ground.

I for one hope we see the Romo/Dez combination of 2012 out there this year, not the 2013 version.

I'll take a second here to rant on DB because I know he can be better. Jerry got him at a bargan and there is a reason for it. I'm always rooting for DB but some of our fanbase goes way way way overboard with talk of his immortal greatness. Could be one of the best in the game. Makes some very sweet catches in the Redzone, has not arrived YET. Needs to let Romo do the talking and make plays without the mental lapses. I really want to see him hold on to
1. the ball
2. the playbook
3. his helmet
4. his temper
Sure...fire away and get loud on the sideline. But lets be positive with out the in you're face screaming. I want to see Dez scream at himself and get in there and do something that makes everybody say WOW, great play. And lets not walk off th field. As for Murray, this kid can run...this guy can catch. He is going beastmode BEAST!!!!! IN 2014

 

[theSHOW]

Some of it is silly, I agree. But again, it’s important to remember…

Also on PFF's home page, they give their explanation of why Bryant missed the list, but they admit the guy is a top 5 receiver.

2nd most TDs (13) from WRs in the league.
8th in receptions
13th in yards

Give me a break

Lots of concern on here for DB...but why no love for Romo? He had allpro stats including 31 TDS 10 INTS 3828 YDS

And the other stats--especially the deference between 2 and 3 fumbles making this huge difference--is a joke. And yes, blocking is important. But far less so for you primary WR target. I'm glad Harris blocks well...that adds value. But if Dez gets a -2.5 in blocking, that should effect his rating by .00001%.
When really silly stuff starts getting factored in more than it should, it shows gaping holes in the overall football savvy of those observing the player.

Lots of concern on here for DB...but why no love for Romo? He had allpro stats including 31 TDS 10 INTS 3828 YDS
Romo has 1 fumble less than DB

 

[Frozen700]

More importantly Romo and Witten left off. Murray makes it at 76 and Smith at 44

Dez Should be there before any of those guys.

 

[SportsGuru80]

It will only serve as fuel for Dez, a little extra motivation.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Maybe for NFLN top 100-- I agree. But PFF top 101 is a list based on their own grading.


It’s not very subjective; rather it grades players on the result of their performances.


It’s far from perfect and I don’t think you can use it to create a ranking system of the best players, but opinion has very little to do with their list.

Their grading works like this. Watch every play a player makes and grade each play for -2 to 2 in .5 increments.

Now how does one apply such a number to the play in an objective way? I will give you a hint: you cannot.

Their grades are 100% one mans opinion of each particular play totaled up.

 

[Hoofbite]

Deep class of WRs?

So there's a limited number of players for each position that cannot be exceeded?

Maybe the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

The Top 101 Players List: Well, the top 101 players without regard to actual level of play, and while making sure that all positions are sufficiently represented.

 

[Ender]

Why I don't pay attention to these off season list. Not to much football to discuss so they make up a list, and leave the best player on the most loved and hated team in the league to produce unimportant stories.

 

[ChooChoo73]

Sometimes even the things that are the biggest waste of ones time finds a way to still be offensive. The utter baffoons that rationalize Dez outside of the top 100 are to me by definition... morons.

 

[Hoofbite]

This list is created with an “All Positions Created Equal” mantra. So you won’t see 32 quarterbacks heading the list, even though that is the most valuable position, instead seeing how guys played relative to what is expected from their position. You might disagree with this for doing a Top 101 list which is your right, but this is how we’ve done it for the past three years and will continue doing it. This way every player has a fair shot at getting the respect they deserve.

Yeah. Gotta make sure everyone has a fair shot because that's what's most important.

Dude that runs that site is a real Richard, too.

I questioned him on how one of their DBs graded out so high when comparable statistics had other players rated near the bottom of the list.

He started in with "that's the problem with looking only at statistics" in a condescending tone. Rambled on about how plays where a guy performed his job perfectly and wasn't targeted don't show up on the stats sheet.

Yeah sure, except the numbers listed are so egregious that you have to basically ignore the plays where the player is targeted in order to make a case.

I'm not even sure I replied to his response because if the best argument he can make is that his grading system rewards plays where a DB isn't targeted to a greater extent than the DB is dinged for the plays where he is targeted then his grading system sucks.

I've pretty much accepted their own grading and rankings suck. The only thing they offer worthwhile is snap counts and whether or not the player ran a route or blocked.

Beyond bean counting that site is basically a conglomerate of numbers that don't mean anything.

 

[JustAGuy]

With 22 positions collectively on offense and defense as well as important special teams starter positions like punter and kicker a player logically needs to be top 4 at his position in the NFL to make a top 100 list I would feel is worth a damn. Then there is the subjectivity of where to place people on this list.

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

haha.