Saints have 7 players inside ESPN’s top 100, tied for most

ESPN’s top-100 football players came out, and the New Orleans Saints boast seven players in the top 100, tied for the most with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The rankings are actually predicting the top-100 players for 2019. That said, the New Orleans Saints still reign supreme with seven on the list. The Saints have two within the top 12 and four within the top 40.

Michael Thomas kicks off the Saints’ presence on the list at No. 10. After a record-setting contract extension, Thomas should look to repeat as the league-leader in receptions.

A top-tier offensive weapon, Thomas could be on pace for yet another breakout season; however, for the young receiver, much of his importance will be on full display following the Drew Brees era which could end in just a few seasons.

Speaking of Brees, he comes in at No. 11, directly following Thomas.

Now 40, Brees’ decline may have already started, but that doesn’t mean he’s still not a top-15 player in the league. Brees, after just eight dropbacks in Week 3, looks sharp and should be ready for another season at a high level.

Following Brees was an easy guess: Alvin Kamara.

At No. 26, Kamara is still not going to be a three-down back, but given his dominance in his first two seasons and the return of Brees and Thomas, expect another prolific season for the young running back.

Their signature stat for Kamara put him in elite company. “Kamara and Herschel Walker are the only players in NFL history with 1,600 rush yards and 1,500 receiving yards over their first two NFL seasons.”

Next are the Saints first two defenders. Cameron Jordan and Marshon Lattimore come in at No. 34 and No. 53 respectively. At least for Lattimore, this was a huge drop after being included in the top 30 last season.

While not surprising, these two leaders should be the main reason for the improved defense Saints.

The last two on the list are both offensive linemen. Terron Armstead at No. 76 and Ryan Ramczyk at No. 85.

Both appeared on ESPN’s ranking for the first time in their career. These two are among a group of just seven offensive tackles to grace the top 100, showcasing how strong New Orleans’ offensive line should be this season.

Overall, the Saints should have a dominant season with a good amount of the NFL’s top players.