The Baltimore Ravens have two stars in Lamar Jackson and Marlon Humphrey, but the league knows there’s more to the team, right?
The full NFL Top 100 was recently released, which ranks the best players in the league as voted by their peers. Jackson and Humphrey made the list, as expected, but they were the only two Ravens included.
It marks a dramatic decline from 2020 when Baltimore boasted six players on the Top 100 list (the second-most of any team).
It could be argued the Ravens didn’t enjoy as much success last season. In 2020, Baltimore finished second in the AFC North behind the Pittsburgh Steelers with an 11-5 record, compared to 2019 when they finished first with a 14-2 record.
But team success aside, several Ravens players still impressed in big ways.
One of them, cornerback Marcus Peters, led the team with four interceptions and 52 combined tackles. He trailed only Humphrey with the second-most forced fumbles on the team (four) and has become one of the most prolific ballhawks and top corners in the league.
Granted, he’s not getting the Pro Bowl numbers he did back on the Kansas City Chiefs when he snagged 14 interceptions and recorded 46 passes defended in two seasons.
But Peters proved his worth when he helped Baltimore beat the Titans in last year’s Wildcard Round, and he shouldn’t have to earn the league’s respect anymore.
Mark Andrews and Ronnie Stanley are two other names that come to mind regarding snubbed Ravens on the Top 100 list.
Like Jackson, Andrews enjoyed a breakout season in 2019 but declined a bit in 2020, recording 58 catches for 701 yards and seven touchdowns. Still, Andrews was targeted 88 times, ending the season as the Ravens receiver with the second-most targets (Marquise Brown had 100).
Ravens: Peters, Andrews, and Stanley among those snubbed in NFL Top 100
Madden 22 rated Andrews as the fourth-best tight end, and Pro Football Focus rated him as sixth-best. Why can’t his peers view him in the same way?
Even if he didn’t have the best season in 2020, his career should account for something. No tight end has recorded more touchdowns than Andrews since 2019. And only three tight ends have more receiving yards since 2019: Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Darren Waller.
We’re not saying Andrews should crack the top 20 or even the top half, but just giving him a nod would have been appropriate given his consistent production for the Ravens.
The last but not least snubbed candidate is Ronnie Stanley, whose exclusion makes some sense given that he only played in six games in 2020.
Yes, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury, but other players on the Top 100 also missed time and made the list. Notably, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas played in seven games, didn’t do all that much, and still ranked 72nd.
Obviously, their positions are different. Stanley, an offensive lineman, has a more “wallpaper” role than Thomas, the Saints’ No. 1 receiver, but that doesn’t mean the All-Pro left tackle shouldn’t get credit for his performances. His position is already underappreciated as it is.
Along with Jackson, Stanley was a huge reason Baltimore set a record for single-season rushing yards and produced the league’s top-ranked scoring offense in 2019.
Now that Stanley is back and recovering well from injury, he has this season to set the record straight: he is one of the league’s top 100 players and he’ll prove it to you.
Stanley, Andrews, and Peters have a whale-sized bone to pick with the league following their exclusions on the Top 100 list. We’re certain they’ll get what they deserve this season.