THE APEX TIMES
Tee Higgins and Dexter Lawrence left out of NFL Top 100 Players list, drawing attention ahead of the season
The annual NFL Players association voted rankings, broadcast each summer on NFL Network, again became a talking point after two prominent stars were not included in the Top 100 players compilation.
The NFL Top 100 Players list, a summer staple built on player voting, landed without two widely discussed names from last season’s conversation. According to Yahoo Sports, wide receiver Tee Higgins and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence were among the notable players not selected for this year’s NFL Top 100 Players ranking.
The list matters in part because it is voted on exclusively by players, which is why it has developed a reputation for sparking debate among fans and analysts each year. The format is also familiar to longtime viewers, with the NFL Network unveiling the ranking in weekly installments during the offseason and a reaction show following each reveal.
Higgins, a high-volume scoring option when his team is at full strength, has often been framed as a boundary-breaking target with the ability to win in multiple routes. His absence from the Top 100, as reported, immediately raised questions about how voters viewed his game entering this phase of the roster cycle, and whether voters were weighting specific outcomes, consistency, or role in the offense.
Lawrence’s omission also stands out because he is one of the league’s more recognizable interior presences. As a defensive tackle, he is typically evaluated on impact that is not always captured in basic box-score lines, including how often teams have to account for him in run fits and passing downs. The fact that Yahoo Sports characterizes him as “snubbed” underscores how unusual it is, in fans’ eyes, to see a player of that reputation missing a leaguewide Top 100 list.
It is important to treat the “snub” framing carefully. A Top 100 cutoff is inherently subjective, and player voting reflects a voter’s own priorities and memory, which can differ sharply from what fans value. With no official explanation for individual omissions, the most accurate reading is that voters did not place these two players in the Top 100 tier this summer, regardless of how prominent they can be within their respective teams’ identities.
What to watch next is how both players translate their offseason work and early regular-season opportunities into on-field production that is hard to ignore. In practical terms, the list can become a measuring stick for who players believe will define matchups, and the absence of Higgins and Lawrence sets up a storyline for their teams’ season openers and early-round games against quality opponents.
Why It Matters
- The Top 100 is a player-voted leaguewide recognition, so omissions from the list can shape how the public and coaches think about perceived impact entering the season.
- For Higgins, the absence creates a storyline about how voters judged his offensive role and overall production expectations.
- For Lawrence, it raises questions about how voters weigh interior defensive value beyond surface-level statistics.
- Both omissions could serve as motivation and as an early-season narrative benchmark once games begin.
Key Facts
- Yahoo Sports reports that Tee Higgins was not included in this year’s NFL Top 100 Players ranking.
- Yahoo Sports reports that Dexter Lawrence was also not included in this year’s NFL Top 100 Players ranking.
- The NFL Top 100 Players list is based on voting by players, according to the Yahoo Sports coverage of the list’s format.
- The ranking is released in weekly installments on NFL Network during the offseason, according to Yahoo Sports’ description.
- The omissions have prompted debate because both players are widely known at their positions.