Travis Etienne Jr. lands at No. 96 on NFL Top 100 list as Saints’ second entry

The NFL Top 100 Players list has added a new name to the New Orleans Saints’ offseason narrative. Running back Travis Etienne Jr. was announced as the No. 96 player in the league, chosen through the league-wide player voting process that ranks the top talents across all positions.

Etienne, who previously played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, is entering New Orleans as the second Saints representative included in this year’s Top 100 countdown. Yahoo Sports reported that his placement came after ballots were cast by other players, underscoring how Etienne’s reputation has followed him to a new team.

The ranking matters in part because it is driven by peers. Unlike media or statistic-based lists, the Top 100 format asks current NFL players to evaluate one another. Etienne’s No. 96 spot therefore reflects what fellow competitors think he can do, rather than what a single publication projects.

For the Saints, the selection offers a specific kind of validation: it frames Etienne as more than just a name in a backfield rotation. Even at No. 96, the Top 100 list spans only the league’s elite tier as defined by player judgment, and it indicates that Etienne’s impact is expected to be visible enough to earn votes during the offseason.

It also highlights the theme of transition that can accompany a move between teams. The report emphasized that Etienne was on a different team during the 2025 season, but that he was still able to be voted into the current Top 100 group. That pairing of “new team, same talent,” as the reporting put it, is the kind of message clubs often seek when trying to establish continuity of production after personnel changes.

The immediate takeaway is straightforward: Etienne’s inclusion places him among the most recognized players in the NFL, and it gives New Orleans another high-profile marker as it builds toward the regular season. What remains unclear, and what the rest of the Top 100 reveal will help clarify, is how his rank compares with other Saints entries and where New Orleans’ most central pieces land in the broader league picture.

As the countdown continues, Etienne’s spot sets a baseline for what to watch next from New Orleans: the way the Saints deploy their run game, how Etienne’s role is defined in the offense, and whether his player-voted reputation lines up with the production expectations that follow a Top 100 ranking.