Bleacher Report's Expert Consensus 2016 Pro Bowl Predictions

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

No, I'm not talking about Christmas. I guess that's OK, if you're into presents and tinsel and holiday cheer and all that other brouhaha.

Peace on Earth and goodwill toward men—who needs it?

I'm not talking about the NFL's playoff push, either. Sure, there are two weeks left in the regular season, and any number of teams are scrambling for a spot in the postseason tournament, but there are more important things than trophies and rings and eternal football glory.

Things like playing dodgeball at Disney World in the 2017 Pro Bowl.

Yes, that's right—dodgeball.

That's one of the new wrinkles the NFL has added to the greatest spectacle in professional sports. There is no greater honor than being named to the Pro Bowl, an exclusive club restricted to only the top 476 players in the NFL each year.

OK, so it isn't 476 players. Or the greatest spectacle in pro sports. In fact, the addition of dodgeball is an effort by the NFL to drum up more interest in this year's festivities, which take place on Jan. 29 in Orlando, Florida.

Still, while the Pro Bowl gets a lot of flak from pundits and fans, it is something of an honor for players to be asked to attend. Those invitations will go out Tuesday, so here at Bleacher Report, we decided to take our own stab at selecting this year's invitees.

Many of those players will pass, but that's another kettle of fish.

The Pro Bowl is going back to AFC vs. NFC this year after a few seasons of fantasy-style drafts, so here's how the NFL staff at B/R sees the rosters for those respective conferences shaking out.

I know—the anticipation's better than Christmas Eve, huh?

Quarterback

Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

AFC: Tom Brady, New England Patriots (7 votes); Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders (7 votes); Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (7 votes)

NFC: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (7 votes); Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (7 votes); Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (7 votes)

If we were being truly accurate, the title of this slide would be "Quarterbacks who will pass on the Pro Bowl, opening a slot for Andy Dalton, Alex Smith and Jameis Winston." Because I can say with 100 percent certainty that at least half of these signal-callers will bow out in Orlando.

Tom Brady, who leads the AFC in passer rating and is an MVP candidate despite being suspended four games to start the season, will respectfully decline after Gisele Bundchen refuses to sign his field-trip permission slip.

Or he might be busy preparing for that Super Bowl thingy.

Aaron Rodgers, who has single-handedly kept the Green Bay Packers in the playoff hunt in 2016, will have to decide whether he'd rather play in a game that doesn't count or hang out with Olivia Munn.

Tough call.

Ben Roethlisberger will be one of a number of NFL stars who will regretfully be unable to attend, citing the need to recover from the sprained eyelid he sustained late in the season.

He just can't see playing in the Pro Bowl.

This isn't to say, though, that Pro Bowl nods aren't well-deserved by all six quarterbacks listed here. Matthew Stafford has turned fourth-quarter comebacks into an art form this year. Matt Ryan bounced back well after a miserable second half in 2015. And Derek Carr took a big step toward joining the club of elite players at football's most important position.

If nothing else, those veterans passing will open the door for young quarterbacks like Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys to take part.

As Jay Busbee of Yahoo Sports reported, if fan voting is any indication, that's what people want to see anyway.

And by people, I mean several Cowboys fans who have been stuffing the ballot box.

Running Back

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AFC: Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers (7 votes); LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills (5 votes); DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Titans (5 votes)

NFC: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys (7 votes); David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals (7 votes); Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears (3 votes)

The Pro Bowl is many things. A showcase for the NFL's top running backs is not one of them. There's isn't a whole lot of banging away between the tackles going on in this game.

Of course, that isn't to say Bleacher Report's Pro Bowl picks in the backfield can't make an impact in the game. Pittsburgh's Le'Veon Bell, Arizona's David Johnson, Buffalo's LeSean McCoy and Tennessee's DeMarco Murray are some of the best pass-catching backs in the game.

All six backs on the Bleacher Report Pro Bowl teams have already eclipsed 1,000 yards on the ground this season. Rookie Ezekiel Elliott leads the NFL by a sizable margin in that regard, but while Elliott was expected to succeed, it's another newcomer who is the biggest surprise on this list.

Fifth-round pick Jordan Howard is just the third Chicago rookie in 16 years to reach the 1,000-yard mark on the ground, but Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains insisted to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune that he hasn't been surprised by Howard's success in 2016.

"I think it's natural," Loggains said. "I think that's what (general manager) Ryan Pace and his staff saw in him. They saw those traits, and those have shown up at this level as well."

Whether it's rookies like Elliott and Howard, rising youngsters like Johnson or veterans enjoying rebound seasons like McCoy and Murray, both of these backfields have the depth and talent to ground-and-pound all day long.

They won't in Orlando, but they could.

Others receiving votes: Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins (3 votes); Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons (2 votes); Carlos Hyde, San Francisco 49ers (2 votes); LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots (1 vote)

Fullback

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AFC: Kyle Juszczyk, Baltimore Ravens (7 votes)

NFC: Aaron Ripkowski, Green Bay Packers (4 votes)

Fullbacks are a dying breed in today's NFL. Many teams no longer even have one, and the fact that it's still a unique position in Pro Bowl voting is as much a nod to football's past as it is a reflection of the league's present.

In fact, Kyle Juszczyk of the Baltimore Ravens—the NFL's best fullback, per Pro Football Focus—will likely be allowed to walk in free agency this spring unless he's willing to play for the veteran minimum.

As good as Juszczyk and Aaron Ripkowski of the Packers are at what they do, it doesn't change the fact that what they do is being phased out of football. More and more teams are spreading the field. The days of a fullback lining up in front of the tailback in the I formation and just pounding the ball down an opponent's throat are going the way of the horse-drawn carriage and disco.

Fullbacks take the pounding of an offensive lineman for the paycheck of a punter. And as more and more teams eschew the position altogether, their opportunities to even play at football's highest level are drying up.

In other words, for these young men, being named to the Pro Bowl truly is an honor.

Short of playing in a Super Bowl, it's about as good as it gets.

Others receiving votes: Patrick DiMarco, Atlanta Falcons (3 votes)

Wide Receiver

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AFC: Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers (7 votes); T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts (7 votes); A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals (7 votes); Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders (3 votes)

NFC: Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (7 votes); Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7 votes); Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants (6 votes); Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals (4 votes)

The Pro Bowl might not be a great showcase for running backs, but given that it's essentially the most souped-up backyard football game ever, it's tailor-made for wide receivers to shine.

It's just about guaranteed that two of the receivers picked by the writers here at B/R will not be attending the game. Both A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals (hamstring) and Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons (foot) missed Week 15 with injuries. Even if their teams aren't busy that week, it's unlikely either player would risk worsening those injuries in a game that doesn't matter.

With a ridiculously deep talent pool at the position, though, it isn't as if their absence will be felt. Not when nearly every other player among these quartets has at least 1,000 receiving yards on the season. (Larry Fitzgerald isn't far behind at 949 yards.)

In fact, a trio of Jarvis Landry of the Miami Dolphins, Demaryius Thomas of the Denver Broncos and DeAndre Hopkins of the Houston Texans would likely fare just fine for the AFC. Ditto for DeSean Jackson of the Washington Redskins, Brandin Cooks of the New Orleans Saints and Dez Bryant of the Dallas Cowboys on the NFC side.

None of those players received a single vote.

It's a good time to be an NFL receiver. Even if that makes it more difficult to stand out from the crowd.

Unless you're Antonio Brown.

Or Jones.

Or Odell Beckham Jr.

There's even a crowd standing out from the crowd.

Others receiving votes: Michael Crabtree, Oakland Raiders (2 votes); Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints (2 votes); Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks (1 vote); Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers (1 vote); Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos (1 vote); Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (1 vote)

Tight End

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

AFC: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (7 votes); Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans (5 votes)

NFC: Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (7 votes); Jimmy Graham, Seattle Seahawks (4 votes)

Injuries have wreaked havoc on the tight end position in 2016. Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots, Tyler Eifert of the Bengals and Jordan Reed of the Redskins are all game-changers at the position.

All three have also missed significant time this season. Gronk's 2016 campaign is over after back surgery.

However, the opposite is true for one tight end. Jimmy Graham of the Seattle Seahawks has bounced back in a big way from his torn patellar tendon, hauling in 59 passes for 816 yards and five scores this year.

Graham told ESPN.com's Sheil Kapadia back in November that it's been pretty sweet to be able to prove those who doubted he'd be the same player post-injury wrong.

"I’m excited because a lot of people didn’t believe that I’d come back," Graham said. "A lot of people just didn’t believe that I’d be able to be me again. To go out there and do that, it means a lot because I put so much work in. When no one was watching, I was in the shadows working."

Graham is joined on the NFC side by Carolina's Greg Olsen, who leads all NFC tight ends in receiving yards.

They are opposed on the B/R Pro Bowl team by Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs (the NFL's most productive tight end in 2016) and Tennessee's Delanie Walker, a key contributor for the surprising Titans this season.

They may not be Gronk, but they aren't dog food, either.

Others receiving votes: Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins (2 votes); Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 vote); Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots (1 vote); Dennis Pitta, Baltimore Ravens (1 vote)

Offensive Tackle

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AFC: Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns (7 votes); Donald Penn, Oakland Raiders (5 votes); Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans (4 votes)

NFC: David Bakhtiari, Green Bay Packers (7 votes); Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys (7 votes); Trent Williams, Washington Redskins (6 votes)

Joe Thomas needs a hug.

And some teammates who don't stink at football.

For the past 10 seasons, Thomas has played left tackle at a Hall of Fame level for Hall of Shame football teams. This year, Thomas and the Cleveland Clowns appear on a collision course with history.

The first 0-16 team in AFC history.

Yay!

At least he hasn't lost his sense of humor. As John Wawrow of the Associated Press wrote (via Yahoo Sports), when asked about the possibility of losing out, Thomas quipped, "Well, we wouldn't be the first team."

"Definitely this season you have to cope with the difficulties of not winning a game," Thomas said. "It could be overwhelming when you think of a whole season at one time and trying to avoid being 0-16."

After getting smoked by the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, the Browns are only two games away from anti-perfection. But it hasn't been Thomas' fault—he's been just about the only lineman in Cleveland who appears at all interested in blocking someone.

The man needs a Florida vacation. And here's hoping the hotel the players stay in has luxurious showers.

It's going to take Thomas a good long while to wash the stink of 2016 off.

And this will likely be the last you hear of the Browns in this article.

Others receiving votes: Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati Bengals (3 votes); Jack Conklin, Tennessee Titans (2 votes); Bryan Bulaga, Green Bay Packers (1 vote)

Offensive Guard

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AFC: Kelechi Osemele, Oakland Raiders (7 votes); Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Ravens (7 votes); David DeCastro, Pittsburgh Steelers (6 votes)

NFC: Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys (7 votes); Brandon Scherff, Washington Redskins (5 votes); Andy Levitre, Atlanta Falcons (4 votes)

You don't hear a lot about guard play in the NFL. There aren't a lot of profiles on beef-eaters like Baltimore's Marshal Yanda on the pregame shows each Sunday. Guards toil in relative obscurity. I'd wager that 90 percent of fans couldn't name the starting guards for their favorite team or pick any of this year's Pro Bowl honorees out of a lineup.

And yet it doesn't take long to see what kind of an impact stout interior linemen can have on a team. All six guards picked for the B/R Pro Bowl team rank inside the top 16 at the position at Pro Football Focus. And all six just so happen to play for teams that are above .500.

Go figure.

Before the season, Ben Stockwell of PFF posited that Yanda was the league's best interior lineman:

"

Yanda has been a top-five graded guard (twice first and twice second) in the last five years, and in one of those seasons (2014), he even finished the year at tackle, surrendering only four pressures in three starts (with two of those playoff starts). Regardless of position or scheme, Yanda simply gets the job done, and more often than not, he does it in a dominant fashion.

"

Zack Martin slotted just behind him:

"

Earning the third-highest grade at guard in each of his first two pro seasons, Martin has hit the ground running both as a pass-blocker (27 pressures allowed in 34 starts) and run-blocker. Much like Travis Frederick alongside him, it is Martin’s consistency that places him among the league’s best. You won’t see the highlight-reel blocks that La’el Collins put in against the Seahawks, but Martin doesn’t make the mistakes to set his offense back, either.

"

Both men rank in the top three in 2016, and both were unanimous Pro Bowl picks.

Others receiving votes: Justin Pugh, New York Giants (2 votes); Josh Sitton, Chicago Bears (2 votes); Josh Kline, Tennessee Titans (1 vote); Ali Marpet, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 vote)

Center

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AFC: Rodney Hudson, Oakland Raiders (7 votes); Matt Paradis, Denver Broncos (7 votes)

NFC: Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys (7 votes); Alex Mack, Atlanta Falcons (7 votes)

Travis Frederick, Matt Paradis, Alex Mack and Rodney Hudson are the four highest-graded centers in the National Football League at Pro Football Focus. Each has played 895 snaps or more this season. They have allowed only five sacks combined.

Frederick and Hudson haven't allowed any.

Given all that, it's hardly surprising they are unanimous Pro Bowl picks at center.

It's been an especially sweet season for Mack. Paroled from the fifth circle of football hell that is Cleveland in free agency, Mack finds himself vying for a playoff spot with the Falcons.

Atlanta tackle Jake Matthews told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Mack deserves a lot of the credit for the Falcons' success in 2016.

"You could tell from the first day that he came here, from just the way that when we were in meetings the questions that he asked," Matthews said. "He makes you think about things in a different way. That’s been really beneficial for us. It’s made us all grow and have a better understanding of the offense."

Of all the positions on the list, center might be the most loaded so far as a group headed to Orlando. These are truly the best of the best among one of the two positions that touch the ball on every snap.

Defensive Tackle

Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images

AFC: Geno Atkins, Cincinnati Bengals (7 votes); Ndamukong Suh, Miami Dolphins (6 votes); Leonard Williams, New York Jets (5 votes)

NFC: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams (7 votes); Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles (6 votes); Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5 votes)

OK, we've now graduated to a part of the game you won't see represented much in Orlando.

Defense.

Not much of that gets played in the Pro Bowl. The rules are engineered in a fashion that minimizes the chances of a $100 million quarterback getting his face ripped off by a blitzing defender.

The defensive tackles will essentially push forward a bit at the snap, half-heartedly attempt to push past the guards and centers and then call it a day and go have dinner.

It's a fitting culmination to a season that's seen this group do a lot of eating. But there's a new face among this who's who of interior defenders in 2016.

Leonard Williams of the New York Jets has blossomed in a big way in his second season. After logging only three sacks as a rookie, Williams has already notched seven in 2016—as many as any tackle in football entering Sunday's action.

Williams insisted to Connor Hughes of NJ.com that he's just getting started.

"Even when I get a sack or a big play in a game, I still see times where I would have someone beat and didn't finish my move," Williams said. "I know I've improved my numbers a lot this year, but I can keep growing. Not a lot of fans can see through the stats. When I'm watching film, I see I can be making more plays than I am right now."

That quiet sobbing you hear is quarterbacks in the AFC East.

Especially Brady. He's such a baby.

(Dodges tomatoes and bricks)

You missed me.

Others receiving votes: Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals (3 votes); Jurrell Casey, Tennessee Titans (1 vote); Malik Jackson, Jacksonville Jaguars (1 vote); Danny Shelton, Cleveland Browns (1 vote)

Defensive End

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AFC: Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins (5 votes); Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati Bengals (4 votes); Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders (4 votes)

NFC: Danielle Hunter, Minnesota Vikings (6 votes); Olivier Vernon, New York Giants (5 votes); Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints (4 votes)

There's an embarrassment of riches among pass-rushers in today's NFL. Those riches are reflected in this formidable group of defenders.

However, with all due respect to Cameron Wake's Comeback Player of the Year-worthy 2016, Danielle Hunter's breakout and Olivier Vernon earning that fat contract the New York Giants gave him— and with J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans on the shelf—there is one edge-rusher who is hands down the best in the NFL at what he does.

He's just better than everyone else.

It's Khalil Mack's world. We're all just living in it.

After taking the first month of the 2016 season off because he felt sorry for the mere mortals he plays with, the Oakland end decided play time was over. Since then, Mack has piled up 11 sacks, including at least one in eight straight games.

Mack is so good that the AP named him an All-Pro at defensive end and outside linebacker last year.

As Jerry McDonald of the Mercury News wrote, Mack said he's not interested in accolades and attaboys.

"I’m not comfortable talking about that stuff. That’s just not me," Mack said. "I like to grind and not think too much about the good stuff. I like to focus on the stuff I need to get better at."

Well, that's just too bad. He's getting them anyway.

Mack is the best defensive player in football right now. Period.

Others receiving votes: Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets (3 votes); Joey Bosa, San Diego Chargers (2 votes); Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants (2 votes); Leonard Williams, New York Jets (2 votes); Cliff Avril, Seattle Seahawks (1 vote); Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals (1 vote); Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles (1 vote); Stephon Tuitt, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 vote); Bobby Boucher, New Orleans Saints (1 vote...making sure you're paying attention)

Outside Linebacker

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AFC: Von Miller, Denver Broncos (7 votes); Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders (5 votes); Joey Bosa, San Diego Chargers (4 votes)

NFC: Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins (7 votes); Vic Beasley, Atlanta Falcons (6 votes); Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys (5 votes)

Oh look, more Mack!

Just as with last year's All-Pro team, Mack made our Pro Bowl squad at two positions. That won't happen when the teams are announced Tuesday. The NFL would have to give him two gift bags.

The cheapskates will never go for it.

However, as dominant as Mack has been this year, he does not lead the NFL in sacks. Neither does Von Miller of the Denver Broncos.

No, youngster Vic Beasley of the Falcons is the sack race party-crasher. Beasley's sack Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers pushed his league-leading total to 14.5 on the season.

It's been a breakout second season in every sense of the word, but head coach Dan Quinn told JuliaKate E. Culpepper of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Beasley has only scraped the surface of what he's capable of:

"

I think he’s really coming into his own, and in that way he’s finding all the little details that you can go to to get better. That’s what being relentless is. Where is another part of my game where I can get better? What something else I can study to find the edge? Honestly, that’s what we’re looking for and he’s continuing to search for it and find it.

"

Make no mistake: The Falcons offense is high-powered and fun to watch, but it's the team's defensive improvement that has keyed its push toward the postseason.

And Beasley has been a huge part of that.

Others receiving votes: Vontaze Burfict, Cincinnati Bengals (2 votes); Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals (2 votes); Melvin Ingram, San Diego Chargers (1 vote); Whitney Mercilus, Houston Texans (1 vote); Nick Perry, Green Bay Packers (1 vote); Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens (1 vote)

Inside Linebacker

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AFC: C.J. Mosley, Baltimore Ravens (6 votes); Dont'a Hightower, New England Patriots (5 votes)

NFC: Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks (7 votes); Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers (4 votes)

The Bleacher Report Pro Bowl picks at inside linebacker are an exercise in the difference between statistical impact and NFL impact.

The players on the NFC side have been lighting up the stat sheet all season long. Bobby Wagner leads the NFL with 145 total tackles. Luke Kuechly would be right there had he not been sidelined by a concussion for several weeks.

The same concussion that makes it unlikely Kuechly would play in the Pro Bowl.

It's a different story on the AFC side. C.J. Mosley doesn't even lead his own team in tackles.

But part of the reason teammate Zachary Orr is having such a big year for the Ravens is that Mosley is commanding so much attention from opponents. The third-year pro is ranked sixth among inside linebackers at Pro Football Focus—two slots behind Dont'a Hightower.

Of course, Wagner and Kuechly are the top two inside linebackers in the league, so it would appear the NFC at least has an edge at that position in the Pro Bowl.

Or it would if any defense got played in the game.

Others receiving votes: Jerrell Freeman, Chicago Bears (2 votes); Zach Brown, Buffalo Bills (1 vote); Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys (1 vote); Benardrick McKinney, Houston Texans (1 vote); Paul Posluszny, Jacksonville Jaguars (1 vote)

Cornerback

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AFC: Chris Harris Jr., Denver Broncos (6 votes); Aqib Talib, Denver Broncos (6 votes); Casey Hayward, San Diego Chargers (5 votes); Marcus Peters, Kansas City Chiefs (5 votes)

NFC: Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants (6 votes); Darius Slay, Detroit Lions (6 votes); Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals (5 votes); Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks (4 votes)

Given that there will be approximately 817 pass attempts in the Pro Bowl, it's important to have good cornerbacks—even if those cornerbacks are limited by the rules of the game.

And boy, oh boy, are there some good cornerbacks on this list.

The AFC features the dynamic Denver duo of Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib. They are supplemented by the player who led the NFL in interceptions last season (Marcus Peters of the Chiefs) and the cornerback who leads the league in that category this year (San Diego's Casey Hayward).

All that's on the NFC side is a quartet of some of the NFL's highest-paid players at the position. Seattle's Richard Sherman and Arizona's Patrick Peterson have long been considered the gold standard among corners. Detroit's Darius Slay and the Giants' Janoris Jenkins are playing up to their new contracts in 2016.

The NFC may have to dig deeper than these starters, though. Jenkins suffered a scary injury in Week 15, that's reportedly less serious than originally thought, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, but still could keep him from being able or willing to play in the Pro Bowl. And I'd wager Sherman's about as eager to play in Orlando as he is on most Thursdays.

Love him or hate him, you don't have to wonder where you stand with Sherman. He'll tell you whether you want to know or not.

So the NFC may have to figure out how to survive with the likes of the Redskins' Josh Norman and Minnesota's Xavier Rhodes.

In other words, it'll be fine...

Or it would be if any defense was played in the game.

Others receiving votes: Malcolm Butler, New England Patriots (4 votes); Xavier Rhodes, Minnesota Vikings (3 votes); Josh Norman, Washington Redskins (2 votes); A.J. Bouye, Houston Texans (1 vote); William Gay, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 vote); Brent Grimes, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 vote); Terence Newman, Minnesota Vikings (1 vote)

Safety

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AFC: Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs (7 votes); Devin McCourty, New England Patriots (7 votes); Eric Weddle, Baltimore Ravens (7 votes)

NFC: Landon Collins, New York Giants (7 votes); Tony Jefferson, Arizona Cardinals (4 votes); Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings (4 votes)

For the most part, it's familiar faces among the vote-getters for the B/R Pro Bowl nods at safety, especially on the AFC side. Eric Berry of the Chiefs, Devin McCourty of the Patriots and Eric Weddle of the Ravens have long been considered three of the NFL's best at the position.

It's something of a different story in the NFC. Tony Jefferson has been around a while (four seasons), but he's already set a career high in tackles this season. A Pro Bowl nod would be well-deserved, but he might miss out in favor of higher-profile players like Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas in Seattle.

Landon Collins of the Giants, on the other hand, is a mortal lock to be invited to Mickey Town. And that's as it should be.

Collins has been a force for a 10-win Giants team in 2016. Not only does he lead the Giants in tackles, but he also ranks second all defensive backs in that category.

Collins has also added a team-leading five interceptions and three sacks to his stat line. As Dan Schneier of 247Sports pointed out, Collins is the first safety since Rodney Harrison in 2000 to post those numbers.

Chris Wesseling of NFL.com posited that Collins is more than just a Pro Bowler this year. Wesseling thinks Collins has a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year:

"

A liability in coverage as a rookie, Collins has emerged as perhaps the best all-around safety in the league in his second NFL season. The tone-setter of the league's most improved defense is the only player in the NFL with at least 100 tackles, three sacks and five interceptions this season. He leads all safeties in those categories as well as in passes defensed (13).

"

The man has a point.

Others receiving votes: Kam Chancellor, Seattle Seahawks (3 votes); Antoine Bethea, San Francisco 49ers (1 vote); Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay Packers (1 vote); Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks (1 vote)

Special Teams

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AFC: PUNTER: Dustin Colquitt, Kansas City Chiefs (4 votes); KICKER: Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens (7 votes); RETURN SPECIALIST: Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (7 votes); LONG SNAPPER: John Denney, Miami Dolphins (5 votes); SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIALIST: Nate Ebner, New England Patriots (4 votes)

NFC: PUNTER: Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles Rams (7 votes); KICKER: Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons (4 votes); RETURN SPECIALIST: Andre Roberts, Detroit Lions (7 votes); LONG SNAPPER: L.P. LaDouceur, Dallas Cowboys (6 votes); SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIALIST: Eric Weems, Atlanta Falcons (5 votes)

The special teamers who are invited to the Pro Bowl no doubt consider it an honor. I'm sure they and their families are happy. It might even get them a bonus on payday.

But long snappers are not exactly the most fascinating players in football. The punters could sleep through the entire game and likely as not, no one would notice. The special teams mavens won't fly around with nearly the abandon that got them invited to begin with.

And with all due respect to Matt Bryant and Justin Tucker, two of the best kickers in the business, most of their Sunday in Orlando would be spent kicking extra points. Can you feel the excitement?

However, there is one player who will get the fans at Camping World Stadium buzzing when he touches the ball at the Pro Bowl.

And it is when, because it's hard to imagine Tyreek Hill of the Chiefs not being invited after the rookie season he's had.

Hill notched the Chiefs' first touchdown in the team's Week 15 loss to the Titans, scoring on a 68-yard run.

That's on top of his 86-yard kick return touchdown. And his 78-yard punt return score. And a half-dozen receiving touchdowns.

Hill has found the end zone 10 times in 2016 in just about every way short of playing defense, too.

And that's the sort of year that should be rewarded with a Pro Bowl invite.

Others receiving votes: Mike Hull, ST, Miami Dolphins (3 votes); Matt Prater, K, Detroit Lions (3 votes); Justin Bethel, ST, Arizona Cardinals (2 votes); Pat McAfee, P, Indianapolis Colts (2 votes); Matt Overton, LS, Indianapolis Colts (2 votes); Don Muhlbach, LS, Detroit Lions (1 vote); Marquette King, P, Oakland Raiders (1 vote)