B/R NFL 1000: Complete Guide to Our Top 1,000 Player Rankings for 2026

This is the NFL 1000. The 1,000 best players in the league today, ranked by our NFL Scouting Department based on their on-field play and positional value.

Big questions will be asked and answered. Is Patrick Mahomes still the top QB? Who's the top defender? No. 1 overall?

To tackle all this, our team of scouts—made up of Brandon Thorn (OL), Matt Holder (EDGE, LB, DL), Dan Harms (TE, CB, Safety) and Brent Sobleski (K/P)—conducted an exhaustive film review of every position group and assigned each player a grade.

To help you navigate every player breakdown and rating, here's a rundown of every NFL 1000 article published to date, along with the complete series schedule. Also check out our grading-scale explanation along with a positional-trait breakdown below.

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Monday

• Top Quarterback Rankings
• Why Patrick Mahomes Is No Longer the Best QB in the NFL

Tuesday

• Top 99 Skill Position Players
• Top Wide Receiver Rankings
• Top Running Back Rankings
• Top Tight End Rankings
• Top Right Tackle Rankings
• Top Right Guard Rankings
• Top Center Rankings
• Top Left Guard Rankings
• Top Left Tackle Rankings
• Top Offensive Lineman Rankings

Wednesday

• Top 99 Defensive Players
• Top Defensive Lineman Rankings
• Top Edge-Rusher Rankings
• Top Linebacker Rankings
• Top Cornerback Rankings
• Top Safety Rankings
• Top Kicker and Punter Rankings

Thursday

• Ranking the Top 1,000 Players

Friday

• Ranking the 10 Most Stacked Teams

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Below, explore the player-tier framework used throughout the series.

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