JJ Watt Calls NFL Network's Top 100 Player List 'A Joke' After Being Ranked 35

Houston Texans star J.J. Watt wasn't pleased with NFL Network's latest list of the NFL's top 100 players.

The network announced Monday night that Watt was ranked No. 35. Shortly thereafter, Watt voiced his displeasure with the makeup of the list because he barely played during the season due to a back injury:

Watt, who was ranked No. 3 last year, should direct his ire toward his colleagues since players make up the voting panel for NFL Network's list.

Recency bias is always a problem when it comes to annual player rankings. Those who had a big season are often significantly rewarded, while those who struggled generally see their profiles take a hit.

For instance, Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Tyreek Hill climbed to 36th overall in the top 100, while Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton comes in at 44th after topping last year's list. However, one could assume Watt's peers still ranked him in the top 35 out of respect for his overall body of work and impact on the defensive end.

Watt only appeared in three games before suffering a season-ending back injury. Whether Watt is the 35th-best player in the league is debatable, but he'll have an opportunity to regain his top positioning on the field in 2017.