Drew Brees and 4 Other Underrated Elite NFL Players

Despite being an elite NFL player, there are those who go overlooked quite a bit.

Whether it's because of their size, market or other players at their position, no matter how well their team is doing, players such as the following five are underrated.

So to pay respect to the elitists doing work, let's get to it. 

LeSean McCoy: RB, Eagles

Mainly because of Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson, Eagles RB LeSean McCoy is significantly under the radar.

You add in all of Philadelphia's offseason moves, especially on defense, and McCoy goes even further under the radar. He's one of the NFL's premier RBs in having gained 1,172 rush yards (rank No. 2) and 310 receiving yards this season.

Not to mention McCoy has accounted for 17 total TDs and he has yet to fumble the rock. Talk about consistency. A year ago it was more of the same as McCoy ran for almost 1,100 yards and gained almost 600 via receiving.

Despite the Eagles falling from grace this season, if there's one guy who has done work for them, it has been LeSean McCoy.

London Fletcher: LB, Redskins

Easily one of the most underrated LBs in the NFL and definitely one of the most in the game.

Washington LB London Fletcher came from an NCAA Division III school in John Carroll University, went undrafted, but has appeared in 221 consecutive games throughout his 14-year career and has started 205 of them.

However, despite having recorded an average of almost 140 tackles each of the past 12 seasons, Fletcher has only been selected to two Pro Bowls (2009, 2010).

Additionally, he's forced 17 fumbles, picked off 18 passes, has 34 sacks, and 77 pass deflects. Virtually every team he's played for Fletcher has been their leading tackler and best defensive player.

Nonetheless, London has gone greatly overlooked because of his size and also thanks to other stud LBs such as Ray Lewis and Patrick Willis. If you ask me, Fletcher is just as good but has not been fortunate to have nearly as much talent around him throughout his career.

Drew Brees: QB, Saints

Mostly because of Aaron Rodger, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning, Drew Brees gets the shaft on the NFL's best QB discussions.

Which is unfortunate, because not only is Brees just as great as those QBs, but he's making some rather average NFL WRs look a lot better that they really are. Now, Drew has been prone to throwing INTs at times throughout his career; however, what elite QB hasn't?

Thing is though, New Orleans throws the rock so much more than anyone else that those odds significantly increase. Now include how they have yet to win a playoff game on the road, and it only keeps Brees behind the aforementioned QBs to most cynics.

That being said, 2011 is shaping up to arguably be Drews' best season yet, and Dan Marino's single-season passing yards record is in sight. Maybe if Brees can break that record, he'll get the notoriety he deserves as one of pro football's best gunslingers.

Eli Manning: QB, Giants

We could say it's because of his WRs and their pass rushes that Eli Manning has been more overrated than underrated.

But based on the numbers he's compiled this season, Eli is going under the radar. Not to mention he'll forever be compared to older brother Peyton as well as Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady.

What's interesting about Eli also is that we don't first think of him as a gunslinging QB. Being in New York, he's certainly under the spotlight quite often, but the Giants have never really been known as a passing team.

Well, pretty much thanks to Eli Manning, New York is back in the playoff mix. Right now the Giants may have the NFL's worst rush offense and arguably the NFL's worst defense, but Eli has kept them floating above the surface.

The Giants' pass offense ranks No. 4 and averages just over 300 yards per game. Only once in his career (rookie year) has Eli not thrown for more than 3,200 yards (only started nine games in 2004), and in each of the past three years he has hit over four grand.

Also, 2007 was the last season where his completion percentage was below 60 percent. Time to give props to the younger Manning brother.

Maurice Jones-Drew: RB, Jaguars

When we first think of elite NFL RBs, let's face it, Maurice Jones-Drew isn't the first who comes to mind. Obviously it's Adrian Peterson, then others such as Darren McFadden, Frank Gore and Ray Rice.

But the thing is, MJD has been dominating as arguably the NFL's best RB each year. He's a dual-threat and other than him, the Jaguars have literally had no one else on offense to help him.

The best QB he's played with was David Garrard and there really hasn't been any stud WR in Jacksonville for quite some time. It also doesn't help that he plays in Jacksonville (low market city) and they are no longer with their head coach.

So, obviously more attention is derived to the changes as opposed to the production of their best player. Each of the past three seasons MJD has gone over 1,200 rush yards and 300 receiving yards.

Even against some of the NFL's most beastly defenses (namely Baltimore and Pittsburgh), Jones-Drew has kept the Jaguars' offense moving the ball (96 rush against the Steelers, 105 against the Ravens). If Jacksonville gets MJD any kind of help whatsoever, this team will explode onto the NFL map each year.

But until then, don't expect anything less than sheer consistency from an elite NFL RB.

Follow John Rozum on Twitter @ Sportswriter27