The 2026 NFL season is a few months away, and the anticipation for week one is at an extremely high level.
As the NFL Network has done their player consensus Top 100 ranking each year, Windy City Gridiron’s staff has put together a roundtable over the last few seasons of the best players in the NFC North. With six contributors pitching in for this year’s roundtable, there was a strong diversity of opinions that provided for some entertaining rankings.
Before we get started, let’s set up the ground
rules. Each WCG participant was asked to send their top 32 players in the NFC North. A player’s ranking determined how many points they would receive (32 points for first, 31 points for second, etc.), and the total points were added up to create the rankings.
Note: Tiebreakers will be broken by whichever player appeared on more ballots. If that total is the same, then the tiebreaker will go to whichever player received the highest ranking on an individual ballot. If that scenario also does not result in a clear winner, ballot organizer Jacob Infante will break the tie.
Players ranked last year who aren’t in this year
- Frank Ragnow (No. 10, retired in 2025 offseason)
- Jonathan Greenard (No. 12, traded)
- DJ Moore (No. 18, traded)
- Taylor Decker (No. 21, released)
- Drew Dalman (No. 25, retired)
- Rashan Gary (No. 26, traded)
- Byron Murphy Jr. (No. 27, no votes)
- Aaron Jones (No. 31, no votes)
- Jaire Alexander (No. 32, released in 2025 offseason)
- Elgton Jenkins (No. 35, released)
- David Montgomery (No. 41, traded)
- Kenny Clark (No. 42, traded during 2025 season)
- Jonathan Allen (No. 43, released)
- Kalif Raymond (No. 44, no votes)
- Andrew DePaola (No. 46, no votes)
- Braxton Jones (No. 50, no votes)
50. Vikings CB James Pierre
Highest Ranking: Honorable Mention (Infante)
Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (out of division)
In a limited role with the Steelers, James Pierre was extremely effective in 2025. He allowed only a 45.7% completion percentage and a 57.2 passer rating, earning him a PFSN CB Impact Score of 91.6, which ranked No. 2 among all NFL cornerbacks. He’ll have to prove he can carry over that success to a full-time starting role with the Vikings, but his level of play was very high last season.
49. Packers LB Zaire Franklin
Highest Ranking: Honorable Mention (Infante)
Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (out of division)
Having been a Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro for the Colts in 2024, Zaire Franklin took a step back in 2025. He was still solid last year, but his tackling numbers dropped from an NFL-best 173 tackles the year before to 125. He dropped from two interceptions to none and forced just one fumble compared to the five he had in 2024. Franklin is now on the Packers, and though he’s coming off a down year, his stellar 2024 means he still deserves a spot on this list.
48. Lions G Tate Ratledge
Highest Ranking: Honorable Mention (Infante)
Last Year’s Ranking: N/A
A strong argument could be made that Tate Ratledge was the best rookie guard in the NFL last year. That’s what the analytics say, as his PFSN OL Impact Score led all rookies and placed No. 13 among 74 qualified guards last year. He only allowed two sacks on 648 pass-blocking snaps, and he fared well as a run blocker. The 2025 second-round pick has the potential to take another big step in Year 2 and climb further in these rankings.
47. Packers DT Devonte Wyatt
Highest Ranking: Honorable Mention (Infante)
Last Year’s Ranking: No. 36
Availability has been a slight issue for Devonte Wyatt, having missed 10 games over his last two seasons. However, it’s clear he can be an impactful defensive tackle when healthy, using his explosiveness to generate pressures and sacks on passing downs. He’s had 14.5 sacks over his last three years, and if he can stay healthy in the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, he has the quickness and high motor to earn a nice new contract.
46. Lions CB D.J. Reed Jr.
Highest Ranking: Honorable Mention (Infante)
Last Year’s Ranking: No. 36
D.J. Reed missed six games in his debut season with the Lions, resulting in his production dropping a little bit. His seven pass deflections in 2025 were the lowest he’s had in a single year since 2020. That said, he was still a solid starter and figures to be an easy bet to keep that starting job in 2026. He had a career-best 5.7% missed tackle rate and allowed a targeted passer rating of only 79.6.
45. Vikings G Will Fries
Highest Ranking: 32 (Mongo)
Last Year’s Ranking: No. 37
After an impressive 2024 season with the Colts that was ultimately cut short, Will Fries came back down to Earth after obtaining a nice contract from the Vikings last offseason. The 37 pressures he allowed in pass protection was the highest total of his career, and he had a career-low 69.3 PFSN OL Impact Score. There’s potential for him to bounce back, but we’re firmly in wait-and-see mode with him right now.
44. Packers DT Javon Hargrave
Highest Ranking: 31 (Mongo)
Last Year’s Ranking: No. 49
Javon Hargrave came into 2025 after an injury-shortened 2024 with the 49ers. Though he wasn’t able to replicate his Pro Bowl caliber of play in his lone season with the Vikings, he still had a respectable 3.5 sacks and placed No. 16 among all defensive tackles with 52 total tackles. Now with Green Bay, Hargrave has the chance to extend his career rushing alongside the likes of Devonte Wyatt, Micah Parsons, and Lukas Van Ness.
43. Packers WR Christian Watson
Highest Ranking: 30 (Gooch)
Last Year’s Ranking: N/A
From an efficiency perspective, Christian Watson quietly had a very good season. On just 35 catches, he had 611 yards and six receiving touchdowns with 17.5 yards per catch, the latter of which finishing second in the NFL. His big-play ability saw him rank No. 6 in the league in PFSN WR Impact Scoring at 86.2. Injuries remain an issue for him, as he missed seven games last year. That said, his 61.1 receiving yards per game was a career-high average that translate to over 1,000 yards over a 17-game season.
42. Bears RB D’Andre Swift
Highest Ranking: 28 (Orenchuk)
Last Year’s Ranking: N/A
With the transition from Shane Waldron to Ben Johnson as the Bears’ offensive play-caller, D’Andre Swift improved all across the board from 2024 to 2025. He had a career-high 1,087 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns, along with a 4.9 yards-per-carry average that marked his highest since 2022. His 1.3% boom-bust rate ranked third in the NFL, and his 38.6% elusive rate ranked fourth among running backs.
41. Vikings WR Jauan Jennings
Highest Ranking: 28 (Gooch)
Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (out of division)
Jauan Jennings should mark an upgrade for the Vikings as their third wide receiver, and an argument could be made that he’d push Jordan Addison for that WR2 spot, considering the latter’s availability and legal issues. Jennings’ production dropped from 975 yards in 2024 to 643 in 2025, though he improved with 9 receiving touchdowns last year with the 49ers. He’s a big-bodied weapon who can win at the catch point, and he’ll also give Minnesota one of the best run-blocking wide receivers in the NFL.
