Top 100 Players of 2024, Nos. 50-41: Matthew Stafford returns; Jared Goff among Lions on rise

Playing on the fifth year of his rookie contract and making his return from an ACL injury that cut short what looked to be a breakout 2022, Gary had something to prove in 2023. Highlighted by his first three-sack performance in Week 3, Gary showed enough by the end of October for the Packers to reward him with a four-year, $96 million extension. Gary finished the season as the team leader in sacks (nine) and QB hits (22).

Henry was the central figure in the Tennessee offense for eight seasons, and his spot on this list is well-earned due to his durability and power, having missed only one game the last two years and leading the league in carries both seasons. He recorded 1,167 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023, his fifth season with 1,000-plus rushing yards and sixth with double-digit scores.

The Lions made it to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in 32 years in no small part due to Goff’s play. He finished second in the NFL in passing yards (4,575) and fourth in touchdowns (30), leading the Lions’ fifth-ranked offense. Goff appears to have truly found a home in Detroit, and his team ensured he’ll be sticking around through at least 2027, putting him among the highest-paid QBs with a four-year, $212 million extension.

Last year, Hutchinson finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting with a 9.5-sack finish. He built on that in Year 2, hitting double digits in sacks (11.5) in the regular season while adding three in the playoffs, and ranking second in the league in total pressures (94). Add on his seven passes defensed, three forced fumbles, a pair of fumble recoveries and an interception, and Hutchinson’s second effort was enough to earn him his first Pro Bowl nod.

Winfield has ascended into the ranks of the top NFL safeties, and reached the pinnacle this year with a position-leading 90.7 player grade, per PFF. Among his multiple new career highs, Winfield’s six forced fumbles and four recoveries were both at the top of the rankings for defensive players, showcasing his game-changing abilities. This earned him his initial first-team All-Pro honor, and the Buccaneers paid him accordingly with a four-year, $84.1 million extension, making him the first safety to be the highest-paid DB in the league.

Chase continued to show why he’s one of the league’s top WRs with his 2023 performance, hitting 1,000-plus receiving yards and making the Pro Bowl for the third time in as many years as a pro. Even though QB Joe Burrow missed almost half of the season, Chase recorded career highs in targets (145) and receptions (100). He even broke the Bengals’ single-game receptions record with 15 for 192 yards and three TDs in a Week 5 win.

Davis is one of the rare players who remains in his prime years while others are approaching the twilight of their careers. Davis, who is headed into his 13th season, has earned all of his All-Pro honors in the last five seasons, and in the past two has finally made the Pro Bowl. Not only has he missed just one game in the last seven seasons, he’s also had a career-best 6.5 sacks each of the last two years. It seems even at 35, Davis isn’t slowing down just yet.

In his second NFL season and first as a full-time starter, the 2022 No. 14 overall pick lived up to the hype, rising in the ranks of the top safeties and now being voted by his fellow players as the highest-ranked safety in the 2024 Top 100. And it’s no wonder when he had an 84.7 player grade, per PFF, while recording 13 passes defensed, four interceptions and three sacks. And so at just 23 years old, Hamilton has his first Pro Bowl, first-team All-Pro and Top 100 selections.

After a 2022 season that was cut short due to a scary spinal injury, Stafford came back in 2023 and proved 2022 was a fluke and he’s still got it 15 years into his NFL career. Stafford recorded 3,965 passing yards and 11 touchdowns to help lead the Rams back to the playoffs, while crucially only missing two games due to injury. He finished the year by being named to his second Pro Bowl and first since 2014.

Johnson has been a model of consistency over his 11 seasons, as shown by the tackle’s identical Top 100 ranking to last year’s, emphasizing his steady nature on the Eagles’ powerful offensive line. After earning a pay bump and extension heading into the year, Johnson proved he remains one of the premier tackles in the game, allowing just three sacks while recording a 80.9 player grade, per PFF, on his way to a fifth Pro Bowl.