Wide Receivers

Roddy White (Atl)*
Calvin Johnson (Det)*
Hakeem Nicks (NYG)

Marques Colston (NO)

I like all the guys we mention, but what I don't like is how DeSean Jackson never does well in our ratings. While I can throw stuff about around dropped passes and him only being thrown at 70 times, our system clearly favors possession receivers. We will look into it.

Tackles

LT - Jordan Gross (Car)*
RT - Kareem McKenzie (NYG)*
Tyson Clabo (Atl)

Jason Peters (Phi)
Doug Free (Dal)

Chad Clifton (GB)
David Diehl (NYG)
Sam Baker (Atl)

It's just a little bit strange that the people who voted for both Baker and Diehl don't seem to realize they have much better players not regularly getting killed just at the other side of their lines.

Guards

LG - Carl Nicks (NO)*
RG - Josh Sitton (GB)*
Harvey Dahl (Atl)

Mike Iupati (SF)

Alan Faneca (Arz)
Chris Snee (NYG)
Jahri Evans (NO)

When three players who deserve it as much are all so likely to get jobbed, I just feel a cold sensation in my bones. The guys still voting for Snee and Evans are so far off the pace they may get round to voting for our guys next year.

Centers

Ryan Kalil (Car)*
Andre Gurode (Dal)

Todd McClure (Atl)

Olin Kreutz (Chi)
Jonathan Goodwin (NO)

In the end, class came to the fore and Kalil is our man despite a disaster for the ages in Week 9 against the Saints. McClure started strong but faded down the stretch. Is it age catching up?

Tight Ends

Jason Witten (Dal)*
Vernon Davis (SF)
Kellen Winslow (TB)

Martellus Bennett (Dal)

Everything after Witten is just clutching at straws. The overall standard of TE play in the NFC is so remarkably low anyone in the fan vote could just as easily mock some of my choices. I mentioned Bennett because outside Witten he's the best blocking TE in the NFL.

Quarterbacks

Matt Ryan (Atl)*
Aaron Rodgers (GB)
Drew Brees (NO)

Michael Vick (Phi)

Donovan McNabb (Was)

Wow… Any one of the top four are great. My money is on Brees being the top-rated by the end of the year. McNabb in the top 5 of fan voting? Bet he didn't get Mike Shanahan's vote.

Halfbacks

Adrian Peterson (Min)*
Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG)
Michael Turner (Atl)

If only Adrian Peterson had a decent offensive line and could learn to pass block, he'd be Walter Payton with better speed and strength.

Fullbacks

Ovie Mughelli (Atl)*
Mike Sellers (Was)

Korey Hall (GB) did OK when he was in but ended up with only 150 snaps or less than half as many as our final choices.

Defensive Ends

Trent Cole (Phi)*
Julius Peppers (Chi)*
Justin Smith (SF)

Charles Johnson (Car)
Chris Clemons (Sea)

In a great year for DE play, Johnson and Clemons can feel themselves very unlucky if they don't get in. In most other years that level of performance would see them as starters in our book.

Defensive Tackles

Kevin Williams (Min)*
Fred Robbins (SL)*
Aubrayo Franklin (SF)

Barry Cofield (NYG)
Antonio Dixon (Phi)

Ndamukong Suh will almost certainly make it, and while he's not wholly undeserving he's not one of our top five. Good luck to the guy but spare a thought for any of these guys omitted because of a statistic called sacks.

Outside Linebackers

DeMarcus Ware (Dal)*
Clay Matthews (GB)*
David Hawthorne (Sea)

Ware and Matthews are pretty obvious, but Hawthorne is a guy not many talk about. In fact he's so under the radar his own team even takes him out in nickel.

Inside Linebackers

Patrick Willis (SF)*
Brian Urlacher (Chi)*
Desmond Bishop (GB)

Takeo Spikes (SF)
E.J. Henderson (Min)
James Laurinaitis (SL)

A.J. Hawk (GB)

Even in a down year Willis is still the best ILB around - that's a measure of his ability. Urlacher is another obvious choice (although he's had his bad games too) but Bishop came out of nowhere with performances that simply couldn't be denied.

Cornerbacks

Antoine Winfield (Min)*
Tramon Williams (GB)*
Asante Samuel (Phi)

Brent Grimes (Atl)
Ronde Barber (TB)

Charles Woodson (GB)
DeAngelo Hall (Was)
D. Rodgers-Cromartie (Arz)

At the last gasp I listened to my PFF mates and went for Samuel as the 3rd CB. He can cover better than most but his run support is comical at times. Woodson has degenerated a lot from last year and has a league leading 11 penalties on him. While people talk about Hall's interceptions no one bothers to mention he's also allowed an identical number of TDs (6) and 739 yards (6th worst)

Safeties

SS - Quintin Mikell (Phi)
FS - Daniel Manning (Chi)
Roman Harper (NO)

Kenny Phillips (NYG)

Safety designations are a bit of a botch job and it needs to stop, Strong, free, who cares these days? In the end, we've picked who we think are the best four players. What someone chooses to call them is up to them.

Kicker

Jay Feely (Arz)

Punter

Mat McBriar (Dal)

Kick Returner

Devin Hester (Chi)

Brandon Banks (Was)

Special Teamer

John Wendling (Det)

Delanie Walker (SF)

NFC Squad (* = Starters)
Position	Our Choices	Other guys we feel good about	High up in the fan vote but why?	Comments
Wide Receivers	Roddy White (Atl)* Calvin Johnson (Det)* Hakeem Nicks (NYG)	Marques Colston (NO)		I like all the guys we mention, but what I don't like is how DeSean Jackson never does well in our ratings. While I can throw stuff about around dropped passes and him only being thrown at 70 times, our system clearly favors possession receivers. We will look into it.
Tackles	LT - Jordan Gross (Car)* RT - Kareem McKenzie (NYG)* Tyson Clabo (Atl)	Jason Peters (Phi) Doug Free (Dal)	Chad Clifton (GB) David Diehl (NYG) Sam Baker (Atl)	It's just a little bit strange that the people who voted for both Baker and Diehl don't seem to realize they have much better players not regularly getting killed just at the other side of their lines.
Guards	LG - Carl Nicks (NO)* RG - Josh Sitton (GB)* Harvey Dahl (Atl)	Mike Iupati (SF)	Alan Faneca (Arz) Chris Snee (NYG) Jahri Evans (NO)	When three players who deserve it as much are all so likely to get jobbed, I just feel a cold sensation in my bones. The guys still voting for Snee and Evans are so far off the pace they may get round to voting for our guys next year.
Centers	Ryan Kalil (Car)* Andre Gurode (Dal)	Todd McClure (Atl)	Olin Kreutz (Chi) Jonathan Goodwin (NO)	In the end, class came to the fore and Kalil is our man despite a disaster for the ages in Week 9 against the Saints. McClure started strong but faded down the stretch. Is it age catching up?
Tight Ends	Jason Witten (Dal)* Vernon Davis (SF) Kellen Winslow (TB)	Martellus Bennett (Dal)		Everything after Witten is just clutching at straws. The overall standard of TE play in the NFC is so remarkably low anyone in the fan vote could just as easily mock some of my choices. I mentioned Bennett because outside Witten he's the best blocking TE in the NFL.
Quarterbacks	Matt Ryan (Atl)* Aaron Rodgers (GB) Drew Brees (NO)	Michael Vick (Phi)	Donovan McNabb (Was)	Wow… Any one of the top four are great. My money is on Brees being the top-rated by the end of the year. McNabb in the top 5 of fan voting? Bet he didn't get Mike Shanahan's vote.
Halfbacks	Adrian Peterson (Min)* Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) Michael Turner (Atl)			If only Adrian Peterson had a decent offensive line and could learn to pass block, he'd be Walter Payton with better speed and strength.
Fullbacks	Ovie Mughelli (Atl)* Mike Sellers (Was)			Korey Hall (GB) did OK when he was in but ended up with only 150 snaps or less than half as many as our final choices.
Defensive Ends	Trent Cole (Phi)* Julius Peppers (Chi)* Justin Smith (SF)	Charles Johnson (Car) Chris Clemons (Sea)		In a great year for DE play, Johnson and Clemons can feel themselves very unlucky if they don't get in. In most other years that level of performance would see them as starters in our book.
Defensive Tackles	Kevin Williams (Min)* Fred Robbins (SL)* Aubrayo Franklin (SF)	Barry Cofield (NYG) Antonio Dixon (Phi)		Ndamukong Suh will almost certainly make it, and while he's not wholly undeserving he's not one of our top five. Good luck to the guy but spare a thought for any of these guys omitted because of a statistic called sacks.
Outside Linebackers	DeMarcus Ware (Dal)* Clay Matthews (GB)* David Hawthorne (Sea)			Ware and Matthews are pretty obvious, but Hawthorne is a guy not many talk about. In fact he's so under the radar his own team even takes him out in nickel.
Inside Linebackers	Patrick Willis (SF)* Brian Urlacher (Chi)* Desmond Bishop (GB)	Takeo Spikes (SF) E.J. Henderson (Min) James Laurinaitis (SL)	A.J. Hawk (GB)	Even in a down year Willis is still the best ILB around - that's a measure of his ability. Urlacher is another obvious choice (although he's had his bad games too) but Bishop came out of nowhere with performances that simply couldn't be denied.
Cornerbacks	Antoine Winfield (Min)* Tramon Williams (GB)* Asante Samuel (Phi)	Brent Grimes (Atl) Ronde Barber (TB)	Charles Woodson (GB) DeAngelo Hall (Was) D. Rodgers-Cromartie (Arz)	At the last gasp I listened to my PFF mates and went for Samuel as the 3rd CB. He can cover better than most but his run support is comical at times. Woodson has degenerated a lot from last year and has a league leading 11 penalties on him. While people talk about Hall's interceptions no one bothers to mention he's also allowed an identical number of TDs (6) and 739 yards (6th worst)
Safeties	SS - Quintin Mikell (Phi) FS - Daniel Manning (Chi) Roman Harper (NO)	Kenny Phillips (NYG)		Safety designations are a bit of a botch job and it needs to stop, Strong, free, who cares these days? In the end, we've picked who we think are the best four players. What someone chooses to call them is up to them.
Kicker	Jay Feely (Arz)
Punter	Mat McBriar (Dal)
Kick Returner	Devin Hester (Chi)	Brandon Banks (Was)
Special Teamer	John Wendling (Det)	Delanie Walker (SF)