Top 100 Players of 2026, Nos. 10-8: Micah Parsons rises after injury-shortened first Packers year
The "NFL Top 100" -- voted on by the players themselves -- reveal is wrapping up on X and NFL+! One Top 10 player will unveiled each weekday beginning at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Sept. 4.
2025 stats: 14 games | 47 tackles | 12 PD | 1 INT
Surtain was once again a cornerstone in Denver's top-three overall and scoring defense, earning his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl nod despite missing three games due to a pectoral injury. According to Next Gen Stats, he allowed just one touchdown on 63 targets and 572 coverage snaps last season. Finishing in the top 10 in this list in back-to-back seasons, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year remains the standard at the position.
NFL Pro Insight for Surtain: Pass catchers averaged just 2.1 yards of separation versus Surtain when he was targeted in 2025, second-lowest in the league (min. 50 targets) behind only Philadelphia's Quinyon Mitchell (1.8).
2025 stats: 17 games | 243 att | 1,223 rush yds | 5.0 ypc | 13 rush TD | 77 rec | 616 rec yds | 5 rec TD | 2 fumbles
Gibbs' incredible 2025 effort -- one that saw him amass nearly 2,000 scrimmage yards -- flew under the radar thanks to a 9-8, playoffless season from the Lions. The three-time Pro Bowler has racked up 3,580 rushing yards, 1,449 receiving yards and 49 total touchdowns in his first three seasons, making him more than worthy of his new contract that made him the NFL's highest-paid player at his position. Making his Top 100 debut at No. 27 a year ago, Gibbs lands at a new apex in this list just as the team, which traded "Knuckles" teammate David Montgomery to Houston this offseason, pivots to make him its bell cow for 2026.
NFL Pro Insight for Gibbs: Gibbs recorded the second-most rushing yards before contact in 2025 with 490, behind only Buffalo's James Cook (517).
2025 stats: 14 games | 41 tackles | 12 tfl | 12.5 sacks | 27 QB hits | 1 PD | 2 FF
The Packers made the splashiest move of 2025 when they traded for Parsons. The five-time Pro Bowler made his presence felt from the jump with a sack in his debut Green Bay, and his impact continued all the way until his season-ending knee injury in Week 15, through which he ranked top three in the NFL in sacks (12.5, tied for third) and QB pressures (83, first). By season's end, he was the only player in the top seven in QB pressures to not play in all 17 regular-season games. When healthy, Parsons is an absolute menace and he'll continue to be when he returns to the field, which won't be until mid-October, for new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. He has recorded at least 12 sacks in each of his five NFL seasons; can he continue that impressive streak despite missing the start of the season? Magic 8-ball says: Outlook good.
NFL Pro Insight for Parsons: Parsons is tied with Danielle Hunter for the second-most quarterback pressures (158) since 2024, behind only Myles Garrett's 161.