Falcons Place Four Players in New NFL Top 100 Rankings, Including One Surprise

The Atlanta Falcons have entered the 2026 offseason, so it's time for the national media to start piecing together player rankings. The first to offer his opinion is Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated, who finalized his Top 100 players list on Thursday.

For this analysis, Manzano polled the eight members of MMQB to come up with his results. He finished his list on Thursday morning, and several Falcons have received some well-deserved recognition.

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The top vote-earner is, unsurprisingly, Bijan Robinson. The star running back came in at No. 8 overall, ahead of players like Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, but second among running backs behind Jahmyr Gibbs.

“You know Robinson is the real deal when Barkley says Robinson is the most talented running back in the league—Barkley said this after rushing for 2,000 yards. He has plenty of respect from his peers for his absurd vision and ability to cut to evade defenders. Robinson’s blend of power and quickness compares to what Chargers great LaDainian Tomlinson did in the 2000s. Robinson has recorded at least 1,400 rushing yards in back-to-back seasons. He recorded a career-high 79 catches for 820 yards and a league-high 2,298 scrimmage yards in 2025,” Manzano wrote.

Robinson’s ranking is absolutely deserved, and he was commonly referred to as “the best player in football” by ex-head coach Raheem Morris. He certainly has an argument to be listed ahead of Gibbs, but the winning and added exposure have done his draft-mate well for lists like this.

His high ranking is unsurprising, but several more Falcons picked up some credit.

Right guard Chris Lindstrom also landed at No. 47, with Manzano writing the following about the four-time All-Pro offensive lineman.

“There’s a strong case to be made for Lindstrom being the best guard in the league. He’s efficient in the running game and a rugged pass protector, which has helped him become a second-team All-Pro in four consecutive seasons. Not only is he the best at his position, but someone on our MMQB staff gave him a vote as a top-20 player.”

Lindstrom has been a steady presence for the Falcons, playing nearly every snap of his career. In 2025, he helped pave the way for a potent rushing attack and allowed just one sack.

Wide receiver Drake London landed at No. 52, despite a second half of his season marred by injuries.

“London’s elite trait is catching nearly every pass in his vicinity. His size and strength (6' 4", 215 pounds) make him a nightmare matchup for opposing cornerbacks. If he didn’t miss five games in 2025, he likely would have shattered his career highs in many categories, finishing with 68 catches for 919 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games played.”

The star receiver has been the team’s clear No. 1 receiver since being drafted in 2022. He has delivered 850+ yards and 68+ receptions in every season of his career, and was well on his way to another 1,000-yard season before his PCL injury against the Carolina Panthers in Week 11.

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The biggest surprise came with rookie edge rusher James Pearce Jr. getting the final nod among Falcons players. “After the Falcons gambled by sending a future first-round pick to the Rams for Pearce, he rewarded them with a breakout rookie season, leading all rookies in sacks.

Pearce came in at No. 90 for Manzano.

“I had no problem with the Falcons relinquishing a 2026 first-round pick to the Rams to select Pearce because of how much coaches raved about his upside in the lead-up to the ’25 draft. One former head coach told me he was clearly the most talented edge rusher in his class, but there were concerns about his motor on the field. Pearce answered those questions with 10.5 sacks as a rookie and is well on his way to meeting his potential.”

All told, for an 8-9 team that just reset its front office and coaching staff, four players inside the top 100 of the NFL is pretty darn good. For a franchise in transition, this level of recognition proves the foundation is already in place, and the Falcons may be closer to getting back to contention than their record suggests.