Jeffery Simmons Cracks Pete Prisco's Top 100 NFL Players — Did Another Titan Get Snubbed?

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco unleashed his top 100 players for 2026 and put Jeffery Simmons at No. 20 among all NFL players. Find out where Cam Ward ranked below!

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) tackles Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) for a safety during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports just dropped his annual ranking of the top 100 players in the NFL, and the Tennessee Titans have one representative in the top 20. Simmons checked in at No. 20, a massive leap from his No. 78 spot a year ago.

Prisco said of Simmons, "Playing on a bad team in 2025, he didn't get the attention he deserved for how well he played. He was a dominant interior rusher and once again was tough against the run. He earned the mega deal he signed this month."

The Cam Ward Question

Jun 16, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) talks with the media post practice during day 1 of mini-camp at Vanderbilt Health Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Now here's where it gets interesting. Prisco leaned heavily into the value of the quarterback position — he opened the piece by stating flatly that quarterbacks are by far the most valuable players in football — and yet Cam Ward is nowhere to be found on the list.

So how does that sit with everyone? Did Ward get snubbed?

For reference, the last quarterback ranked on the list is Denver's Bo Nix at No. 87. Nix threw 25 touchdowns against 11 interceptions last season with a strong defense behind him on a 14-3 Broncos team. The question for Tennessee fans: Are those numbers feasible for Cam Ward in 2026? Does Ward deserve a top-100 spot right now?

Honestly, if I were starting an NFL franchise today, I'd take Ward over Nix — just off the improv and the instincts alone. That's my opinion, and we'll see how it plays out.

Who's Next for the Titans?

Prisco's piece raises a fun question: which Titan has the best shot to crack this list a year from now? Is it Ward, finally getting his national due?

Is it No. 4 overall pick Carnell Tate if he goes off as a rookie? Either way, it's fascinating to see how the wider football world perceives who the best players in the league really are.

My best guess is that Peter Skoronski could crack the later half of the list next season.

The Top of the List

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) leaves the field after the 2026 NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

For the curious, here's how Prisco's top 10 shook out — and the Los Angeles Rams absolutely dominate it with three players:

1. Myles Garrett, Rams DE
2. Matthew Stafford, Rams QB
3. Josh Allen, Bills QB
4. Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals WR
5. Joe Burrow, Bengals QB
6. Penei Sewell, Lions OT
7. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs QB
8. Justin Jefferson, Vikings WR
9. Puka Nacua, Rams WR
10. Lamar Jackson, Ravens QB

The headline story is the Rams. Garrett — last year's Defensive Player of the Year and the new single-season sack king with 23 — sits at No. 1 after L.A. traded a haul to land him.

Pair him with Stafford, the reigning MVP who jumped all the way from unranked to No. 2, plus Nacua at No. 9, and the Rams have three of the ten best players in football on one roster. And Mahomes sliding to No. 7 coming off a torn ACL is a story in itself.