3 Giants make Pete Prisco’s Top 100 Players of 2018 list

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports jas unveiled his Top 100 Players of 2018 list. Like any list that attempts rankings of the league’s top players, it’s not perfect. But what really can be taken away from these lists is the range in which some players are viewed.

Three members of the New York Giants make Prisco’s Top 100. Odell Beckham Jr. was the highest-ranked Giant on the list at No. 14, which is actually an eight-spot leap from where Prisco ranked Beckham heading into 2017. Prisco states his list weighs both what happened in 2017 and a look ahead to 2018, so it appears despite his injury last season, big things are expected for the Giants’ top wideout this coming season. Specifically of Beckham, Prisco said:

He played in just three games because of a broken ankle last season, but when he’s on the field he is one of the game’s best and a player who can change a game with one catch and run.

Beckham is the third-ranked wide receiver after Antonio Brown (5) and just one spot behind Julio Jones (13).

Another Giant doesn’t appear on the list until No. 57 for Damon Harrison. Last week we noted Harrison doesn’t often get fairly represented in these types of lists whether it be the perceived lack of value in a giant nose tackle or people just not paying enough attention to Snacks’ impact, but a top-60 showing isn’t bad here for the seventh-year pro, especially since he was left off this list last season after his dominant 2016.

The third Giant on the list is Landon Collins at No. 83. That is a steep fall for the safety who came in at No. 25 last season, just three spots behind Beckham. But like Beckham, Prisco notes bigger and better things should be expected in 2018 after a down 2017.

Five Giants made the list last season with Janoris Jenkins (72) and Olivier Vernon (83) missing out on the 2018 version of the list. Neither even made the “just missed” section this year. Jason Pierre-Paul also made last year’s list at No. 85, but the current Buccaneer was also left out this year. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was in the “just missed” section last season but not this year.

The fall from five players in this Top 100 in 2017 to just three in 2018 does reflect how the Giants are viewed in overall talent heading into the season. They have some great players, but it’s fair to wonder if the top-end talent is enough to carry the rest of the roster, which it has been asked to do over the past few seasons.

As the Giants continue to add some young talent — Saquon Barkley should easily make next year’s list — there’s hope the roster can continue to improve. But for that to happen in 2018, a number of other Giants will have to step up and play above the current level of expectation.