If you watch (or even have) the NFL Network, you have probably caught a few episodes of their popular new series; The NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2011.

It’s just the latest of many lists that the network has provided in its eight-year history, but the entertainment value extends beyond the program itself. Following each episode (where 10 players are exposed over each of the 10 episodes), NFLN has three anchors host a post-show discussion where they debate who is listed too high, too low, and which players got snubbed completely.

With the addition of Twitter and Facebook posts scrolling on the bottom line, NFL fans have a chance to voice their opinion as well. Many of the posts, as expected, carry much bias as ‘homer’ fans preach why their favorite player should be positioned higher on the board than a rival player, ect.

I’m no exception … but I don’t have much of a case for many of my favorite 49ers (beside Patrick Willis — the best defensive player in the league :)

Below is a list of players, as voted by the NFL players (during the Pro Bowl weekend a week before the Super Bowl), as to who they believe will have biggest impact this fall. That is my interpretation at least. All of the NFLN anchors continually remind viewers that the list was not put together by the network.

Below that list is a position breakdown. I put this together in order to avoid comparing apples to oranges. It’s really the only logical way to debate it.

My problems with the list:

Voting date: It’s quite obvious the list was voted on before the Super Bowl. If it was done after, players like Packers safety Nick Collins and receiver  Greg Jennings would have been ranked much higher. I’d also bet that Aaron Rodgers would have been voted into a much better spot than his No. 11 position.

Pass rushers: 18 receivers and 12 quarterbacks are far too many to have on a Top 100 list. While voting was not limited to two teams worth of players , it is pretty crazy to see so many skill position players listed. On the defensive side, 17 pass rushers (Defensive ends and outside linebackers) will be named. Among those 17 rush specialists, five will have been listed in the top 21 players. While those edge rushers are among the greatest and most skilled athletes on the field, they are also usually one-dimensional players (i.e.- DeMarcus Ware: eight dropbacks into coverage in 2010). Inside linebackers Patrick Willis and Jonathan Vilma, defenders capable of playing any position on the field, are listed behind those pass rushers who provide nothing but big sack numbers.

The “Cal Ripken” votes: MLB Hall of Fame infielder Cal Ripken Jr. made the all-star game EVERY July, even after his pursuit of the consecutive games record had diminished his skills to a mediocre level. Donovan McNabb listed at No. 100 is proof that NFL veterans are much alike when it comes to voting. His 2010 effort ended on the Washington bench, and I assume a 2012 vote of the Top 100 wouldn’t land him on the Top 1,000.

Among the top 10 players expected to be named is future Hall of Fame member Ray Lewis. His play remains at a high level despite being in the league since 1996, but he is no longer near a top-10 caliber player in the NFL.

The final (top) 10 players will be revealed this Sunday, and the only question remains is to which order those 10 players will be listed.

These are not my rankings, but my predictions based on the previous 90 players.

I welcome you to give me your thoughts.

#. Player – Position – 2010 team

1. Peyton Manning – QB – Indianapolis: He was the top currently active player listed among the Top 100 of all-time list a few months back, so I fully expect him to be listed as No. 1 on Sunday.
2. Tom Brady – QB – New England: The Joe Montana of the modern era, Brady deserves at least a “1b” billing with two more titles than Manning.
3. Adrian Peterson – RB – Minnesota: He may fumble too much, but his complete skill set are unrivaled by any other back in the NFL.
4. Darrelle Revis – CB – N.Y. Jets: Nnamdi Asomugha has never given any reason to relinquish his label as the league’s top cover man before Revis came into the league, but the Raiders don’t win and they’re not located in New York.
5. Drew Brees – QB – New Orleans: A year removed from being named the Super Bowl MVP, Brees is still one or two championships away from being mentioned in the same league as Brady and Manning.
6. Troy Polamalu – S – Pittsburgh: Possibly the most exciting defensive player in the league. Polamalu and Ed Reed’s battle for top billing at safety is equal to that of Brady and Manning at quarterback.
7. Ed Reed – S – Baltimore: The ball-hawk of all ball-hawks, Reed spends a majority of his time making plays in the secondary, as opposed to Polamalu’s signature play in the box.
8. Julius Peppers – DE – Chicago: Too many pass-rushers made the list, but Peppers has a case for being named the top one. Even after producing for years at outside linebacker in Carolina’s 3-4 scheme, he has only gotten better as a 4-3 end.
9. Andre Johnson – WR – Houston: The best wide receiver in the league. If 18 wideouts made the list, A. Johnson should be on it twice.
10. Ray Lewis – ILB – Baltimore: He’ll probably be listed around No. 5, but I refuse to put him any higher than he has to be. Five other inside linebackers made the Top 100, and four of them (not Urlacher) are currently playing at a higher level than Lewis.

The 90 already named:

11. Aaron Rodgers – QB – Green Bay
12. DeMarcus Ware – OLB – Dallas
13. Chris Johnson – RB – Tennessee
14. Larry Fitzgerald – WR – Arizona
15. Dwight Freeney – DE – Indianapolis
16. Charles Woodson – CB – Green Bay
17. Haloti Ngata – DT – Baltimore
18. Nnamdi Asomugha – CB – Oakland
19. Clay Matthews – OLB – Green Bay
20. Michael Vick – QB – Philadelphia
21. James Harrison – OLB – Pittsburgh
22. Antonio Gates – TE – San Diego
23. Patrick Willis – ILB – San Francisco
24. Roddy White – WR – Atlanta
25. Arian Foster – RB – Houston
26. Phillip Rivers – QB – San Diego
27. Calvin Johnson – WR – Detroit
28. Jake Long – OT – Miama
29. DeSean Jackson – WR/KR – Philadelphia
30. Maurice Jones-Drew – RB – Jacksonville
31. Reggie Wayne – WR – Indianapolis
32. Devin Hester – KR – Chicago
33. Jamaal Charles – RB – Kansas City
34. Jahri Evans – OG – New Orleans
35. Vince Wilford – DT – New England
36. Jason Witten – TE – Dallas
37. Jonathan Vilma – ILB – New Orleans
38. Steven Jackson – RB – St. Louis
39. Logan Mankins – OG – New England
40. Terrell Suggs – OLB – Baltimore
41. Ben Roethlisberger – QB – Pittsburgh
42. Michael Turner – RB – Atlanta
43. Joe Thomas – OT – Cleveland
44. Robert Mathis – DE – Indianapolis
45. Dwayne Bowe – WR – Kansas City
46. Tony Gonzalez – TE – Atlanta
47. Nick Mangold – C – N.Y. Jets
48. Champ Bailey – CB – Denver
49. Brian Urlacher – ILB – Chicago
50. Wes Welker – WR – New England
51. Ndamukong Suh – DT – Detroit
52. Matt Ryan – QB – Atlanta
53. Marques Colston – WR – New Orleans
54. Asante Samuel – CB – Philadelphia
55. Carl Nicks – OG – New Orleans
56. Ray Rice – RB – Baltimore
57. Andre Gurode – C – Dallas
58. Brandon Lloyd – WR – Denver
59. Jeff Saturday – C – Indianapolis
60. Justin Tuck – DE – N.Y. Giants
61. Brandon Marshall – WR – Miami
62. Jerod Mayo – ILB – New England
63. Cameron Wake – OLB – Miami
64. Tamba Hali – OLB – Kansas City
65. Vonta Leach – FB – Houston
66. Richard Seymour – DT – Oakland
67. Brian Waters – OG – Kansas City
68. Antrel Rolle – S – N.Y. Giants
69. John Abraham – DE – Atlanta
70. Miles Austin – WR – Dallas
71. Mario Williams – OLB – Houston
72. Tony Romo – QB – Dallas
73. Trent Cole – DE – Philadelphia
74. Greg Jennings – WR – Green Bay
75. Jay Ratliff – DE – Dallas
76. Santonio Holmes – WR – N.Y. Jets
77. Chris Snee – OG – N.Y. Giants
78. Dallas Clark – TE – Indianapolis
79. D’Brickashaw Ferguson – OT – N.Y. Jets
80. Jared Allen – DE – Minnesota
81. B.J. Raji – DT – Green Bay
82. LaMarr Woodley – OLB – Pittsburgh
83. Mike Williams – WR – Tampa Bay
84. Josh Cribbs – KR – Cleveland
85. Jason Babin – DE – Tennessee
86. Josh Freeman – QB – Tampa Bay
87. Jordan Gross – OT – Carolina
88. Vernon Davis – TE – San Francisco
89. Adrian Wilson – S – Arizona
90. Joe Flacco – QB – Baltimore
91. Terrell Owens – WR – Cincinnati
92. Lance Briggs – OLB – Chicago
93. Eric Berry – S – Kansas City
94. Frank Gore – RB – San Francisco
95. Jon Beason – ILB – Carolina
96. Nick Collins – S – Green Bay
97. Shaun Phillips – OLB – San Diego
98. Darren McFadden – RB – oakland
99. Chad Clifton – OT – Green Bay
100. Donovan McNabb – QB – Washington

Rank by position
QB – 11. Rodgers; 20. Vick; 26. Rivers; 41. Roethlisberger; 52. Ryan; 72. Romo; 86. Freeman; 90. Flacco; 100. McNabb

RB – 13. Johnson; 25. Foster; 30. Jones-Drew; 33. Charles; 38. Jackson; 42. Turner; 56. Rice; 65. Leach (FB); 94. Gore; 98. McFadden

WR – 14. Fitzgerald; 24. White; 27. C. Johnson; 29. Jackson; 31. Wayne; 32. Hester; 45. Bowe; 50. Welker; 53. Colston; 58. Lloyd; 61. Marshall; 70. Austin; 74. Jennings; 76. Holmes; 83. Williams; 84. Cribbs; 91. Owens

TE - 27. Gates; 36. Witten; 46. Gonzalez; 78. Clark; 88. Davis

OL - 28. Long (T); 34. Evans (G); 39. Mankins (G); 43. Thomas (T); 47. Mangold (C); 55. Nicks (G); 57. Gurode (C); 59. Saturday (C); 67. Waters (G); 77. Snee (G); 79. Ferguson (T); 87. Gross (T); 99. Clifton (T)

DE/DT - 17. Ngata; 35. Wilfork (NT); 51. Suh (DT); 81. Raji (NT); 66. Seymour (DT); 75. Ratliff (DE); 80. Jared Allen (DE)

DE/OLB – 12. Ware (OLB); 15. Freeney (DE); 19. Matthews (OLB); 21. Harrison (OLB); 40. Suggs (OLB); 44. Mathis (DE); 60. Tuck (DE); 63. Wake (OLB); 64. Hali (OLB); 69. Abraham (DE);  71. Williams (DE); 73. Cole (DE); 82. Woodley (OLB); 85. Babin (DE); 92. Briggs (OLB); 97. Phillips (OLB)

ILB - 23. Willis; 37. Vilma; 49. Urlacher; 62. Mayo; 95. Beason

CB – 16. Woodson; 18. Asomugha; 48. Bailey; 54. Samuel

S - 68. Rolle; 89. Wilson; 93. Berry; 96. Collins