Keefe Presents: Top 10 Offensive Lineman

Fats guys, it is time to unveil the very best of the best of the big uglies. Who are the best offensive lineman in the NFL? Here is a break down of the Top 10 Tackles, Guards, and Centers. (No I am no breaking up LT from RT or LG from RG, just enjoy the list.)

Tackles

1. Ryan Clady, Broncos

2. Joe Thomas, Browns

3. Jake Long, Dolphins

4. Michael Roos, Titans

5. Jordan Gross, Panthers

6. Jared Gaither, Ravens

7. Jamaal Brown, Saints

8. Bryant McKinnie, Vikings

9. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots

10. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets

Guards

1. Jahri Evans, Saints

2. Logan Mankins, Patriots
3. Steve Hutchinson, Vikings

4. Chris Snee, Giants

5. Leonard Davis, Cowboys

6. Ben Grubbs, Ravens

7. Alan Faneca, Cardinals

8. Ryan Lilja, Chiefs

9. Carl Nicks, Saints

10. Kris Dielman, Chargers

Center

1. Nick Mangold, Jets

2. Alex Mack, Browns

3. Andre Gurode, Cowboys

4. Matt Birk, Ravens

5. Dan Koppen, Patriots

6. Jeff Saturday, Colts

7. Ryan Kalil, Panthers

8. Shaun O'Hara, Giants

9. Nick Hardwick, Chargers

10. Jason Brown, Rams

There you have it, the best lineman in the league. Not surprisingly the tackles are almost entirely Left Tackles. It's difficult to single out lineman when they have no easy stats to look at. If they don't have a great QB or RB you might not be able to see just how good they can be. Admittedly I watch more Patriots games than any other team, but I am confident putting Vollmer, Koppen, and Mankins against anyone else.

Next up: Middle Linebackers

-Keefe

Keefe Presents: Top 10 Tight Ends

Alright Keefe Presents is back with the Top 10 Tight Ends currently in the NFL. A refresher for those who have missed these Top 10 lists from earlier (see Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers), these are the players I believe are the 10 best at their position, not 10 best fantasy players. If every tight end in the league was on the same team, this is how I think they would rank out.

1. Antonio Gates, Chargers

2. Jason Witten, Cowboys

3. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons

4. Dallas Clark, Colts

5. Vernon Davis, 49ers

6. Jermichael Finley, Packers

7. Dustin Keller, Jets

8. Chris Cooley, Redskins

9. Kellen Winslow, Buccaneers

10. Brandon Pettigrew, Lions

Marcedes Lewis and Todd Heap are both having good years, but I think Heap is done while Lewis needs to do it again. Clark and Finley are done for the season, however when healthy there is no denying that they belong in the Top 10. Clark is tricky to figure out, similar to Reggie Wayne, because they have only played with Peyton Manning. Would they be nearly as effective anywhere else? Who the hell knows.

But with this list you can now get into educated arguments about whether your team has a Top 10 Tight End. Your welcome.

Next up: The Offensive Line

-Keefe

Keefe Presents: Top 10 Wide Receivers

Time now to turn our attention to the best players on the football field, the most athletic guys in the locker room, and the most dynamic personalities in the sport, the wide receivers. Some, if not many, of these WRs will likely end up on the All-Time Top 10 list for the position, but this is simply today's 10 best.

Disclaimer: Again, if everything was equal: QB, coach, running game, 2nd receiver, O-line, etc., these would be the 10 best receivers in football.

1. Andre Johnson, Texans

2. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals

3. Calvin Johnson, Lions

4. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins

5. Anquan Boldin, Ravens

6. Reggie Wayne, Colts

7. Roddy White, Falcons

8. Miles Austin, Cowboys

9. Terrell Owens, Bengals

10. Steve Smith, Panthers

Honorable Mention: Greg Jennings, Packers; Hakeem Nicks, Giants; Randy Moss, Titans; Chad Ochocinco, Bengals; DeSean Jackson, Eagles.

I know what you're thinking, Steve Smith? And not last year's pro bowl Steve Smith from the Giants either. I stand by it. There are some great receivers in this league, and Panthers Steve Smith is as good as any of them. His stats this year are garbage, but so would Jerry Rice's in Carolina. You know who has taken the snaps this year for the Panthers? Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen, Tony Pike, and Brian "I was literally a stay-at-home Dad-3-days-before-my-last-start St. Pierre. Give me a break.

Besides Reggie Wayne, none of the guys in my Top 10 play for an elite quarterback. If you base the QB's off my rankings, I believe Brady, Manning, Brees, Rivers, and Rodgers are elite. Randy Moss still makes my honorable mention list, but honestly its tough to keep him there. It's been a terrible season for him in not 1, not 2, but 3 places.

Mike Wallace of the Steelers didn't crack my Top 15, but the way he's going he could be Top 7 Top 5 in a couple years.

What does your list look like, let the debate begin.

Next up: Tight Ends

-Keefe

Keefe Presents: Top 10 Running Backs

Keefe Presents continues today with the Top 10 RBs. Again, a reminder, these are not the Top 10 best fantasy backs, but rather simply the 10 best running backs in the NFL. If each guy played on the same offense, with the same QB, O-line, etc., who would be the best for this season, that is what this list(s) are all about.

Top 10 Running Backs:

1. Adrian Peterson, Vikings

2. Chris Johnson, Titans

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars

4. Ray Rice, Ravens

5. Stephen Jackson, Rams

6. Michael Turner, Falcons

7. Frank Gore, 49ers

8. Arian Foster, Texans

9. Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants

10. Darren McFadden, Raiders

Honorable Mention: Rashad Mendenhall, Steelers; Matt Forte, Bears; Cedric Benson, Bengals; DeAngelo Williams, Panthers; Ronnie Brown, Dolphins

If your team has or is playing against one of those guys on the list, you can talk about a Top 10 RB in the game, other than that, they might be good, but not in the upper echelon. This list is once again tough, you see guys like Foster and McFadden really only having this year for a track record, but from watching them I truly believe they are in the Top 10.

DeAngelo Williams was a tough omission from my Top 10, he's had a horrible/injury riddled season (he's out for the year), but based strictly on talent, which my lists are intended for, it's hard to say he's not in the Top 10, but there are so many good RBs.

Coming up next: Wide Receivers

-Keefe

Keefe Presents: Top 10 Quarterbacks

You always hear on TV and radio shows about, "this guy is a Top 10 receiver, oh he's a Top 5 corner, or they got a Top 10 quarterback." This type of hyperbole is tossed around all the time. But do the people who say it actually have a Top 5, Top 10, or Top 32 list on hand, where are they pulling this stuff from? More often then not they're just like Dick Vitale who will name like 9 teams he says will make the Final 4.

Well look no further. In what will be titled "Keefe Presents: Top 10 (NFL Position)" I'll map out the Top 10 players at each position in the league. These are NOT fantasy rankings, you wouldn't need me to do that. It's also not the 10 guys you would want to build a franchise with, it is simply the 10 best players at each position right now. Today begins with Quarterbacks.

1. Tom Brady, Patriots
2. Peyton Manning, Colts
3. Drew Brees, Saints
4. Philip Rivers, Chargers
5. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
6. Michael Vick, Eagles
7. Matt Ryan, Falcons
8. Ben Roesthlisberger*, Steelers
9. Matt Schaub, Texans
10. Josh Freeman, Buccaneers

*Accused Rapist

These lists have already proved that they will be harder to fill out than I thought. The top 7-8 QBs are pretty easy in my opinion, but the order is obviously tricky. I nearly put Peyton #1, but some of his playoff struggles/chokes have bumped him down to 2 behind Brady.

There are definitely a handful of guys that you could argue are better than Schaub and Freeman, but my whole point is be consistent. These are the QBs I will say are in the Top 10. I can't add anyone else or that just wouldn't be a Top 10 list anymore.

Say what you mean and mean what you say. Stay tuned for the rest of the positions in the Award** Winning Keefe Presents: Top 10s.

Coming up next: Runningbacks

**Not actual Award.

-Keefe

Random Saturday musings

So this morning my brother had his tryout for Babe Ruth. I can tell you a few things after sitting there for a couple hours completely miserable: A) it's cold as shit out; B) this weather still sucks; and C) this league is a joke. They took the kids through the most unorganized infield practice, then set up a pitching machine to throw BP at 50mph. I've had my brother hitting 80-85 all winter, and this is what we walk out there to? To top it off, I should've known things were heading south when the guy rolled out the pitching machine on the actual wheels that fire out the baseballs. I know it's heavy, but you're not indoors and it's been raining all week guy. Nice to see you really thought that through. I know it's heavy, but for the sake of not getting dirt, grass and water all over the wheels, have someone help you lift it and carry it out there to the bump.

Anyway, in an effor to thaw out, I got home, plopped myself on the couch and pondered life over a couple egg sandwiches and some ESPN.com. It was there that I came across Sportscenter's Top 10 plays from last night. The top play, rightfully so, featured Randall Bailey, a lightweight boxer who has challenged for a title and fought some solid competition over the course of his 45 professional matches. Last night, he took on Francisco Figueroa, a fringe contender who came in riding a 12 fight win streak. Thanks to a Bailey right hand, that streak, much like all of mine in Streak for Cash, has come to an end. Please enjoy:



No question that's a candidate for KO of the year. And that will serve as this week's KO clip of the week.

Moving on, Troy Murphy did his best to fill the stat sheet last night in one fell swoop. I don't know if he got the assist on this as well, but he should've. What a play...



Somewhere, Ricky Davis is smiling proudly...



Enjoy the Final Four tonight. I've got a bet going with my buddy BJal. We've been picking against the spread for every game of the tournament so far. I'm down 2 with 3 to go, so I've gotta win out. I picked Villanova +7 and Michigan State +4.5. I don't like either pick, but obviously what I've been doing hasn't worked so far, so whatever. Loser takes the other out for dinner and drinks in the near future. Regardless of who wins, it's going to be a shitshow. Have a weekend.

-Bess