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The 2026 NFL Top 100 has seen a lot of veterans fall on the list and be replaced by younger players. However, we saw some veterans take massive steps in their careers as they enter the twilight of their respective careers. There was a veteran who won his first major individual award that leaped on the rankings. Let’s take a deeper dive into who it is and why he jumped so much. Matthew Stafford jumps to fourth place on the 2026 NFL Top 100 Seeing some superstars make significant leaps after more than a decade in the league is rare for the 2026 NFL Top 100, but it does happen. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford climbed 55 spots on the list to be ranked fourth entering this season. NFL’s Brooke Cersosimo wrote the following blurb regarding the reigning NFL MVP: “The fine wine that is Stafford had perhaps his best campaign at age 37. Not only did he earn his first NFL MVP, he joined G.O.A.T. Tom Brady (2007) as the only quarterbacks to lead the league in passing yards and passing TDs in a season in which he threw fewer than 10 interceptions. Plus, the last time a QB won MVP on a wild-card team? Peyton Manning in 2008 — the year before Stafford was drafted No. 1 overall by the Lions. “The veteran passer has taken Sean McVay’s offense to the next level over the last half-decade, and the gunslinger’s ability to come up in the clutch in 2025 made the Rams extremely watchable and took them to the brink of his second Super Bowl appearance. Opposing defenses get the unfortunate task of facing the reigning MVP this fall, and thanks to Drew Brees, 2026 might not be his last in an NFL uniform.” Stafford had a massive season to win his first NFL MVP in 2025. He played 17 games for the first time since 2021 as he completed 388 of 597 (65.0%) of his passes for 4,707 yards with 46 passing touchdowns to eight interceptions. The offense is going to have a lot of familiar faces with no new starters, but another year with the chemistry will be intriguing, to say the least, in the loaded NFC West. Below are the quarterbacks who have been named to the 2026 NFL Top 100 list so far: - 98: Bryce Young - 85: Brock Purdy - 77: Baker Mayfield - 72: Jordan Love - 69: Lamar Jackson - 62: Trevor Lawrence - 59: Bo Nix - 56: Jalen Hurts - 51: Caleb Williams - 44: Joe Burrow - 39: Justin Herbert - 33: Jared Goff - 31: Dak Prescott - 21: Sam Darnold - 18: Patrick Mahomes - 11: Drake Maye - 4: Matthew Stafford The 2026 NFL Top 100 is a list consisting of the top players in the league heading into the regular season. This list is voted on by the players during the previous season and does not include incoming rookies. Each weekday one name is revealed, and the entire 2026 NFL Top 100 list will be announced on Friday, Sept. 4. It will be intriguing to see how Matthew Stafford looks following his best statistical season and a stronger defense to get the offense back on the field.