The NFL will announce the 10 best players in the league as part of NFL Top 100 this week. The Raiders have just two players inside the top 100, but could have more next season.
Finishing last in the NFL is as clear an indication that the Raiders don’t have much talent. It also didn’t help that the two players on the list played through injuries last season. Maxx Crosby was eventually shut down and required offseason knee surgery, while Brock Bowers played in just 12 games and dealt with his own knee injury all season.
But 2026 brings a new round of optimism for a franchise always looking to the future. If the Raiders’ rebuild is successful, the next round of top 100 players will be littered with players in the Silver and Black.
Here is who could be in next year’s top 100.
Ashton Jeanty
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The Raiders used the sixth pick in the 2025 draft on Ashton Jeanty. While working behind an awful offensive line, Jeanty had an inefficient first season.
He totaled 975 rushing yards and 346 receiving yards. However, his 3.7 yards per carry ranked 44th out of 49 qualified rushers, and his 6.3 yards per catch was 135th best out of 142 pass catchers. Jeanty got the ball a lot, but didn’t go anywhere with it.
This season, Jeanty should be working behind an improved offensive line and should have a better offensive play-caller with Klint Kubiak calling plays. However, Jeanty’s season outlook is worse after suffering an injury at practice on Sunday.
There are 11 running backs on the current top 100 list, so if Jeanty can prove to be a top-10 running back, he should crack this list next season.
Tyler Linderbaum
The Raiders made Tyler Linderbaum the highest-paid center in the NFL this offseason, so Las Vegas is expecting him to join the top 100.
Only one center is on the top 100 this season, as Creed Humphrey in Kansas City made the cut. It is a tough position to garner recognition. But Linderbaum could get a lot of credit this season.
With last year’s offensive line performing so poorly, any sort of improvement could be largely attributed to Linderbaum’s presence. If Jeanty has a big season, two Raiders could be headed to the top 100.
Fernando Mendoza
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If the Raiders could choose one player to be in the top 100 next season it would be their newest quarterback. The rebuild will rely on Mendoza becoming a star at the most important position in the sport.
This year’s list has 18 quarterbacks, so if Mendoza is above average, he will have a real chance to be here next season. That seems like a perfectly reasonable bar for the first pick in the draft to clear.
But Mendoza might not play enough to get consideration. Kirk Cousins is the presumed starter for the Raiders. If he keeps that role for more than half of the season it will be tough for
Whether it is 2027 or later, the Raiders will need Mendoza to be a regular fixture on the top 100 list.
Brock Bowers and Maxx Crosby
Bowers should be a mainstay in the top 100. He is the third-best tight end on the list behind Trey McBride and George Kittle. Barring injury, there is no reason to think Bowers will go anywhere but up.
Crosby’s career will be a fascinating watch. The edge rusher turned 29 on Saturday and could see a downturn in production in his career.
The Raiders tried to trade Crosby, but ultimately welcomed him back when Baltimore backed out. The logic in that trade was that Crosby’s peak is likely coming to an end in the next couple of years, and the Raiders are in the middle of a rebuild.
If Crosby can avoid age-related regression and stay in the top 100, Las Vegas will have a star pass rusher while the rest of the roster develops.
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