It's difficult to take "The Top 100: Players of 2012" too seriously after the voters placed a mediocre fullback on the list, but I'm going to try anyway until they stop me. Thus, I'm appropriately outraged that New England Patriots star Vince Wilfork is ranked No. 81 based off his 2011 season, falling 46 spots from his spot on the 2010 list.
Wilfork's fall is a great sign that these rankings are largely arbitrary. Wilfork simply was a better player in 2011 than he was in 2010. His playoff run perhaps was the signature stretch of his career. While his numbers don't often show up in the stats, Wilfork took on more responsibility and showed greater versatility than he ever did before. (We're talking about his work at defensive end, not his awesome interceptions.)
There simply aren't many -- or any -- interior defenders who can do what Wilfork does. He's annually among the elite at his position. Seeing him tumble in the rankings after what probably was his best season since 2008 just shows the difficulties inherent in the "Top 100: Players of 2012."
I'll stop complaining now. Until next week.
