The mass media and corporate America are perhaps more intertwined with professional athletics now, than at any other point in history -- the NFL is no different. This relationship has costs and benefits for both sides. For NFL players, they have the chance to capitalize financially in a way that just wasn?t possible two decades ago, through endorsement deals and other endeavors that serve to enhance a player?s image and reputation. However, securing such opportunities is not always a direct result of solid on the field production. As a result, some players are more visible than others -- and these players than get a reputation as being elite players, even though their on the field production doesn?t always warrant such recognition. These players are the NFL?s most overrated, and they are also the focus of my Standing 10 debut. 10. Mike Alstott, FB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ? ESPN?s Chris Berman, and his histrionics on NFL primetime, have helped to make Alstott a star. Look, I?m not saying that Alstott is terrible, but he?s also not a hall of fame caliber fullback like so many people seem to believe. His offensive numbers are slightly above average for a fullback, but no better. Also, if you speak to people in the know in the NFL, they will tell you that this guy is a below average blocker -- which last time I checked was still near the top of the job description list for a fullback. 9. Clinton Portis, HB, Washington Redskins ? After starting his career off with a bang in Mike Shanahan?s system in Denver, Portis has fizzled out in the Nation?s capitol -- save of course his first carry with the Skins last season. When the Broncos traded Portis, Shanahan basically asserted that Portis was a product of the system, while Portis insisted that he was an elite NFL runner. So far, Portis has not provided much empirical evidence to support his claim. Wonder what?s been slowing him down? Maybe Portis has been forgetting to remove the ten pounds of ice he wears around his neck off the field, before donning his NFL gear on Sundays. 8. Joey Galloway, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ? Galloway was a guy who again started his career off strong, but has seemingly got progressively worse as his career has progressed. Galloway has always been touted by announcers around the league as being a legitimate deep threat. So I guess catching just 11 balls for 40 or more yards since the year 2000, qualifies as being a threat down the field. Also, how many truly elite receivers can you name whose best season consisted of hauling in just 72 receptions? I rest my case your honor. 7. Charles Woodson, CB, Oakland Raiders ? Woodson will tell anyone within shouting distance that he is an elite cornerback in the NFL. Only problem is, his production on the field has been nothing more than mediocre. I?m sorry, but a cornerback who has tallied just one interception per year in three of the last four seasons, might not even qualify that cornerback as an average player at his position. It might be time for Woodson to save some of the breath he wastes boasting, so he can use it to train in the offseason in hopes of someday actually becoming what he proclaims he already is. 6. LaVar Arrington, LB, Washington Redskins ? This guy has never met a form of publicity he didn?t like. Based on the number of appearances he makes on TV and in magazines and such, a football neophyte might very well assume that Arrington is one of the best players in the game. If only media attention and football greatness were actually positively correlated. Sure Arrington had two good years in 2001 and 2002, but it?s not like his numbers in those two seasons were above and beyond the numbers that most good linebackers put up annually. And how about this season you ask? Well, heading into week three, Arrington had tallied just 2 tackles in two games. For someone eating as much cap space as Arrington is on the Washington roster, I would think that the organization is expecting a tad more than just a tackle per week. 5. Jevon Kearse, DE, Philadelphia Eagles ? Kearse is a classic example of a guy who started off his career with a couple of good seasons and developed a reputation as a great player -- a reputation that for whatever reason, seems to still endure despite evidence to the contrary. I?m not saying that Kearse can?t play, as I would welcome him to my team for the right price. However, I wouldn?t sign Kearse expecting him to be a star as the Eagles did before last season. Also, I thought it would be logical to do some research on the guy they call ?The Freak? as it pertains to sacks -- since of course sacking the quarterback is what Kearse is supposed to do best. Okay, so when was Kearse?s last sack? Oh, okay it was against the Giants . . . on November 28th of last season. 4. Peter Warrick, WR, Cincinnati Bengals . ? er, I mean Seattle Seahawks ? I was having a conversation the other day with a friend of mine, and he proceeded to tell me what a great player Warrick was. He recounted some of Warrick?s greatness at Florida State, and by association, assumed that Warrick must have been accomplishing great things in the NFL. Well, sorry to disappoint you but . . . Look, Warrick has as much athletic ability as anyone in the league, and as a result, a lot has been expected of him. He has yet to live up to any of the expectations. And believe it or not, many fans in the league are like my friend I cited above -- they simply assume that Warrick is a great player as a result of his reputation and the attention he has received over the years. Well, I guess life is much easier when you don?t let the facts get in the way. 3. Kellen Winslow Jr., TE, Cleveland Browns ? I have never in my life seen a player who has played in only two NFL games in two seasons, get so much attention. So I refuse to give him any more attention here. 2. Drew Bledsoe, QB, Dallas Cowboys ? I want to preface this by saying that Bledsoe seems to be a good teammate and a likeable guy. Okay, now that I?ve got that out of the way, Bledsoe has also had an underwhelming NFL career. Yes, I know that he has put up solid numbers. However, much to the chagrin of many fantasy freaks, the game is about so much more than numbers. Bledsoe just seems to have a knack for finding a way to lose games. He has the rare ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. In big games, Bledsoe nearly always finds a way to disappear -- or appear only when he is throwing the ball to the wrong team. Yet, I still hear Bledsoe?s name mentioned routinely in discussions of elite quarterbacks in the league. Rarely does a team evolve into a dynasty, right after a so-called elite quarterback departs -- which was of course the case when Bledsoe was traded by the New England Patriots. At least that gives the Buffalo Bills some hope for the future, right? 1. Warren Sapp, DT, Oakland Raiders ? I?m pretty sure that if you look up the word overrated in the dictionary, a picture of Sapp?s big mug is pasted on the page. Sapp is a guy who just oozes with Charisma. Unfortunately, his game oozes with mediocrity. Yes, I know that Sapp had a couple of good seasons, so save your e-mails. When you look at his career as a whole though, Sapp has rarely been better than average. So why does Sapp receive all of the attention he does? Simple, he?s got a big mouth. If Sapp?s on the field motor moved at the same speed the motor in his mouth does, Oakland might actually have looked smart for bringing him in from Tampa prior to last season. Travis can be reached at [email protected]