Le'Veon Bell has been one of the most valuable players in the NFL and he is reaching the end of his career with the Steelers as they compete for a Super Bowl.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

Jimmy Garoppolo enters his first full season as a starter with an unprecedented level of hype that will be a lot to live up to for a 49ers' team that has struggled badly since Jim Harbaugh left.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

Andrew Luck returns from an injury that could have become career-ending to a Colts roster at an inflection point.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

Unlike so many great players this offseason, the Falcons held off on giving Julio Jones a full contract extension, which makes 2018 even more critical for him.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

As he has for basically every season since 2002, Tom Brady will play a central role in the NFL's narrative.

Ryan Shazier won't play in 2018 and very well may never play again, but his recovery will remain a key part of the NFL landscape for a variety of reasons.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

Like many players on this list, Odell Beckham Jr. has signed an extension to secure his future.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

Aaron Donald followed up his Defensive Player of the Year season with a massive extension.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

Earl Thomas could be entering his final season with the Seahawks.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

Aaron Rodgers has essentially tied the remainder of his career to the Packers and we'll see if he can get a second ring to truly reach the level of an all-time great.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell