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Odell Beckham Jr. should have ranked higher in the "NFL Top 100"**
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DAN SALOMONE: Fiction - More than the actual number, the Fact - that he was the highest rookie on the list made it the right call. He was clearly that last season as he set a high bar for 2015. To go any higher than No. 32, you would start putting him ahead of players like Jimmy Graham, Drew Brees and Jordy Nelson, all veterans who prove they're among the best year in and year out. The consistency is what makes talented players become great.
LANCE MEDOW: Fiction - Let me preface my answer by saying I'm not a fan of rankings…any rankings. I understand it's a fun topic to debate in the world of sports, but it's so subjective and I don't think it does much to further the conversation about how specific players impact the game. With that being said, Odell Beckham Jr has only played one season in the NFL. While it was a record-breaking campaign and one to remember, it's still a very small sample size. Every player ranked in front of him has more experience in the league and a substantive track record to aid in evaluating performance and production. It's hard to argue after playing in just 12 games that Beckham deserves to be ahead of other established veterans. He's the highest ranked player from the 2014 draft class. For the time being, that spot is sufficient.
Jets CB Darrelle Revis is the best defensive player on the schedule
Photos of Jets CB Darrelle Revis
DAN SALOMONE: Fact - Revis covers the opponent's No. 1 receiver, right? Well, Calvin Johnson, Demaryius Thomas, Brandon Marshall, T.Y. Hilton, Keenan Allen, Sammy Watkins and A.J. Green combined for just one touchdown last season against the Patriots while averaging only 51.5 yards.
More importantly, New England won all of those contests except one against Buffalo in the regular-season finale while resting its starters for much of the game.
LANCE MEDOW: Fiction - Darrelle Revis is arguably the best corner the Giants will see this season and he's certainly one of the top defensive players in the league, but I give the edge to some of the pass rushers Eli Manning and company will have to contain in 2015. Manning doesn't have to throw to Revis' side of the field, so he can limit his impact on the game, but the same can't be said for Buffalo's Mario Williams, the Dolphins' Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake, Dallas' Greg Hardy and Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly. All those players are extremely disruptive and, unlike a corner, it's very difficult to completely avoid defensive linemen and linebackers throughout a game considering their ability to get to the quarterback and stop the run. In terms of versatility, I'd put Suh and Kuechly ahead of Revis when it comes to breaking down the best defensive players the Giants will see this season.
The Giants' best coverage player on special teams is Zak DeOssie
DAN SALOMONE: Fiction - The Giants have allowed four returns for touchdowns in the last two seasons, so maybe no one should get this designation. DeOssie, who has been a co-captain the last four years, has become one of the most respected players on the team and in the league at his position and he's relentless in being one of the first guys down the field on each play. But I'm going with Dwayne Harris, whose coverage skills are equal to his return abilities. He was tied for seventh in the NFC in special teams tackles last season with the Cowboys. Meanwhile, Nat Berhe also made this a tough choice after he led the team in that department as a rookie.
LANCE MEDOW: Fiction - Zak DeOssie has played an integral role on special teams since his rookie year in 2007, especially on coverage, but with some new additions in free agency, that label now belongs to Dwayne Harris. In his four seasons with the Cowboys, Harris flourished on special teams, and while the majority of his highlights have come as a return man, he had even more of an impact as a gunner due to his speed and versatility. Harris was one of Dallas' top tacklers on special teams and last season led the unit with 18. DeOssie, Mark Herzlich, Nat Berhe, Orleans Darkwa, Devon Kennard and new arrivals Jonathan Casillas and J.T. Thomas are all solid coverage players, but it's hard to overlook Harris' track record and stats.
The Pro Bowl is the best all-star game in any sport
DAN SALOMONE: Fiction - While the NFL dominates the sports world, this is one area that it's not the king.
I'm going with MLB just because of the tradition surrounding the game and the sport as a whole. Meanwhile, the Pro Bowl is held back because of the physical nature of the sport, and now that it's right before the Super Bowl, you cut out those players who are typically some of the best in the game.
LANCE MEDOW: Fiction - The NFL has tried to make the Pro Bowl more appealing in recent years by tweaking the roster structure and narrowing the goal posts, but at the end of the day, there's limited physical contact and a number of star players pull out due to injuries or just normal wear and tear from the length of the season. In the NBA and NHL, their respective all-star games are exciting to watch, but it's dominated by offense with very little focus geared toward defense other than the final few minutes. That leaves MLB as the best option, and it has nothing to do with the Fact - that the Mid-Summer Classic determines home field advantage in the World Series. It has more to do with it being a competitive game that best models a typical regular season matchup involving strategy. Like other all-star games, there are a handful of bells and whistles, but it doesn't take away from a solid product: great pitching vs great hitting.
