Who are the best players set to play in Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs?
It’s a valid question, and there are no Super Bowl teams who make it with a bunch of scrubs and no stars.
Perhaps a more valid question as we start to look at the matchups that define this upcoming game is, which players are the most important to their teams? Since this Sunday’s Super Bowl is the 57th, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to rank the 57 most important players in this game. The obvious players of paramount importance are up top as you might expect, but as you go down the list, there are all kinds of players you may not know much about who could come out of nowhere and make the difference in their team’s quest for the Lombardi Trophy.
I did not include Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman (who probably would have been Top-20) on this list, based on what Andy Reid said this week regarding the pelvic injury he suffered in the AFC Championship game.
“I think it will be tough for him. I doubt that he’ll make the Super Bowl. But listen, like I said, he wasn’t going to be denied the other day. It’s a tribute to the kid, he just pushed himself like no other. And he’s a tough nut. He’s all smiles with you, but when it comes down to playing, he’s a tough, tough kid.”
So, with that aside, and with copious tape study and a ton of metrics as my guide, here are my 57 most important players to take the field in Super Bowl LVII.
(All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus, Sports Info Solutions, and Football Outsiders unless otherwise indicated).