Football is right around the corner. With training camp not quite here yet and the Hall of Fame Game about two weeks away, that itch for anything and everything related to football is pretty much unbearable.
You know what that means, list season! It’s everyone’s favorite (heavy emphasis on the sarcasm) and much-maligned portion of the NFL season where we produce rankings for the upcoming season. People love to read them and equally love to hate them. They will certainly let you know their feelings online. Everyone claims to hate rankings and things of that nature, but football fans just can’t get enough of the content!
Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus released his top 50 NFL players heading into the 2023 season and it features a pair of Iowa players. Coming in at No. 39 and still clinging to his spot in the top 50 is San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.
“Kittle would likely be even higher on this list if the 49ers didn’t keep adding other athletic freakshows to steal his spotlight. Kittle is the one tight end in the league who can rival Travis Kelce as a receiver — and he’s a better blocker than Kelce, too — but the limelight is shared around in San Francisco far more than in Kansas City. Last year, passes thrown Kittle’s way generated a passer rating of 140.0. – Monson, Pro Football Focus.
Kittle is a player who is still sticking as one of the top tight ends in the league, despite a good number of folks thinking he’d fall off by now. Just when you think he’s done, he’ll still show you that top-end talent. He may not be as consistent as he was in 2018, but real football fans know not to take George Kittle lightly in 2023.
Joining Kittle on the list is Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs at No. 26.
One of the best tackles in football from the moment he stepped foot on the field at this level, Wirfs will now get the opportunity to prove he can also do it on the left side as he swaps to left tackle for the 2023 season. He gave up an absurd five total pressures in 13 games last season and has allowed the lowest pressure rate since entering the NFL, aided by Tom Brady’s league-quickest average time to throw. – Monson, Pro Football Focus.
Last year Tristan Wirfs was a second-team All Pro, just behind one of the best linemen of his generation in Lane Johnson. He will have a chance to establish himself as one of the truly elite at left tackle in 2023.
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