Okay, so, today I wanted to mess around with something I’m really into – NFL football. Specifically, I wanted to try my hand at making my own player rankings. It’s something I’ve thought about doing for a while, and I finally dove in. Let me tell you, it was quite the ride!
I started off by gathering a bunch of data. I mean, a TON of data. I pulled up stats from everywhere – passing yards, rushing yards, touchdowns, interceptions, you name it. I was swimming in numbers! I used some popular sports sites to get all of these statistics. This took up a good chunk of my morning, but it was necessary.
Once I had all the numbers laid out, I had to make sense of them. That’s where the real work started. I began by organizing the data by position. Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and so on. Each position needed a different approach, you know? For QBs, I focused on passing yards and touchdowns, while for running backs, it was all about rushing yards and their ability to break tackles. I tried to weigh each stat appropriately, which was tough.
- Quarterbacks (QB): Looked at passing yards, touchdowns, and also their rushing ability when they tucked the ball and ran.
- Running Backs (RB): Focused on rushing yards and how often they could bust through the defense.
- Wide Receivers (WR) & Tight Ends (TE): Here it was about receiving yards and how many touchdowns they hauled in.
After I organized the players by position I started ranking each player. After watching the games, reviewing snap counts, and reading the tea leaves, I ranked each player from 1 to whatever the number of players on the list. This part was pretty fun. Arguing with myself about where each player should land in the list, was pretty interesting.
I spent hours tweaking and adjusting, moving players up and down the list. It’s not just about the numbers, either. I had to factor in things like recent performance, the strength of their team, and even some gut feelings. It’s like putting together a giant, complicated puzzle where the pieces keep changing shape.
For instance, I saw that one quarterback, a real MVP candidate, threw three touchdowns in a single game against the Jets, becoming the NFL’s first player to reach 40 total TDs (passing and rushing). That’s a big deal, so up the list he went!
My Final Thoughts
By the end of the day, I had my rankings. Were they perfect? Nah, probably not. But it was my take on things, based on all the data and a bit of personal insight. It was a blast doing this, though. It gave me a whole new appreciation for those analysts on TV. This stuff isn’t easy, but it’s super rewarding. I’m already thinking about how I’ll update my rankings next week after the new games. It’s an ongoing project, and I’m here for it!