{"id":34277,"date":"2026-06-30T11:16:57","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T11:16:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/?p=34277"},"modified":"2026-06-30T11:17:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T11:17:17","slug":"patrick-mahomes-falls-in-cbs-sports-2026-top-100-nfl-player-rankings-as-running-backs-also-slide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/patrick-mahomes-falls-in-cbs-sports-2026-top-100-nfl-player-rankings-as-running-backs-also-slide\/","title":{"rendered":"Patrick Mahomes Falls in CBS Sports’ 2026 Top 100 NFL Player Rankings as Running Backs Also Slide"},"content":{"rendered":"

CBS Sports\u2019 latest look at Prisco\u2019s Top 100 NFL players of 2026 produced a significant reshuffling at the top, with Patrick Mahomes no longer ranked No. 1 overall and several prominent running backs sliding lower than many observers might expect. The two linked rankings of quarterbacks and running backs underscore how quickly perceptions of value can change in the NFL, especially when elite pass rushers, quarterbacks and ball-carriers are being weighed against each other in one combined player list.<\/p>\n

Patrick Mahomes loses the top spot in a broad league-wide ranking<\/h2>\n

The quarterback list was the first clue that this year\u2019s rankings would look different. In CBS Sports\u2019 report on Prisco\u2019s Top 100, Myles Garrett replaced Mahomes as the No. 1 player overall, an eye-catching outcome given how long Mahomes has been considered the league\u2019s standard-bearer at quarterback. According to the same report, Mahomes did not merely slip one place; he also trailed three other quarterbacks in the latest evaluation.<\/p>\n

That matters because the top of any NFL player list usually reflects more than just one season\u2019s statistics. It is also a judgment on positional value, consistency, age, durability and how much a player changes game plans. Mahomes has been the face of the Chiefs\u2019 offense and one of the sport\u2019s defining players for years, so any drop from the top spot naturally invites scrutiny. Even so, the ranking should be read as a snapshot of how CBS Sports\u2019 panel viewed the league entering 2026 rather than as a verdict on Mahomes\u2019 career r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Garrett\u2019s rise to No. 1 also speaks to the premium placed on pass rushers in the modern NFL. A dominant edge defender can alter a game without touching the ball on offense, and Garrett has been viewed as one of the league\u2019s most disruptive defensive players for several seasons. In a list that tries to compare every position against every other position, that kind of weekly impact can carry enormous weight.<\/p>\n

Quarterback depth shapes the top of the CBS Sports rankings<\/h2>\n

One of the more notable details from the quarterback rankings was that Mahomes fell behind three other QBs in Prisco\u2019s latest ordering. CBS Sports\u2019 reporting emphasized that point because it is unusual for a player so closely associated with the league\u2019s best quarterback to be placed outside the very top tier.<\/p>\n

The exact placement of individual passers can fluctuate from year to year based on recent performance, supporting cast and postseason results. But the broader takeaway is that the league\u2019s quarterback hierarchy appears more crowded than it has in some recent seasons. That is important context for a rankings exercise like this one, because a small dip in production or team success can be enough to move a quarterback down when the field is this deep.<\/p>\n

For Kansas City, Mahomes\u2019 ranking does not change the team\u2019s identity. The Chiefs still revolve around his playmaking and decision-making, and he remains central to their championship outlook. But rankings like these do reflect how NFL discourse has shifted. What once might have been an uncontested No. 1 discussion is now part of a larger debate involving multiple elite quarterbacks and an especially strong defensive star at the top.<\/p>\n

Running backs continue to face a tougher valuation<\/h2>\n

The companion CBS Sports article on running backs added another layer to the discussion: Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry reportedly tumbled behind a number of other backs in Prisco\u2019s Top 100. Both players are established stars with track records that would have put them near the top of positional discussions in earlier eras, but the latest ranking suggests the position remains difficult to project in league-wide terms.<\/p>\n

That pattern is consistent with how NFL teams and analysts have viewed running backs in recent years. Even productive ball carriers often have shorter peaks than quarterbacks, receivers or top defenders, and their value can be tied heavily to usage, offensive line play and how often they are asked to carry the load. In a top-100 format, that can push accomplished veterans lower than their traditional reputations would suggest.<\/p>\n

Barkley\u2019s place in the discussion is especially noteworthy because he remains one of the most recognizable names at the position. Henry, meanwhile, has built a career on physical dominance and workload, but the rankings show that even a player with that kind of resume is not guaranteed a top-tier spot when he is measured against the entire league.<\/p>\n

The rankings do not mean those players are suddenly less important to their teams. Instead, they highlight a broader truth about how the NFL is evaluated in 2026: running back excellence is respected, but it is increasingly viewed through a narrower lens than quarterback play or rare defensive disruption.<\/p>\n

What the rankings say about how NFL value is changing<\/h2>\n

Combined, the quarterback and running back lists paint a clear picture of the league\u2019s current hierarchy of value. Quarterbacks still dominate most discussions because they drive offenses and control so much of the weekly outcome, but even the best at that position can now be challenged by an elite defender at the top of a league-wide ranking. At the same time, running backs are being assessed more carefully than ever, with name recognition carrying less weight than it once did.<\/p>\n

This is not just a ranking quirk. It reflects how the NFL has evolved schematically and economically. Passing games remain central, defenses are built to pressure the quarterback, and teams continue to search for efficiency rather than volume from their rushing attacks. Those realities influence how analysts rank players because the league itself has changed what it rewards.<\/p>\n

For fans, these lists also serve another purpose: they create a framework for comparing stars across positions that are otherwise hard to weigh against each other. A quarterback touches the ball every series, while a pass rusher may only need a few snaps to change a game. A running back can be productive and still be harder to place highly on a league-wide list than a player at another position with a more transferable impact.<\/p>\n

Why this matters heading into the 2026 season<\/h2>\n

Prisco\u2019s rankings are not official NFL honors, but they do shape conversation across the league. When Mahomes is no longer at No. 1 and established backs like Barkley and Henry are positioned lower than expected, it signals how competitive the player landscape has become. It also gives coaches, executives and fans a useful read on how the sport\u2019s most influential players are being viewed entering the season.<\/p>\n

For Mahomes, the ranking becomes another piece of motivation for a player who has already built a Hall of Fame r\u00e9sum\u00e9. For Garrett, it is recognition of how valuable a dominant defender can be in a league that is often defined by offense. And for Barkley and Henry, the placement serves as another reminder that the running back position remains one of the hardest to value in a league-wide debate.<\/p>\n

In the end, the CBS Sports list is less about settling arguments than it is about revealing them. The fact that it produced a new No. 1, moved Mahomes down, and pushed two of the league\u2019s best-known running backs into more modest positions tells you as much about the modern NFL as it does about any single player.<\/p>\n

Sources<\/h2>\n