Every year, Michael Lombardi at NFL Network does a list of “blue chips” and “red chips,” meaning the top 5 players at each position, “blue chips” and then players 6-10, “red chips.” Normally, this is a pretty good list, although this year I had some major disagreements, especially the placement of Red Bryant as a blue chip defensive end when he has 2 career sacks in 5 seasons. I don’t care how good you are at stopping the run. Defensive ends get paid to get to the quarterback (in addition to stopping the run). If you can’t get to the quarterback, you’re not a blue chip. You’re not even a red chip. If a player was a great pass rusher and couldn’t stop the run, I would feel similarly (although in a passing league, I prefer the one dimensional pass rushers over the one dimensional run stuffers). Anyway, here’s Lombardi’s list on offense. And below is mine for the offense.
QB
Blue Chips
Tom Brady (NE)
Aaron Rodgers (GB)
Drew Brees (NO)
Eli Manning (NYG)
Ben Roethlisberger (PIT)
Red Chips
Peyton Manning (DEN)
Matt Stafford (DET)
Phillip Rivers (SD)
Cam Newton (CAR)
Matt Ryan (ATL)
Notes
Peyton Manning would be a blue chip if healthy.
If this list were 11 players, which I wish it was, Romo would be a red chip. That might have been my toughest cut (Matt Ryan over Romo).
Ben Roethlisberger gets the edge over Philip Rivers because Roethlisberger is not coming off his worst year as a starter.
Matt Stafford and Cam Newton played like blue chip players last year, but I need to see them do it again.
RB
Blue Chips
Adrian Peterson (MIN)
Maurice Jones Drew (JAC)
Arian Foster (HOU)
Ray Rice (BAL)
LeSean McCoy (PHI)
Red Chips
Matt Forte (CHI)
Chris Johnson (TEN)
Marshawn Lynch (SEA)
Fred Jackson (BUF)
Jamaal Charles (KC)
Notes
If there were a better option than Adrian Peterson, he wouldn’t have been a blue chip, but Chris Johnson is coming off a down year, Jamaal Charles, Matt Forte, and Fred Jackson are all coming off injuries, and Marshawn Lynch has had the type of up and down career that makes me need to see him do it again.
WR
Blue Chips
Calvin Johnson (DET)
Larry Fitzgerald (ARZ)
Julio Jones (ATL)
AJ Green (CIN)
Andre Johnson (HOU)
Red Chips
Wes Welker (NE)
Hakeem Nicks (NYG)
Dwayne Bowe (KC)
Steve Smith (CAR)
Greg Jennings (GB)
Victor Cruz (NYG)
Antonio Brown (PIT)
Brandon Marshall (CHI)
Dez Bryant (DAL)
Jordy Nelson (GB)
Notes
Like Lombardi, I do 15 receivers. It’s a very deep position. I could have gone 20 and not have really been reaching for guys (Mike Wallace, Percy Harvin, Marques Colston, Steve Johnson, Roddy White).
The position may be deep, but it’s light on top level guys. Megatron and Fitzgerald are the only “sure thing” blue chippers. The other three are two 2nd year receivers with huge upsides and a former “sure thing” guy who is a little older and had some injury issues last year.
Wes Welker and Victor Cruz aren’t blue chippers for different reasons. Welker is a very scheme specific player, while Cruz needs to show me it once more.
If there’s one red chipper I’d predict to make the leap to blue chipper this year it’s Dez Bryant.
If there’s one player not listed here, in fact not even in my top-20, that could be a blue chipper at this point next year it’s Torrey Smith.
TE
Blue Chips
Rob Gronkowski (NE)
Jimmy Graham (NO)
Vernon Davis (SF)
Jason Witten (DAL)
Antonio Gates (SD)
Red Chips
Jermichael Finley (GB)
Aaron Hernandez (NE)
Fred Davis (WAS)
Dustin Keller (NYJ)
Heath Miller (PIT)
Notes
Hernandez isn’t a blue chipper because he doesn’t block like the 5 guys in the blue chip category do, but if he improves his receiving total again, he’ll be hard to leave out next year.
Fred Davis and Jermichael Finley both have blue chip upside. Finley just needs to become more consistent and improve his focus, while Davis needs to get through a 16 game season.
OT
Blue Chips
Joe Thomas (CLE)
Jake Long (MIA)
Andrew Whitworth (CIN)
Michael Roos (TEN)
Duane Brown (HOU)
Red Chips
Eugene Monroe (JAC)
Jordan Gross (CAR)
Tyron Smith (DAL)
Bryan Bulaga (GB)
D’Brickashaw Ferguson (NYJ)
Notes
The fact that Whitworth, Roos, and Brown have made one combined Pro-Bowl is everything that’s wrong with the Pro-Bowl. How the hell are common fans supposed to pick the best offensive linemen. Only those with access with advanced data can do that accurately. Whitworth, Ross, and Brown are all among the top-5 tackles in the league.
Ferguson would have been in the blue chip category, but he had a slightly off year last year.
Two right tackles make the list, Tyron Smith and Bryan Bulaga. A lot of teams can go after you with more than one pass rusher now, so right tackle is becoming more and more of an important position. Smith will move to the left side this year, while Bulaga will remain as one of the top right tackles in the league.
G
Blue Chips
Jahri Evans (NO)
Carl Nicks (TB)
Marshal Yanda (BAL)
Josh Sitton (GB)
Logan Mankins (NE)
Red Chips
Evan Mathis (PHI)
Ben Grubbs (NO)
Andy Levitre (BUF)
Mike Iupati (SF)
Steve Hutchinson (MIN)
Notes
Evan Mathis might have been the best offensive lineman in the league last year, regardless of position, but he wasn’t really anyone before he came to Philadelphia and met Howard Mudd, so I need to see it from him once more.
Mike Iupati has all the potential to be a blue chipper at this point next year.
Going the opposite way is Hutchinson, once a blue chipper, he’s now 35. He’ll have a positive impact on Tennessee’s offensive line though.
C
Blue Chips
Chris Myers (HOU)
Nick Mangold (NYJ)
Scott Wells (STL)
John Sullivan (MIN)
Ryan Kalil (CAR)
Red Chips
Jeff Saturday (GB)
Eric Wood (BUF)
Alex Mack (CLE)
Matt Birk (BAL)
Nick Hardwick (SD)
Notes
If Eric Wood had made it through all 16 games last year, he’d be a blue chipper. He might have been the best center in the league before he got hurt.
After all these guys, Jeff Saturday and Matt Birk are still getting it done. Their careers are coming to a close though.
John Sullivan used to be a mediocre center, but was one of the best in the league last year. If there was another option, I’d put him in the red chip group and make him prove it again, but there really wasn’t.
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