2025 Pre-Season Rank ##51, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #117, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #122, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #132 2021 Pre-Season Rank #101, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #100.  2018-19/2023-25

Last year, we said, “Barkley has a lot of catch-up to do regarding his initial Hall of Fame promise.  A player injured that badly and early always struggles, and Barkley is no different.”

Barkley is different.

No ranked player jumped higher than Barkley, who we feared injuries would take out of a Hall of Fame conversation.  Not only was he healthy on a new team (Philadelphia), but he is also a Super Bowl Champion and the defending Offensive Player of the Year.  He also joined the 2,000-Yard Rushing Club, won his first Rushing Title (2,005), his second APY Title (2,283), and, along with Derrick Henry, brought back the Running Back.

At home in Philadelphia, Barkley’s only issues will be with injury, and another monster year will put him in the Hall of Fame hunt.  We won’t bet against him again.

2025 Pre-Season Rank #21, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #16, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #55 Pre-Season Rank #66, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #76, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #81. Peak Period: 2017-18/2021-23

When we look at the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class, the induction of Roger Craig bodes well for another current 49er, Christian McCaffrey.

McCaffrey started his career with the Carolina Panthers, and in 2019, he joined Craig by rushing for over 1,000 yards and catching passes for over 1,000 yards—a rare accomplishment only shared by Craig and McCaffrey. Injuries hindered his progress in the following two years, but in 2022, when he was healthy and returned to Pro Bowl form, the team that had given up and traded him to San Francisco surrounded him. McCaffrey is one of the most adaptable running backs, but his role often involves dealing with injuries. 

In 2023, McCaffrey won his first Rushing Title, while also winning his second Yards From Scrimmage and Touchdown title.  This was an incredible campaign that as per usual CMC fashion, was followed by an injury-plagued year.

Last season, McCaffrey had his third 2,000-yard-plus YFS year, and is in a place where he is 21 yards shy of 13,000 in YFS, and is still capable of pounding more yards as long as the injury bug does not bite.

Is CMC a Hall of Famer?  Craig’s induction surely helps, but a ring would help more!

2025 Pre-Season Rank #46, pSeason 2024 Pre-Season Rank #89, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #100, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #112. 2021 Pre-Season Rank #106, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #117.  Peak Period: 2021-25

In 2018, Jared Goff led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl appearance.  They did not win, and although he won two Pro Bowls, the Rams gave up on him and traded the Quarterback to the Detroit Lions.  In Stafford’s first season in L.A., he won a Super Bowl, making Goff look bad in the process, but years later, Goff and the Lions proved it was not a one-sided transaction.

Goff brought Detroit to the NFC Championship Game in 2023 and was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2022 and 2024.  In 2023, Goff had his best year to date, throwing for 4,629 Yards and 37 Touchdowns, but the potent Lions were bounced early in the playoffs.  Nevertheless, Goff finished fifth in the MVP race that year, and is still young and talented enough to take the talented Lions to a Super Bowl win.   If that happens, this will result in a colossal jump for Goff.  

2025 Pre-Season Rank #40, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #32, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #44, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #55, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #63, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #80.  Peak Period: 2016-17/2021-23

There is no greater pressure cooker in the National Football League than being the Quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.  While Dak Prescott has been maligned in some circles for not winning a Super Bowl or even getting there, the stat line shows that he has been very good for some time.

The 2016 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has been selected to three Pro Bowls, has broken 4,400 Yards three times, and in 2023, he led the NFL in Touchdown Passes (36) and was the runner-up for the league MVP.  Last season, he was a Pro Bowl Selection on an uneven team, and he begins 2026 as a top-ten Quarterback, regardless of what his biggest haters think.

The Cowboys are unlikely to win a Super Bowl this year, but a playoff run is possible, and if Dak can rack up some large stats, he still has time to make a solid case for the Hall.  Remember, Matthew Stafford’s real push came late.