2024 Pre-Season Rank #116, 2023 Pre-Season Rank: 116, 2022 Pre-Season Rank: #129.  Peak Period: 2020-24

The Chargers have their Quarterback for the long haul in Justin Herbert, who was the 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowl Selection in 2021, but still has a lot left to prove.  While his 3,870 Passing Yards may not jump off the page in this era, he led the league in Interception Percentage (0.6), throwing only three picks against 23 Touchdowns.   The Chargers made the playoffs last year, and Herbert was ninth in MVP voting; however, he is a deep playoff run away from making a concerted turn toward the Hall.

2024 Pre-Season Rank #15, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #58, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #100. Peak Period 2020-24.

When you think of the recent success of the Kansas City Chiefs, you immediately think of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the offense, but you have to stop the ball, and in the 2020s, very few could do it at the level of Chris Jones.

Versatile, consistent, and quick like a cat, Jones does it all.  The defensive stud of Kansas City’s five Super Bowl appearances, Jones combines the power of a pass rusher and the speed of a run-blocker to make a perfect defensive beast.  The pundits agree that Jones begins this year on a three-year streak of First Team All-Pro Selections with six straight Pro Bowls.  The scary thing for opposing offenses is that Jones seems to be constantly improving.

Would KC have won their last three Super Bowls without Jones?  Not a chance.

2024 Pre-Season Rank #48, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #62, 2022 Pre-Season Rank: #67. Peak Period: 2019-23

Cooper Kupp was in his fifth season (2021), where he exploded by winning the Wide Receiver’s Triple Crown (145 Receptions, 1,947 Receiving Yards, and 16 Touchdowns) and won the Offensive Player of the Year.  Kupp was highly regarded in the NFL, but it was safe to say that his success came as a surprise across the country.  He continued this success through the postseason, leading the Rams to their first Super Bowl win in Los Angeles and winning the Super Bowl MVP award.

As it appears now, Kupp was a WR2 masquerading as a star WR1 for one year, as he has never approached that year’s output since.  That incredible year earns him a spot on this list, and in his ninth year of the NFL, he joins his hometown Seattle Seahawks.  For Kupp to sniff the Hall, he has to recreate that 2021 year.