Rams RB Kyren Williams voted No. 89 in NFL Top 100 by peers

Voted upon by players, the recognition carries more weight than media-driven rankings, and by making the list for the third straight year, it's clear Williams is highly regarded by his peers.

Ex-teammate Jared Verse responded to the news in a big way, telling NFL Network, "He's relentless. He don't care what it takes, if he's gotta run around you, run through you, jump over you."

Here's what Williams did to earn his spot and how he's planning to take his game to an even higher level in 2026.

What Williams did to earn his spot

Williams finished with 1,252 rushing yards on 259 carries in the regular season, sixth-most in the NFL, averaging a healthy 4.8 yards per attempt.

He forced 45 missed tackles on the ground, ranking 15th at the position, and gained ten or more yards on 26 carries, 12th among running backs.

Despite conceding 145 carries to his backfield partner, Blake Corum, Williams produced 10 rushing touchdowns, one of only ten tailbacks to do so.

In the receiving game, his 36 catches for 281 yards and three touchdowns were all career highs, as he proved to be a reliable outlet for MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford.

It was his third consecutive season eclipsing 1,100 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns, a consistency that tends to resonate with the players voting in the poll.

He delivered in the playoffs too, responsible for both Rams touchdowns in a 20-17 win over the Bears in the Divisional round, while playing in less-than-favourable conditions.

Williams' 2026 outlook: "A big one"

He's entering the first year of the three-year, $33 million extension he signed last summer, which removes the distraction that overshadowed last year's offseason.

"I think it honestly gives me a clearer sense of mind, a clear sense of direction and just being able to really enjoy it," Williams told reporters in April.

"I wasn't enjoying it a lot last year, not knowing what the uncertainty of the contract and whatnot. Now that I know that I'm secure and I'm where I'm at and I'm at home, this is what it's all about.

"Now I can just go out there and play football and just play the brand of football that I've been playing my whole life...

"It's a big step, but I have to continue to keep working and showing those things."

Steph Chambers / Staff

Despite enjoying great success in recent years, Williams went back to the drawing board this year.

"When I work out, I work out everything," he said. "This is year five now, I just got back to the basics of everything.

"Building up my feet and my ankles, getting those strong so that when I put force into the ground that I'm able to explode and accel."

Asked what kind of statement he's trying to make in 2026, his answer was short: "A big one."

Watch the full reveal video here.

The full Top 100 list so far

• No. 100 - Cameron Jordan, DE, New Orleans Saints
• No. 99 - Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis Colts
• No. 98 - Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers
• No. 97 - Ernest Jones IV, LB, Seattle Seahawks
• No. 96 - Travis Etienne Jr., RB, New Orleans Saints
• No. 95 - Demario Davis, LB, New York Jets
• No. 94 - Creed Humphrey, C, Kansas City Chiefs
• No. 93 - Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland Browns
• No. 92 - Azeez Al-Shaair, LB, Houston Texans
• No. 91 - Montez Sweat, DE, Chicago Bears
• No. 90 - Derrick Brown, DE, Carolina Panthers
• No. 89 - Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams

NFL Game Pass subscribers can watch the reveals on NFL Network live on DAZN.