Underrated NFL Players

Since I did the list of the overrated players, it got me thinking about some of the more underrated guys in the league. Guys who always seem to be having good season after good season, but somehow goes unnoticed. Here are my top 5 most underrated NFL players.

#5 Dwayne Bowe - Kansas City Chiefs, Wide Receiver

This guy is raw. Bowe has been force since entering the league in 2007, tallying at least 70 catches and 1,000 in every full season that he's played in. (He had 995 yards his rookie year, I'll give it to him.)

The scary thing is that Bowe hasn't ever even played with a legitimate quarterback! Damon Huard, Brodie Croyle, Tyler Thigpen, Tyler Palko, and now Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn. Imagine if he was on a contender.


#4 Chad Greenway - Minnesota Vikings, Linebacker

Greenway was a first round pick for the Vikings back in 2006 and he has totally lived up to their expectations of late. He has finished in the top 5 in tackles the past two seasons and currently leads the league in tackles this year.

It did take him a couple of years to come into disown, but Greenway was finally recognized for his good play last season when he got invited to the Pro Bowl. He had a career high 154 tackles in 2011.



#3 Matt Schaub - Houston Texans, Quarterback

Schaub has really come into his own as a starter and was working on his best season to date last year before suffering a season ending foot injury in Week 10. The team was 7-3 and he had 2,500 yards and 15 TD's at that point, setting the Texans up for the franchise's 1st playoff berth.

In his two years prior to last season, Schaub threw for 4,770, and 4,370 yards respectively, posting an impressive 2:1 touchdown to interception ratio.
The Texans are 6-1 this season and in first place thanks to Schaub, Arian Foster, and the stout Texans defense.

#2 Ronde Barber - Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cornerback

Ronde Barber has had a very solid NFL career, potentially a Hall of Fame one, and he receives no recognition what so ever. Maybe it is because he is on the Buccaneers, and they haven't really been relevant since the Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp days.

After 16 seasons, Barber is still playing at a high level. He currently has 3 interceptions and 39 tackles through the teams first seven games of the 2012 season and he always is a guy the Bucs can count on considering he's played in every single game since 1998.

With career totals of 46 interceptions, 1,181 career tackles, and 203 consecutive starts and counting, he should be a Hall of Famer. The reason why he is so high on my list for being underrated is because he's played just as well as other long tenured defensive backs. Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey are two guys that come to mind, and Barber has more career tackles and return touchdowns than both of them.



#1 Frank Gore - San Francisco 49ers, Running Back

Frank Gore has been one of, if not the, most consistent running backs in the NFL since 2006. He has had the best career out of any running back in his draft class including 1st rounders Ronnie Brown, Cadillac Williams, and Cedric Benson.

He also has finished in the top 13 for total rushing yards in every year since 2006, besides one (2010), and he was hurt for seven of those games. 1,695, 1,102, 1,036, 1,120, and 1,211are his totals for five out of his first seven seasons and he is having another solid year this season so far. His consistency and the fact that he is not mentioned

with the Arian Foster's, Ray Rice's, and Adrian    

Peterson's of the league. It makes no sense.

Honorable Mentions: Joe Flacco Ravens QB, Heath Miller Steelers TE, Darren Sproles Saints RB, Eric Weddle Chargers S, Jay Ratliff Cowboys DT