First it was Kelvin Beachum, Maurkice Pouncey, Martavis Bryant and Ben Roethlisberger. Now, it is Le'Veon Bell's name which signifies the latest member of the Pittsburgh Steelers to make the Pro Football Focus (PFF) Top 101 list. Bell was a no-brainer in terms of making the list, but where he finished would certainly lead to discussion. PFF looked at his production in 2014, and ranked him as the 12th best player in the NFL.
See what PFF had to say about Le'Veon Bell's ranking in their Top 101:
12. Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Bell showed flashes as a rookie to suggest big things were to come, and he duly ensured that 2014 was the year it happened. Missing the playoffs was a big blow for the Steelers given the ability of Bell to pick up yards on the ground or in the air. A true feature back who can work on every down, Bell can be regarded as one of the top tier backs in the league now.
Best Performance: Week 11, PIT @ TEN, +5.2
Key Stat: In addition to owning the fourth-best rushing grade, had the best receiving grade of all running backs.
Labeling Bell as one of the top tier running backs in the league now is certainly truth, but when it comes to versatility there are none better in today's NFL. Bell is the future of running backs in the league in terms of players who can run between the tackles, has the speed to get to the edge, can pass block and is just as lethal in the passing game as the running game.
Have there been backs who can run better than Bell? Certainly. Have their been backs who can catch out of the backfield better? Obviously. Has there been a better back who can do it all? Only a handful come to mind, but Bell has now injected himself into that conversation.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Bell commented about wanting to be one of the greatest backs of all time. Lofty goals for such a young player, but if he continues on his current pace there is no reason to think he couldn't do just that by the time his career has come full circle.