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Chicago Bears: Why Jordan Howard will be voted a top-100 player in 2017

By Khari Thompson

Nov 27, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard (24) runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard (24) runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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NFL players snubbed the Chicago Bears, specifically Jordan Howard, in their top-100 list this year. Here’s why they won’t be able to leave Howard off the list in 2017.

Perhaps partly due to how bad the Chicago Bears were in 2016, rookie running back Jordan Howard didn’t make the cut of this year’s annual NFL Top-100 player list.

Expect that to change next season.

Though overshadowed by Ezekiel Elliott, who ranked seventh overall on that list, and overlooked by the league generally, Howard proved last season that he’s not to be taken lightly. Despite only getting 13 starts, he topped Matt Forte’s rookie rushing record (1,238 yards) and finished 2016 as the NFL’s second-leading rusher with 1,313 yards. His 5.2 yards per carry was good for fourth in the league, and he had the third-most yards per game (87.5) behind Elliott and Le’Veon Bell.

Coming into this season, Howard intends not only to avoid a sophomore slump, but to jump straight to the top of the running back heap. When asked about his goals for the upcoming season, he laid out two big ones (via Chris Boden of CSN Chicago):

"“First off, make the playoffs. Be the leading rusher, and just help the team in any way I can and stay consistent.”"

While the Bears might have to wait on the playoffs for a year or two, Howard leading the league in rushing sounds absolutely possible.

But whatever his goals are, expect Howard to exact a measure of revenge for his recent snub. You heard it here first: Jordan Howard will be one of the NFL’s top 100 players next season.

Here are a few reasons why.

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