Honorable mention: Danny Amendola, Martellus Bennett, Dion Lewis, Sebastian Vollmer, Malcom Brown, Rob Ninkovich, Jabaal Sheard, Patrick Chung.
8. Malcolm Butler
2015 story: Butler posted 67 tackles, 15 passes defended and two interceptions en route to his first Pro Bowl berth. If you are looking for an example of a Super Bowl hangover, you will have to find a different Super Bowl hero.
Why he is essential: True No. 1 corners are hard to come by in the NFL. Having a top-tier starting cornerback is pretty much the defensive equivalent of having an excellent quarterback.