I started making a comprehensive list of every NFC North player who ranks in the top five of his position voting for the NFC Pro Bowl team, which is now underway. But then I realized some jokester must be stuffing the ballot on us: I counted 22 Minnesota players among the top five in their various positions. I wont name any names, but lets just say some players are more deserving of others. So here are some highlights of the fan voting, which ultimately represents a third of the total voting for this team:
* Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre (476,799 votes) and Green Bays Aaron Rodgers (191,144) rank No. 2 and 3, respectively, among NFC quarterbacks. New Orleans Drew Brees (539,228) is No. 1 overall.
* Vikings players who rank No. 1 in their position groups include tailback Adrian Peterson (529,319), fullback Naufahu Tahi (63,872), center John Sullivan (127,695), left tackle Bryant McKinnie (137,844), guard Steve Hutchinson (145,279), defensive end Jared Allen (212,605), nose tackle Pat Williams (135,669), kick returner Percy Harvin (143,880), placekicker Ryan Longwell (68,197), and special teamer Heath Farwell (54,830).
* The only Chicago players in the top five of their positions are center Olin Kreutz (No. 5, 59,581), linebacker Lance Briggs (No. 5, 66,579) and kick returner Devin Hester (No. 3, 56,721).
* In addition to Rodgers, other top vote-getters among Packers players include fullback John Kuhn (No. 3, 34,009), safety Atari Bigby (No. 4, 35,908), cornerback Charles Woodson (No. 3, 95,515), cornerback Al Harris, safety Nick Collins (No. 5, 22,913), linebacker A.J. Hawk (64,725), linebacker Aaron Kampman (No. 4, 67,453), placekicker Mason Crosby (No. 5, 32,722) and special teamer Desmond Bishop (29,033).
* There are no Lions players among the top five in their positions.
What does all this mean? Not a whole lot as we stand here in Week 11. Im not going to make this a weekly feature, but this at least gives us a jumping-off start for discussion next month.