2026 NLL Player Rankings: Much Better Than Average
Callum Jones, Ottawa Black Bears (Photo: Jonathan Tenca)
After the first several weeks of the 2025-26 National Lacrosse League season are complete, The Lax Mag publishes a weekly NLL Player Ranking, examining the league’s Top 30 players from Week 1 right up until the end of the regular season.
TLM’s Top 30 NLL Player Rankings have nothing to do with reputations, career resumes, success in past seasons, whether we know a player personally, recognizing deserving players who’ve previously been passed over, player popularity, the size of their social media following, whether you slide into their DMs, or who others around the league tell us should get hype.
Our rankings, which only take into consideration only a player’s performance for the current regular season, will be calculated using both our star-rating system after each game, but also a player’s season-long statistical position (based on per-game averages) across the league. Only players who have played two-thirds of their team’s games or more will qualify.
Click here for an even more in-depth breakdown of our scoring system.
Connor Fields, Rochester Knighthawks (Photo: Micheline Veluvolu)
This week’s theme is going to be even more stats heavy than usual, as we look at which players have seen the biggest per-game average increases and decreases from last year’s season-ending numbers to where players stand heading into Week 9 in the following stats: goals, assists, shots on goal, loose balls, turnovers, caused turnovers, and blocks.
Note: Only included players who’s played in at least half of their team’s games after Week 8.
If you’re looking for our weekly NLL Top 30 Player Rankings order, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, otherwise, here as this season’s biggest statistical risers, plus those that have seen the most significant drops in their average game-day data.
Eric Fannell was on the verge of becoming a 30-goal guy in this league before blowing his ACL during the 2023 Mann Cup. Since then, he’s struggled to find a full-time role in the NLL, last year splitting his season between Albany and Ottawa. This year, Fannell has already nearly doubled his goal output from 2025 and is easily the Philadelphia Wings’ most relied on shooter behind Joe Resetarits and Brennan O’Neill, who has also added another goal per game to his second-season effort in Philly. Plus, Fannell is on pace to bust past 30 goals for the first time this year too.
Eric Fannell, Philadelphia Wings (Photo: Jonathan Tenca)
GOALS +
Eric Fannell +1.4
Tre Leclaire +1.4
Ryan Keenan +1.3
Brennan O’Neill + 1.0
Tanner Cook +1.0
Thomas McConvey +0.9
Dhane Smith +0.9
Dustyn Birkhof +0.8
Connor Fields +0.8
Mark Matthews +0.8
Will Malcom +0.7
Tyler Pace +0.7
Rob Hellyer +0.7
Zach Manns +0.6
Chris Cloutier +0.6
Mitch Jones +0.6
Jalen Chaster +0.6
Jake Piseno +0.6
Kaleb Benedict +0.5
Alex Simmons +0.5
Haiden Dickson +0.5
Chase Fraser +0.5
Mike Messenger +0.5
GOALS –
Josh Dawick -1.3
Wesley Berg -1.3
Lyle Thompson -1.2
Jacob Dunbar -1.1
Dawson Theede -1.1
Joe Resetarits -1.1
Chris Boushy -1.0
Ben McDonald -1.0
Ryan Lee -1.0
Bryan Cole -1.0
Ryan Benesch -0.9
Owen Grant -0.8
Mike Robinson -0.8
Ryan Smith -0.7
Mathieu Gautier -0.7
Robert Church -0.6
Josh Byrne -0.6
Randy Staats -0.6
Brendan Bomberry -0.6
Sam LeClair -0.6
Ian MacKay -0.6
Connor Robinson -0.6
Reilly O’Connor, Ottawa Black Bears (Photo: Greg Mason)
While much has been made of Jeff Teat’s and Rob Hellyer’s immediate on-floor chemistry up front and a much-improved defensive and transitional game led by Callum Crawford in Ottawa, the team is also seeing increased production from ten-year vet Reilly O’Connor, who is having a career campaign after the Black Bear’s opening seven starts. O’Connor, who has added a significant two additional apples to his game this year, has already passed his assist total from last year and is on pace to smash his single-season helper high too. O’Connor makes his first appearance on our weekly NLL Top 30 this week - scroll to the bottom of the post to see our updated 30 top-ranked players in the league right now.
ASSISTS +
Reilly O’Connor +2.0
Haiden Dickson +1.5
Kyle Waters +1.5
Jeff Teat +1.5
Brayden Mayea +1.3
Sam LeClair +1.3
Latrell Harris +1.3
Tyler Pace +1.2
Tre Leclaire +1.2
Brennan O’Neill +1.2
Chris Cloutier +1.1
Jalen Chaster +1.1
Chase Fraser +1.0
Ryan Smith +0.9
Ian MacKay +0.9
Jack Hannah +0.8
Tanner Cook +0.8
Larson Sundown +0.8
Pat Kavanagh +0.8
Ryan Lee +0.7
Jonathan Donville +0.7
Jake Piseno +0.7
Phil Caputo +0.7
Austin Shanks +0.7
Sheldon Burns+ 0.7
ASSISTS –
Kiel Matisz -2.1
Jesse King -1.8
Curtis Dickson -1.7
Connor Robinson -1.6
Brendan Bomberry -1.5
Clarke Petterson -1.5
Connor Kearnan -1.4
Joe Resetarits -1.2
Mike Robinson -1.2
Jacob Dunbar -1.1
Josh Byrne -1.0
Adam Charalambides -1.0
Dhane Smith -1.0
Randy Staats -1.0
Zed Williams -1.0
Adam Wiedemann -0.9
Adam Poitras -0.9
Dan Craig -0.9
Jason Knox -0.9
Dylan McIntosh -0.8
Cody Jamieson -0.8
Only Tanner Cook has hit the net more often than Brayden Mayea in Calgary this year. Mayea, who had some of the strongest rookie offensive averages last year but lacked the GPs for serious ROTY consideration, has had a solid follow-up season with the Roughnecks, shooting nearly six more times per outing, and scoring almost 2.5 more times too.
Bayden Mayea, Calgary Roughnecks (Photo: Angela Burger)
SHOTS ON GOAL +
Brayden Mayea +5.7
Tre Leclaire +5.0
Brennan O’Neill +4.6
Will Malcom +3.7
Chris Cloutier +3.6
Tanner Cook +3.3
Haiden Dickson +3.1
Richie Connell +3.0
Eric Fannell +2.7
Shayne Jackson +2.7
Dhane Smith +2.7
Corey Small +2.6
Dylan McIntosh +2.2
Reilly O’Connor +2.1
Alex Simmons +2.1
Rob Hellyer +2.1
Jeff Teat +2.1
Jalen Chaster +2.1
Connor Kearnan +1.8
Robert Church +1.8
Pat Kavanagh +1.8
SHOTS ON GOAL –
Joe Resetarits -4.7
Adam Charalambides -3.4
Randy Staats -3.3
Jacob Dunbar -3.1
Lyle Thompson -3.1
Mark Matthews -2.6
Josh Dawick -2.5
Dawson Theede -2.5
Chris Boushy -2.3
Brock Haley -2.1
Ryan Benesch -1.9
Kiel Matisz -1.9
Ryan Lanchbury -1.8
Jesse King -1.8
Zach Currier -1.7
Levi Anderson -1.7
Dalton Young -1.7
Austin Shanks -1.7
Trevor Baptiste, San Diego Seals (Photo: Kalea Vizmanos)
San Diego’s Trevor Baptiste got just six games in last year due to injury and had by far his worst numbers at the face-off circle since becoming pro. This year, Baptiste has a ridiculous 84.7% win rate at the dot right now (winning nearly 25% more draws than last year) and has increased his loosies per game considerably. At his current pace, he may scoop 200 LB this year, something only he and a handful of others have done over a single season.
The highest non-face-off taker increase in loosies is Toronto’s Phil Mazzuca (+3.3), one of the few players to appear on every + defensive stat today.
LOOSE BALLS +
Trevor Baptiste +4.8
Justin Inacio +3.3
Phil Mazzuca +3.3
Jackson Nishimura +2.5
Pat Kavanagh +2.5
Alex Pace +2.4
Tanner Cook +2.4
Callum Jones +2.3
Jacob Hickey +2.3
Dalton Young +2.3
Dustyn Birkhof +2.3
Tyrell Hamer-Jackson +2.1
Jake Naso +2.0
Mitchell Armstrong +2.0
Will Malcom +1.8
Matt Acchione +1.8
Bobby Kidd III +1.8
Rob Hellyer +1.7
Billy Hostrawser +1.6
Clay Scanlan +1.6
Wesley Berg +1.4
Jordan Gilles +1.4
Jeff Cornwall +1.3
Shayne Jackson +1.3
Seth Van Schepen +1.3
Mike Messenger +1.3
LOOSE BALLS –
Patrick Kaschalk -3.2
Jacob Dunbar -3.0
Ian Llord -3.0
Mitch de Snoo -2.6
Jake Boudreau -2.6
Ryan Benesch -2.6
Matt Gilray -2.6
Matt Beers -2.5
Zach Manns -2.4
Clarke Petterson -2.4
Mike Robinson -2.3
Dhane Smith -2.3
Adam Wiedemann -2.3
Mitch Jones -2.2
Ryan Dilks -2.2
Ryan Lee -2.1
Ron John -2.1
Josh Medeiros -1.9
Jason Knox -1.9
Jacob Dunbar, Ottawa Black Bears (Photo: Tim Austen)
Turnovers is a bit deceiving, since some increases & declines are happening due to a change in position and/or a demoted role/minutes at either end of the floor. That’s not the case with Rochester’s Connor Fields, our number one ranked player all season so far, who as we outlined above, is scoring nearly one extra goal per game this year, and as we see below, is giving the ball away far less too. Fields, who leads the league with 20 goals heading into Week 9, has turned the ball over only nine times this year. Ottawa’s Jacob Dunbar, who we saw above is averaging way fewer shots on goal this year (during the first third of last year, Dunbar saw significant spikes across his entire stat line), is also turning over the balls a lot less too.
TURNOVERS –
Jacob Dunbar -2.6
Connor Fields -1.7
Mitch de Snoo -1.6
Adam Charalambides -1.6
Zach Manns -1.6
Cody Jamieson -1.4
Mitch Jones -1.4
Ryan Benesch -1.3
Shane Simpson -1.2
Kiel Matisz -1.2
Wesley Berg -1.0
Josh Byrne -0.9
Dan Craig -0.9
TURNOVERS +
Clarke Petterson +3.1
Pat Kavanagh +2.8
Jalen Chaster +2.1
Ian MacKay +1.8
Tanner Cook +1.8
Chris Cloutier +1.5
Alex Simmons +1.5
Haiden Dickson +1.5
Brennan O’Neill +1.5
Rob Hellyer +1.4
Bryan Cole +1.2
Jason Knox +1.2
Levi Anderson +1.1
Eric Fannell +1.1
Chase Fraser +0.9
Mike Robinson +0.9
Mike Triolo +0.9
Thomas Vela +0.8
Dawson Theede +0.8
Mike Byrne +0.8
Richie Connell +0.8
Riley Isaacs +0.8
If you missed it above, Ottawa’s Callum Jones is averaging almost a 2.5 loose-ball increase this year and also leads the league in +1.2 more caused turnovers too. He’s been our Defensive Player of the Year favourite since our Top 30’s opening edition and is a massive reason why the Black Bears are playing their best ball, well, maybe ever, especially defensively. In fact, of the seven highest CT+s below, three play for Ottawa: Jones, Brent Noseworthy and Jake Stevens.
Callum Jones, Ottawa Black Bears (Photo: David Pickering)
CAUSED TURNOVERS +
Callum Jones +1.2
Jeremy Thompson +1.1
Nick Chaykowsky +1.1
Ryan Barnable +0.9
Brent Noseworthy +0.8
John LaFontaine +0.8
Jake Stevens +0.8
Owen Down +0.7
Ben McDonald +0.7
Mitchell Armstrong +0.6
Curtis Romanchych +0.6
Phil Mazzuca +0.6
Bobby Kidd III +0.5
Kiel Matisz +0.5
Pat Kavanagh +0.5
Latrell Harris +0.5
Cam Wyers +0.5
Nonkon Thompson +0.5
Matt Beers +0.4
Jacob Hickey +0.4
Bryan Cole +0.4
Jordan MacIntosh +0.4
Jackson Suboch +0.4
Drew Belgrave +0.4
CAUSED TURNOVERS –
Matt Gilray -1.2
Mitch de Snoo -1.1
Adam Poitras -0.8
Jeff Cornwall -0.8
Holden Garlent -0.8
Jack Follows -0.8
Owen Grant -0.8
Mike Messenger -0.7
Nick Weiss -0.7
Ron John -0.7
Colton Watkinson -0.6
Brett Mydske -0.6
Tony Malcom -0.6
Liam Patten -0.6
Reece Callies -0.6
Dan Craig -0.6
Defenders blocking shots versus simply attempting to give shooters less desirable looks has become a big part of most team’s defensive approach in recent seasons. Colorado Mammoth captain Robert Hope leads the NLL with a +1.2 increase in blocks, which has him on pace to finish the season with 42, which would be the second-highest BLK total ever behind Paul Dawson’s record-setting 53 last year. Hope currently leads the league with 2.33 blocks per game.
Robert Hope, Colorado Mammoth (Photo: Isaiah J. Downing)
BLOCKS +
Robert Hope +1.2
Phil Mazzuca +1.0
Colton Watkinson +0.9
Reid Bowering +0.8
Nick Chaykowsky +0.7
Kyle Rubisch +0.7
Thomas Whitty +0.7
Dustyn Birkhof +0.6
Mitch de Snoo +0.6
Connor McClelland +0.6
Jack Follows +0.5
Seth Van Schepen +0.5
Shane Simpson +0.5
Mike Messenger +0.5
Will Johansen +0.5
Matt Gilray +0.4
Andrew Borgatti +0.4
Ryan Wagner +0.4
Kiel Matisz +0.4
Nick Preston +0.4
Dylan Hutchison +0.4
Tony Malcom +0.4
Jeff Teat +0.4
BLOCKS –
Ian Llord -2.1
Owen Grant -1.1
Ethan O’Connor -1.0
Paul Dawson -0.9
Matt Hossack -0.9
Patrick Kaschalk -0.8
Jordan Gilles -0.8
Jeff Henrick -0.8
Josh Jubenville -0.8
Warren Jeffrey -0.7
Sheldon Burns -0.7
Luc Magnan -0.6
Latrell Harris -0.6
Jeff Cornwall -0.6
Dylan Robinson -0.6
Colton Armstrong -0.6
NLL TOP 30: WEEK 9
TW. (LW) Player, Team (Pos.)
1. (1) Connor Fields, Rochester (F)
2. (3) Jeff Teat, Ottawa (F)
3. (2) Dhane Smith, Buffalo (F)
4. (4) Brett Dobson, Georgia (G)
5. (8) Will Malcom, Colorado (F)
6. (6) Christian Del Bianco, Vancouver (G)
7. (5) Mike Messenger, Saskatchewan (D)
8. (13) Rob Hellyer, Ottawa (F)
9. (10) Keegan Bal, Vancouver (F)
10. (17) Callum Jones, Ottawa (D)
11. (7) Mitch Jones, Las Vegas (F)
12. (14) Ryan Lanchbury, Rochester (F)
13. (12) Tyler Pace, Calgary (F)
14. (20) Ryan Keenan, Saskatchewan (F)
15. (15) Tanner Cook, Calgary (F)
16. (16) Nick Weiss, Buffalo (D)
17. (27) Dillon Ward, Colorado (G)
18. (18) Jake Boudreau, Saskatchewan (D)
19. (9) Warren Hill, Halifax (G)
20. (11) Josh Byrne, Buffalo (F)
21. (19) *CJ Kirst, Toronto (F)
22. (26) Zach Currier, San Diego (D/F)
23. (23) Thomas McConvey, Rochester (F)
24. (21) *Michael Grace, Georgia (D)
25. (24) Alex Simmons, Oshawa (F)
26. (28) Zach Manns, Saskatchewan (F)
27. (NR) Robert Hope, Colorado (D)
28. (25) Brennan O'Neill, Philadelphia (F)
29. (29) Nick Chaykowsky, Oshawa (D)
30. (NR) Reilly O'Connor, Ottawa (F)
*Rookie