ESPN NFL

Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson

Our Football Outsiders have compiled a list of the top 10 most irreplaceable players in the NFL. Insider subscribers can check out the entire list.

But here's a taste for AFC West fans: Two players in the division are on the list. Oakland cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is No. 3. Denver left tackle Ryan Clady is No. 5.

I couldn't agree more that both of those players belong on the list. Both Asomugha and Clady are their team's best players heading into 2009, and if they were lost it would spell major trouble for Oakland and Denver, respectively.

Filling out the AFC West here, in my opinion, are the most irreplaceable players heading into this season in the other two AFC West cities.

Kansas City: It has to be Matt Cassel. Yes, we're giving the new quarterback in Kansas City the benefit of the doubt. But he was acquired to be the centerpiece of this team. The Chiefs are young and don't have a lot of stars. It is up to Cassel to be an instant impact player and to be the building block of the team.

San Diego: It has to be Philip Rivers. He is the best player in the division. Sure, the Chargers are loaded with talent, but Rivers is the leader and heart and soul of the team. Plus, he's very talented. Billy Volek is a nice backup, but if Rivers was taken out of the mix, the Chargers would lose their edge. I'd be remiss not to give an honorable mention nod to linebacker Shawne Merriman. We saw how much he meant to the Chargers' defense last year when he was lost for 15 games due to a knee injury.