By Dan Duggan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Sometimes we don't appreciate what's in front of us. That seems to be the case with Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

Manning gets picked apart more than any other two-time Super Bowl MVP. Then again, there are very few players that would even qualify for such criticism. Manning, Terry Bradshaw, Bart Starr, Joe Montana and Tom Brady are the only players to win multiple Super Bowl MVP awards.

As much as some want to dismiss Manning as not being worthy of such elite company, his career stats show that he's much more than some average quarterback who got hot during two Super Bowl runs.

A review of the NFL's career passing stats revealed the same names repeatedly in the top 10. And Manning was right there among a collection of the best quarterbacks ever. Here's a review of where Manning currently ranks in all of the major passing categories with a look at where he could wind up on the leader boards if he stays healthy and maintains his level of play during the final three seasons of his contract:

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Rob Carr | Getty Images

PASSING YARDS

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Where he ranks: 8th

1. Peyton Manning: 71,940

2. Brett Favre: 71, 838

3. Drew Brees: 66,111

4. Tom Brady: 61,582

5. Dan Marino: 61,361

6. John Elway: 51,475

7. Warren Moon: 49,325

8. Eli Manning: 48,218

9. Fran Tarkenton: 47,003

10. Ben Roethlisberger: 46,814

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Where he could rank after 2017

Manning should easily pass Moon to move into seventh place this season. He needs 3,258 yards to jump Elway for sixth place, which is close to a slam dunk. Manning hasn't thrown for less than 3,818 yards since the 2008 season. His career ceiling is likely the fifth spot. Marino has 13,143 more yards, so Manning will need three very productive seasons or four solid seasons to surpass the former Dolphin.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

PASSING TOUCHDOWNS

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Where he ranks: 7th

1. Peyton Manning: 539

2. Brett Favre: 508

3. Drew Brees: 465

4. Tom Brady: 456

5. Dan Marino: 420

6. Fran Tarkenton: 342

7. Eli Manning: 320

8. Philip Rivers: 314

9. Ben Roethlisberger: 301

10. John Elway: 300

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Where he could rank after 2017

Sixth place is well within reach, as Manning needs 23 touchdowns to pass Tarkenton. Manning has thrown at least 23 touchdowns in 10 of his 12 seasons as a full-time starter. Once again, catching Marino at No. 5 is likely Manning's career ceiling. Marino has 100 more touchdown passes, so Manning will likely need four solid seasons to jump the Miami legend.

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Matt Rourke | AP Photo

PASSES COMPLETED

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Where he ranks: 7th

1. Brett Favre: 6,300

2. Peyton Manning: 6,125

3. Drew Brees: 5,836

4. Tom Brady: 5,244

5. Dan Marino: 4,967

6. John Elway: 4,123

7. Eli Manning: 4,072

8. Warren Moon: 3,988

9. Drew Bledsoe: 3,839

10. Philip Rivers: 3,811

Where he could rank after 2017

Manning could leap frog Elway into sixth place within the first two or three games, but he won't get any higher on the list this season. Manning should move into fifth place if he plays three more seasons.

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David Richard | AP Photo

PASSES ATTEMPTED

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Where he ranks: 7th

1. Brett Favre: 10,169

2. Peyton Manning: 9,380

3. Drew Brees: 8,758

4. Dan Marino: 8,358

5. Tom Brady: 8,224

6. John Elway: 7,250

7. Eli Manning: 6,825

8. Warren Moon: 6,823

9. Drew Bledsoe: 6,717

10. Vinny Testaverde: 6,701

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Where he could rank after 2017

Manning is a lock to pass Elway for sixth place this season. Brady figures to continue to climb the list, but Manning should pass Marino if he plays three more seasons. That would likely leave Manning at No. 5 overall.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

PASSES INTERCEPTED

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Where he ranks: 21st

Many probably expected Manning to be higher on this list, but he's all the way down at 21 behind Favre, Tarkenton, Marino, Peyton Manning, Elway, Moon and Brees among the players frequently in the top 10 in the other categories.

Where he could rank after 2017

Manning, who has 215 career interceptions, should jump quite a few spots this season. He figures to get to at least the 16th spot and he could move up to No. 15 if he throws more than 18 interceptions this season. Manning could end up in the top six if he continues his current pace for three more seasons.

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William Perlman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

GAMES STARTED

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Where he ranks: 10th

1. Brett Favre: 298

2. Peyton Manning: 265

3. Dan Marino: 240

4. Fran Tarkenton: 239

5. Tom Brady: 235

6. Drew Brees: 232

7. John Elway: 231

8. Vinny Testaverde: 214

9. Warren Moon: 203

10. Eli Manning: 199

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Where he could rank after 2017

As long as he stays healthy, Manning will move into eighth place on this list in 2017. He'll match Elway for seventh if he starts every game over the next two seasons. Manning will pass Tarkenton and Marino if he continues his consecutive starts streak for the next three seasons. That should leave Manning in fifth overall, assuming Brees and Brady play at least one more season.

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Michael Reaves | Getty Images

4TH QUARTER COMEBACKS

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Where he ranks: 7th

1. Peyton Manning: 45

2. Tom Brady: 39

t-3. Dan Marino: 36

t-3. Johnny Unitas: 36

5. John Elway: 35

6. Joe Montana: 31

t-7. Brett Favre: 30

t-7. Eli Manning: 30

t-7. Fran Tarkenton: 30

10. Ben Roethlisberger: 29

Where he could rank after 2017

It's impossible to project fourth-quarter comebacks, but Manning has averaged more than two per seasons throughout his career. So, a jump to the sixth spot is a reasonable expectation for this season.

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IT'S NOT ALL GOOD ...

Obviously, Manning's longevity has played a major role in his ascension up the career leader boards. He doesn't fare as well in some of the categories that don't reward longevity. He ranks 40th in passer rating (83.7) and tied for 43rd in completion percentage (59.7). Still, he's ahead of Elway, Marino, Moon and Tarkenton in completion percentage, and his passer rating is better than Elway, Moon and Tarkenton.

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Quick poll question (I think the answer is obvious, but you never know): Do you think Eli Manning is a Hall of Famer? — Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) July 9, 2017

HE'S A LOCK FOR CANTON

Debating Manning's Hall of Fame-worthiness is silly. He's a two-time Super Bowl MVP who could rank in the top five of every major passing category by the end of his career. Every other quarterback repeatedly in the top 10 is in the Hall of Fame or is a lock to make it. That includes quarterbacks who don't have a postseason resume that compares to Manning's.

Football isn't baseball where numbers mean everything, but it's impossible to ignore Manning's stats. Longevity obviously plays a role, but only great quarterbacks play long enough to amass such numbers and Manning's durability is another quality that adds to his value.

Manning is a lock for the Hall of Fame. The only question remaining is if he makes it on the first ballot.

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Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.