CINCINNATI -- Four Cincinnati Bengals have earned a measure of respect by their peers, according to an anonymous, player's only survey conducted by ESPN's 32 NFL Nation team reporters during the regular season.

As part of a broader survey that posed a series of questions, multiple players on each team were asked to name the player in the NFL they respected the most. Among the 78 selections, four were Bengals. Denver quarterback Peyton Manning was the overwhelming favorite.

None of the Bengals listed received double-digit votes, but receiver A.J. Green ended up on more ballots than any others. The third-year receiver also was one of two Bengals picked in a survey that asked players to pick one player across the league who they would want to start an NFL franchise with. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins ended up there, as well. Like he did in this survey, Manning won that one fairly handily, too.

Along with Green, veteran Bengals Chris Crocker, Andrew Whitworth and James Harrison made it on the "respected player" survey. Harrison also was among the top vote-getters on a survey asking players who was the most "feared" in the league.

Respect is one of those subjective traits that truly depends upon point of view. No statistics or metrics can truly track it. It just has to be felt.

The feelings of the players who participated in the survey are pretty strong. If one was to compile a list of respected Bengals both on the field and off it, he or she would be hard-pressed to not include any of these four.

Crocker has been in four different locker rooms during his 11-year career and has perspective from his travels that few others in Cincinnati have. During his six seasons with the Bengals, the cornerback's leadership has grown to the point where his advice is among the most sought after on the team. The fact he's been able to come out of retirement the past two years and enter as a solid in-season acquisition makes him even more respected in the locker room.

Whitworth is the longtime stalwart of a Bengals offensive line that has seen its share of change since his career started in 2006. His respect probably grew this season when he selflessly moved from left tackle to left guard following a season-ending Week 14 injury to Clint Boling. The Bengals' already good line was arguably better after the change.

While Harrison's respect likely comes mostly from his hard-hitting, physical on-field persona, his Bengals teammates have remarked often about how they enjoy being around him as a person.