Top 10 Best Big Brother US Players

Here are the 10 best players to ever compete in the US version of Big Brother.

The Top Ten

Dan Gheesling

Dan Gheesling is an American reality television personality who appeared on Big Brother 10, which he won. He later returned for Big Brother 14, where he finished as the runner-up. Gheesling is also known for his work as a YouTube content creator and Twitch streamer.

Dan is far and away the best Big Brother player of all time. He had an amazing social game and was a fantastic strategist. Dan had a reason for everything he did in the game, whether it was putting his ally on the block twice (to hide his alliance) or flustering Renny (to throw her off her game). Dan managed to stay under the radar and became the puppet master of BB10.
He won challenges when he needed to and threw challenges when it was to his advantage. Even with all this, he managed to play the game respectfully and with dignity. Memphis played an amazing game as well. The hidden Renegade alliance made move after brilliant move from the moment it was created. This is another reason why Dan's unanimous win makes him the king of Big Brother.
Will Kirby

William Kirby is a dermatologist and associate clinical professor of dermatology. He is also an author of medical textbooks and journal articles and serves as a spokesman for dermatological health. Kirby gained national recognition by winning the second season of the CBS reality show Big Brother.

Dr. Will is obviously the best Big Brother player. During his season, there was no such thing as a veto. When he was on the block, he stayed there and still managed to escape eviction. Nicole and Hardy hated him at moments, and he STILL was not evicted from the house. People will say that he did not win competitions, but I can remember him saying in Season 2 that he did not want to win. A person that can win competitions is great, but someone who just has to talk to make their way to the end is simply magic to watch. He is the reason that Boogie won the All-Star season (Personally, I don't think Boogie is a great player, sue me). I love Dan (2nd best), but Dan would not have gotten as far in either of his seasons without winning competitions.
Danielle Reyes

Danielle Reyes is best known for being a contestant on the American version of the CBS reality series Big Brother. She appeared in both the third season and the All-Star edition of the show. Reyes is often praised by fans for her strategic gameplay and is considered one of the most influential players... read more

Her strategy was flawless. She did what no other Big Brother player has achieved, which was to be as innocent as a dove but sly as a snake. She aligned herself with Jason while keeping it a secret from the houseguests and was able to make it with him to the final three by displaying a weak persona to the rest of the house, manipulating houseguests, and being very perceptive at the same time.
When Lisa won the final HOH and took her to the finals, she should have won, but the jury was bitter because of her diary room confessions. When Big Brother realized that she was the most robbed player in the game's history, they decided to make a jury house. For this reason, she has to always be regarded as the greatest female to ever play Big Brother.
Janelle Pierzina

Janelle Marie Pierzina is an American reality show personality known for her appearances on the sixth, All-Star, and fourteenth seasons of the CBS reality show Big Brother. She also competed on The Amazing Race 31 and Big Brother: All-Stars in 2020. Pierzina is noted for her competitive gameplay and... read more

Janelle is single-handedly the best comp competitor in BB history. She won 13 total competitions and 1 FHOH part. She made the final 3 when her back was against the wall and had a decent shot at winning. I think she could win BB6 against Ivette and definitely BB7 against Erika (and it's probably unanimous). She got by in BB6 by being the least threatening player and in BB7 by winning out. In BB7, she aligned with Chilltown, only for her to evict Will at the Final 4.

She is one of the best competitors ever. She won many competitions and made it to the end the first two times. I believe if she had won HoH in Season 6 and taken Ivette, she would have won. Also, if she had won the final HoH, she would have won against both Boogie and Erika (Erika would have lost almost unanimously to Janelle).
Dick Donato

Richard Louis Donato, known as "Evel Dick," is a bar manager from Los Angeles, California, and the winner of the reality game show Big Brother 8. He and his daughter, Daniele Donato, are the only family member pair to win the American Big Brother program's top two prizes in the same competition.... read more

In season 8, he was first. He had to leave in season 13. He was a good overall player with a strong social game and was a competitive player who won over the jury, even though he was challenging in the house. In season 13, he made a solid alliance and had a great start. He could have won. Personally, he's my favorite!

I love the guy. If he had played the way he did without America's Player existing, then he would rightfully be this high on the list. However, the twist was a huge reason why he was not evicted at final nine or final seven, and it possibly prevented him from losing to Daniele. This shouldn't place him as high on the list as he is.
Derrick Levasseur

Derrick Levasseur is an American former police officer from Providence, Rhode Island. He gained national recognition after winning the reality television series Big Brother 16 in 2014. Levasseur has since worked as a private investigator and television personality.

Derrick is the #1 best player of all time. He went 97 days WITHOUT a single nomination and orchestrated every single eviction and what happened throughout the game. He was well-liked by everybody and was the best strategist in the house. Derrick is an underrated comp beast, winning 4 HOHs. He won, as he deserved to, and he should be back for another season.

Derrick has been running the entire house, undetected, from Day 1. When Nicole finally caught on, he orchestrated her eviction. The other players are so blind that Derrick is the one making the nominations and choosing who leaves each week, all while acting through others so that nothing can be pinned back on him.
His social game is outrageous and far above anyone else's this season and most seasons past. He's going into the final 4 with no nominations thus far and a good reputation with the people going with him. Jury members have started to figure it out, starting with Hayden and Nicole, who were promptly booted one after the other, not coincidentally.
Mike Malin

Boogie is the bomb and has, at times, had the same drive to win just like Dr. Will. He and Dr. Will had targets on their backs all season seven, and still, Boogie won. He is definitely the best because he won All-Stars. Winners have even thought he was a huge threat. Hence, he didn't want to enter the house as a houseguest in season 14, and he was the only coach to not vote to join the game. He knew he was too big of a threat.
Dan played a dirty game, lying to everyone. Boogie is definitely the legend I would want to have on my alliance. He and Frank lasted longer in the house in season 14 than they should have. He is definitely the best player in the game ever.
Daniele Donato

Daniele Dani Briones, formerly Donato, was a contestant on Big Brother 8, where she finished as runner-up. She returned to compete on Big Brother 13 alongside her father, Dick Donato, and later appeared again on Big Brother 22: All-Stars. Daniele married fellow contestant Dominic Briones in 2013, and... read more

She is by far the best competitor in BB history. She holds the record for the most veto wins in a season in BB8, and in BB13, she only played 5 comps and basically won 4. She won 2 HOHs when she was the biggest target in the house, and unfortunately, she had to waste the second one on Brendon AGAIN because he came back. Otherwise, Rachel or Jeff would've been gone, and she probably would have won the season.
Technically, she lost 3 comps in BB13 but threw 2 of them. During the first HOH, she and Rachel were the last two, and Dani wasn't even close to falling, but Rachel begged her and since they were in an alliance, Dani threw it to her. The other comp that she "lost" was the veto during her second HOH. She was destroying everyone else, and the only people left were her, Jeff, and Adam. Everyone in the house knew she was going to win that veto, and she was planning to save Adam and backdoor Brendon, but Adam begged her, so she gave the veto to him since she was going to save him anyway. She is also very strategic and actually plays the game. And she's a great person.
Jun Song

Jun Song was born on July 19, 1975, in Seoul, Korea. She is an actress known for Yes, Dear (2000), Big Brother (2000), and VH1 Goes Inside (2003).

Jun Song was the best player in her season and perfected the floater strategy. She played a fantastic social game and consistently eliminated those who were detrimental to her game.
Her alliance with Jee helped propel her to the top, and her alliance with Allison led her to the final two and secured her win. She essentially had control of the votes, swinging back and forth between two alliances. Also, she was the first person of color to win the game, a title she would hold for a long time.

Jun Song was a very intelligent player who executed an incredible social game. She leveraged her cooking skills and the information she gathered about the entire house, which made her a formidable player. She manipulated Alison into doing her bidding and realized her only chance of winning was to be seated next to Alison in the end, despite disliking her. This was because the jury was very bitter and disliked Alison even more.
It was one of the most calculated games I've ever seen, and she deserves far more credit than she currently receives. My favorite player of all time!
Vanessa Rousso

Vanessa Ashley Rousso is an American professional poker player born in White Plains, New York. She holds dual citizenship with the United States and France and has been a prominent figure in the poker world since the mid-2000s. In addition to her poker career, Rousso is also known for her appearances... read more

Vanessa was literally the best game player in that house, and nobody can convince me otherwise. She used poker skills to get her far and won 7 comps (4 HOH, 3 POV). If she got that FHOH question right, she would've won the final HOH, taken Liz, and won (maybe almost unanimously). The beauty of it is that even if she took Steve (not her optimal move), or Steve took her, she would've won that way, being potentially a top 3 winner.

Vanessa played a dominating game. As an individual who wasn't even a superfan, she dominated the season, influencing the vast majority of evictions. Even when players realized her potential, she managed to always avoid eviction. She truly manipulated all the houseguests to do what she wanted and even won four HOHs.
Unlike Steve, who, while playing a good strategic game, still floated through much of the season, Vanessa played aggressively from the start. Even her early week 1 breakdown could have been part of her strategy to appear as a weaker player. Although she lost, Vanessa masterminded the season and, had she made F2, would have been the greatest female winner in Big Brother history.

The Newcomers

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Tyler Crispen

Leader of Level Six, all while manipulating the other side of the house during the entire pre-jury phase. He convinced Kaitlyn to vote out Steve and backdoored Swaggy C. Then he won competitions in the jury phase when he needed to. Thanks to all his final two deals and using JC to manipulate the other side, he made it to the end.
Sadly, a rushed finale and apologizing to people who would vote for him, while not having enough time to properly apologize to the people he hurt most, cost him the win. If he wins All Stars, he is the GOAT.

Another robbed king of this game. He controlled everything from the start in his season.
He managed to create the best pre-jury phase of Big Brother with his moves. His social game was amazing, and he deserved to win.
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Tiffany Mitchell

She easily deserves a top ten spot. Tiffany masterminded and was the mother of the Cookout alliance.
She also came up with the idea of each alliance member pairing up with someone outside the group to secure their spot in the jury.

The Contenders

Ian Terry

How is Ian not in the top five? Ian eliminated one of the best players in Big Brother history (Mike Boogie). His season was very difficult since it included strong players like Shane, Danielle, and Dan himself, yet Ian still survived. Ian had a target on his back from day one. People were scared and intimidated by him since he was a super fan and very intelligent.
On top of that, Ian beat Dan in the finale. Dan is considered to be THE best player ever, yet Ian still beat him by six votes. Although many people do say that this was just because the jury was "bitter," that just proves my point. Dan played a dirty game and upset a lot of people. Ian played a clean, strategic game and managed not to piss any of the jurors off. That is an important skill and is why he won his season. Therefore, Ian does not deserve to be sitting at number eleven on this list. He deserves to be in at least the top five.
Hayden Moss

Hayden was an animal at the game. He won four HOHs, made the correct half-million-dollar choice with Lane instead of Enzo, and he was a member of one of the greatest alliances ever, the Brigade.

Won competitions while having a strong social game. Dr. Will and Dan didn't win as many competitions as Hayden did. Hayden also made smart decisions throughout the game. He will definitely win the next BB All-Stars.

I dislike him intensely, but the bottom line is he was at the heart of the Brigade (especially after Matty was ousted) and did pretty well on "Survivor" too.
Eric Stein

Eric is the bomb! He was screwed by the America's Player twist. If someone else, like Amber or Jen, got the America's Player twist, Eric would have had a strong shot at winning the game.

He honestly had the potential to be the best player of all time. The problem was that he had to do what America told him to do, and the remarkable thing about it was that no matter what he had to do, he found a way to not only make that happen but to keep himself in the game despite the target it put on him. He was able to flip alliances at any time to get America what they wanted, but unfortunately for him, at the top five, he was eliminated by the people America made him save, who he otherwise would have evicted weeks earlier.
Rachel Reilly

Rachel Eileen Reilly Villegas is an American television personality, actress, and reality show participant. She gained fame as a contestant and winner of Big Brother 13. Reilly has also appeared on other reality series, including The Amazing Race, with her husband Brendon Villegas.

Rachel is awesome. I loved her from the time she stepped into the Big Brother 12 house. Then she met Brendon, and I loved her even more. I cried when she was evicted because I just loved her attitude toward the people in the house. When she walked back into the Big Brother 13 house, I screamed because I was so excited. I cried when Brendon was evicted for the third time in 12 months. That has to be a record. I screamed when Rachel won BB13 and was surprised when Shelly voted for her.

Probably the only person in Big Brother history that was both an emotional train wreck and a very good Big Brother player at the same time. How she won Big Brother 13 was a little bit of luck (in the form of convenient twists) and a lot of heart and determination. I would not be surprised if the producers asked the redhead to come back for a third outing.
Alison Irwin

She manipulated everyone and got Nathan to use the veto on her, which saved her from going home. She won HoH the next week and decided to go after Dana, who betrayed her. Then Dana got evicted that same week. She knew what was best for her game and what gave her the best chance of winning the game. At least she took the person she had a shot against, unlike Makensy from BB26. She stands next to Danielle from BB3 and Tyler from BB20 as the most robbed runners-up ever.

Although many have since tried and failed, Alison Irwin is the only houseguest in history to use her looks and flirting to take the Big Brother house by storm. Whether she was swapping spit with Nathan or climbing into bed and making out with her ex Justin, Alison had most of the guys under her spell at one point or another in the game and ran that house. Not to mention, she was a good competitor and won a number of competitions to boot.
She only lost because the jury was bitter and didn't approve of her or the way she played the game. She stands next to Danielle Reyes as the most robbed houseguest of all time.
Britney Haynes

Britney Elizabeth Haynes-Godwin is a houseguest who appeared on Big Brother 12 (US), Big Brother 14 (US), and Big Brother: Reindeer Games.
On Big Brother 12 (US), Britney formed close relationships with Lane Elenburg, Monet Stunson, and Ragan Fox, while developing a rivalry with Brendon Villegas... read more

Britney was very funny in the DR. Her game was not too shabby either. She did rack up four competition wins in BB12 (three Vetos and one HoH). Also, Britney was solid strategically. The Brigade boys knew they would all lose to Britney, which is why they cut her.

Britney is one of the most underrated players in Big Brother history.
In her first season, she managed to convince her biggest enemies (Brendan and Rachel) that she was in their pocket and probably would have had their jury votes in addition to Matt and Regan. She was a fierce competitor, winning 4 POVs and an HOH, and was well-liked by everybody. She was the underdog hero that probably would have won if it wasn't for the Brigade (and even then, if she or Lane had won the final four veto, she would have beaten Lane or Hayden in the final 2).
In her second time around, she wasn't as much a competition beast but rather a power broker. She had the entire house invested in her and still managed to keep the target off her back. It was only a combination of Dan's brilliance and Frank's idiocy that sent her home.
Finally, she's the undisputed QUEEN of the Diary Room. Enough said.
Frank Eudy

Frank is a great Big Brother player, beloved by the fans. In Week 1, he got screwed by a scheming liar named Willie Hantz. Luckily, Boogie and he convinced the house to keep him over Kara, someone who wasn't a threat at all.
The next week, he won HOH and, subsequently, his arch-nemesis Willie was expelled for being violent. So, he nominated Britney's team and eventually evicted Jojo. In Week 3, he nearly got out but was thankfully saved by the Coaches twist.
In the following week, he formed an alliance called the Silent Six, consisting of him, Boogie, Danielle, Dan, Shane, and Britney. They blindsided a huge threat, Janelle. The next week, he won HOH again! He nominated two floaters, and one of them was evicted, earning him respect for that move.
Then, Shane won HOH and nominated him. He won the Power of Veto like a boss, but his closest ally was evicted. Afterward, the Fast Forward event happened, and he won the Power of Veto again, thwarting Ian's plans. However, this caused his showmance to be evicted.
This left him alone in the game, expected to be the next one out. Until, that is, he won HOH yet again and nominated the closest pair in the game, Dan and Danielle. But Dan, the mastermind, pulled off a great plan, and Britney was sent home. Frank had a good shot at winning this season if it weren't for Dan. He's not the best player, but he may be in the top 10.
Nakomis Dedmon

Jennifer Jeannene "Nakomis" Dedmon was a houseguest on Big Brother 5 (US) and Big Brother 7 (US). On Big Brother 5 (US), Nakomis was best remembered for her strategic skills, executing the first-ever backdoor, and her part in Project DNA with her half-brother Michael Ellis. Nakomis made it to the final... read more

Nakomis invented the backdoor strategy to get rid of Jase in BB5. She played a good game and didn't need to win competitions at times because of it. Her backdoor strategy changed the game because, until All-Stars, the three automatically chosen players got to pick players of their choosing, ensuring the plan worked. However, that all changed two seasons later, when players for the Veto were always chosen randomly.

Nakomis, in my opinion, is one of the best players ever to enter the Big Brother house. She was a very capable competitor, winning three Head of Household competitions and the Power of Veto to save herself from the block. Not only that, but she had a strong alliance, of which she was the unspoken leader.
The main reason I believe she is such a strong strategist and player can be said in four words: the six-finger plan. This plan was one of the most innovative and intelligent ideas ever conjured up in the show's history. And if it weren't for her, we wouldn't have what is now considered 'backdooring'.
James Rhine

James Rhine is an American television talk-show host, actor, producer, and model. He hosted and interviewed on Celeb TV in Chicago. He has also served as a recurring guest host on In the Loop on WYCC Chicago.

Let's put him, Donny Thompson, Janelle, Daniele Donato, Shane Meaney, and Brenden Villegas into one season to finally settle this once and for all: who is the king (or queen) of The Power of Veto? He was a threat to his competition and was evicted mid-season in BB6 when Howie made one of the dumbest game moves as a Head of Household ever. A year later, he had the same amount of luck, as he was stopped short in the jury for putting his trust in the hands of Batman and Robin of the All-Star house. Great guy, bad luck. I'd love to see him back someday.

He holds the record for the most Power of Veto wins in history. He was a target throughout Season 6 because of his playing both sides of the house. When he tried aligning himself with Ivette, he all but ruined his chance at half a million.
Still, a great competitor in my book.
Maggie Ausburn

Margaret Ausburn is an American known for winning the reality TV show Big Brother 6, broadcast by CBS in 2005. She was the first winner of the U.S. series to win without receiving a single vote against her in the final. Ausburn worked as a medical technician prior to joining the show.

A very underrated winner. She was the star of season 6, not Janelle. Right after her partner left and she was the next biggest target, she won HOH and made an alliance with people she could trust. Then, throughout the rest of the game, she played a smart game by staying under the radar and keeping her mouth shut, even when attacked by the other side of the house. She tried not to be the one in that alliance who shined the most through her words and actions. Maggie was very loyal to the Friendship and ended up having the smallest target out of anyone in that group. She doesn't get a lot of credit for perfecting the collaborator strategy.
Jordan Lloyd

Jordan Haley Lloyd is the winner of Big Brother 11 (US). She also appeared on Big Brother 13 (US) and was a co-host on Big Brother: Reindeer Games.
Jordan began Big Brother 11 as part of the Popular Clique and was the only member remaining after the second week. Her showmance with Jeff Schroeder... read more

She did not play the game. However, it was her personality in the house that helped her win. She won for three reasons. First, she had Jeff, who was a bigger target than her, and it was tough to get him out. Second, she is probably recognized as the nicest person in Big Brother history, so who would have anything against her in the house? Third, she was a weak player and competitor, so everyone would want to take her to the final two.

One of the best social games ever. Everyone gives her crap for having no strategic game and says she made no moves. She tricked Kevin into evicting Michele instead of her. She told Kevin that she would take him to the final two, which was a lie that ended up winning her $500,000.
A very smart girl with a great social game. A very good Big Brother player. She almost won twice for a reason.
Memphis Garrett

Memphis was very underrated. He had a huge target on his back after winning the car and still made it to the final two. I think Memphis and Dan had an equal part in getting the Renegades to the end.

Played a good physical game and a pretty good social game too. Also, he and Dan made one of the best alliances ever.
Matt Hoffman

Matt Hoffman was the most strategic player in his alliance, The Brigade. He succeeded in making most of the house his allies. He created a lie about his wife being ill to garner sympathy, which could have worked very well if he had reached the end. He probably could have won if he hadn't lost the Brigade's trust.

One of the most underrated players in BB history, Matt was loyal and got stabbed in the back by his alliance. Up until the point he went home, he carried his alliance. He won HOH every other week, ensuring safety for his alliance members and made big moves to keep them safe.
Nicole Franzel

Nicole Ann Franzel-Arroyo (née Franzel) is the winner of Big Brother 18 (US) and Big Brother: Reindeer Games. She originally competed on Big Brother 16 (US) and later returned on Big Brother 22 (US).
On Big Brother 16 (US), Nicole became best known for her showmance with Hayden Voss and for being... read more

Nicole has played a fantastic social game this second time around, and that's why she's so good at Big Brother. She also wins crucial competitions when needed.
Yes, she may be playing dirty this time around by lying and backstabbing some of the others, but she still somehow finds a way to avoid being nominated week after week, which is pretty impressive. The houseguests just keep trusting Nicole, even though so many of the evicted houseguests were betrayed by her.
In addition, she's been called out many times by houseguests, which has made her a target throughout the whole season. She's also been a veteran from day one. Let's also not forget that she's had a hand in almost every eviction and is almost always in the power alliance. Nicole knows when to lay low and when she needs to compete to win, which is very important if you want to get far in this game.
I personally don't like how she gets into a showmance every season. However, Corey is basically her lapdog. She controls his vote and any competitions he wins. He also gives her a shield if they're ever on the block together, because he'd probably be evicted first for being a physical threat.
If she plays her cards right, she might just win BB18.
Drew Daniels

Without a doubt, the best three players on Big Brother 5 were Diane, Nakomis, and Drew. His initial alliance with Jase and Scott worked well in the first three weeks, as they held the power at the start. When Drew won HOH, he got the least amount of blood on his hands by targeting Holly.
From that point, he played under the radar, growing close to Diane and her alliance. Even after Scott and Jase were evicted, Drew wasn't at the bottom because Nakomis's alliance started to crack. After the twins, Adria and Natalie, evicted Will, they became the next targets. Drew won his second HOH at final six and eliminated Marvin, another low-blood move.
When Drew touched the block for the first time at final five, he was still safe thanks to Diane using the veto on him. Drew was never at serious risk of going home. He then won the last two HOHs, eliminating the other two frontrunners, Nakomis and Diane.
Some fans may have been upset when Drew evicted Diane, but he understood that she had at least three guaranteed jury votes in Will, Karen, and Nakomis, and could have likely gotten the twins' votes as well. Drew may not be a top-five winner, but he is my personal favorite.