Top 10 Best Big Brother US Players

The 10 best players to ever play the US version of Big Brother.
The Top Ten
1 Dan Gheesling Dan Gheesling is an American reality television personality who appeared on the Big Brother 10, which he won.

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.

Dan was definitely a much better player than Dr. Will. First, he won his first season without winning a single HOH competition. Not one. Second, he didn't do any of the dirty work he needed to do to complete his master plans. He was one step ahead of the game and knew how to convince anyone else to do anything at all necessary to carry himself further in the game. And if that isn't impressive enough, after having done all of that, with everyone seeing it at home as they watched Season 10 on their own televisions, he did the same thing again on Season 14. Even with people knowing what kind of player he was, and knowing that he could manipulate anyone, he was still able to yet again play/manipulate everyone in the game to carry him further for yet a second season. Dan Gheesling clearly is the best Big Brother player of all time. Even after winning a season, he went to the final 2 for a second time. No other player has ever done that in Big Brother history. Dan is the only player to have ever come that close to winning a second season of Big Brother.

2 Will Kirby William Kirby is a dermatologist, associate clinical professor of dermatology, medical textbook/dermatological journal article author, dermatology spokesman, and reality television personality. He is known for winning both the CBS reality show Big Brother 2 and The Price is Right.

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.

The key difference between Will and Dan's second game was that Dan only made it to the top two because he befriended some new players, whereas Will played against only other Big Brother veterans and still made the final four. The fact that he was evicted doesn't damage his credibility at all (as Boogie went on to win). It's the fact that he found a way to get there at all, as the only winner to ever get a second chance up to that point, that is truly impressive.

Dan's not bad, but his second season was too easy. Will had to use every fiber of his power to get through his. Also, had he made the final two, he would've won again. Dan just plain didn't. Big Brother contestants aren't stupid. They vote for better players.

3 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 American version of the CBS reality show Big Brother.

Janelle deserves a high spot on this list. She fought her way through competitions, winning when she needed to. She was part of amazing alliances. She was entertaining to watch. She's beautiful. What more could you ask for in a Big Brother player? Her last season was a bit of a joke since she was voted out so quickly, but she went in with a huge target on her back, and that's what cost her.

I believe Janelle is the best player ever in Big Brother. She is known as the best player who has never won the game, but her gameplay and her competition wins make her the best of all time, if you ask me. You don't have to be a manipulator to win the game or be the best. Janelle was loyal to every single person in her alliance up until the end. Everybody knew where she stood and knew what a target she was, and she still managed to stay until the final 3. She also outplayed Dr. Will and evicted him from All-Stars. If Janelle had won the final HOH, she would have won Season 6 and Season 7.

4 Danielle Reyes Danielle Reyes, is most notable for being a contestant on the 3rd and All-Star seasons of the American version of the CBS reality show Big Brother.

Danielle Reyes played the most strategic game in Big Brother history. She formed a secret alliance with the most likable guy in the house. She pretended to be allied with one side of the house while Jason was on the opposite side, and they exchanged information without anyone discovering their pairing. If either side won Head of Household (HOH), they would persuade them not to nominate the other. She adopted the "keep your mouth shut and your ears open" strategy, leading everyone to believe she was a weak player, which is why she was never nominated. Had there been a jury, I am certain we would be discussing the winner of BB3.

Her strategy was flawless. She did what no other BB 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 3 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.

5 Derrick Levasseur Derrick Levasseur is an American police officer from Providence, Rhode Island. He is best known for winning the reality television series Big Brother 16 in 2014.

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.

Will was the self-proclaimed puppet master in seasons 2 and 7, but in season 2, he was actually the most targeted and hated player. Dan was never nominated because he was viewed as the low man on the totem pole and never a threat. Dan never "controlled" the house and was never making any decisions, but rather making the best decision for himself all game. Derrick has done something that no other houseguest has ever achieved. Derrick has single-handedly puppeteered every single player this season, having a say in every single eviction and was NEVER nominated over the course of 55 combined nominations and renominations.

Derrick has not only played the weak card as Dan and Will did. He has played the mastermind, the puppeteer, and the kingpin, but was never taken out by his own alliance à la Matt Hoffman, Kaysar, and other alliance leaders. With Derrick winning BB16, he has solidified himself as the third member of tier 1 Big Brother players, essentially playing a perfect game.

6 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.

Mike Boogie won for three reasons:

1. Fake showmance with Erika
2. Lied to everyone's face (with the exception of Will and George)
3. Rode Will's coattails

This goes to show how playing dirty can help you win this game, and Mike certainly is a legend of that.

7 Dick Donato Richard Louis Donato, known as "Evel Dick" Donato, a bar manager from Los Angeles, California, is 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.

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, and 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.

I'm sure no other HG will ever compare or come close to Evel Dick again. His antics and his tirades wreaked havoc, instilled fear in the other HGs throughout Season 8. I enjoyed it because while controversial, it was still great TV. Not to mention, a lot of his antics were to protect not only himself but his daughter Daniele. He won BB8 in a 5-2 vote. One of my favorite players ever in BB.

8 Daniele Donato Daniele Donato-Briones, was a contestant on Big Brother 8, and Big Brother 13 along with her father, Dick Donato.

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.

9 Vanessa Rousso Vanessa Ashley Rousso is an American professional poker player. Born in White Plains, New York, Rousso holds dual citizenship with the United States and France.

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 4 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.

Vanessa played a fantastic game. She controlled nearly every eviction from beginning to end. She won 4 Head of Household competitions and 3 Power of Vetoes. She ruled the beginning portion of the game with her alliance called "The Sixth Sense." They were in power up until Week 6, when James put Shelli and Clay on the block together, causing one member to leave, with Shelli following the week after Clay. She had deals with nearly everyone, covering her bases with almost everyone. She made deals with whoever was necessary, and everyone she approached fell for it. Up until the Final 3, she was able to control decisions, save herself with the veto, and win extremely important Head of Household competitions to make dire moves that furthered her game. She was able to talk her way out of tough situations when she was practically out the door. Overall, she played a fantastic game, socially, physically, and mentally.

10 Jun Song

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, 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!

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.

The Contenders
11 Rachel Reilly Rachel Eileen Reilly Villegas is an American television personality, a talk show host, an actress, and a reality show participant.

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.

Love or hate her, she deserved to win BB13. After not being very well-liked in BB12 for her villain-like gameplay on likable houseguests, she returned to the veterans vs newbies season where she won 4 HOHs and 2 POVs. She had no problem getting under fan-favorite and rival Daniele Donato's skin on many occasions. The newbies didn't make it easy for her to win half a million but stood tall on finale night after besting Porsche. I'll take her, Daniele, and Janelle on my team any day as fierce female competitors.

12 Eric Stein

Why don't YOU try being saddled with the albatross that was "America" (seriously, vote out Dustin instead of Evel Dick? My ass) and see how the results turn out?

Fifth place was a miracle with that anchor weighing him down. But he still did it. He would have won for sure without the "America's Player" moniker.

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.

I loved Eric! For sure, my favorite player to play the game. He definitely had the potential to win the game with his smart tactics, but unfortunately, the America's Player twist ruined some of his potential. Nonetheless, he was the master of persuasion and did the best a houseguest could possibly do in that position.

13 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.

14 Hayden Moss

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.

Hayden was an animal at the game. He won 4 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 comps as Hayden did. Hayden also made smart decisions throughout the game. He will definitely win the next BB All Stars.

15 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.

16 Nakomis Dedmon

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'.

Along with Danielle and Janelle, I consider Nakomis one of the best players to never win. Everyone remembers the six-finger plan/backdooring, but she had more than that to her. The house's first impressions were that she was just some weird goth chick who would probably get axed first. But she ended up the leader of the majority alliance and dethroned Jase, which left everyone cheering. If the Pinky Swear Alliance hadn't gotten so paranoid and started going at each other, we would be talking about the winner of Big Brother 5.

17 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 to his alliance members and made big moves to keep them safe.

The true leader of the Brigade. If he hadn't been so public, he would have gone on to win in a landslide.

18 Jordan Lloyd

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 and told Kevin that she would take him to the final 2, 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.

Believe it or not, I honestly do think she is way smarter than what she presented herself as. Remembering part 2 of the finale night challenge, I literally thought she was going to lose the memory comp but she pulled it off almost out of thin air (seemingly) and won the 3-part and took out Kevin, who was the game's front runner. Whatever you say, she played almost under the radar, won when absolutely necessary, and kept a perfect social game.

19 Britney Haynes

She deserved so much more. She was witty and played a really strong game overall, besides comps. She unfortunately had the pleasure of playing against the greatest alliance in Big Brother history and the greatest player.

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.

20 James Rhine James Rhine, is an American television talk-show host, actor, producer and model. He most recently appeared as a host and interviewer on "Celeb TV" in Chicago and is 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 a half million. Still, a great competitor in my book.

The best veto player to step into Big Brother. He changed the way Big Brother ran the veto competition by having a random draw rather than houseguest choice. James is the king of veto and should be ranked at least in the top 10.

21 Drew Daniels

Drew is the most criminally underrated player of all time! He was never at actual risk, created a dominating alliance, then flipped on that alliance, convinced Cowboy to evict his sister to go to the final 3 with a showmance, aligned with Diane early even though he was gay, sniped down Diane, yet still had the twins and Diane campaigning for him on the jury. He created the social game that we know and love today.

Drew played probably one of the best games to play.

1. He was selected for every Veto competition, and back then, the HOH and nominees selected the competitors for the veto.
2. He was never a final nominee for eviction, meaning he never faced the chopping block.
3. He was the first Houseguest to set the record for most HOHs (4), and this record has only been tied, not broken.

He played an amazing game.

Flipping on his alliances and booting some of his closest pals helped this quiet guy win Season 5. Being likable, handsome, and under the radar didn't hurt either.

22 Alison Irwin

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, and she stands next to Danielle Reyes as the most robbed houseguest of all time.

I hate how people judge her based on All Stars. She is one of the best players ever. She deserved to win the season way more than anyone else. I'd rank her in the top five based on her flirting strategy and great knowledge of how to play the game.

I would not call Alison robbed because Jun played an amazing game too. If Alison had sat with Robert or Erika in the finale and lost, then she would be the second most robbed. But Jun deserved to win as much as Alison.

23 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.

24 Steve Moses

After having to save himself with a Power of View and BOTB win in the first two weeks, Steve laid low throughout the whole pre-jury phase. Unfortunately, Becky caught onto his game, and he had to start winning competitions. Steve aligned himself with Vanessa, which was key to saving himself at the final 5, and he won his way to the end, winning against Liz. I wish he came back, but he has said numerous times he wouldn't play again.

While Steve did play a good game, he definitely is not one of the best players. Sure, his strategy of laying low and winning when necessary was great, but people give him too much credit. Separating Austwins in F6 was not that big of a move. He was aligned with John and Vanessa the most, so going after them was not going to happen. He is in the top 10 winners but not top 10 players.

Steve did absolutely nothing for the first three-quarters of the game and sneaked out a couple of wins in the last two weeks to keep himself in the running. He had no sort of power in any alliance and honestly wouldn't have won over most people in the house. The smartest move he made was getting rid of BB legend Vanessa before the final 2, so he was sitting next to Liz, who did even less than Steve.

25 Jason Guy

I think he didn't come close to playing as well as his partner Danielle Reyes, but he did still play a strong game and was the most likable guy in the house.

Remember, Jason was never nominated. He was only evicted in the final 3 by default. That alone is a remarkable achievement. The only other two house guests to have gone through an entire season without being nominated are BB legends Danielle Reyes and Derrick. His loyalty to Danielle undoubtedly helped make her the legend that she is. Danielle's game didn't go too far in All Stars when she didn't have her "Jason".

He kept his head and his alliance. Being able to stay loyal and stay quiet got him and Danielle through season 3. The best alliance ever.

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