Big Brother has run for 21 seasons with Season 22 airing currently.
Over the course of the years, there have been several stand-out houseguests.
From the mastermind of his own funeral on the show to a winner who coined one of the most remembered Big Brother sayings, there are only so many houseguests who viewers can consider the best players of all-time.
A top 10 Big Brother houseguest isn’t necessarily a winner, especially if they were a victim of a backdoor situation or a bitter jury.
These are the cream of the crop houseguests throughout the past 21 seasons of Big Brother.
1. Vanessa Rousso- Season 17
Known as one of the most strategic players to have ever played Big Brother, Vanessa Rousso made big moves but didn’t land in the final two. She was evicted by Steve Moses (who won the season) as he chose to bring Liz with him to the final two.
The behind the scenes moves and competition wins made by Vanessa dominated the season, so making it to the final three was a feat within itself. Throughout her days in the Big Brother house, she won seven competitions including four Head of Households and three Power of Vetos.
Had she made it to the final two during Season 17, there could have been a different winner. Vanessa would have beaten Steve or Liz without a doubt. Unfortunately, she was evicted by her ally and ended up the final member of the jury.
2. Dan Gheesling- Seasons 10 and 14
When you win Big Brother and come back and place second in the game just a few years later, it means you are one of the best houseguests to have ever played the game. His funeral was one of the highlights of Season 14.
With the powerful manipulation tools Dan Gheesling knows how to use, he successfully played a perfect game during Big Brother 10. He had a unanimous win over Memphis Garrett that season but lost to Ian Terry during Season 14.
Many of the strategies Dan used were cutthroat, but they were able to advance his game. Overall, he won seven competitions through both of the seasons, but only two of them were won during his second appearance.
3. Derrick Levasseur- Season 16
Winning Big Brother was a big deal for Derrick Levasseur. He played a hard game and formed one of the best alliances from the show, the Hitmen with Cody Calafiore.
His gameplay was intense and he knew going in that he had to keep his occupation as a cop a secret. Over the course of his time in the Big Brother house, Derrick was able to win the Head of Household competition four times.
He is easily one of the best Big Brother players of all-time. There has been some debate about where he would fall on a list, but he is easily comparable to Dan Gheesling, Dr. Will Kirby, and some of the other Big Brother royalty.
4. Rachel Reilly- Seasons 12 and 13
During her first season in the Big Brother house, Rachel Reilly met her husband. She was the first member in the jury house during Season 12 and she went on to win Season 13.
Her personality was something that many of her fellow houseguests had to learn to deal with. She was abrasive and her confrontations through two seasons were some of the highlights. When Rachel lost Brendon Villegas during Season 13, she was able to focus on her own game and take it all the way to the winner’s circle.
She is one of the best female players to have played Big Brother. Rachel was an endurance competition beast, winning them without a second thought. Playing in back to back seasons was tough, but she was able to prove all the doubters wrong.
5. Janelle Pierzina- Seasons 6, 7, 14, and 22
Four shots at winning Big Brother and Janelle Pierzina hasn’t been able to grasp the big prize yet. She was a competition beast during her first two seasons, coming in third place both times. She played back to back early on, being asked back for all-stars after her freshman season.
Being a part of both all-star seasons in a franchise is a big deal. She has played the game over several years now, acknowledging that it has a huge part in her life. While she wasn’t able to be a part of the winner’s circle, she has given it her all.
Seasons 14 and 22 were hard for Janelle because she consistently had a target on her back. She was plotted against during her coach season and ultimately backdoored by Danielle Murphee.
In the most recent season, none of the other players cared to work too closely with her, which ended in her eviction early on in the game.
She is still a huge fan-favorite player and her name has become synonymous with the game itself.
6. Dr. Will Kirby- Seasons 2 and 7
Playing two seasons is an indication that you are part of Big Brother royalty. Not only was Dr. Will Kirby a good player, but he was also an entertaining player as well. The Chilltown alliance is one of the best in the history of the game.
He won his season and came back for another shot during the first all-star season. He played both seasons with Mike Boogie Malin. They were considered a tight duo, and when it came down to it, Kirby voted for his friend to win Season 7 of the show.
These two have since fallen out, but their shenanigans are a huge part of why Dr. Will Kirby is still such a Big Brother legend. His strategies and ability to keep things in check gave him a huge advantage during Season 2.
Viewers enjoy when Dr. Will Kirby shows up for the jury chat and gets everyone really thinking about who should win the season and why.
7. Tyler Crispen- Seasons 20 and 22
As part of a successful romance and getting to the final two, Tyler Crispen played a whole game during Season 20. He lost to Kaycee Clark but still took home the second-place prize.
He proved himself a competition beast with six wins during his freshman season. He was able to come through when it was needed, and even though he left the game as the runner-up, Tyler got to keep his relationship with Angela Rummans.
Coming back for all-stars wasn’t shocking. Tyler is often talked about as one of the more strategic and level-headed players. He had his moments in the house when it came to confrontations, but he was able to work through those and continue with the game.
8. Danielle Reyes- Seasons 3 and 7
If ever there was someone who got robbed of a win by the jury, it was Danielle Reyes. She made it to the final two during Season 3 of Big Brother and only received one vote from the jury. They weren’t happy with her overconfident goodbye messages and that cost her the win.
She was asked to return for Season 7, which was the first Big Brother All-Stars. While she made it farther than some expected, she was evicted by the Chilltown alliance.
Competitions weren’t her strong suit, only having won four total between both seasons. She was more of a strategic player, which made her a huge threat.
9. Andy Herren- Season 15
Unfortunately for Andy Herren, he is often overlooked because of the mess that Season 15 was. He did win it all, but for the most part, he isn’t talked about or given the proper credit he deserves.
While his gameplay wasn’t adored by most, he was able to successfully lie and backstab in the name of winning the game. Many viewers were upset by how he handled himself and several former Big Brother houseguests vocalized their distaste as well.
Ultimately, Andy Herren went on to win Big Brother 15 and become the first openly gay winner.
10. Britney Haynes- Seasons 12 and 14
If you are wanting one of the best social game Big Brother players, Britney Haynes is it. From her snarky diary room sessions to her firm stance against Brendon and Rachel, she was hilarious to watch.
She made it far in the game, making jury both times she played. Season 12 was a better one for her, though she wasn’t aware of all that was happening around her.
Britney is still a fan-favorite who is brought up quite a bit on social media when Big Brother is airing. She won four competitions during her first season and none during her second. It was all social for her with a bit of luck and talent thrown in.