It turns out one of the papers recently selected by the Philosopher's Annual as one of the "ten best" of the year was, in fact, desk-rejected by one of the handful of very top journals, and then rejected, after R&R, by another top journal, before finally landing in a different top journal!  So from desk rejection, to R&R rejection, to one of the "ten best" papers of the year!  As the author aptly remarked:  "opinions about he merits of philosophical work can vary."  Indeed!