In 2025, the NFC North was the only division in the NFL that saw all four teams finish with a winning record. Given that information, a strong argument could be made that it was the toughest division in all football last year.
The Chicago Bears came out on top last year, marking their first divisional win since 2018. Will they repeat in 2026? It’s entirely possible, as one could strongly argue they didn’t regress at all this offseason. However, the Green Bay Packers made the playoffs without Micah Parsons in the last few games, the Minnesota Vikings went .500 with poor quarterback play, and the Detroit Lions can’t be counted out given their pre-2025 success.
The NFC North features plenty of talented players, from perennial Pro Bowlers to rising stars in the making. To shine a light on the top performers in the division, PFSN will be ranking the 10 best players in the division heading into the 2026 season.
10) Jaylon Johnson, CB, Chicago Bears
Jaylon Johnson’s play took a slight step back in 2025, though it’s hard to put too much weight on it after he missed 10 games due to injury. Prior to last year, he was a Pro Bowl cornerback in consecutive seasons and was an All-Pro in 2023, the latter season seeing him lead all NFL cornerbacks in PFSN CB Impact Scoring. When healthy, he’s one of the best corners in the league.
9) Darnell Wright, OT, Chicago Bears
The story of Darnell Wright has been one of consistent improvement since the Bears selected him No. 10 overall in 2023. Most recently, he was a second-team All-Pro at right tackle and finished third among all right tackles with a stellar 87.6 PFSN OL Impact Score. A refined technician with good mobility and a powerful anchor, he’s as reliable as they come and figures to be in line for a massive extension when his rookie deal expires.
8) Xavier McKinney, S, Green Bay Packers
One might think Xavier McKinney took a step back in 2025 looking at the box score, as he had 8 interceptions in 2024 and just 2 picks in 2025. However, he led the NFL with a 92.7 PFSN Safety Impact Score. Most notably, he missed just 4.5% of his tackling attempts and allowed a targeted passer rating of just 63.9. He’s the heart and soul of the Packers’ secondary and the best safety in the NFC North.
7) Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Detroit Lions
After missing most of the 2024 season due to injury, Aidan Hutchinson bounced right back in 2025 and didn’t miss a step. His 14.5 sacks marked the highest total of his career, and he ranked No. 6 in the NFL in PFSN EDGE Impact Scoring.
He placed second among edge rushers with 35 quarterback hits, seventh with 22 splash plays, fifth with 36 solo tackles, and ninth with 14.5 tackles for a loss.
6) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
Jahmyr Gibbs has been a scoring machine since entering the NFL, as he now has 49 total touchdowns in the first three years of his career. 18 of those scores came in 2025, a season in which he ran for 1,223 yards and 13 touchdowns on 5.0 yards per carry. He also caught a career-high 77 passes for 616 yards, earning his third consecutive Pro Bowl appearance. With David Montgomery now in Houston, Gibbs could take on an even bigger workload.
5) Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
If you’re looking for consistency at the wide receiver position, it’s tough to do better than Amon-Ra St. Brown. He’s been a top-10 receiver by PFSN WR Impact Scoring in each of his last four seasons, having surpassed 100 catches and 1,100 receiving yards each year. He finished No. 5 in WRi in 2025, catching 117 passes for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns with just a 4.1% drop rate and a 110.6 targeted passer rating.
4) Joe Thuney, OG, Chicago Bears
The inaugural winner of the Protector of the Year award, Joe Thuney was everything the Bears could’ve hoped for and more in 2025. He didn’t allow a single sack in 686 pass-blocking snaps, he was only called for two penalties all season, and he didn’t miss a single game. Also a first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler, Thuney has always been a steady hand, but he’s now making a legitimate Hall of Fame push near the end of his career.
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3) Penei Sewell, OT, Detroit Lions
Penei Sewell will be moving from right tackle to left tackle in 2026, but if there’s anyone who can make that transition seamlessly, it’s him. Last season, he placed No. 1 among 107 qualified tackles in the NFL with a PFSN OL Impact Score of 93.0. That marks the second time in his career that he’s led all tackles in that metric, and it’s the fourth year in a row that he’s had a top-five grade. For my money, he’s the best offensive lineman in the NFL.
2) Micah Parsons, EDGE, Green Bay Packers
Before he suffered his season-ending injury, Micah Parsons single-handedly brought the Packers’ defense to life. He was a first-team All-Pro with 12.5 sacks in 14 games, finishing No. 4 in the NFL with an 89.5 PFSN EDGE Impact Score. He had a career-best missed tackle rate of just 6.1%, and he ranked fourth in the league with a 22.6% pass-rush win rate. Parsons is worthy of being named the best defensive player in the NFC North.
1) Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
You know Justin Jefferson is an elite wide receiver when a 1,048-yard season is considered disappointing. The Vikings had horrendous quarterback play all year, which consistently affected his ability to get the ball in a timely manner. In spite of that, Jefferson broke the NFL record with the most receiving yards through a player’s first six seasons, reaching 8,480 yards and beating out second-place Randy Moss by over 100 yards. With Kyler Murray now in Minnesota, Jefferson looks poised for another monster season.
