The start of the 2026-27 NFL season is right around the corner. As anticipation for the new season grows, Pro Football Network has decided to highlight the best players the league has to offer.
PFN’s Impact Scoring metrics played a big role in shaping this year’s rankings. After our analytics team crunched the numbers, we evaluated every player based on performance, team role, and overall influence on their roster. Our team then reviewed the data, accounting for injuries, roster changes, and projected roles to build a clear, consistent picture of each player’s value.
In the end, we finalized this list of the top 100 players in the NFL. These are the biggest names to know as we approach the new year.
For more information about how our Impact grades are built, you can find a complete guide to our methodology here.
100) Tyler Smith, G, Dallas Cowboys
Since entering the NFL in 2022, Tyler Smith has been a steady force for the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line. He was primarily a left tackle as a rookie, but ever since he kicked inside to guard in 2023, he’s been one of the best in the game. He’s been a top-ten guard in the NFL each of the last three seasons by PFN’s OL Impact Scoring metric.
A Pro Bowler in each of the last three years, Smith earned a massive contract extension in the 2025 offseason, making him the highest-paid guard in the NFL on an annual basis. He’s still just 25 years old, suggesting there should be plenty more elite football ahead of him.
99) Andrew Van Ginkel, EDGE, Minnesota Vikings
During his first five seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Andrew Van Ginkel was a reliable, incredibly efficient rotational edge rusher. Since signing with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, he’s blossomed into a star. He was a Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro in 2024 with 11.5 sacks, 18.0 tackles for loss, six pass deflections, and an NFL-high two interceptions returned for touchdowns.
Van Ginkel missed some time due to injury in 2025, which sees him drop slightly on this list. However, he still finished with 7.0 sacks in 12 games last year and broke up a career-high 10 passes for the Vikings. If he can stay healthy this season, it’s a safe bet to assume he rises up these rankings in 2027.
98) Derrick Brown, DT, Carolina Panthers
Any concerns about how Derrick Brown would fare after missing most of 2024 due to injury quickly went right out the window. After playing just one game the year before with a torn meniscus, Brown came back and played in all 17 games for the Carolina Panthers in 2025. He notched a career-high 5.0 sacks in the process.
In each of his last two healthy seasons, Brown has finished the year graded as a top-ten defensive tackle in the NFL by PFN DT Impact Scoring. Entering his seventh season in the league, he’s firmly established as one of the best interior defensive linemen in the game today.
97) Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
If Trevor Lawrence can parlay his late-season momentum into his 2026 campaign, he’ll end up much higher than this when next year’s edition comes out. In the Jacksonville Jaguars’ final six games last year, he threw for 15 touchdowns and just one interception, leading his team to victories in each game.
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Lawrence’s start to 2025 was rough, as he threw 11 interceptions through his first 11 games. But his elite finish to the season was enough to propel him to a No. 14 ranking in PFN QB Impact Scoring, and he helped lead the Jaguars to a 13-4 record and an AFC South divisional crown. It was in that stretch that he truly looked like the player he showed the potential to be as a generational prospect coming out of Clemson.
96) Lane Johnson, OT, Philadelphia Eagles
In an injury-shortened season that saw him play in only ten games, Lane Johnson still looked the part of his typical self. He didn’t allow a single sack in 262 pass-blocking snaps, and even at 35 years old, he more than held his own against competition like Nik Bonitto, Jared Verse, Micah Parsons, Brian Burns, and Aidan Hutchinson.
Now 36 years old, Johnson has much more football behind him than he has in front of him. That said, the Philadelphia Eagles’ stalwart right tackle can still block at a high level, and even if he’s a step slower than he used to be, his football IQ and refined technical skillset make him a difficult lineman to get past off the edge.
95) Jack Campbell, LB, Detroit Lions
Jack Campbell’s third season with the Detroit Lions was his best one yet, as he ended the year as both a Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro. He’s seen steady improvement each year since entering the league in 2023, and though there was some inconsistency early on, he finished 2025 with the highest PFN LB Impact Score of any linebacker in the NFL.
Campbell’s 176 total tackles placed second in the entire league last season, and he also contributed 5.0 sacks, 9.0 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. On the heels of a massive contract extension in May, it will be interesting to see how Campbell continues to develop at just 25 years old.
94) Jaycee Horn, CB, Carolina Panthers
Availability was a big concern with Jaycee Horn early in his career, but he’s missed just three games over his last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers. That health has allowed him to solidify himself as a top cornerback in the NFL, having made it to the Pro Bowl in both 2024 and 2025. Most recently, he ended last season with a career-high five interceptions.
Horn allowed a targeted completion percentage of just 58.7% last year, and he ended the season ranked as the No. 12 cornerback by PFN CB Impact Scoring, a personal best ranking. Still just 26 years old, he has plenty of time to continue to rise up these rankings, and continuing to stay healthy will be extremely helpful in doing so.
93) Jordyn Brooks, LB, Miami Dolphins
The only player in the NFL with more tackles than the aforementioned Campbell in 2025 was Jordyn Brooks. With a whopping 183 total tackles to his name last season, Brooks was a constant force along the second level for a Miami Dolphins team that didn’t have much else to be excited about.
Though he was robbed of a Pro Bowl nod, Brooks earned first-team All-Pro recognition for his performance last season. With a combined 782 tackles over his last five seasons, he’s proven that he’s a tackling machine the likes of which very few can replicate; his total ranks third among all NFL players in that span.
92) Joe Alt, OT, Los Angeles Chargers
Despite only playing in six games in 2025, Joe Alt made his first Pro Bowl appearance in just his second year in the NFL. Though you could argue about the validation of such a nod given his availability issues caused by injury, there’s no denying that Alt is a Pro Bowl-level player when he’s on the field.
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Alt allowed just one sack in the six games he played last year, and he climbed from No. 21 to No. 12 among offensive tackles in PFN OL Impact Scoring. After excelling at right tackle in 2024, he seamlessly made the switch over to left tackle in 2025 with Rashawn Slater’s injury. That speaks volumes about his versatility and just how good of a player he is overall.
91) Kevin Dotson, G, Los Angeles Rams
A top-ten guard in each of his last three seasons and a top-five guard in his last two, Kevin Dotson has quietly been the glue keeping the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive line together. He had just two penalties all year in 2025, and his 88.6 PFN run-blocking grade ranked third in the NFL among all guards.
Despite his success, Dotson hasn’t been named to a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro team yet. If he continues his high level of play, it feels like it’s only a matter of time. It’s hard to find too many interior offensive linemen who have been as reliable as he has since joining the Rams in 2023.
90) Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
There’s a lot to be excited about with the future of Caleb Williams. He’s this year’s Madden cover athlete, he led the Chicago Bears to their first divisional crown since 2018 and their first playoff win since 2011, and he only seems to keep getting better. In particular, the second half of 2025 was particularly kind to Williams.
The obvious thing holding him back from the elite tier of NFL quarterbacks is his completion percentage, which was a disappointing 58.1% last year. That said, he finished in the top ten in both passing yards and passing touchdowns while leading the league in fourth-quarter comebacks. His playmaking ability and clutch gene are key factors in his ranking, and it’s safe to assume he’ll continue to climb up these rankings in time.
89) Calen Bullock, S, Houston Texans
The early returns on Calen Bullock are incredibly enticing. In his first two seasons in the NFL, he’s combined for nine interceptions and 21 pass deflections, having earned Pro Bowl recognition with the Houston Texans in 2025. His playmaking ability has helped elevate their defense into a unit that had the second-best PFN Defense Impact Score in the league.
Still just 23 years old, Bullock has a bright future ahead of him. With an allowed targeted completion percentage of 47.8% and a passer rating of 54.5, he’s already made a name for himself as one of the top coverage safeties in the NFL.
88) Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
As good as his 2024 rookie year was, 2025 was a disaster for Jayden Daniels. Much of that came from his durability issues; over the course of the regular season, he sprained his knee, injured his hamstring, and dislocated his elbow. Playing through all that pain, he dropped from the No. 7 quarterback in PFN QB Impact Scoring in 2024 down to No. 27 in 2025.
Though his sophomore year didn’t live up to the hype, Daniels makes the list because of how fantastic his rookie season was. He threw for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns, and a 69.0% completion percentage while also tallying 891 rushing yards. He looked like an elite dual-threat quarterback in the making two years ago. Now, it’s just a matter of getting back on track.
87) Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
Having missed eight games in 2025 due to injury, Sam LaPorta’s production fell to career lows in his third year in the NFL. However, on a per-game average, his 54.3 receiving yards per game were the highest he’s had since entering the league, including his stellar Pro Bowl rookie season in 2023.
LaPorta’s PFN TE Impact Score ranking has dipped each year thus far, but he has remained one of the most productive receiving tight ends in the NFL year over year. He’s still just 25 years old, and his 50.1 receiving yards per game since 2023 rank fifth among all tight ends in that span.
86) Quinnen Williams, DT, Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys made a big splash trading for Quinnen Williams at the 2025 NFL trade deadline, and he made that move look smart with his performance upon joining the team. Between his time in Dallas and his previous eight games with the New York Jets, Williams finished No. 10 in PFN DT Impact Scoring last season.
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Williams’ 85.0 score in run support ranked sixth among all defensive tackles last year, and his impact was felt immediately on a weak Cowboys defense. With better talent around him in their front seven heading into 2026, he could pick up his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance this season.
85) Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
Malik Nabers’ rookie season was nothing short of phenomenal in 2024, even in spite of the quarterback mess the New York Giants had going on that year. His 2025 wasn’t as lucky, as he unfortunately suffered a torn ACL late in September that ended his season after just four games.
Nabers put up 109 receptions and 1,204 receiving yards as a rookie, earning him Pro Bowl recognition in his first year in the NFL. It remains to be seen how he fares coming back from injury, but he looked like a true WR1 for the Giants in 2024. With Jaxson Dart now in the fold, there’s no telling how high Nabers’ ceiling is in 2026.
84) Christian Gonzalez, CB, New England Patriots
Drake Maye got a lot of the praise for the New England Patriots’ run to a Super Bowl appearance last year, but the chances are strong they wouldn’t have made it if not for the elite play of Christian Gonzalez. Between the regular season and postseason of last year, he allowed a completion percentage of just 43.4% and a passer rating of only 57.0.
In 34 regular-season games since entering the NFL, Gonzalez has allowed just three touchdowns in coverage while breaking up 24 passes. He’s been a shutdown CB1 in every sense of the word, and going into his fourth season in the league, he’s established as one of the best at his position.
83) DeForest Buckner, DT, Indianapolis Colts
2025 marked the first year of DeForest Buckner’s career that he didn’t finish in the top 10 of PFN DT Impact Scoring when eligible; he was previously listed as an edge rusher in 2016, 2018, and 2019. Regardless, he still finished with a No. 18 ranking, which makes him an above-average starter at his position.
In 10 games for the Indianapolis Colts, Buckner had 4.0 sacks, 36 pressures, and 22 run stops. He’s remained one of the best pass-rushing defensive tackles in the NFL, averaging over seven sacks per year in his 10 seasons in the league. That’s about on par with his sack average over 17 games in 2025; if he can stay healthy in 2026, he’ll have the chance to keep putting up numbers.
82) Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Drake London’s role with the Atlanta Falcons keeps getting stronger each year he plays. His receiving yards per game average has grown every year since he came into the NFL in 2022, most recently notching a career-high 76.6 yards per game. He missed five games but still came close to the 1,000-yard mark at 919 yards.
The 6’4″, 215-pound London has scored 16 touchdowns over the last two seasons, solidifying himself as a big threat in the Falcons’ offense. When you’re as big as he is and only drop 3.7% of your career targets through four years, it’s no wonder Atlanta gave him a massive contract extension.
81) DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
With A.J. Brown now off the Philadelphia Eagles, DeVonta Smith has his chance to shine as the bona fide WR1 in their offense. He’s remained productive with or without Brown, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards in three of his five years in the NFL, including his 1,008-yard campaign in 2025.
Given his skinny frame, Smith is hardly the type of wide receiver you’ll throw the ball up to in 50-50 ball situations. Rather, it’s his route-running intelligence, footwork, and athleticism that have made him such a key part of the Eagles’ offense over the years. Expect his role to continue to grow now that he’s taking over as the top target.
80) Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
Playoff success continues to elude Justin Herbert, but the regular season sure hasn’t. He’s led the Los Angeles Chargers to double-digit wins in three of his last four seasons, placing in at least the NFL’s top ten in passing yards in three of those four years. In 2026, he ranked ninth with 3,727 yards and tied for seventh with 26 passing touchdowns.
Herbert’s 13 interceptions hurt his PFN QB Impact Score, as he finished with a career-low 75.1 score last season. However, he’s remained an impactful player who carried the Chargers to the playoffs in spite of him playing with an injured hand and behind a hobbled, porous offensive line.
79) A.J. Brown, WR, New England Patriots
The aforementioned A.J. Brown is now on the New England Patriots, sliding right into the WR1 role that Stefon Diggs held for the reigning AFC champions last season. It’s a role Brown should be comfortable with, having surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his four seasons with the Eagles.
Say what you want about Brown’s role in Philadelphia’s offense in 2025, but there’s no denying he’s still a top talent when utilized correctly. With an upgrade at quarterback in Drake Maye, the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver should put up big numbers for New England if he stays healthy.
78) Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
The 2025 season started poorly for Jalen Carter after his ejection from the Eagles’ first game of the season, but things finished pretty well, all things considered. Even missing six games due to injury and much of the aforementioned Week 1 matchup, he earned Pro Bowl recognition with his 3.0 sacks, seven pass deflections, and 12 quarterback hits.
Carter ranked No. 12 in the NFL in PFN DT Impact Scoring after placing third in the league in 2024. At this point, there’s no denying he’s one of the top defensive tackles in the game today. The next contract he gets, whether it’s from Philadelphia or someone else, should be a massive one.
77) Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs
Even going into his 30s, Chris Jones remains one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL today. He’s been ranked as a top-ten defensive tackle by PFN DT Impact Scoring in seven of his last seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, and that streak continued in 2025 with his No. 9 ranking and strong 83.7 score.
Jones has been a Pro Bowler in each of his last seven seasons, and he’s coming off a year in which he tallied 7.0 sacks in 17 games. His 87.0 pass-rushing score ranked third among all interior defenders; he still has more left in the tank, but he’s well on his way to a Hall of Fame nod at this current rate.
76) Tyler Linderbaum, C, Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders stunned the NFL by signing Tyler Linderbaum to a deal worth $27 million annually, far and away the biggest contract ever given to a center. The three-time Pro Bowler will be tasked with paving the way for Ashton Jeanty in the run game and keeping Fernando Mendoza upright in pass protection.
Linderbaum has been at least a top-12 center every year he’s been in the NFL since he got drafted in 2022, and he was a top-six center every year from 2022 to 2024. He graded out as the best run-blocking center in the league last year, which should be extremely beneficial to Jeanty, who had very little help up front in his rookie year in Las Vegas.
75) Zach Frazier, C, Pittsburgh Steelers
Zach Frazier has very quickly become one of the top centers in the NFL. Heading into his third year in the league, he’s only allowed two sacks since 2024 and has missed just two games in that span.
With his 89.4 PFN OL Impact Score that ranked second among all centers in 2024, Frazier burst onto the scene right out of the gate as a rookie. He kept up that high level of play by finishing sixth in that metric in 2025, too. No matter who the quarterback of the future will be for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they’ll have an elite center protecting them in Frazier.
74) Chris Lindstrom, G, Atlanta Falcons
2025 marked the first season since 2020 that Chris Lindstrom didn’t grade as a top-ten guard in our system. The fact that it’s considered a down year, having finished with the No. 12 overall grade among all NFL guards, which is still well above average for the position, says a lot about how good he’s been over the years.
Lindstrom was more shaky than usual in pass protection in 2025, but he finished as the highest-scoring run blocker at his position. He also had the highest scoring among all guards every year from 2022 to 2024. If that doesn’t speak to how dominant he’s been along the Falcons’ interior offensive line, I don’t know what will.
73) Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Despite having poor quarterback play around him his first two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, Brock Bowers has instantly solidified himself as one of the best tight ends in the NFL with his play upon getting drafted in 2024. He missed five games due to injury in 2025, so he wasn’t able to replicate his All-Pro numbers from his rookie year, but he was still very productive.
Bowers has been a top-ten tight end in PFN TE Impact Scoring each of his two years in the league. He finished the year with 64 catches for 680 yards and seven touchdowns, which is impressive production without factoring in the games he missed. His 56.7 receiving yards per game ranked third among all tight ends, earning him his second Pro Bowl nod in as many seasons.
72) Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
When you become one of just nine players in NFL history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a single season, that production becomes very tough to replicate. That was obviously the case for Saquon Barkley, whose efficiency dropped significantly in 2025. After leading the league in PFN RB Impact Scoring in 2024, he came in ranked at No. 24 at his position in 2025.
To be fair to Barkley, a lot of players on the Eagles’ offense had down performances in 2025. He didn’t even have a bad season last year, still reaching 1,140 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Even if he didn’t keep up his All-Pro production last year, we know what Barkley is capable of. It’s not smart to doubt an athlete of his caliber.
71) Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks
It’s been a remarkable turnaround for Sam Darnold, who just three years ago was a backup quarterback in San Francisco. He made the Pro Bowl with Minnesota in 2024, and he did so again with the Seattle Seahawks in 2025, leading his team all the way to a Super Bowl victory. In both of his last two seasons, he’s led his team to 14-3 regular season records, too.
Darnold’s 82.5 PFN QB Impact Score marked a career high and ranked fifth in the NFL last season. He’s more prone to turnovers than you’d like, having thrown 26 interceptions over the last two years. However, he has a strong arm and the right level of confidence you want in your franchise quarterback. He’s a gunslinger who’s proven he can keep his team afloat against top competition.
70) George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Many could assume George Pickens would be a productive member of the Cowboys’ offense in 2025. Few could’ve predicted he’d be as productive as he ended up being. He finished third in the NFL with 1,429 receiving yards, catching 93 passes for nine touchdowns and earning both Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro recognition in the process.
This ranking comes with some trepidation, as Pickens never finished higher than No. 20 in our WR Impact Scoring in a single season prior to placing third in 2025. That said, he’s a gifted receiver with a large catch radius, tremendous ball skills, and a Dallas offense that looks to be a perfect fit for his skill set.
69) Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Zay Flowers has improved his ranking in WR Impact Scoring each of his three seasons in the NFL so far, topping out in 2025 with an 80.6 score that ranked No. 9 among all wide receivers. He earned career-high totals in both receptions and receiving yards, earning his second Pro Bowl nod in a row.
Over his three years with the Baltimore Ravens, Flowers has tallied 3,128 receiving yards and has seen his production increase each year. He’s grown into a legitimate WR1 for Lamar Jackson with his dynamic route-running ability and athleticism. If you’re having a conversation for the top-10 wide receivers in the NFL, Flowers absolutely belongs in that mix.
68) De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
On a Dolphins team that didn’t have much to be grateful for in 2025, De’Von Achane continued solidifying himself as one of the NFL’s best running backs. He came in fifth with 1,350 rushing yards, coming in sixth in RB Impact Scoring with a rush EPA of 14.0 that ranked fourth in the league.
Achane is a certified speed demon with some of the best big-play ability of any running back playing today. The hope is that the addition of Kadyn Proctor up front, the development of young offensive linemen like Patrick Paul and Jonah Savaiinaea, and the presence of a dual-threat quarterback like Malik Willis will only make Achane even more efficient in 2026.
67) Xavier McKinney, S, Green Bay Packers
After tallying a whopping eight interceptions in 2024, Xavier McKinney saw his production drop to two picks in 2025. That’s hardly a number to be ashamed of, though, and he still finished as a second-team All-Pro and the ninth-best safety in the NFL by our SAF Impact Scoring metric.
McKinney allowed a targeted passer rating of just 60.1 last year, along with a completion percentage of just 57.7%. He’s also been one of the most reliable tackling safeties in the league, missing just 6.4% of his tackle attempts across his six NFL seasons. He’s been an incredibly valuable veteran piece of the Green Bay Packers’ defense.
66) Kobie Turner, DT, Los Angeles Rams
It’s hard to imagine that Kobie Turner wasn’t even invited to the NFL Combine heading into the league in 2023. Not only was he an impact player from the moment the Rams drafted him, but he’s been a steady force along their interior defensive line who hasn’t missed a single regular season game in his three years with the team.
With 24.0 sacks since 2023, Turner’s total is the second-highest among all defensive tackles since he entered the league. He’s ranked in the top ten in PFN DT Impact Scoring each of his last two seasons, most recently finishing seventh in 2025. He’s in the last year of his rookie deal and feels primed for a massive contract in the open market.
65) Joe Thuney, G, Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears needed to overhaul their offensive line going into the 2025 offseason, and acquiring Joe Thuney for just a fourth-round pick was their best move of the bunch. He won the inaugural Protector of the Year award as the best offensive lineman in the NFL, making both the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team for the fourth consecutive season.
With a 91.1 PFN OL Impact Score, Thuney led all guards in the metric and placed second among all offensive linemen in 2025. His lower score of 75.3 in 2023 plays a slight role in his only being ranked No. 65 overall, but he’s been an impact player practically every year since entering the league back in 2016.
64) Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
2025 was a down year for the Eagles’ offense, and that same sentiment applied to Jalen Hurts. Having placed in at least the top eight quarterbacks in our QB Impact metric each year from 2022 to 2024, he dropped down to No. 16 among quarterbacks in 2025, marking his lowest score since he first took over as the team’s starter in 2021.
Compared to the year before (the year in which he led Philadelphia to a Super Bowl victory), Hurts saw decreases in his completion percentage, passer rating, EPA per dropback, and adjusted net yards per attempt, among other statistics. He’ll have a chip on his shoulder in 2026, but his strong resume outside of that still gets him on this list.
63) Rashawn Slater, OT, Los Angeles Chargers
The entry of Rashawn Slater onto this list comes with the asterisk that he missed the entire 2025 season with a torn patellar tendon. He’ll need to prove he can come back at full strength this year after suffering that serious injury, but at 27 years old, he should be better suited to coming back than other older linemen coming off major injuries.
What Slater was able to do before the injury certainly earns him a spot on this list. He finished second among all NFL left tackles with an 85.3 PFN OL Impact Score in 2024, and he’s made two Pro Bowl appearances in four healthy seasons. He’s proven to be a high-level offensive tackle and a key cog of the Chargers’ offense; fans saw what that offensive line looked like without him last season.
62) Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
As far as our RB Impact Scoring metric goes, it’s been a rollercoaster story for Jonathan Taylor in his NFL career. He ranked No. 4 among all running backs in 2020 and led the league in the metric in 2021, but he dropped down to No. 51 in 2022 and finished outside of the top 12 in both 2023 and 2024.
However, Taylor’s efficiency was through the roof in 2025, as his 89.1 score was far and away the best of any running back in the NFL. He led the league with 18.8 total rush EPA and 20 rushing touchdowns, he placed third with 1,585 rushing yards, and his 4.9 rushing yards per attempt marked his highest average since 2021. The high volume has always been there with Taylor when he’s healthy; the efficiency finally caught back up last year.
61) Darnell Wright, OT, Chicago Bears
Darnell Wright has shown consistent progression over the course of his three years in the NFL, and heading into Year 4, he projects as one of the top right tackles in the league. His 85.0 PFN OL Impact Score last year ranked fourth among right tackles and seventh among all offensive tackles.
Wright deservedly earned second-team All-Pro recognition for his campaign, even if he got shut out of Pro Bowl recognition. The Bears had the third-best offensive line in the NFL by PFN’s Team OL Impact Scoring, and it’s hard to imagine they’d fare as well without Wright dominating opposing edge rushers along the right side.
60) Jared Verse, EDGE, Cleveland Browns
From a team success perspective, Jared Verse surely had to be disappointed going from a Rams team that was competing for Super Bowls to a Cleveland Browns squad that will be lucky to avoid double-digit losses in 2025. From an individual perspective, though, Verse has done everything the right way and should be in line for a major contract extension when his rookie deal is up.
Verse has been a Pro Bowler through each of his first two seasons in the NFL, and he made the jump from No. 25 in PFN EDGE Impact Scoring in 2024 up to No. 16 in 2025. The sack numbers don’t tell the full story with him; he finished second in the league with 27 quarterback hits last year and ranked sixth with 80 pressures.
59) Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Denver Broncos
Nik Bonitto has grown into a pass-rushing dynamo during his time with the Denver Broncos. Now entering his fifth season in the NFL, the Oklahoma alumnus has combined for 27.5 sacks in his last two seasons, trailing only Myles Garrett in sack totals in that span. He’s also earned Pro Bowl recognition and finished in the top ten in Defensive Player of the Year voting both years.
There are other top edge rushers who will be more consistent against the run, but Bonitto’s pass-rushing value is among the NFL’s elite. His PFN pass-rushing grade ranked second among all edge rushers in 2024 and ranked seventh in 2025; he’s a bona fide superstar for Denver’s defense off the edge.
58) Cooper DeJean, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
With his ability to play in the slot, out wide, and as a deep safety all at a high level, Cooper DeJean is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the NFL. He’s also becoming one of the best at his position, having earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro recognition in just his second season in the league last year.
DeJean’s 16 pass deflections ranked tenth in the league last year, and his 82.4 CB Impact Score ranked No. 13 among all cornerbacks. A good argument could be made that he’s the best nickel cornerback in the league heading into 2025, and at just 23 years old, the sky’s the limit for DeJean heading into Year 3.
57) Zach Tom, OT, Green Bay Packers
One could argue that Zach Tom is the best offensive lineman in the NFL who has yet to receive Pro Bowl or All-Pro recognition of any kind. He’ll earn recognition in the form of a favorable spot on PFN’s Top 100, though, as he’s graded as a top-six offensive tackle by our analytics each of his last two seasons in the league.
Cleanliness is a calling card of Tom’s game; he didn’t allow a single sack or get called for a single penalty in the 12 regular-season games he played in 2025. He’s overcome his smaller frame for his position with elite athleticism and technical refinement to become the anchor of the Packers’ offensive line.
56) Zach Allen, DT, Denver Broncos
Zach Allen’s versatility along the defensive line has adjusted his positional eligibility in our analytics database. Qualifying as an edge rusher in 2024, his PFN EDGE Impact Score of 83.4 came in ninth that season. However, he qualified as a defensive tackle in 2025, where his 88.8 PFN DT Impact Score trailed only Jeffery Simmons as the best interior defensive lineman in the entire NFL.
With his elite pass-rushing ability and his inside-outside flexibility, Allen is surely a headache for NFL offensive coaches to plan for. His 97.0 PFN pass-rushing grade led all defensive tackles, and while his score in run support isn’t quite as high, he’s a game-wrecker on passing downs to a level that few, if any, in the league can match along the interior.
55) Fred Warner, LB, San Francisco 49ers
Having played in just six games in 2025, Fred Warner was ineligible to receive an LB Impact Score in our database last year. However, he’s consistently been one of the top performers in our system when healthy, having finished with a top-ten grade among all linebackers in five of his previous six seasons.
The question now is how Warner, who turns 30 in November, will fare in 2026 after dislocating and breaking his ankle last season. If he can rebound to form, having earned both Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro recognition in four of his last five healthy seasons, he’ll be much higher on this list next year.
54) Kamari Lassiter, CB, Houston Texans
Calen Bullock isn’t the only incoming third-year defensive back the Texans have on this list. Kamari Lassiter has developed into a top performer at cornerback, himself earning Pro Bowl recognition in just his second season in the NFL. He’s combined for seven interceptions and 27 pass deflections over his two years in Houston.
Lassiter’s ranking in terms of our CB Impact Scoring dropped from his No. 4 spot in 2024 down to No. 19 in 2025, but that still makes him an above-average starting cornerback when you consider there are 96 starting cornerbacks in today’s nickel-heavy NFL. His 86.0 playmaking score tied for sixth among all corners last season.
53) Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
You know what you’re getting with Jared Goff at this stage of his NFL career. Other quarterbacks will have flashier highlights, but he’s a surgical pocket passer with impressive accuracy and a good arm who makes sound decisions with the football. He’s finished no lower than No. 7 in our QB Impact Scoring since the 2022 season.
There was a minor regression with Goff in 2025 compared to the year before, as there was for most of the Lions’ offense without Ben Johnson calling plays. That said, he was still a very efficient passer, finishing in at least the top six in each of the following categories: passing yards, passing touchdowns, completion percentage, and EPA per dropback.
52) Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore Ravens
Kyle Hamilton was a highly-touted draft prospect coming into the NFL in 2022, and he’s certainly lived up to expectations. He’s the third-highest safety on this list, and it’s easy to see why; he’s received both Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition in each of his last three seasons, specifically earning the first-team All-Pro nod in 2025.
Hamilton led all safeties with an absurdly high 95.2 PFN SAF Impact Score in 2023. While his ranking dropped to No. 10 in 2024 and then to No. 15 among safeties in 2025, he’s a versatile defensive back who brings elite blitzing and run-support value. His 7.1% missed tackle rate in 2025 marked the lowest of his career to date.
51) Jessie Bates III, S, Atlanta Falcons
Since signing with the Falcons in free agency in 2023, Jessie Bates III has been one of the best safeties in the NFL on a consistent basis. He’s graded as a top-five safety in each of those three years, most notably ranking second in PFN SAF Impact Scoring with a whopping 92.7 score in 2023.
With 13 interceptions since 2023, Bates is tied for third among all NFL players with the most picks in that span. He’s been a playmaker in coverage ever since he got drafted by Cincinnati in 2018, tallying 27 interceptions in eight seasons in the league. There’s no denying the impact he’s made on the secondaries he’s played for.
50) Zack Baun, LB, Philadelphia Eagles
Coming in at No. 50, Zack Baun is the highest-rated off-ball linebacker in the PFN Top 100 this year. He’s been a demon each of his last two seasons in Philadelphia, placing in at least the top four in PFN LB Impact Scoring both years. In that time, he’s made the Pro Bowl both seasons and earned first-team All-Pro recognition in 2024.
Baun has tallied 274 tackles, 7.0 sacks, and 18.0 tackles for loss combined over his two years since joining the Eagles. His past experience rushing off the edge gives him significant blitzing value, but he’s also a stellar coverage defender whose 92.0 PFN coverage grade ranked second in the NFL in 2025.
49) Cameron Heyward, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers
You want consistency? Cameron Heyward has graded in at least the top eight among NFL defensive tackles in our DT Impact Scoring model in six of the last seven seasons. Even at 36 years old last year, he still came in fourth among all interior defensive linemen with an 87.0 score.
A seven-time Pro Bowler and a six-time All-Pro, Heyward’s 90.0 PFN run-support grade tied for second among all defensive tackles last season. He’s now 37 years old but has shown little to no signs of slowing down. Every single season he puts together only strengthens his case as an eventual Hall of Famer once he retires.
48) Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis Colts
Speaking of eventual Hall of Famers, Quenton Nelson has made the Pro Bowl in each of his eight seasons in the NFL thus far. He’s also been an All-Pro in six of those seasons, adding another second-team appearance to his name in 2025. His 89.7 PFN OL Impact Score ranked second among all guards last year, trailing only Joe Thuney.
As a top-ten guard in our system each of the last three seasons, Nelson has long been established as one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. He’s also been ranked as one of the top two guards three times since 2019, which ties Chris Lindstrom for the most at his position in that span.
47) Tristan Wirfs, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2025 marked a slight step back for Tristan Wirfs analytically, as he placed No. 17 among offensive tackles in the NFL in our OL Impact Scoring metric. He had some ups and downs in pass protection, but his 89.2 run-blocking score was still the fourth-highest among all offensive tackles and the second-best among left tackles.
Before last year, Wirfs had been a top-seven offensive tackle in our scoring model every year he’s been in the NFL since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted him in 2020. He’s made the Pro Bowl in each of his last five seasons and is worthy of being ranked as one of the top offensive linemen in our Top 100.
46) Andrew Thomas, OT, New York Giants
Availability has been a concern with Andrew Thomas over the years, as he missed a combined 18 games between 2023 and 2024. He missed four games in 2025, but that improved availability and elite play rightfully earn him a high spot in our rankings. His 86.4 PFN OL Impact Score ranked fourth among all offensive tackles and second among all left tackles in 2025.
Since 2022, Thomas has placed in the top four among all offensive tackles twice. He allowed just one sack in 448 pass-blocking snaps last season, and his 88.4 run-blocking score ranked sixth at his position. When healthy, he’s one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL today.
45) James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
James Cook has been a top performer for much of his NFL career, earning Pro Bowl recognition in each of his last three seasons. He led the league with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024, and he followed that up by leading the league with 1,621 rushing yards in 2025. He’s graded fifth among running backs in each of those seasons, as well.
Since entering the league in 2022, Cook’s RB Impact Score has gone up every single year. Averaging 5.2 yards per carry on such a large sample size is no easy feat, but he made it look as such last season. He’s a cornerstone for the Buffalo Bills’ offense and is easily their best offensive playmaker that Josh Allen has to work with.
44) Nick Bosa, EDGE, San Francisco 49ers
This ranking comes with the asterisk of a small 2025 sample size, as Nick Bosa played in just three games last year due to injury. It will be interesting to see how he rebounds from his torn ACL, turning 29 years old in October. That said, he’s one of the best edge rushers in the NFL when he’s healthy.
In seven seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Bosa has been stricken early by season-ending injuries twice. In the five seasons he’s stayed mostly healthy, he’s been a Pro Bowler in all of them. The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year has been at least a top-15 edge rusher by PFN EDGE Impact scoring in each of those years, as well.
43) Brian Burns, EDGE, New York Giants
Though he was coming off a down year when the Giants acquired him after the 2023 season, Brian Burns has found new life in New York. In each of his two seasons with the team, he’s graded in at least the top eight in PFN EDGE Impact Scoring, landing at No. 3 overall with a 90.9 score in 2025.
Not only did Burns’ 16.5 sacks last year mark a career high for him, but they also ranked second in the entire NFL. Since he entered the league back in 2019, his 71.0 sacks are the fifth-most of any player in that span. He’s a certified sack artist who also placed sixth among edge rushers with an 86.0 run-defense score last year.
42) T.J. Watt, EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Save for one outlier year in 2023, T.J. Watt has been a top-ten edge rusher by our EDGE Impact Scoring model in each of the last eight seasons. Even missing three games this past season, he ended up with 7.0 sacks and 10.0 tackles for loss, earning him Pro Bowl recognition for the eighth time in his nine-year NFL career.
Watt’s 84.2 score ranked ninth among edge rushers last year, but what’s more impressive is the fact that he’s been a top-two grader five times in the last seven years and has graded as the top overall edge rusher three times in that span. He’ll be 32 years old in October, but still looks like one of the best pass rushers in the league.
41) Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
A strong rookie campaign saw Quinyon Mitchell place second in the voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024. That was a strong indicator of his success to come, as he capitalized on that momentum with a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro appearance in 2025. Having those accolades, along with a Super Bowl ring, isn’t a bad start to an NFL career.
The jump Mitchell made in Year 2 saw him rise from No. 27 in CB Impact Scoring in 2024 up all the way to No. 4 in 2025. He’s yet to tally a regular-season interception in the NFL, but he’s broken up 29 passes and has allowed stellar marks with both a 51.0% allowed completion percentage and a 74.9 passer rating in coverage.
40) Derwin James Jr., S, Los Angeles Chargers
Derwin James Jr. comes in as the top-ranked safety on the PFN Top 100 this year, and it’s easy to see why. Most notably, he led the NFL with an 88.5 PFN SAF Impact Score last season. His 87.0 coverage score was the best among all safeties in 2025, and his 86.0 score in run support was the third-best at the position.
Going into Year 8 of his NFL career, James is a five-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro. Despite injury concerns earlier in his time with the Chargers, he’s missed just eight games over the last five years and is coming off a three-interception season in 2025, which ties for the most he’s had in a single season.
39) Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
The possibility of the “even year curse” approaches Dak Prescott; between his 2020, 2022, and 2024 seasons, he missed a combined 25 games. For those who aren’t superstitious, though, the outlook is very strong for Dallas’ quarterback. He’s coming off a 2025 season in which he ranked sixth in PFN QB Impact Scoring.
Over his last five seasons, Prescott has graded as a top-eight quarterback in our database four times. He ended 2025 with 4,552 passing yards, marking the fourth time in his career he’s thrown for more than 4,400 yards in a season. He’s managed to be quite efficient with his high passing volume, ranking fifth with 0.20 EPA per dropback last season.
38) Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Heading into his fourth year in the NFL, Bijan Robinson has lived up to the hype as a top-ten pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. His RB Impact Score has improved every year he’s been with the Falcons, topping out with the second-best score among all running backs at 86.4 this season.
These last two seasons in particular, Robinson has been an absolute terror. He’s combined for 2,934 rushing yards in that span, finishing in the top four in our scoring model both seasons. He was also incredible as a pass catcher, as his 26.6 receiving EPA ranked second behind only Christian McCaffrey in 2025. Speak of the devil…
37) Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
When Christian McCaffrey is healthy, a legitimate argument could be made that he’s the best running back in the NFL. Since 2018, he’s played in fewer than eight games in three of those eight seasons. In those other five, however, he’s been the highest-scoring running back by our RB Impact Scoring method a whopping four times. In 2025, he still managed to come in at No. 3.
McCaffrey has been a first-team All-Pro at running back twice in the last three years, winning Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 and Comeback Player of the Year in 2025. He’s arguably the best receiving back in the league and is coming off two seasons with over 2,000 scrimmage yards in that aforementioned three-year span.
36) Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Derrick Henry will be 33 years old by the end of the 2026-27 NFL regular season, but there have been no signs of slowing down for the five-time Pro Bowler. His 1,595 rushing yards in 2025 marked the second-highest total he’s had since he surpassed the 2,000-yard mark in 2020, and he’s now reached double-digit rushing touchdowns in each of his last eight seasons.
With seven finishes in the top ten in RB Impact Scoring in his last eight years, Henry is consistently one of the best backs in the NFL year in and year out. After coming in second with a stellar 95.8 score in 2024, he followed it up with a strong 83.4 that earned him a seventh-place finish. He’s averaged over 5.0 yards per carry in consecutive seasons.
35) Quinn Meinerz, G, Denver Broncos
The top guard on this year’s PFN NFL Top 100, Quinn Meinerz, has solidified himself as one of the elite offensive linemen in the NFL today. Fun fact: the former Division III standout at Wisconsin-Whitewater is also the highest-rated player on this list to have not played college football at the FBS level.
The third-highest graded guard in our database in 2025, Meinerz has been a top-five guard in the NFL by OL Impact Scoring in each of the last three seasons. He earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro recognition with the Broncos last year, and his 88.9 run-blocking score was the second-highest among all guards.
34) Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers
Say what you will about Jordan Love, the numbers indicate that he’s an extremely good starting quarterback. In his third year starting for the Packers, he ended with a career-high 85.1 QB Impact Score, placing fourth among all NFL quarterbacks. Most notably, his 0.26 EPA per dropback was the second-highest in the league in 2025.
Love’s 1.4% interception rate last year was the lowest he’s had as a starter thus far, and his 101.2 passer rating was also his highest in that role for Green Bay. He comes in as our eighth-best quarterback in this year’s PFN NFL Top 100, which feels like a reasonable ranking for him: just outside of the league’s elite, but still incredibly good.
33) Joey Porter Jr., CB, Pittsburgh Steelers
By many accounts, Joey Porter Jr. had the best year of his three-year NFL career in 2025. His 88.0 CB Impact Score was the third-highest among all cornerbacks last season and was also a career-high for him thus far. His allowed passer rating of 57.2 when targeted in coverage was also the lowest he’s had in a single season.
With allowed completion percentages beneath 50.0% in two of his three years with the Steelers, Porter has evolved into a true shutdown CB1 quickly in his career. His 5.0 yards per target allowed also tied for fifth among all NFL cornerbacks; he’s truly among the league’s elite at his position.
32) Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Playing in just nine games in 2025 due to injury, Brock Purdy has one of the smallest sample sizes among quarterbacks who qualified for a QB Impact Score last year. That said, he was incredibly efficient when healthy, as his performance with the 49ers earned him the third-highest score in the NFL at 85.5.
Among other categories, Purdy ranked third with a 69.4% completion percentage, tied for fourth with 0.20 EPA per dropback, and second with a 53.2% success rate. You can debate how much of a role Kyle Shanahan’s offensive genius played in that, but no matter your thoughts on the matter, Purdy is an incredibly efficient quarterback for that 49ers offense.
31) George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
If you’re looking for the model of consistency at the tight end position, look no further than George Kittle. Every single year since 2022, he’s finished no lower than second in PFN TE Impact Scoring. In fact, since his second year in the NFL in 2018, he’s finished as a top-five tight end every single season. That’s an absurd level of reliability year over year.
Despite missing six games due to injury, Kittle still finished No. 12 among tight ends with 628 receiving yards. His 57.1 receiving yards per game ranked third among qualified tight ends last year, and his consistency as a blocker also was apparent with an 85.0 run-blocking score that ranked seventh in 2025.
30) Trent Williams, OT, San Francisco 49ers
Death, taxes, and Trent Williams having an incredible season in the NFL. He’s finished as a top-ten offensive tackle in four of his last five seasons, and in the last 13 seasons he’s played, he’s been a Pro Bowler in all but one of them. In particular, his 89.8 run-blocking score placed third among all offensive tackles in 2025.
At 38 years old, heading into the 2026 season, Williams obviously has more football behind him than ahead of him. That said, he’s remained one of the best left tackles in the NFL just about every year he’s played since coming into the league way back in 2010. As long as his body holds up, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer might just keep dominating opposing defensive linemen every single year.
29) Jordan Mailata, OT, Philadelphia Eagles
It’s absurd to think that Jordan Mailata has just one All-Pro nomination to his name and hasn’t even made the Pro Bowl once. He’s been a tremendous starter at left tackle for the Eagles, turning from an interesting story as an Australian who never played a down of football before getting drafted into one of the best offensive linemen of the decade.
Mailata played in 16 games in 2025 and ranked No. 10 among all offensive tackles and third among left tackles with his 83.9 PFN OL Impact Score. He also led all NFL offensive tackles with his 88.2 score in 2024, and his consistency as a top performer lands him as one of the top-ranked offensive linemen on this list this year.
28) CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
After his strong rookie year in 2020, CeeDee Lamb has since surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark every year he’s been in the NFL. He missed three games due to injury in 2025, but he still finished No. 11 in the league with 1,077 receiving yards. More notably, though, his 76.9 receiving yards per game ranked sixth in the league.
Lamb has finished no lower than eighth in the NFL in receiving yards per game in each of his last four seasons with the Cowboys. His 78.2 WR Impact Score in 2025 was his lowest since the aforementioned 2020 rookie year, but his finish as the No. 2 wide receiver in our database in 2023 helps propel him into the top 30 this year.
27) Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
The last three seasons have been incredibly kind to Nico Collins. He’s combined for 3,420 receiving yards since 2023 and has averaged 81.4 receiving yards per game in that time, which is the seventh-highest average of any wide receiver in the NFL. He’s also been a top-ten wide receiver by PFN WR Impact Scoring in two of those three seasons.
With nine missed games in those three years, Collins has been nipped by minor injuries that have prevented him from reaching his potential. In spite of that, he’s surpassed 1,000 yards each year and has two Pro Bowls to his name. If he can stay healthy for a full 17 games, the sky’s the limit for him as Houston’s WR1.
26) Creed Humphrey, C, Kansas City Chiefs
Creed Humphrey comes in this year as the third-best offensive lineman, the best center, and the best interior offensive lineman in PFN’s NFL Top 100. It’s pretty easy to see why, seeing as though he’s led all NFL centers in our OL Impact Scoring metric in each of the last two seasons.
With an 89.1 score in 2025 and a perfect 100.0 score in 2024, Humphrey is the lifeblood of the Chiefs’ offensive line. He’s been a Pro Bowler in each of his last four seasons and a first-team All-Pro in each of his last two. He’s only allowed one sack and been called for three penalties in the last two years; heading into Year 6, he’s worthy of being deemed the best center in the NFL.
25) Leonard Williams, DT, Seattle Seahawks
Arguably the most impactful player on a talented Seahawks defense last year, Leonard Williams has graded out as a top-ten defensive tackle in our database each of the last three seasons since joining Seattle. Not only did he rank No. 5 at his position with an 86.9 grade in 2025, but he was also the highest-scoring defensive tackle in 2024.
Williams has been a Pro Bowler in each of his last two seasons and has combined for 18.0 sacks in that span. He’s now 32 years old, but he’s shown no signs of slowing down in over a decade in the NFL. He’s an incredibly well-rounded, three-down interior defensive lineman who makes life easier for the players around him.
24) Garett Bolles, OT, Denver Broncos
Garett Bolles has played in every one of the Broncos’ games over the last three seasons, and he seems to just keep getting better with age. He finished 2025 as the No. 2 offensive tackle overall by PFN OL Impact Scoring, securing a 90.3 grade that led all left tackles. He earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro recognition in the process.
Having not allowed a single sack in 803 pass-blocking reps in 2025, Bolles was as good as they got last season. He had been an above-average starting tackle for much of his NFL career, but looked truly elite last season.
23) Micah Parsons, EDGE, Green Bay Packers
With 65.0 sacks through his first five seasons in the NFL, Micah Parsons had the fifth-most sacks to begin a career in league history. The Packers got every penny out of the massive price they paid to acquire him from the Cowboys, both in terms of draft capital and his contract extension. He had 12.5 sacks in 14 games and finished as a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro.
A freak athlete with elite physical attributes and a deep bag as a pass rusher, Parsons is incredibly tough to stop. He’s been one of the premier pass-rushing artists in the NFL since his debut in the league in 2021.
22) Danielle Hunter, EDGE, Houston Texans
It’s possible Danielle Hunter ends his career in the Hall of Very Good category, but don’t ignore the push he’s made for a Hall of Fame induction since turning 30. He’ll be 32 in October but was a Pro Bowler in 2024 and a second-team All-Pro in 2025, combining for 27.0 sacks in those two seasons.
Hunter has been a top-12 edge rusher by PFN EDGE Impact Scoring each of the last three seasons, and he’s placed in the top six in two of his last three years. He’s a powerful edge rusher whose diversity of moves allows him to win in a variety of different ways. With Will Anderson Jr. alongside him, the Texans have the best edge-rushing duo in the NFL.
21) Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals
Trey McBride comes in as our highest-rated tight end this year, and he’s coming off a season in which he was undoubtedly the best-performing tight end in the NFL. He led his position with 126 receptions and 1,239 receiving yards, and his 11 receiving touchdowns also tied for first place.
On an Arizona Cardinals offense that had its rough patches in 2025, McBride was by far the biggest bright spot. He ran away with first place in the PFN TE Impact Score rankings after placing in second in 2024; he’s firmly solidified as an elite tight end, and at 26 years old, he should remain in that category for years to come.
20) Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
In each of the last three seasons, Amon-Ra St. Brown has ended the year as at least a top-four wide receiver by our WR Impact Scoring metric. He’s missed just two games in his five years with the Lions, which has helped him put up phenomenal numbers year over year. In 2025, he excelled to the tune of 117 catches for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns.
St. Brown has now been both a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in each of his last three years, which is the window used to evaluate players in these rankings. With a career drop rate of just 2.8% and elite subtle separation skills, he’s been the cornerstone of some really explosive Detroit offenses over the years.
19) Jeffery Simmons, DT, Tennessee Titans
Having been one of the top defensive tackles in the NFL for much of his career, Jeffery Simmons put up the best year of his career in 2025. His 97.2 PFN DT Impact Score marked a career high for him, and he ended the year ranked as the most efficient defensive tackle in the league. His 11.0 sacks led all interior defensive linemen last season, too.
Even if the Tennessee Titans haven’t been great the last few seasons, Simmons certainly has been. He’s finished with a top-eight score among defensive tackles in four of his last five seasons, and he’s been elite in all aspects of the position: he ranked second with a 96.0 pass-rushing score and first with a 91.0 run-defense score in 2025.
18) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
The top overall running back on our list this year is Jahmyr Gibbs, who has been named a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons in the NFL. He and Bijan Robinson are the only two running backs who placed in the top four in PFN RB Impact Scoring in both 2024 and 2025, and Gibbs was significantly more efficient in 2023, giving him the edge.
The last two years in particular, Gibbs has been a bona fide superstar in every stretch of the imagination. He’s combined for 2,635 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns in that time, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He’s also been a high-volume receiving back, as his 1,133 receiving yards since 2024 are the second-most by a running back.
17) Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Houston Texans
Will Anderson Jr.’s growth year over year has established him as one of the biggest impact defenders in the NFL. A Pro Bowler and the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, he’s managed to improve both his sack totals and his PFN EDGE Impact Score every single year, most recently placing No. 4 among edge rushers in the metric in 2025.
One of just two edge rushers to finish in the top five in both pass-rushing scoring and run-defense scoring in 2025, Anderson ended the year with a personal-best 12.0 sacks and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. It’s absurd to think about how physically and mentally dominant he is at just 24 years old.
16) Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
You know you’re on a Hall of Fame track when a 1,048-yard season is considered a down year for you. Such was the case with Justin Jefferson last year, who managed to crack the 1,000-yard mark for the sixth year in a row, in spite of the Vikings’ quarterback woes in 2025. He still has the most receiving yards of any NFL player through the first six seasons of their career.
Though Jefferson dropped to No. 38 in the PFN WR Impact Score rankings in 2025, he’s been a top-four finisher four times since joining Minnesota in 2020. We chalk the down year up to bad quarterbacking, as he’s proven he’s one of the best route runners, pure athletes, and ball-trackers in the entire league.
15) Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Even if Patrick Mahomes has seen his efficiency dip over the last three seasons, there’s no denying he’s still a top quarterback in the NFL. After five consecutive finishes in the top three of PFN QB Impact Scoring, he’s finished No. 9, No. 10, and No. 11 in his last three seasons, respectively.
Questionable supporting casts have surrounded Mahomes on the Chiefs in recent years, but it would be wrong to bet against someone with his resume. The three-time Super Bowl champion has a rocket arm, incredible field vision, pinpoint accuracy, and the poise to make something out of nothing. There are few better quarterbacks to go into battle with than Mahomes.
14) Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams
Had the reigning MVP graded better in 2023 and 2024, there’s no telling how high Matthew Stafford would be ranked. He finished No. 15 and No. 19 in those years, respectively, but shot all the way up to No. 2 after his stellar 2025 campaign. Few players can say they had the best year of their career in their 17th year in the NFL.
Stafford led the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and total first downs thrown for, and he finished third in both EPA per dropback and success rate. He’s currently sixth in NFL history in all-time passing yards, and even though he’s 38, he’s still in his prime right now. If he plays two more years, he’ll likely crack the top three and cement his legacy as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.
13) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
The way that Jaxon Smith-Njigba has progressed each year should have Seahawks fans incredibly excited about what’s left to come in his young NFL career. He was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards and placing third with 119 receptions among wide receivers. His 93.7 PFN WR Impact Score ranks ninth among all wide receiver seasons since 1999.
Year over year, Smith-Njigba has improved in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and yards per catch since entering the league in 2023. Still just 24 years old, he’s proven that he’s an elite separator with tremendous ball skills, great hands, and the spatial awareness needed to work his way open against any coverage looks in the book.
12) Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Detroit Lions
Heading into 2025, there were questions around how Aidan Hutchinson would bounce back after having missed most of the previous season with both a fractured fibula and tibia. His season quickly answered any of those questions: he ended the year with 14.5 sacks and was the second-best edge rusher in the entire NFL in our EDGE Impact Scoring model.
Over a 17-game pace, Hutchinson is averaging 13.0 sacks per season since the Lions selected him No. 2 overall in 2022. An elite power rusher with refined hands, a high pass-rushing IQ, and a relentless motor, Hutchinson is a force to be reckoned with.
11) Maxx Crosby, EDGE, Las Vegas Raiders
As a result of his failed physical with the Ravens, Maxx Crosby is back with the Raiders for what will be his eighth season with the team. He’s been playing at an elite level for much of that time, having made the Pro Bowl in five of his seven seasons. His 89.3 PFN EDGE Impact Score ranked fifth in the league last year, and his stellar 99.0 run-defense score ranked first.
In the last four years, Crosby has been a top-five edge rusher in our analytics model three times. He’s arguably the most relentless and highest-motored player in the NFL, regardless of position; his energy and effort are contagious. He’s such a smart and crafty edge rusher that it’s very difficult to ever shut him out of a play entirely.
10) Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
With only ten games played in 2025 due to injury, Joe Burrow just barely made the cut for QB Impact Scoring eligibility. However, he finished the year No. 10 among all quarterbacks, which isn’t half bad when you consider he was still working back from turf toe those last few games of the season. He also ranked No. 5 among quarterbacks after his stellar 2024 performance.
If you want proof of how valuable Burrow is to the Cincinnati Bengals, just look at their record. They went 5-3 when he was healthy and just 1-8 without him. He placed in the top five in touchdown percentage, completion percentage over expectation, third-down conversion rate, and rushing EPA in 2025.
9) Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
For Ja’Marr Chase to finish No. 5 in PFN WR Impact Scoring despite missing his starting quarterback for half the year says a lot about how talented he is. He came in fourth with 1,412 receiving yards and second with 125 receptions among wide receivers, and he also had the fourth-most yards after catch over expected in 2025.
Chase has been a top-ten wide receiver in our analytical model in four of his five seasons in the NFL, and he most notably led the league with a 94.5 grade in 2024. He’s an unbelievable ball tracker with the coordination, fluidity, athleticism, route-running salesmanship, and durability of a game-changing WR1.
8) Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
Though he came in second in MVP voting in 2025, Drake Maye ended up with the highest QB Impact Score of any player in our system last year. His 91.8 score came in nearly five points ahead of Stafford, who was the second-place finisher. He led the NFL in completion percentage, EPA per dropback, success rate, and completion percentage over expected.
In just about every advanced analytic category we have, Maye placed in the top five in 2025. He played a major role in leading the Patriots to the Super Bowl, elevating a middling supporting cast into the eighth-best offense in the NFL by Offense Impact Scoring. A strong-armed passer who runs like a gazelle and has impressive touch down the field, Maye should be a fixture near the top of these rankings for years to come.
7) Patrick Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos
Going into 2025, the expectations were high for Patrick Surtain II, having won Defensive Player of the Year the season prior. He managed to live up to the hype, earning Pro Bowl recognition for the fourth year in a row and receiving an All-Pro nod for the third time in that span. He finished No. 9 in PFN CB Impact Scoring after placing No. 3 in 2024.
Though Surtain’s interception numbers dipped in 2025, his allowed completion percentage of just 52.5% was much better than his DPOY season in 2024. He’s a big-bodied, intelligent, sticky cornerback with the movement skills and the route recognition to shut down just about any wide receiver in the NFL.
6) Derek Stingley Jr., CB, Houston Texans
Derek Stingley Jr. leads all cornerbacks with 13 interceptions since 2023. Even after missing six games in 2023, he still tallied five interceptions and 13 pass deflections. He’s stayed healthy for every game over the last two years, and he’s finished as a first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in both of those seasons.
With consecutive seasons as the No. 1 cornerback in the NFL in PFN CB Impact Scoring, Stingley is firmly entrenched as one of the best players in the league. His fluidity, processing speeds in coverage, and elite ball-tracking skills have turned him into arguably the best cornerback in the league today.
5) Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Puka Nacua has just been on another level since entering the NFL in 2023; it’s crazy to think he was only a fifth-round draft pick. He was a top-ten wide receiver by our WR Impact Scoring metric in each of his first two years in the league, but his third year with the Rams was by far his best. His 96.3 score led the NFL, and it’s also the third-highest score that any wide receiver has tallied since 1999.
Leading the league in receptions, placing second in receiving yards, and tying for fourth in receiving touchdowns, Nacua was a deserving first-team All-Pro receiver in 2025. His 115.7 receiving EPA was by far the most in the league last year, and he came in second with 173.1 YAC over expected. He’s a tough, intelligent, coordinated, explosive receiver who just finds a way to get open, no matter what type of coverage he’s facing.
4) Penei Sewell, OT, Detroit Lions
Sometimes there’s concern when an offensive lineman shifts positions, but there’s absolutely no concern with Penei Sewell moving from right tackle to left tackle in 2026. That stems from how dominant he’s been; he was the highest-graded offensive lineman in both 2023 and 2025 by PFN OL Impact Scoring, regardless of position.
In addition to being the best overall lineman in two of the last three years, Sewell has been at least a top-six offensive tackle every year since his second NFL season in 2022. He’s been a first-team All-Pro each of the last three years for a reason; he’s incredibly strong, mobile in pass protection, coordinated in his movements, and precise in the timing and placement of his strikes.
3) Myles Garrett, EDGE, Los Angeles Rams
The splash of the 2026 NFL offseason came remarkably late, as the Rams acquired Myles Garrett from the Browns for a massive trade haul. That haul was well-earned, seeing as though Garrett literally broke the NFL’s single-season sack record with a whopping 23.0 sacks. As one could expect, he won Defensive Player of the Year and had the highest EDGE Impact Score in our system at 95.1 last year.
Garrett predictably placed first among edge rushers with a 94.0 pass-rushing grade and also had the second-highest run-defense grade at 95.0. He’s graded in the top six at his position every year since 2020, and he’s won DPOY twice in the last three seasons. His 51 sacks in the three-year evaluation period are absurd, and that earns him the spot as the best defensive player in our NFL Top 100 this year.
2) Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
A first-team All-Pro in both 2023 and 2024, an MVP winner in the former year and the MVP runner-up in the latter year, Lamar Jackson has had plenty of recent accolades to his name. That’s not even to mention the MVP he won for the 2019 season. He took a slight step back due to injuries in 2025, placing No. 13 among quarterbacks in PFN QB Impact Scoring after leading the NFL in that metric in 2024.
Even a down year for Jackson is a great season by most quarterbacks’ standards. He’s starting to rely less on his rushing ability as he gets older, even if he’s still a more than capable runner. His polished passing game has really shone in recent years, as he’s had the opportunity to display his elite arm talent, his deadeye accuracy, his creativity out of structure, and his poise under pressure.
1) Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen has been a top-ten quarterback by PFN QB Impact Scoring every single year since 2020. He was the MVP in 2024, and he’s been a Pro Bowler in three of his last four seasons. He ended 2025 with a career-high 69.3% completion percentage, and his 102.2 passer rating was an upgrade over his MVP season. In addition, his 25 passing touchdowns also ranked ninth in the NFL last year.
Where Allen really dominated in 2025 was the ground game. He led all quarterbacks with 579 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns, putting up a league-high 0.45 rushing EPA. His elite athleticism can sometimes be overshadowed by his hulking frame and elite arm strength, but his dual-threat ability might be the best in the NFL after Jackson slowed down athletically last year. Allen is at the peak of his game and is a bona fide game-changer, making him worthy of the top spot in the 2026 PFN NFL Top 100.
