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Top 25 NFL Players of the 2025 Season

Rankings are subjective, but a consensus exists among NFL analysts about the league's elite players each year. Here's our top 25 for the 2025 season, drawn from PFF grades, Pro Bowl selections, All-Pro voting, and team success. Useful both as a refresher for fans and as preparation for NFLdle.

The Quarterbacks (5)

1. Patrick Mahomes (KC, AFC West) — Two-time MVP, three-time Super Bowl winner. The benchmark.
2. Josh Allen (BUF, AFC East) — 2024 MVP. Dual-threat menace.
3. Lamar Jackson (BAL, AFC North) — Two-time MVP, redefined the position.
4. Jalen Hurts (PHI, NFC East) — Super Bowl LIX winner. Best leader in football.
5. Joe Burrow (CIN, AFC North) — Returns from injury better than ever.

The Skill Players (10)

6. Justin Jefferson (MIN, WR) — Most complete receiver in football.
7. Christian McCaffrey (SF, RB) — Triple threat: running, catching, blocking.
8. Tyreek Hill (MIA, WR) — Still the league's fastest weapon.
9. Saquon Barkley (PHI, RB) — Rushing crown holder, Super Bowl MVP candidate.
10. Ja'Marr Chase (CIN, WR) — 2024 receiving triple crown. The best of the next generation.
11. CeeDee Lamb (DAL, WR) — Top-3 target hog, contested-catch artist.
12. Derrick Henry (BAL, RB) — Still posting 1,500+ yard seasons at age 31.
13. Travis Kelce (KC, TE) — All-time TE, cultural icon, Mahomes' security blanket.
14. A.J. Brown (PHI, WR) — Physical, jump-ball nightmare.
15. Bijan Robinson (ATL, RB) — 2025 breakthrough season. Future of the position.

The Trenches (5)

16. Trent Williams (SF, OT) — Still the league's best tackle at age 37.
17. Lane Johnson (PHI, OT) — Right tackle artisan.
18. Quenton Nelson (IND, OG) — Best guard in football.
19. Tristan Wirfs (TB, OT) — Versatile elite tackle.
20. Creed Humphrey (KC, C) — Best center, anchors the Chiefs O-line.

The Pass Rushers (3)

21. Myles Garrett (CLE, DE) — Most dominant edge rusher in the league.
22. T.J. Watt (PIT, OLB) — Sack king, four-time All-Pro.
23. Micah Parsons (GB, OLB) — Pass-rush meets coverage versatility. Now in Green Bay.

The Secondary (2)

24. Patrick Surtain II (DEN, CB) — DPOY 2024, lockdown corner.
25. Sauce Gardner (NYJ, CB) — Most physical corner since prime Revis.

Honorable Mentions

Players just outside the top 25 who could move up next year:

• Brock Purdy (SF, QB) — Late-round pick playing like a top-10 QB.
• C.J. Stroud (HOU, QB) — Sophomore slump expected; he weathered it.
• Puka Nacua (LAR, WR) — Set rookie receiving records.
• Sam LaPorta (DET, TE) — The next great TE.
• Maxx Crosby (LV, DE) — Top-5 production every year, overshadowed only because of team losses.
• Fred Warner (SF, LB) — Best off-ball linebacker since prime Patrick Willis.
• Kyle Hamilton (BAL, S) — Versatile safety, future All-Pro lock.

How Rankings Change

These rankings shift constantly. A torn ACL drops a player out of the top 25 for two seasons. A Super Bowl run inflates everyone on that roster. A rookie season at Jefferson's level moves a name from unknown to top 10 in five months.

The most stable members of the top 25 are usually QBs (because the position is so dominant in impact) and dominant defensive linemen (because pass-rushing translates across coaching schemes).

Practice NFL Knowledge on NFLdle

Knowing the top stars cold is the foundation of NFLdle strategy. If your first guess can be any of these 25 players, you're starting with high-quality information about conference, division, position, and age. Read the solving strategy guide for how to extract maximum information from each guess, then try today's NFLdle puzzle.