- RB Kenneth Walker III has posted four straight seasons of quality production: Walker's 89.8 mark in 2025 has him on pace for a career high after grades of 76.9, 83.5 and 88.5 to start his career. Through 12 weeks of the 2025 campaign, he's forced 35 missed tackles on 147 attempts — ninth among running backs — while his 23 runs of 10-plus yards trail only De'Von Achane (29), Jonathan Taylor (29) and James Cook (26).
- Trey Hendrickson might be the jewel of the class: Hendrickson has been one of the league's most consistently dominant edge rushers since arriving in Cincinnati, stacking four straight 86.9-plus pass-rush grades and clearing 90.0 in 2023, 2024 and now again in 2025. His 90.0 mark this year ranks fifth among edge defenders — trailing only Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons, Aidan Hutchinson and Will Anderson Jr. — and he's paired it with 23 pressures on 177 rushes.
- Get PFF+ for 40% off: Use promo code BLACKFRIDAY to unlock the PFF Player Prop Tool, Premium Stats, fantasy dashboards, the PFF Mock Draft Simulator, industry-leading fantasy rankings and much more — everything you need to win your season.
Thanksgiving is here, which means we’ve reached the part of the season where the offseason starts to creep into view and frustrated fanbases turn their eyes toward free agency and the NFL draft. With that in mind, we’ve pulled together an early look at some of the standout potential free agents set to hit the market in 2026.
Several high-profile players are now tracking toward the open market, and their on-field production over the past two seasons makes this an especially intriguing group.
At this stage, this isn’t a ranking or a definitive judgment on the class, but it is an early, data-driven survey of the standouts. Using PFF grades from 2023 through the current season, we highlight the players whose performance profiles make them some of the most compelling names to monitor heading into next offseason.
1. HB Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
Snaps: 1280 | PFF grade: 92.4
Walker has posted four straight seasons of quality production, and his 89.8 mark in 2025 has him on pace for a career high after grades of 76.9, 83.5 and 88.5 to start his career. Through 12 weeks of the 2025 campaign, he's forced 35 missed tackles on 147 attempts — ninth among running backs — while his 23 runs of 10-plus yards trail only De'Von Achane (29), Jonathan Taylor (29) and James Cook (26). Walker has cleared 50 missed tackles in every full season of his career, and he's pacing to hit that threshold again as one of the league's most consistently punishing runners.
2. ED Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers
Snaps: 1805 | PFF grade: 91.9
Mack isn't the same every-down force he was in his peak stretch from 2015 to 2020, but the body of work still speaks louder than the quiet production of his 2025 season. His career pass-rush grade sits at 92.6 — seventh among edge defenders since 2014 — and his 750 total pressures since 2014 outpace every player at the position, with only Myles Garrett (129), T.J. Watt (122) and Danielle Hunter (121) topping his 120 sacks in that span.
He has posted just a 65.9 grade and 17 pressures this year, but his 12.7% pass-rush win rate ranks 46th among 111 players with at least 100 rushes — and it's worth noting that T.J. Watt sits at 12.4% on a far larger sample — so he still brings some value as a veteran edge who can still win in defined pass-rush situations.
3. HB Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
Snaps: 846 | PFF grade: 90.5
Allgeier has settled perfectly into the Falcons' backfield identity, providing steady, high-end efficiency behind Bijan Robinson‘s explosiveness. He's earned at least an 82.0 rushing grade in three of his four seasons, ranks 24th at the position in 2025 with a 74.9 mark, and he continues to generate sturdy post-contact production at 2.98 yards after contact per attempt.
Across his career, he sits in the 92nd percentile in rushing grade and 98th percentile in ball security — he's never put the ball on the ground through 622 carries — making him one of the league's most reliable power complements.
4. S Jabrill Peppers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Snaps: 1393 | PFF grade: 90.4
Peppers has carved out a long career by doing everything a defense can ask, lining up everywhere from the defensive line (428 snaps) to the box (1,837), the slot (947), wide corner (259) and free safety (1,852) across stops in Cleveland, New York, New England and now Pittsburgh. The Steelers have pushed him closer to the line of scrimmage, and he's responded with a league-best 93.7 run-defense grade through 12 weeks while allowing just 37 yards on five targets (though he's played only 66 snaps).
With four straight 75.0-plus overall grades and a 77.6 mark so far in 2025, he remains a versatile and experienced defensive presence.
5. ED Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals
Snaps: 1850 | PFF grade: 90.1
Hendrickson has been one of the league's most consistently dominant edge rushers since arriving in Cincinnati, stacking four straight 86.9-plus pass-rush grades and clearing 90.0 in 2023, 2024 and now again in 2025. His 90.0 mark this year ranks fifth among edge defenders — trailing only Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons, Aidan Hutchinson and Will Anderson Jr. — and he's paired it with 23 pressures on 177 rushes.
The scope of his work since 2021 reinforces the point: he's eighth in WAR at the position, fourth in total pressures (346), second in sacks (71), fifth in QB hits (64) and fifth in pressure rate at 16.8% among 137 edge defenders with at least 500 pass-rush snaps.
6. LB Bobby Wagner, Washington Commanders
Snaps: 3132 | PFF grade: 90.0
Wagner remains the outlier at linebacker — a 35-year-old still playing with the same physicality that defined his prime and will ultimately place him in conversations with Ray Lewis, Patrick Willis and Brian Urlacher among the all-time greats.
Drafted in 2012, he has stacked eight single-season PFF grades above 80.0 and carries a 73.5 mark in 2025, ranking 19th among 90 qualifiers. He also leads all linebackers in PFF WAR since 2023 and sits third in overall grade over that span, behind only Fred Warner and Zack Baun.
Run defense has long been Wagner's trademark. He has recorded nine single-season run-defense grades above 80.0 and seven above 90.0, and his 91.3 run-defense grade in 2025 ranks second at the position.
Even this late in his career, he's still the same disciplined, reliable force — a veteran who has missed just 5.4% of his career tackle attempts and continues to elevate any front seven he joins.
7. LB Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints
Snaps: 2865 | PFF grade: 90.0
Davis is yet another veteran who's aged into some of the best football of his career. The veteran has logged 1,000-plus snaps in nine of his 13 full seasons and is already sitting at 701 through Week 12 to keep him on pace yet again. His 85.5 overall grade ranks fifth among linebackers, backed by an 89.1 run-defense grade (fifth) and a 75.9 coverage mark (seventh), and he's allowed just 217 yards on 30 catches while producing 12 stops and surrendering only 13 first downs.
Davis has earned eight PFF grades above 73.0, and 2025 is trending toward a career high in run defense.
8. WR Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Snaps: 1857 | PFF grade: 89.4
Evans remains a future Hall of Famer even as he works back from the collarbone injury that paused a season that was once again looking promising. He's earned a 70.0-plus grade in every full year since entering the league in 2014 — clearing 80.0 seven times — and posted a career-best 90.4 mark in 2024 while racking up 1,096 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Even with this year's downtime, his contested-catch résumé holds firm, with a 55.4% contested-catch rate since 2023 that ranks 16th among receivers with 100 or more targets.
9. CB Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Snaps: 1959 | PFF grade: 87.5
Dean is in the middle of a true breakout season and boasts a 90.5 overall grade that leads all cornerbacks ahead of Week 13, well ahead of the next closest player at 83.4. He's allowed just 16 catches on 37 targets for 212 yards, with three interceptions, a pass breakup and four additional forced incompletions. He has given up no touchdowns and held opposing quarterbacks to a league-best 28.2 passer rating in his coverage.
Dean's 58.7% lockdown rate and 43.2% completion percentage allowed show just how comfortably he's stepped into elite territory in 2025.
10. LB Leo Chenal, Kansas City Chiefs
Snaps: 1386 | PFF grade: 87.4
Chenal has been steady since entering the league in 2022, earning PFF grades above 70.0 in each of his first three full seasons and topping 81.0 in each of the last two. He sits at a 75.0 overall grade through Week 12 — 15th among 90 qualifiers — with balanced production in run defense (74.7) and coverage (73.8), allowing just 111 yards on nine catches while snagging an interception and holding quarterbacks to a 70.8 passer rating on throws into his coverage, the fifth-best mark at the position.
He's been an efficient finisher, too, with 20 of his 27 solo tackles going for defensive stops and only four misses on the year.
11. WR George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
Snaps: 2426 | PFF grade: 86.8
Pickens is on pace to have the best season of his career, by far, with the Dallas Cowboys. His 90.4 receiving grade through 12 weeks would be a career-high by over 10 points, and his 2.60 yards per route run would be a new career high by almost a half yard per route run (2.11; 2024).
Pickens' usage has also enabled him to show off his underrated yards-after-the-catch ability, as he has forced a career-high 17 tackles through just 12 weeks.
12. LB Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville Jaguars
Snaps: 2273 | PFF grade: 86.8
Lloyd is having a career year in what might be his final season in Jacksonville. After two solid but not special seasons, he is finally playing with the pedigree that earned him a first-round selection. His 89.3 PFF grade and 86.1 PFF coverage grade are good for second and third best among qualifying linebackers this season.
13. DI Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals
Snaps: 1681 | PFF grade: 86.5
Campbell continues to age like no one else at the position, a 39-year-old in his 18th NFL season still stacking quality play atop a résumé that already includes 14 70.0-plus PFF grades, nine 80.0-plus grades and four 90.0-plus grades.
He's put up a 77.4 overall mark through Week 12 — 10th among 137 interior defenders — and while the pressure totals are modest (23 pressures, including five sacks, on 231 rushes), his 77.1 run-defense grade once again puts him inside the top 10 at the position.
14. WR DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore Ravens
Snaps: 1573 | PFF grade: 86.1
Hopkins has bounced between several teams over the last few years, but his production hasn't waned. Since the start of 2023, his 86.4 PFF receiving grade is tied for 15th among receivers with 200 or more targets. Likewise, this year with the Ravens, Hopkins has yet to drop a target and has snagged eight of 11 contested opportunities.
15. C Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens
Snaps: 2918 | PFF grade: 85.7
If not for Creed Humphrey, Linderbaum would have a real argument as the best center in the NFL. Since his debut in 2022, Linderbaum's 1.07 Wins Above Replacement are third at the position, and second among active players. Having produced a 74.6-plus overall PFF grade in all of his four campaigns and being only 25, the open market should be lucrative for Linderbaum — if he even reaches it.
16. HB Najee Harris, Los Angeles Chargers
Snaps: 1236 | PFF grade: 84.0
Harris suffered an Achilles tear only three games into his first game with the Chargers, but as long as he can recover fully, he's a viable starting-caliber running back. Since 2023, Harris' 84.0 overall PFF grade is 12th among running backs to play 1,000 or more snaps, and his 84.2 PFF rushing grade is 16th.
17. LB Devin Bush, Cleveland Browns
Snaps: 1304 | PFF grade: 82.2
After an underwhelming first four campaigns with the Steelers, Bush has blossomed into one of the better linebackers in football with the Browns. Since 2024, his 86.6 overall PFF grade is fifth at the position, featuring a 90.0 run-defense grade and a 70.9 coverage mark.
Still only 27, Bush has finally lived up to the billing as a top-10 pick.
18. TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Snaps: 2703 | PFF grade: 82.0
Simply put, Kelce has been one of the NFL's premier players over the last five seasons. In that span, his 91.6 PFF receiving grade is 12th among all positions, his 328 first downs ranks second, and his 3,013 yards after the catch is third.
It's no shocker that his 3.01 Wins Above Replacement also tops among skill players since 2021, too.
19. HB Raheem Mostert, Las Vegas Raiders
Snaps: 966 | PFF grade: 81.8
Mostert has accounted for only 92 rushing yards this season with the Raiders, but 74 of those have come after contact. Even in a reduced capacity with the Dolphins in 2024, Mostert registered a 70.4 PFF rushing grade with 15 missed tackles on 85 attempts.
The veteran does need to clean up fumbles, though, as he lost six from 2023 to 2024.
20. WR Deebo Samuel, Washington Commanders
Snaps: 1961 | PFF grade: 81.5
Samuel may no longer be the elite dual-threat athlete he was in San Francisco, but he's still a capable WR2-caliber addition to a team. He's produced a 73.0 PFF receiving grade over the last two seasons while averaging 7.1 yards after the catch per reception. His 78.4 receiving grade on screens since 2024 is sixth among qualified wideouts, which shows what he can do with the ball in his hands.
21. TE Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Snaps: 1687 | PFF grade: 81.5
Andrews hasn't been quite as dynamic a receiving threat as we've come to expect in 2025, churning out a career-low 61.2 PFF receiving grade with an 8.3% drop rate through 11 games. Still, he was marvelous not long ago, earning a 75.5-plus receiving mark every year from 2018 to 2024.
22. WR Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
Snaps: 2041 | PFF grade: 81.3
Allen is proving to still be a productive player, even at 33. His 80.0 PFF receiving grade is the 12th-best among qualified receivers, and he is averaging 1.86 yards per route run. His 135 first downs since 2023 are 13th among qualified wideouts, which demonstrates his ability to move the chains.
23. S Kevin Byard, Chicago Bears
Snaps: 2932 | PFF grade: 81.0
Byard has been one of the better safeties in football since joining the Bears: His 79.4 overall PFF grade is fifth among safeties with 1,500 or more snaps since 2024. He's also bounced back nicely in coverage in 2025, allowing only 13 catches while snagging five interceptions.
24. ED Jadeveon Clowney, Dallas Cowboys
Snaps: 1611 | PFF grade: 81.0
Clowney has quietly assembled another solid season with the Cowboys, producing a 72.9 PFF pass-rushing grade with a 16.0% pass-rush win rate. He's also a plus run defender, placing in the 98th percentile in run stop rate.
The former No. 1 overall pick is still an impactful player, even as he nears 33.
25. CB Mike Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
Snaps: 1683 | PFF grade: 80.9
Hilton has played only 70 snaps so far with the Colts through the 2025 season, but he's proven to be an impact slot corner. In 2024 with the Bengals, he recorded a 91.7 PFF run-defense grade — which tied for the best in the NFL — while missing only 7.5% of his tackles.
26. S Ronnie Hickman Jr., Cleveland Browns
Snaps: 1448 | PFF grade: 80.9
Ronnie Hickman Jr. has quietly become one of the Browns' most reliable defenders, on pace to grade above 70.0 in each of his three full seasons, and he has already logged a career-high workload with 663 snaps through Week 12.
His 74.7 overall grade ranks 16th among 98 safeties in 2025, but his impact deep downfield is where he's truly separated himself. The Ohio State product has played more than 700 coverage snaps at free safety since 2023, and his 91.0 coverage grade at that spot ranks fourth among 152 players with at least 100 snaps. He's allowed just 107 yards and 10 receptions across 24 targets, with three interceptions, two pass breakups and a 29.7 passer rating when targeted at free safety, the fifth-best mark at the position over the last three seasons.
27. ED Samson Ebukam, Indianapolis Colts
Snaps: 939 | PFF grade: 80.7
Ebukam's 2023 season in Indianapolis was the high point of his career, as he delivered an 84.4 overall grade that ranked 14th among 121 qualifying edge defenders and set career highs in both run defense (80.0) and pass rushing (72.6).
An Achilles tear wiped out his 2024 season, and he hasn't regained that level in 2025 — earning a 59.3 grade on 236 snaps — but there have still been flashes, with three games of four-plus pressures and 19 total pressures, including three sacks and six hits.
The medical red flags are real, yet his track record from 2021 to 2023, highlighted by 45-plus pressures in each season and a 2023 line of 10 sacks, eight hits and 30 hurries, shows the kind of contributor he can be when healthy.
28. QB Russell Wilson, New York Giants
Snaps: 1918 | PFF grade: 80.2
Wilson's brief run with the Giants showcased the full volatility of his late-career profile, swinging from an 88.2 grade and a career-high 450 yards in Week 2 to sub-55.0 marks in Weeks 1 and 3. He finished his three-start stretch in New York with a 66.1 passing grade, buoyed by eight big-time throws but undercut by six turnover-worthy plays, a 39.3 grade under pressure and just one completion on 12 deep pass attempts outside of his eruption against Dallas in Week 2.
With a widening gap between his clean-pocket production and his play under duress, Wilson's game now hinges on structure more than improvisation, leaving teams to weigh one remaining spike of upside against a growing floor of inconsistency.
29. HB Breece Hall, New York Jets
Snaps: 1815 | PFF grade: 80.2
Hall is set to reach unrestricted free agency after 2025, and the Jets' decision to hang onto him at the deadline shows they understand how essential he is — especially if they're onboarding a rookie quarterback in 2026. He's been the workhorse of their offense again this year, logging 10-plus carries in 10 of 11 games and topping 100 yards three times while averaging 4.6 yards per attempt and 3.1 after contact.
Hall has cleared 3.0 yards after contact per carry in every season of his career and is on pace for a personal best in runs of 10-plus yards, already sitting fifth at the position with 22 explosive gains. He continues to pair that juice with real receiving value, catching 28 of 31 targets for 301 yards and a touchdown while averaging 9.5 yards after the catch and 1.78 yards per route run — marks that rank 15th and seventh among running backs.
With that dual-threat profile and top-tier efficiency, he'll be one of the most competitive backs on the market, forcing the Jets to fend off real suitors if they plan to keep him.
30. S Ar'Darius Washington, Baltimore Ravens
Snaps: 945 | PFF grade: 80.2
Washington suffered a torn Achilles this offseason after enjoying a career year in 2024 and re-signing with the Ravens. He played a career-high 830 snaps and was the NFL's ninth-highest-graded safety among 106 qualifiers.
While tackling was an issue (15.0% missed tackle rate), he made up for it with eight pass breakups, tying for the second most among safeties. He could return late in 2025, so interested teams will likely be monitoring whether he can replicate that play before he hits the market again.
31. WR Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers
Snaps: 1682 | PFF grade: 80.1
Jennings has steadily developed from a seventh-round flier into a reliable plug-and-play option in Kyle Shanahan's offense, with 2024 marking his true breakout season. He delivered 77 catches for 975 yards and six touchdowns that year, earning an 83.7 PFF grade that ranked 16th among wide receivers while posting 2.26 yards per route run, good for 14th.
His trademark physicality at the catch point hasn't gone anywhere, either. Jennings' 57.1% contested-catch rate since 2021 sits in the 96th percentile at the position. His 2025 production has dipped — a 68.0 receiving grade with 37 catches on 62 targets — but he remains a playmaker, turning those touches into four touchdowns and forcing nine missed tackles after the catch, a top-10 mark among wideouts.
32. T Trent Brown, Houston Texans
Snaps: 922 | PFF grade: 80.0
Brown's career has swung between high-end play and tough injury luck, but his peak showed just how dominant he can be. From 2018 to 2020 in New England, he posted 70.0-plus pass-blocking grades each year and allowed pressure on just 4.8% of snaps, while giving up neither a sack nor a hit across 127 postseason pass-blocking reps.
Injuries limited him through stints in Las Vegas, New England and Cincinnati, and a torn patellar tendon derailed his 2024 season, but he's flashed competency again in limited 2025 action. His Week 12 outing against Buffalo was his best sign of life yet, as he surrendered just one pressure on 34 pass-blocking snaps and earned an 88.1 run-blocking grade.
33. S Alohi Gilman, Baltimore Ravens
Snaps: 2284 | PFF grade: 79.3
The Ravens traded edge defender Odafe Oweh to acquire Gilman's services midseason, and the former Charger's presence has allowed defensive coordinator Zach Orr to shift his scheme and put the do-it-all Kyle Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage.
The move paid massive dividends as Baltimore worked back from a 1-5 start, and Gilman's play on the back end has provided a spark, too. While he hasn't been as sharp in coverage this season as in his standout 2023 campaign, Gilman owns 90th-percentile marks or better in PFF coverage grade and forced incompletion rate over the past three years.
34. HB Brian Robinson, San Francisco 49ers
Snaps: 1251 | PFF grade: 79.3
Backing up Christian McCaffrey is one of the toughest jobs in the league, but Brian Robinson Jr. has handled it with the same physical, efficient style he showed in Washington, earning a 72.8 grade on 137 snaps after three straight seasons above 71.0. Through 12 weeks, 218 of his 302 yards have come after contact this year, maintaining the career trend that's seen him average 2.93 yards after contact per attempt and force at least 32 missed tackles in every season.
35. ED Derek Barnett, Houston Texans
Snaps: 1031 | PFF grade: 79.3
Barnett has settled into a rotational role late in his career, but he's remained serviceable, earning a 67.6 pass-rush grade on 109 snaps in 2025. He's produced two sacks, three hits and three hurries this year after generating 19 total pressures on 241 snaps in 2024, and his 2023 campaign — split between Houston and Philadelphia — still stands as his high-water mark with a 73.9 grade.
At this stage, he's a depth rusher who can give you competent snaps and occasional disruption without sinking a team's front.
36. G Alijah Vera-Tucker, New York Jets
Snaps: 1166 | PFF grade: 79.2
Vera-Tucker’s career has been disrupted by injuries, including missing all of the 2025 NFL season with a triceps injury. When he was last on the field in 2024, however, he ranked 11th among all guards in PFF grade (77.7) and was one of just 12 players at the position to earn PFF grades above 70.0 both in pass protection and as a run blocker.
37. G Kevin Zeitler, Tennessee Titans
Snaps: 2740 | PFF grade: 79.0
Zeitler will be 36 years old when the 2026 NFL season begins and has finally started to show his age in 2025, ranking 33rd among guards in PFF grade (63.8). Retirement will likely be a consideration for the veteran, but if he chooses to continue playing, he is still a starting-caliber player who could shore up a weak link on an offensive line.
38. HB Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Snaps: 1975 | PFF grade: 78.8
White is having his best season in the NFL to date as he heads for free agency and ranks fourth among running backs in PFF rushing grade (86.3) through the first 12 weeks of the 2025 season. After fumbling multiple times in each of his first three seasons, he has yet to put the ball on the ground this year.
39. HB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
Snaps: 1274 | PFF grade: 78.8
Even at 30 years old, Hunt remains an efficient rusher in today’s NFL, earning PFF rushing grades above 74.0 in each of the past two seasons. Over that span, he has ranked tied for 11th in the league in rushing touchdowns in goal-to-go situations (11).
40. G Teven Jenkins, Cleveland Browns
Snaps: 1513 | PFF grade: 78.7
Jenkins has played just 44 offensive snaps for the Cleveland Browns through 12 weeks of the 2025 season but produced three straight seasons with a PFF grade above 70.0 from 2022 through 2024. The issue for him has always been staying healthy, as he has yet to complete a full season without missing time.
41. DI David Onyemata, Atlanta Falcons
Snaps: 1588 | PFF grade: 78.3
Onyemata is 33 years old but still producing at a solid level for the Atlanta Falcons. A reliable player both against the run and as a pass-rusher, he has earned PFF grades of 63.0 or better in both facets so far this season.
42. DI DaQuan Jones, Buffalo Bills
Snaps: 1153 | PFF grade: 78.0
Jones has missed some time with an injury this season but has still been a good contributor for the Bills up front. A capable interior rusher, he has earned a PFF pass-rush grade above 70.0 in each of the past four seasons and has logged only one season in that span with a PFF run-defense grade below 65.0.
43. ED Odafe Oweh, Los Angeles Chargers
Snaps: 1506 | PFF grade: 77.5
Oweh has proven to be an effective pass-rusher over the past three years, posting PFF pass-rush grades of 74.0 or better in each of those seasons. His run defense has yet to reach the same level of consistency since entering the NFL, but his pass-rush ability and overall athleticism make him an intriguing target for teams looking to add to their edge defender corps.
44. LB Kaden Elliss, Atlanta Falcons
Snaps: 2895 | PFF grade: 77.3
Elliss offers valuable versatility, especially for a team looking to add some pass-rushing ability at the linebacker position. He has earned PFF pass-rush grades above 80.0 in each of the past two seasons and has been used as a pass-rusher on more than 100 snaps in each of the past four.
45. HB Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
Snaps: 1793 | PFF grade: 77.3
While Etienne hasn’t quite lived up to his first-round billing so far, he is on track to produce his best rushing output in a season in 2025. Through 12 weeks, he has averaged a career-high 3.33 yards after contact per carry and has earned a PFF rushing grade above 75.0 in three of his four NFL seasons.
46. ED Boye Mafe, Seattle Seahawks
Snaps: 1822 | PFF grade: 77.2
While Mafe hasn’t grown into the top-tier edge defender the Seattle Seahawks hoped he would be when they drafted him in 2022, he has proven to be a capable player who is solid as both a run defender and a pass-rusher. His 78.4 pass-rush grade against true pass sets in 2025 ranks 36th among NFL edge defenders, and his 77.8 run-defense grade in 2024 ranked 12th. Mafe’s presence could be key to unlocking a team’s edge defender rotation in the future.
47. CB Jaylen Watson, Kansas City Chiefs
Snaps: 1642 | PFF grade: 77.2
In his fourth season as a seventh-round draft pick out of Washington State, Watson has developed into a starter on the Kansas City defense. His PFF coverage grade has improved every season he has been in the NFL, and he is on track for a career high, ranking ninth among cornerbacks in PFF coverage grade (75.4) so far this season.
48. ED Jaelan Phillips, Philadelphia Eagles
Snaps: 1059 | PFF grade: 77.1
On-field ability has never been the question with Phillips, as he had missed 22 games across four seasons entering 2024. Phillips has remained healthy in 2025 and is producing well as a result. His current 78.2 pass-rush grade would be the second highest of his career, and his 18.6% pass-rush win rate ranks 13th among NFL edge defenders. He made his presence felt immediately after being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and would likely do the same for any team that can reach a deal with him during free agency.
49. T Rob Havenstein, Los Angeles Rams
Snaps: 2180 | PFF grade: 76.9
While knee and ankle injuries have kept him off the field and prevented him from playing up to his usual level when available, teams in need of right tackle help would be wise to target Havenstein in NFL free agency. He has finished with PFF grades of 73.0 or better in six of his past eight seasons, performing best as a run blocker in each of those years.
50. HB Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers
Snaps: 1339 | PFF grade: 76.9
Just one season after leaving Dallas with a 1,000-yard campaign, Dowdle looks set to hit free agency again. His 79.2 PFF rushing grade ranks 12th among running backs, and his effectiveness in Carolina this year suggests he could be a serviceable piece for a team in the market for a low-cost running back.
51. WR Jakobi Meyers, Jacksonville Jaguars
Snaps: 2334 | PFF grade: 76.8
Meyers is a good complementary receiver, earning PFF receiving grades above 70.0 in each of the past four seasons. He has one of the safest pairs of hands in the NFL, having dropped just 3.7% of the catchable passes thrown his way throughout his seven-year career.
52. T Braden Smith, Indianapolis Colts
Snaps: 1983 | PFF grade: 76.4
Smith has spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts, and while this season has featured an uncharacteristically poor run-blocking performance, he has been consistent in pass protection since 2018. His lowest PFF pass-blocking grade in a season was 67.8 in 2024, and he has earned PFF grades above 70.0 in all but two seasons to date.
53. LB Jack Gibbens, New England Patriots
Snaps: 1115 | PFF grade: 76.4
Gibbens is a solid rotational player who is unlikely to draw much attention as a potential starter but can do a job for a team when called upon. He has played more than 200 defensive snaps every season since entering the NFL and has earned PFF run-defense grades above 70.0 in each of those years.
54. ED Kyle Van Noy, Baltimore Ravens
Snaps: 1566 | PFF grade: 76.3
After stuffing the stat sheet with a career-high 14 sacks and 56 quarterback pressures as the Ravens top pass rusher, Van Noy is suffering from the same plight as the team’s other pressure-getters in 2025. The Ravens’ 20 sacks through Week 12 are tied for the sixth fewest in the league, with rookie Mike Green’s three leading the way. The 34-year-old Van Noy’s 7.3% pass-rush win rate is a far cry from his 10.0%-plus clips in 2023 and 2024. While he still has some pass-rush juice, it’s fair to wonder if he is better suited to be a rotational pass rusher at this stage of his career.
55. CB Jaire Alexander, Philadelphia Eagles
Snaps: 982 | PFF grade: 75.9
Alexander is currently taking time away from football to evaluate his future, so his availability as a free agent is uncertain. When healthy, he has been one of the best cornerbacks in the league, earning PFF coverage grades above 75.0 in six of his eight seasons, but injuries have limited his overall impact over the past five years.
56. LB Nate Landman, Los Angeles Rams
Snaps: 2047 | PFF grade: 75.8
Nate Landman earned a three-year, $22.5 million extension from the Rams in late November — a commitment backed by his play as a team captain and one of their most reliable defenders. He’s on track for a career year with a 75.0 overall grade through Week 13, buoyed by a 79.8 run-defense mark and a 69.7 grade in coverage. Landman’s 41 defensive stops rank sixth among linebackers,
57. DI DJ Reader, Detroit Lions
Snaps: 1478 | PFF grade: 75.8
Reader hasn’t been able to recreate his form from his days in Houston and Cincinnati, but he has still proven to be a capable interior defensive lineman with the Detroit Lions over the past two seasons. His 10.6% pass-rush win rate ranks 40th among interior defensive linemen, while his 10 run stops rank 48th. Reader can still be a valuable cog in any team’s interior defensive line rotation moving forward.
58. ED Joey Bosa, Buffalo Bills
Snaps: 1253 | PFF grade: 75.5
A change in scenery has allowed Bosa to regain his top-shelf play in Year 10 of his career, as his 89.8 pass-rush grade would be his highest since 2021 and currently ranks sixth among NFL edge defenders in 2025. Though his 36.7% missed-tackle rate is far too high, any team with Super Bowl hopes would be wise to target Bosa in 2026 free agency to bolster its pass rush.
59. LB Quincy Williams, New York Jets
Snaps: 2624 | PFF grade: 75.4
Williams has struggled in 2025 and was rumored to be a trade candidate at the deadline. He has reclaimed his starting spot on the Jets defense, though, and he could be a steal for a team if they can get him back to his 2023 level, when he ranked second among linebackers in PFF coverage grade (88.7).
60. S Jimmie Ward, Houston Texans
Snaps: 967 | PFF grade: 75.3
61. G David Edwards, Buffalo Bills
Snaps: 2075 | PFF grade: 75.1
Edwards has impressed since arriving with the Bills in 2023 and is putting together a strong season as he heads toward free agency. He has earned PFF grades above 70.0 in both pass protection and as a run blocker and ranks eighth among guards in PFF grade (73.9).
62. LB Elandon Roberts, Las Vegas Raiders
Snaps: 1565 | PFF grade: 75.1
Roberts might not be a three-down linebacker, given his struggles in coverage, but he has been good against the run throughout his career. Over the past three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders, he has earned PFF run-defense grades of 70.0 or better.
63. T Matt Pryor, Philadelphia Eagles
Snaps: 1078 | PFF grade: 75.1
Pryor has been a reserve offensive lineman for the Eagles this season, but he looked solid as a starter for the Chicago Bears in 2024. That year, he ranked 22nd among guards in PFF grade (69.9), including a 78.1 PFF pass-blocking grade that ranked fifth-best at the position.
64. G Isaac Seumalo, Pittsburgh Steelers
Snaps: 2526 | PFF grade: 75.0
Seumalo has spent his entire career in Pennsylvania with the Eagles or Steelers and is proving he's still a strong starter in 2025. Through the first 12 weeks of the season, his 80.8 PFF pass-blocking grade ranks second among guards, and he has allowed just 10 total pressures so far.
65. DI Jalen Redmond, Minnesota Vikings
Snaps: 755 | PFF grade: 74.9
One of the breakout players of the 2025 season, Redmond is earning himself a sizeable future payday with his current play. This season, he has generated 28 total pressures, ranking 19th among interior defenders.
66. DI Teair Tart, Los Angeles Chargers
Snaps: 1060 | PFF grade: 74.7
Tart is the definition of an unsung hero. He is the most important player on the Chargers defense not named Derwin James, and he should be cashing in on an extremely effective season. His 79.3 PFF grade and 83.2 PFF run-defense grade rank fifth and third, respectively, among defensive linemen.
67. WR Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers
Snaps: 2196 | PFF grade: 74.6
Doubs is a solid number three option for most offenses around the NFL, having earned PFF receiving grades above 70.0 and averaged more than 1.60 yards per route run in each of the past three seasons. He has made an impact in contested-catch situations, with 43 receptions on 86 contested targets since entering the league.
68. T Braxton Jones, Chicago Bears
Snaps: 1653 | PFF grade: 74.6
An injury at the end of the 2024 season that has limited him in 2025 may hinder Jones’ market, but when healthy, he is an above-average offensive tackle. Last season was his best in the NFL to date, earning a 77.4 PFF grade that ranked 22nd among tackles and an 80.8 PFF pass-blocking grade that ranked 17th.
69. DI John Franklin-Myers, Denver Broncos
Snaps: 1560 | PFF grade: 74.6
Franklin-Myers’ ability to win as an interior pass-rusher is something plenty of NFL teams will covet. He currently ranks tied for 20th among interior defensive linemen in total pressures (27) in 2025, after ranking tied for 12th at the position in 2024 with 53.
70. QB Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals
Snaps: 1553 | PFF grade: 74.5
Flacco will turn 41 in January, so retirement is a very real option, but the 2024 season showed he is still capable of being a spot starter when called upon in the NFL. His time with the Bengals this season has included a 4.2% big-time-throw rate compared with a 3.3% turnover-worthy-play rate, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a team pair him with a younger starter.
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