- Ja'Marr Chase vs. Pat Surtain II is must-see TV: The two dynamos should battle early and often in Denver's man coverage-heavy defense.
- Emeka Egbuka takes on Quinyon Mitchell: The two first-round picks will duel regularly in Eagles-Buccaneers.
- Unlock your edge with PFF+: Access Premium Stats, dominate fantasy with in-season tools and projections and make smarter bets with the new PFF Player Prop Tool.
Estimated Reading Time: 13 minutes
What made NFL Week 3 so exciting is true of every fresh slate of action: Watching individual star matchups. The ability to analyze some of the NFL’s brightest and most burgeoning stars clash with one another nearly every snap shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Indeed, while one play can alter an entire game flow, the victor of Week 3’s top individual wars swayed the arrow of victory in their team’s direction. Consider Amon-Ra St. Brown’s four catches for 58 yards and a touchdown against Marlon Humphrey on Monday night.
Below are 10 head-to-head collisions to circle as you determine which games to prioritize watching and/or following this weekend.
Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase vs. Denver Broncos CB Pat Surtain II
When I first devised the idea of a player matchups-based story this season, this particular duel was exactly what I envisioned. Having arguably the NFL’s best wide receiver and cornerback line up against one another is something to dream of.
Chase has picked up where he left off from 2024. The reigning All-Pro has posted a 78.6 PFF receiving grade with 2.39 yards per route run across three games, despite the bulk of two of them coming with Jake Browning at quarterback.
Meanwhile, Surtain hasn’t been quite as lockdown as expected to begin 2025. The 2024 Defensive Player of the Year has recorded only a 57.6 PFF coverage grade so far, already permitting 114 yards into his coverage — almost 30% of his total from all of last season.
This season, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has played Cover 1 or Cover 0 on a combined 42.1% of coverage snaps. In other words, Chase and Surtain — who of the NFL’s cornerstone young talents, regardless of position — should face off plenty on Monday night. In Week 17 of last season, Chase caught three of six targets for 27 yards when lined up against Surtain on 38 snaps, posting only a 59.5 PFF receiving grade.
Jacksonville Jaguars EDGE Josh Hines-Allen vs. San Francisco 49ers T Trent Williams
Amid a loaded Sunday slate, it can be easy to have Jaguars-49ers overshadowed. Even then, this war in the trenches will be fascinating.
Hines-Allen has quietly rounded into one of the NFL’s premier edge defenders, posting a 78.5 overall PFF grade or better in five straight seasons. So far, the Jaguars star has racked up 18 pressures — the second-most among those at his position — on an 80.0 PFF pass-rushing grade.
Williams’ return to action has also been scintillating. After suiting up on only 649 snaps in 2024, the 37-year-old hasn’t missed a beat, allowing eight pressures across 123 opportunities thus far.
Given that 114 of Hines-Allen’s 148 total snaps have come aligned in the territory of a right edge rusher, he should clash with Williams frequently. That battle will certainly impact how comfortable either Brock Purdy or Mac Jones feels in the pocket.
Kansas City Chiefs Dl Chris Jones vs. Baltimore Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum
Both contenders may be looking up in the standings with 1-2 records, but Ravens-Chiefs still holds as much allure as usual. When the Ravens have the ball, circle this battle up the middle.
Jones has well established himself as arguably the NFL’s best interior defender, never grading below an 83.4 overall mark in every season since 2017. His pass-rushing metrics (79.4 PFF pass-rushing grade, 16% pass-rush win rate) are on par, but his 43.7 PFF run-defense grade is far below his typical career grades.
Likewise, Linderbaum is the NFL’s highest-graded center so far at an 82.7 overall grade — which would reset his prior career high. The 25-year-old holds the third-highest PFF run-blocking grade (91.2) among any offensive lineman, although he’s already yielded five pressures and a sack.
Will Jones be able to capitalize on Linderbaum’s mediocre 41.3 PFF pass-blocking grade, and/or will Linderbaum maul Jones in the run game to pave lanes for Baltimore’s superhuman ground attack? Whichever player can accrue more total wins will certainly give their team an advantage. In Week 1 of last season, that proved Linderbaum, as the center didn’t yield any wins in either dimension across 11 head-to-head matchups.
New York Giants EDGE Brian Burns vs. Los Angeles Chargers T Joe Alt
Almost all of the pregame hype surrounding Chargers-Giants has rightfully oriented around Jaxson Dart’s first NFL start. But, what shouldn’t be ignored is how excellent this matchup is.
Through the first three contests of 2025, Burns has found a way to transcend his prior play — which was already top-notch. Burns’ 85.5 overall PFF grade is the 10th-best among qualified edge rushers, and his 85.3 PFF pass-rushing grade is tied for seventh among that same contingent.
On the other side lies Alt, a second-year tackle who’s hastily asserting himself as one of the foremost players at the position. In his inaugural season playing left tackle in the pros, Alt has surrendered only three pressures and a sack through 126 opportunities so far, good for a 98.4 pass-blocking efficiency score.
So far in 2025, 53.3% of Burns’ snaps have come between the defense’s right B gap outward. Interestingly enough, his effectiveness when facing left tackles has been worse, generating a 77.7 overall PFF grade compared to an 89.5 mark. After squaring off with Nik Bonitto last week, Alt should be in store for another 60-minute duel in Week 4.
Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt vs. Minnesota Vikings T Brian O’Neill
Vikings-Steelers paints a multitude of intriguing storylines, from Aaron Rodgers playing Carson Wentz to the NFL’s first regular-season game in Ireland. What follows suit is this showdown of established vets in the trenches.
Watt, one of the league’s best edge defenders since he debuted, has remained dominant since the start of 2024 — with his 91.7 overall PFF grade the third-best among any edge rusher. Even then, Watt’s pass-rushing prowess hasn’t been quite as dynamic. In 2025, the four-time All-Pro has secured only a 70.4 PFF pass-rushing grade with a 13.8% pass-rush win rate.
O’Neill’s 2025 season has followed a similar pattern. The 30-year-old secured a 77.5-plus pass-blocking mark in three of the past four campaigns, but that figure has dipped to 67.9 so far this year. Still, the two-time Pro Bowler has allowed only three pressures through three starts and 88 pass-blocking snaps.
In 2025, 141 of Watt’s 169 total snaps (83.4%) have arrived along the left perimeter of Pittsburgh’s defensive line. He and O’Neill could go head-to-head more than 20 times in Dublin, with Watt’s ability to disrupt Wentz a key harbinger of this game’s outcome.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka vs. Philadelphia Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell
Eagles-Buccaneers always seems to present a spirited clash between two perennial NFC playoff teams, and this year’s edition is no different. Special attention should be paid to this matchup when the Buccaneers are on offense.
When Tampa Bay selected Egbuka in the first round in April, eyebrows were universally raised around the league. So far, though, the Ohio State product has seamlessly propped up the Buccaneers’ electric offense. Egbuka’s 71.1 PFF receiving grade slots 24th among qualifiers, and his 133.1 passer rating when targeted ranks second.
Mitchell was one of the anchors behind the NFL’s top defense a season ago, recording a 78.8 PFF coverage grade with 10 pass breakups. However, in 2025, the former first-round pick hasn’t been quite as sharp, recording a 59.8 PFF coverage grade — yet, his passer rating when targeted in 2025 (67.1) is lower than last year (80.2).
With Mike Evans out for multiple weeks and Chris Godwin’s status still uncertain, Egbuka profiles as Baker Mayfield’s best receiver this week. That means he should face even more coverage against the Eagles’ top perimeter cornerback, even in Vic Fangio’s zone-prevalent scheme. It’s not often that two first-round picks that are this good this fast square off, making this a showdown to relish.
Cleveland Browns EDGE Myles Garrett vs. Detroit Lions T Taylor Decker
Browns-Lions isn’t the most eye-catching game on the Week 4 calendar, but it does pit the best offense and defense by PFF grade against one another. Unsurprisingly, that’s exactly where this clash falls.
Garrett has continued to assume his spot on the throne of the NFL’s best pass rushers, leading qualified edge rushers in PFF pass-rushing grade (92.0) and sitting second in pass-rush win rate (29.3%). On true pass sets, that pass-rush win rate jumps to an unbelievable 41.2%, reflecting just how difficult it is to block Garrett when he can tee off.
Detroit’s new-look offensive line hasn’t waned, with the bunch sitting third in collective PFF pass-blocking grade. Much of that can be attributed to the Lions’ excellent tackles, including Decker. The 31-year-old has been one of the more underrated pass protectors since he debuted in 2016 and has proliferated that play this season, allowing only six pressures on 102 opportunities.
Garrett has accrued at least three pressures in 17 of his last 20 games, including recording four or more in all three matchups this season. If the Browns want to brew another colossal upset, they’ll need their all-world superstar to best a consistent force protecting Jared Goff’s blindside.
New England Patriots Dl Milton Williams vs. Carolina Panthers G Damien Lewis
Panthers-Patriots presents an affair between two young teams looking to build roots in pivotal seasons. On the interior, the game should foster a war between two high-paid presences.
After serving as one of the catalysts on the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning defense with a 91.7 PFF pass-rushing grade, Williams has looked the part in his new colors. The $104 million man — who almost signed with Carolina — has compiled a 77.8 PFF pass-rushing grade with nine pressures, helping form an upstart defensive line in New England.
Although the Panthers’ offensive line has already been ravaged by injuries, Lewis has remained a steady, stabilizing rock. The team’s left guard sits second among qualifiers at his position with an 81.0 PFF pass-blocking grade, permitting only three pressures this season.
In 2025, 75 of Williams’ 127 snaps (59.1%) have occurred when in a position to take on left guards. That means that these two hog mollies should rekindle a fun battle from Week 14 of last year, in which Lewis contained Williams to zero pressures on 19 pass-blocking matchups.
Dallas Cowboys WR George Pickens vs. Green Bay Packers CB Keisean Nixon
Micah Parsons’ return to the Lone Star State will inherently dominate headlines entering Sunday Night Football, as will conversations about Dallas’ defensive ineffectiveness. Still, this game should grant a battle between a strong receiver and cornerback.
In his first season with the Cowboys, Pickens has been solid as the complement to CeeDee Lamb. The former Steelers standout has compiled a 72.1 PFF receiving grade so far, adding 3.8 yards after the catch per reception and hauling in five of seven contested targets.
Meanwhile, Nixon has almost single-handedly turned Green Bay’s shaky cornerback room into a major boon. Nixon’s 80.0 PFF coverage grade is the third-highest among cornerbacks to play 100 or more snaps in 2025, having only permitted seven catches on 144 coverage snaps — the second-most at the position.
With Lamb out multiple games due to an ankle sprain, Pickens will step into the WR1 position for Dak Prescott. Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has only deployed man coverage on 22.3% of his snaps this year — a figure which ranks 17th — but that still means that Pickens and Nixon will invariably see lots of each other on Sunday night.
Los Angeles Rams EDGE Byron Young vs. Indianapolis Colts T Braden Smith
It may not be the game that first comes to mind, but Colts-Rams is a highly compelling contest at this juncture of the season. Indianapolis’ high-flying offense against a breakout Rams defense should be entertaining, especially when these two butt heads.
Jared Verse has stolen the show among Rams defensive linemen since he debuted last season, but it’s his teammate Young who has proven worthy of recognition this year. Young’s 84.6 overall PFF grade sits 14th among qualified edge rushers, powered by his 11.7 Pass-Rushing Productivity score — which is good for seventh among that same group.
Waiting on the other side will be Smith, a longtime veteran on an updated Colts offensive line that’s been among the NFL’s best this season. The 29-year-old has earned a 73.5 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2025 — which sits 15th among qualified tackles — including an 80.7-plus mark in two of three games.
Young and Smith may not be the most prominent names on this list, but they’ve each played like well-above-average players at their positions in 2025. With Young almost entirely operating from the defense’s left side, these talents will likely match up regularly in what should be one of Week 4’s most telling games.
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