- Fireworks for the Texans‘ edge rushers against the 49ers‘ tackles: Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. against Trent Williams and Colton McKivitz is must-see television.
- Zay Flowers faces off with Tyrique Stevenson: Two of the NFL's better man coverage players will duel in a big game.
- 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: 11 minutes
What made NFL Week 7 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 7’s top individual wars swayed the arrow of victory in their team’s direction. Consider Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s three catches for 49 yards and a touchdown on four targets vs. Derek Stingley Jr.
Week 8 witnesses six teams on bye, naturally putting together a more constrained set of matchups. Nevertheless, below are 10 head-to-head collisions to circle as you determine which games to prioritize watching and/or following this weekend.
Houston Texans EDGE Danielle Hunter vs. San Francisco 49ers T Trent Williams
There are ample playoff implications when the 49ers play the Texans on Sunday, namely from a Houston vantage point. When the 49ers have the ball, key in on the left side of the line of scrimmage.
Hunter featured on this list last week, and he’s back again. He’s been prolific as ever in 2025, generating a 90.3 PFF pass-rushing grade — good for eighth among qualified edge defenders.
Likewise, Williams has remained elite despite being 37. His 81.3 overall PFF grade is the fourth-best among tackles to play 350 or more snaps, having allowed only two sacks on 288 opportunities.
In Seattle on Monday night, Hunter generated one pressure on 12 pass-rushing matchups with Charles Cross. Houston will hope to receive similar, if not better, production whenever these two players — two of the better at their position in this era — butt heads.
Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb vs. Denver Broncos CB Pat Surtain II
Surtain has been a fixture on this list of player matchups to watch. He’ll get another difficult assignment on Sunday against the Cowboys, who boast two stars at wide receiver. The more decorated Lamb should set up a star-studded collision.
Lamb missed time with an ankle sprain, but he’s been effective when on the field. He’s generated a 72.9 PFF receiving grade and 2.72 yards per route run over his four games played. Against the Commanders in Week 7, Lamb caught five of his seven targets for 110 yards and a touchdown, procuring a 76.8 overall PFF grade.
Despite a shakier start, Surtain has settled in to play more of the lockdown coverage we’re accustomed to seeing. Over his last three games, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year has turned in a 79.4 PFF coverage grade, including limiting Garrett Wilson to only one catch on 13 matchups in Week 6 — although Wilson was charted as being open on seven of those plays.
It’s not every week that recent first-team All-Pros line up across from each other on multiple snaps. Even with George Pickens also flourishing this year, Lamb vs. Surtain is a signature showdown.
Pittsburgh Steelers WR D.K. Metcalf vs. Green Bay Packers CB Keisean Nixon
Packers-Steelers is the headliner game of Week 8, with all attention innately gravitating toward Aaron Rodgers against his longtime employer. Rodgers’ play is compelling, but this matchup will also decide how strong of a night the four-time MVP enjoys.
Metcalf has been exactly what the Steelers anticipated when they traded for him in a March blockbuster. His 79.0 PFF receiving grade ranks 11th among receivers with 30 or more targets, and his 10.9 yards after the catch per reception easily pace that contingent. It may not be a shock to learn that Metcalf’s 2.28 yards per route run are almost a full yard ahead of any other Pittsburgh wideout.
On the other side lies Nixon, one of the breakout cornerbacks during a campaign with volatile play at the position. Nixon’s 70.6 PFF coverage grade is the sixth-best among 23 cornerbacks to play 400 or more snaps, and he’s yet to surrender more than 64 yards into his coverage in a game in 2025.
Although the Packers are predominantly a zone defense, it wouldn’t come as a shock to see Nixon shadow Metcalf throughout Sunday night. Whichever standout gets the upper hand will be critical in deciding what should be a narrow margin.
New York Giants EDGE Abdul Carter vs. Philadelphia Eagles T Lane Johnson
The Eagles look to win their second straight game on Sunday when they host the Giants, while an upstart New York team seeks to down Philadelphia for the second time in three weeks. New York’s stout defensive line against a tremendous Eagles offensive line is the showstopper, with specific concentration on the right side.
As a rookie, Carter has broken into pro football and immediately played like a veteran. His 27 pressures are tied for 12th among edge rushers, having produced at a solid 12.4% pass-rush win rate.
Johnson’s play hasn’t deteriorated at all, even at age 35. His 83.0 PFF pass-blocking grade slots fifth among tackles to play 300 or more snaps, having given up only six pressures and no sacks on 201 opportunities.
In Week 6, Johnson most often lined up against Carter, although he should also see both Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux given the Giants’ deep edge rusher rotation. Johnson limited the No. 3 overall pick to zero pressures on 15 pass-blocking matchups. The Eagles will hope for similar mitigation as they seek to maintain a passing game that flashed growth in Week 7.
Houston Texans EDGE Will Anderson Jr. vs. San Francisco 49ers T Colton McKivitz
As it turns out, the Texans have another game-wrecking edge defender who should regularly clash with another good 49ers tackle.
Anderson has somehow turned his production up a notch in 2025, which is almost absurd considering how prolific he was across his first two pro seasons. His 30.3% pass-rush win rate is the highest among qualified edge rushers, and his 91.5 PFF pass-rushing grade ranks fifth in that group.
McKivitz, the 49ers’ right tackle alongside Williams on the blindside, has quietly been effective this season. His 77.8 overall PFF grade ranks eighth among qualified tackles, and his 97.6 pass-blocking efficiency score places 12th.
This year, 168 of Anderson’s 258 snaps (65.1%) have come roughly aligned along the defense’s outside left side. The star edge rusher should also battle Williams, but expect a heavyweight fight between him and McKivitz for 60 minutes.
New Orleans Saints EDGE Chase Young vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers T Tristan Wirfs
On paper, Buccaneers-Saints doesn’t profile as a game with especially intriguing matchups — especially considering Tampa Bay’s litany of injuries. However, this duel is a sneakily good one.
Young was limited by a calf injury to start the season, but since returning, he’s been a game-wrecker. Over the last two weeks, he’s generated eight pressures on an 83.2 PFF pass-rushing grade on a 25.0% pass-rush win rate — the fourth-highest among qualified edge rushers wince Week 6.
Wirfs’ year has followed a parallel trajectory, also delayed by injury but not impacting his play once on the field. He’s compiled an 81.5 PFF pass-blocking grade so far, surrendering only eight pressures and zero sacks through four games.
When New Orleans and Tampa battled last season, Wirfs earned a decided upper hand against Young. Throughout 49 pass-blocking matchups, the Buccaneers star yielded only one pressure against Young. We’ll see if that level of domination continues in this high-level matchup.
Indianapolis Colts Dl DeForest Buckner vs. Tennessee Titans G Peter Skoronski
The immediate matchup that likely flashed in this contest is Jeffery Simmons vs. Quenton Nelson; however, based on alignment tendencies, those two greats probably won’t line up very often. Instead, this showdown isn’t a bad consolation prize whatsoever.
One of the league’s consistently underrated interior defenders, Buckner has assembled another strong season in 2025. His 30 pressures are the most among interior defenders, and his 14.4% pass-rush win rate is 11th among qualifiers. Against the Chargers in Week 7, Buckner accrued a gaudy nine pressures and two sacks on an 83.8 PFF pass-rushing grade.
Little has fallen into place for the Titans in 2025, but Skoronski has ascended even further. The former No. 11 overall pick ranks sixth among guards in PFF Wins Above Replacement, and his pass protection has been among the position’s best. More specifically, Skoronski’s 79.3 PFF pass-blocking grade places sixth among qualified guards.
In 2025, 173 of Buckner’s 340 snaps have been played in the defense’s right A or B gaps. In other words, he and Skoronski should parry a fair amount as the Titans look to upset the Colts.
Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers vs. Chicago Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson
The upstart Bears put their four-game winning streak on the line when they travel to Baltimore to face a desperate Ravens squad, which may return Lamar Jackson. No matter who the Ravens’ quarterback is, Flowers will have a fascinating matchup against Stevenson.
One of the few Baltimore standouts not hampered by injury, Flowers has been efficient in 2025. He’s secured a 76.9 PFF receiving grade and 2.31 yards per route run while also producing an average of 6.2 yards after the catch per reception.
On the heels of a cataclysmic 2024 season, Stevenson has played to his potential this year. His 70.0 PFF coverage grade is the 13th-best among cornerbacks to play 300 or more snaps. Likewise, Stevenson has already broken up five passes.
The specific coverage scheme could sway how this matchup goes. Stevenson has been tremendous in man coverage, with his 76.5 PFF coverage grade the second-best among qualifiers in those looks, but that metric falls to 61.1 in zone. Meanwhile, Flowers has played to a 72.6 PFF receiving grade against both man or zone, including an 80.6 mark against man. Considering Chicago’s man-heavy defense, both players could be most comfortable in this duel.
Green Bay Packers WR Matthew Golden vs. Pittsburgh Steelers CB Jalen Ramsey
The Packers’ potent offense against a high-paid Steelers defense is a worthwhile holistic matchup in and of itself. As Pittsburgh’s unit looks to play more like the version we had seen over the past few weeks — and not in Week 7 — this matchup will prove telling.
Golden’s rookie season has been solid thus far. His 71.5 PFF receiving grade is the fourth-best amid a stacked group of newcomers, having churned out a solid 1.71 yards per route run as Green Bay’s primary slot receiver.
On the other side of the line of scrimmage, the decorated Ramsey is looking to turn the page after a horrendous performance a week ago. Against the Bengals, Ramsey yielded five catches for 62 yards on nine targets, including four receptions for 34 yards against Ja’Marr Chase. Prior to Week 6, Ramsey had looked like his All-Pro self, registering a 78.0 PFF coverage grade.
Will the nascent Golden take advantage of a vulnerable Ramsey in the slot, or will the veteran rise to the challenge? Whichever player wins this individual matchup will sway the victory arrow in their team’s direction in a massive contest.
Washington Commanders Dl Daron Payne vs. Kansas City Chiefs G Trey Smith
The Chiefs look to keep rolling on Monday night football, while the beleaguered Commanders intend to stop their skid and collect a major upset with Marcus Mariota at quarterback. If Washington wants to pull off the bid, it will need one of its best defensive players to make noise against a great offensive lineman.
So far this year, Payne has played potentially the best football of his long career. His 81.5 overall PFF grade is a career high, while his 73.9 PFF pass-rushing grade is his highest since 2022. Even though Payne has compiled only a 9.0% pass-rush win rate, that number has risen to 12.3% on true pass sets.
Similarly, Smith has been maybe his best self yet this year after inking a record-setting deal in the offseason. His 81.2 PFF pass-blocking grade ranks third among qualified guards, not to mention easily a career high. The Chiefs anchor has posted two straight clean sheets as well.
With Payne primarily operating along the defense’s left A and B gaps, he and Smith could match up nearly 20 times in primetime. Payne’s ability to disrupt Patrick Mahomes will be vital for a Commanders defense whose back is against the wall.
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