NFL NationOct 21, 2025, 06:15 AM ETCloseNFL Nation is made up of 32 team-specific reporters who cover the NFL year-round across ESPN.com, ESPN television shows, ESPN Radio, ESPN+ and social media platforms. It was established ahead of the 2013 season.
play1:06Alex Smith: Eagles need to ‘play with their foot on the gas’Alex Smith and Damien Woody break down the Eagles forgoing a predictable offense plan and defeating the Vikings.
play1:19Schefter: Giants’ loss to Broncos is ‘historic’Adam Schefter expresses his thoughts on the Giants’ collapse against the Broncos on Sunday night.
play1:25Canty: Cowboys’ defense must improve for a playoff runChris Canty highlights the Cowboys’ offensive success but stresses that the defense must improve for a playoff run.
play3:11Why Justin Jefferson wanted to give back to top WR prospectsGo all access with Justin Jefferson as he offered his perspective and knowledge to top collegiate prospects at the IMG Academy last summer.
Woody: New England is going to win the AFC East (0:37)Damien Woody breaks down his confidence in the New England Patriots with Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel at the helm. (0:37)
Alex Smith: Eagles need to ‘play with their foot on the gas’Alex Smith and Damien Woody break down the Eagles forgoing a predictable offense plan and defeating the Vikings.
Alex Smith and Damien Woody break down the Eagles forgoing a predictable offense plan and defeating the Vikings.
Schefter: Giants’ loss to Broncos is ‘historic’Adam Schefter expresses his thoughts on the Giants’ collapse against the Broncos on Sunday night.
Canty: Cowboys’ defense must improve for a playoff runChris Canty highlights the Cowboys’ offensive success but stresses that the defense must improve for a playoff run.
Chris Canty highlights the Cowboys’ offensive success but stresses that the defense must improve for a playoff run.
Why Justin Jefferson wanted to give back to top WR prospectsGo all access with Justin Jefferson as he offered his perspective and knowledge to top collegiate prospects at the IMG Academy last summer.
Go all access with Justin Jefferson as he offered his perspective and knowledge to top collegiate prospects at the IMG Academy last summer.
Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season is here after a “Monday Night Football” doubleheader that included a matchup between the top teams in last week’s Power Rankings (the Buccaneers and Lions). Detroit won following an exciting Sunday slate, which even featured a 33-point fourth quarter by the Broncos against the Giants.
How do all of these teams fit in our updated Power Rankings? We restacked the NFL heading into Week 8, which includes byes for six teams (Cardinals, Jaguars, Lions, Raiders, Rams and Seahawks). In addition to the 1-32 rankings, our NFL Nation reporters picked an unsung nonstarter or role player from each roster. Who is making a big impact with their limited snaps on the field? Which nonstarters are having big performances in place of injured or released players?
Let’s get into it with our No. 1 team. Our power panel of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities evaluated how NFL teams stack up against one another, ranking them from 1 to 32.
Lewis has never been a full-time starter in his eight seasons with the Colts, but they continue re-signing him because he gives them consistent production on the field. Lewis has three sacks, four tackles for loss and 10 QB pressures despite playing only 41% of the defensive snaps this season. His inside-outside versatility makes him a key depth option because he can play multiple roles and provide flexibility. He’s also equally effective against the run and pass. — Stephen Holder
A seventh-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Texas, Ojomo tends to get second billing at defensive tackle behind the Georgia duo of Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. But Ojomo has been key in making up for the departure of Milton Williams to the Patriots this offseason. He has three sacks, five QB hits and three tackles for loss. “He’s a good football player. You need to stop being surprised by that,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said earlier this season. — Tim McManus
Alex Smith: Eagles need to ‘play with their foot on the gas’
As the third receiver in an offense that rarely has three of them on the field at the same time, Horton has had to make the most of limited opportunities. And he has. He has caught only nine passes on 18 targets for 113 yards through seven games, but he has turned three of those receptions into touchdowns. The rookie fifth-round pick also returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown against the Saints to set a franchise record. — Brady Henderson
Adam Schefter expresses his thoughts on the Giants’ collapse against the Broncos on Sunday night.
The No. 3 option behind starters Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, Tonga arrived with a well-deserved reputation as a run stuffer. This season, he also has shown a knack for pushing the pocket as a rusher. The Patriots haven’t allowed a running back to total more than 50 rushing yards yet, and Tonga is part of the reason. He served as a game captain in Week 6, with coach Mike Vrabel noting he “does a lot of the dirty work.” — Mike Reiss
Herbig isn’t a starter on the depth chart, but coach Mike Tomlin values his contributions so highly that he introduced the third-year pass rusher as the team’s 12th starter against the Browns. In five games this season, Herbig has an interception, two passes defensed, a forced fumble, 4.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits. And now with Herbig and fellow pass rusher Alex Highsmith both healthy, the Steelers have the option to deploy their three-linebacker look with T.J. Watt. — Brooke Pryor
Moody was signed to the Bears practice squad after he was cut by the 49ers ahead of Week 2. He was afforded time to reset before being called upon to kick against Washington and New Orleans while starting kicker Cairo Santos recovers from an injury to his right thigh. Moody went 4-for-5 on field goal attempts, including a 38-yard winner, shortly after he found out he’d be replacing Santos in the lineup against the Commanders. He made four field goals Sunday. — Courtney Cronin
A fifth-round rookie, Gadsden was a healthy inactive for the Chargers’ first two games, but he has emerged as one of quarterback Justin Herbert’s favorite targets. Gadsden had his best showing in Week 7 — and one of the best games by a Chargers tight end in recent memory — with seven catches for 164 yards and one touchdown. Gadsden had the most receiving yards by a tight end since Antonio Gates in 2013. — Kris Rhim
Canty: Cowboys’ defense must improve for a playoff run
Ingram wasn’t even a starter entering camp. Former left tackle Cam Robinson (now with the Browns) suffered an injury early in camp, leading to a complete shake-up on the unit that led to Ingram stepping in at right guard. He has been the starter since then and has done well to fuel the Texans’ run game. General manager Nick Caserio said, “Ed has done a pretty good job and a change of scenery is good for everybody involved in that situation.” — DJ Bien-Aime
Why Justin Jefferson wanted to give back to top WR prospects
Not only is Beachum always at the ready as the Cardinals’ backup swing tackle, but he also has taken on a new role as Arizona’s extra tight end after season-ending injuries to Tip Reiman and Travis Vokolek. Beachum, who started 12 games last season for the Cardinals, went from playing zero offensive snaps in Week 4 against Seattle to playing 13, 19 and 11 offensive snaps the past three weeks, respectively. — Josh Weinfuss
Jenkins’ role varies from week to week, but his experience and versatility has come in handy as the Browns like to use three-safety packages on defense. The ninth-year veteran has logged snaps at safety, outside corner, nickel back, outside linebacker and inside linebacker, and he’s coming off his best game of the season against Miami. He recorded one tackle, an interception, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery on special teams. — Daniel Oyefusi
Derrick Henry is the headliner of the Ravens’ backfield, but Hill is the go-to back in passing situations. He is a trusted pass protector and a capable pass catcher. Since 2023, Hill is tied for third on the Ravens with 88 receptions. He also averages 9.4 yards after the catch, which is the most by a Baltimore player with at least 50 catches since 2023. General manager Eric DeCosta has even called Hill “one of the unsung heroes” on the team. — Jamison Hensley
The fourth-year safety gets used in certain weekly packages on defense and has become a special teams standout. Belton is tied for second in the NFL with 12 special teams tackles. He also forced a fumble last week on defense and made a key fourth-down tackle near the goal line against the Broncos while filling in for injured starter Jevon Holland. Belton has continuously produced game-changing plays when given the opportunity on defense throughout his career. — Jordan Raanan
Riley, a 2025 fourth-round pick, has started the past two games in place of Isaac Yiadom. Though Riley started the season only on special teams, he has had a chance to give the coaching staff a serious look at him the past few weeks. Against the Bears, he had his first NFL career interception midway through the first quarter. That could make for an interesting decision when Yiadom is fully healthy from his hamstring injury. — Katherine Terrell
Unsung heroes aren’t easy to find on a one-win team, but the 2025 fifth-round pick has shown glimpses during the first seven games of his career. Despite playing behind Zach Sieler and Kenneth Grant, Phillips leads all Dolphins defensive linemen with a 33% run stop win rate. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver wants to rotate his defensive linemen, so Phillips’ continued production will be important if Miami’s defense turns its season around. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
The rookie has received limited snaps playing behind wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond, but TeSlaa has produced some highlight reel plays when given opportunities. A native of Hudsonville, Michigan, he has logged only three receptions for 54 yards, though two of those receptions were TDs. The first was a spectacular one-handed grab in the season opener at Green Bay. His second career catch was another one-hander from quarterback Jared Goff against Chicago in Week 2. TeSlaa also logged three receiving touchdowns during the preseason and is emerging as a fan favorite. — Eric Woodyard