• Josh Allen is the best quarterback remaining: With our ranking based solely on 2024 performance, Allen takes the top spot over Patrick Mahomes.
• The Eagles' defensive line could wreak havoc: Philadelphia easily boasts the best defensive front of the remaining NFL playoff teams, with Jalen Carter proving to be a consistent force for the unit.
• 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF's best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes
We’re down to the final four teams in the NFL playoffs, and each has reached this point uniquely. Let's look at where each team is the strongest and where they may be vulnerable heading into the penultimate NFL Sunday.
Quarterback
1. Bills
2. Commanders
3. Chiefs
4. Eagles
Before Chiefs fans gather en masse with pitchforks, this ranking is based solely on 2024 performance. While Patrick Mahomes has already entered the GOAT discussion before turning 30, Josh Allen and Jayden Daniels each had better seasons this year from a statistical standpoint. Both earned higher PFF passing grades and PFF overall grades while also beating Mahomes in almost every other basic statistic, such as passing yards, touchdown passes and interceptions. Allen gets the nod over Daniels, largely thanks to an absurd 94.4 PFF rushing grade, which comfortably led the entire NFL, let alone quarterbacks.
Highest-Graded Quarterbacks | 2024 Regular Season and Postseason
Jalen Hurts closes out this ranking both by default and because of his recent health concerns. Not only did he battle concussions late in the season, but he got rolled up on late in the Eagles’ win over the Rams and the effects of this injury were visibly apparent, leaving many to wonder if he’ll be 100% for the NFC Championship game.
Running Back
1. Eagles
2. Bills
3. Commanders
4. Chiefs
Saquon Barkley had a season for the ages in his first year in Philadelphia, so it’s no surprise that the Eagles top this list despite their other running back, Kenneth Gainwell, finishing with the second-worst PFF grade among qualifiers at the position. Barkley ran for more than 2,000 yards during the regular season despite sitting out the last game and has continued to dominate in the postseason, adding another 324 yards between the Eagles’ two playoff wins.
While Barkley has been a one-man wrecking crew, the Bills have more depth. In addition to James Cook’s breakout season, Buffalo backups Ray Davis and Ty Johnson have also performed well when called upon, as they both rank in the top half among qualifying running backs in PFF overall grade.
While the Commanders don’t have any backs whom people would call a “superstar,” the trio of Brian Robinson, Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols all featured PFF overall and rushing grades above 70.0, leaving the Commanders in good hands regardless of whose turn it is in the rotation.
Health was an issue for the Chiefs’ backfield, as lead back Isiah Pacheco missed much of the season due to injury. Kareem Hunt proved capable in his absence, however, with a 74.4 PFF overall grade that ranked 21st among qualifying backs.
Wide Receiver
1. Eagles
2. Commanders
3. Bills
4. Chiefs
This was a tough ordering. Despite the Eagles featuring arguably the two best receivers remaining in the postseason, AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, they are sorely lacking in depth. Their only other receivers who played enough snaps to qualify, Jahan Dotson and Johnny Wilson, ranked in or near the bottom 10 among wide receivers in PFF overall grade.
However, the opposite may be said of the other three remaining teams; most lack a true No. 1 receiver while featuring several pass catchers who could be considered quality depth pieces. The Commanders clearly have a top receiving threat in Terry McLaurin with a slew of guys who have shown flashes of being potential No. 2 options, such as Olamide Zaccheaus, Noah Brown and Dyami Brown.
The Bills overhauled their receiving room in the offseason and even a bit into the regular season, as they acquired Amari Cooper in a mid-season trade with the Browns. The results have been mixed: Aside from Khalil Shakir, an after-the-catch machine, most of the Bills’ receivers have ranked in the middle of the pack.
Losing Rashee Rice was a big blow to the Chiefs' receiver room. DeAndre Hopkins has shown he still has something left in the tank, sporting a 77.7 PFF overall grade, but none of the Chiefs receivers graded out particularly well. Their next-best receiver was Xavier Worthy, at 65.4. Marquise Brown’s health will be paramount for the Chiefs as they look toward a three-peat.
Tight End
1. Chiefs
2. Bills
3. Eagles
4. Commanders
After a slow start to the season, Travis Kelce quietly put together a very solid campaign, which, while pedestrian by his standards, would be a career year for most tight ends. He hauled in 97 passes for 823 yards in a “down” year. Noah Gray picked up some of the slack, catching 40 passes for 437 yards and five scores in a career year for the former fifth-rounder out of Duke.
Dalton Kincaid didn’t have the statistical breakout that some were hoping for, but he was a top-10 tight end this regular season by PFF overall grade (76.6) despite not recording a single game with more than 53 receiving yards. Dawson Knox and Reggie Gilliam have also made their presences felt in big moments for the Bills' offense.
The Eagles and Commanders are in similar boats, featuring one impact tight end with limited depth behind them. The edge was given to the Eagles, as Dallas Goedert beat out Zach Ertz in PFF overall grade this season (69.2 to 64.0).
Offensive Line
1. Eagles
2. Chiefs
3. Bills
4. Commanders
The Eagles coming in at No. 1 should surprise nobody, as they earned PFF’s “Best Offensive Line” award. They feature the best tackle duo in the league, with Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson each finishing as top-10 tackles this season. Mailiata was the highest-graded player at any position this year, posting a 95.4 mark. The interior of the offensive line was also stellar, as each of Landon Dickerson, Mekhi Becton and Cam Jurgens finished in the top 20 at their respective positions. Dickerson ranked as the fourth-best guard.
The Chiefs have arguably the best interior line trio in the league with Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. But with their woes at offensive tackle, they had to do some shuffling. Thuney has since kicked out to left tackle with moderate success. Their inconsistencies outside of their big three could be their undoing, though, as Jawaan Taylor earned a poor 57.4 PFF pass-blocking grade and only Laremy Tunsil had more accepted flags against him.
The Bills don’t have any star offensive linemen but have been a solid unit all season. Four of their five usual starters rank in the top half at their respective positions, with right tackle Spencer Brown grading out the highest (75.3). Connor McGovern successfully moved to center this season, ranking ninth at the position with a 70.7 PFF overall grade.
The Commanders ranked 22nd in team pass-blocking grade and 28th in the run game — and that was before Sam Cosmi tore his ACL against the Lions in the divisional round. They will have their hands full with a vaunted Eagles defensive line, which we’ll get to shortly.
Defensive Line
1. Eagles
2. Bills
3. Chiefs
4. Commanders
Among the Eagles' 10 defensive linemen who played enough snaps to qualify, eight ranked in the top half of their position in PFF overall grade and nine surpassed a 64.0 mark. That kind of efficiency doesn’t come around every day. The Eagles boasted, by far, the highest-graded team defense in the NFL this season (90.6), with the next closest being the Chiefs at 79.7. Philadelphia's 88.0 PFF pass-rushing grade trailed only the Steelers.
Despite being in Year 14, Von Miller hasn’t let off the gas one bit. His 85.3 PFF overall grade ranked 11th in the league. Greg Rousseau formed an excellent counterpart to Miller, as he also put up a high PFF overall grade (82.4). Meanwhile, Ed Oliver took over the middle of the line with his 71.6 mark. All three players recorded PFF pass-rushing grades above 77.0, making the Bills' defensive line quietly one of the more formidable units in the league.
Chris Jones did a lot of the heavy lifting for the Chiefs' defensive line. His 89.9 PFF overall grade trailed only Cam Heyward among interior defenders. After him, though, the rest of Kansas City's front was more or less average. George Karlaftis was the next-highest-graded member, with a 69.3 grade.
On paper, one would think the Commanders would rank much higher on this list. However, a lot of their big-name talent had down seasons. Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen each posted career-low PFF overall grades, while Dorance Armstrong was the unit's highest-graded player, at just 66.5 (though he did sport an impressive 78.6 PFF pass-rushing grade). Couple that with Allen missing a lot of the season due to a torn pectoral, and it becomes clear how this unit had its share of struggles.
Linebacker
1. Commanders
2. Eagles
3. Chiefs
4. Bills
Bobby Wagner continues to deny Father Time, earning an 88.3 PFF overall grade to rank third among linebackers. Frankie Luvu has also been a reliable option for the Commanders, sporting a 65.3 PFF overall grade. Depth may be a concern, though, as Washington‘s other three linebackers have a combined 109 snaps between them.
The top spot here likely would have gone to the Eagles had Nakobe Dean not suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Packers in the wild-card round. Dean had been enjoying a breakout season, firmly entrenching himself into the starting role and earning a 76.6 PFF overall grade that ranked 12th at the position. While Zack Baun graded out as the best linebacker in 2024 (90.2), Dean’s injury leaves a lot of question marks. Oren Burks has played well in limited action, but he’s traditionally been more of a special teams guy. And Jeremiah Trotter Jr hasn’t seen the field much in 2024 as a fifth-round rookie.
Leo Chenal had an impressive breakout season for the Chiefs, registering an 83.6 PFF overall grade that ranked fifth among linebackers. Chenal excelled against the run to the tune of a 90.1 grade in that department, placing him fourth at the position. Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill have both been quality options, as well, ranking in the top half in PFF overall grade.
The only Bills linebacker to put up a PFF grade above 70.0 was Joe Andreessen, at 72.1, yet the hometown rookie played just 116 snaps. Dorian Williams and Terrel Bernard both tallied sub-60.0 PFF overall grades and were particularly poor in coverage, each earning PFF coverage grades below 40.0. With Matt Milano looking healthy for the first time in a long time, this unit could potentially be on the rise.
Secondary
1. Eagles
2. Chiefs
3. Bills
4. Commanders
The Eagles boast a 93.0 team PFF coverage grade — much better than the second-place Chargers’ 87.9 number. Their secondary was thrashed for much of 2023, but new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio helped turn the unit around. Despite the secondary featuring two rookie cornerbacks as starters, both performed admirably. Quinyon Mitchell ranked 16th with a 75.5 PFF overall grade, and Cooper DeJean placed seventh (77.7). Darius Slay has also proven that age is just a number by putting up a 69.9 PFF overall grade despite being 34 years old. The Eagles have also gotten a lot of production out of their safeties, as Reed Blankenship and C.J. Gardner-Johnson each ranked in the top 20 at the position in PFF overall grade.
Despite trading L'Jarius Sneed in the offseason, the Chiefs didn’t miss a beat, earning the third-best team PFF coverage grade (83.9). Trent McDuffi finished the year as PFF’s highest-graded cornerback, with 80.0-plus marks in coverage, in run defense and even as a pass-rusher. Jaylen Watson also performed well, as his 72.6 PFF grade ranked 23rd. At safety, Justin Reid had his best season as Chief, putting up a 75.5 PFF overall grade, while Bryan Cook and rookie fourth-rounder Jaden Hicks also proved to be reliable options.
Cornerback was a strong point for the Bills. Christian Benford graded out as the fifth-best cornerback in the league (79.4), including a 78.8 mark in coverage. While his playing time was reduced, Kaiir Elam quietly put together a solid season, with a 70.2 grade. Taron Johnson was up and down in the slot, as his 61.1 grade attests. Safety was more of a problem for the Bills this season. The only member of the group with a 60.0-plus PFF overall grade was Cam Lewis (65.1). However, Taylor Rapp was outstanding against the run, ranking seventh at the position in PFF run-blocking grade despite otherwise poor marks.
The Commanders‘ secondary doesn’t have much to write home about. Among their regulars, only rookie Mike Sainristil, Jeremy Chinn and mid-season acquisition Marshon Lattimore posted season-long PFF coverage grades above 60.0. Lattimore has been a disappointment since being traded from the Saints at the deadline: Not only has he missed a lot of time due to injury, but he sports just a 47.5 PFF coverage grade since making his Commanders debut in Week 15, including an abysmal showing in the wild-card Round against the Buccaneers (25.9 coverage grade). Of the seven Commanders secondary players to play enough snaps to qualify, three have PFF coverage grades below 50.0. That won’t fly if the team hopes to hoist its first Lombardi Trophy in 33 years.
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