The first eight weeks of the 2025 NFL season have come and gone, with Week 9 effectively serving as the midway point in an 18-week campaign. Now that two months of football have past, providing ample NFL statistics to evaluate, we can highlight the worst starters in the NFL this season.
Let’s dive into our list of the worst NFL starters right now. The NFL stats, collected via Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference, are as of Wednesday, October 29. Of note, we’re focused on starters who are making regular starts and play prominent roles, rather than just focusing on the worst NFL players right now.
QB: Dillon Gabriel, QB, Cleveland Browns
Dillon Gabriel is the worst starting quarterback in the NFL. We understand why the Cleveland Browns are giving him a shot—they invested a third-round pick in him, and Shedeur Sanders evidently hasn’t impressed the coaching staff. What Gabriel has demonstrated on the field so far provides no reason to think he can be a starter in the NFL. Entering Week 9, Gabriel has the lowest On-Target rate (52.1 percent), the third-lowest adjusted net yards per attempt (4.19), the lowest Success rate (34.6 percent), and the worst Completion Percentage over Expectation (-6.2) among all quarterbacks. He puts so many limitations on the Browns’ passing game that it becomes the easiest in the entire NFL to defend.
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RB: Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara wants to end his career with the New Orleans Saints, showing no interest in being traded to a contender. Given his performance this season, finishing his career in New Orleans might be the best way for the 30-year-old’s career to draw to a close. Outside of New Orleans, it might quickly become evident just how bad he’s been this season. Entering Week 9, Kamara had the sixth-lowest average for yards after contact per attempt (1.5), and he’s one of just two running backs with 100-plus carries to have fewer than four broken tackles. On top of that, Kamara ranks 40th in yards created per touch (2.93), and he has one of the lowest breakaway run rates (3.2 percent) in the NFL.
WR: Brian Thomas Jr, Jacksonville Jaguars
The season to forget for Brian Thomas Jr. seemed to begin during Jacksonville Jaguars training camp, when drops and effort seemed to be issues for him. All of that has carried over into the regular season. Heading into Week 9, Thomas has the highest drop rate (16.4 percent) among all wide receivers, dropping nine passes in seven games. Just as alarming, Trevor Lawrence has a 69.1 QB rating when targeting him. It also shows up in his yards per route run (1.55, 53rd in the NFL) and target separation (1.71, 32nd in the NFL), all evidence that he’s been the worst No. 1 receiver in the NFL this season.
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TE: Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders
Father Time comes for everyone and the Washington Commanders have had to depend on Zach Ertz, who turns 35 on Nov. 10, even more because of injuries at wide receiver. It’s part of the reason why his standard stats don’t look quite as bad. However, he can’t create any separation anymore and he offers next to nothing after the catch. On top of that, he’s a complete negative when asked to block.
OL: Charlie Heck, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Unfortunately for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they lost right tackle Luke Goedeke indefinitely to an injury. This has forced Charles Heck to start at right tackle. The journeyman offensive lineman is the only tackle in the NFL to allow 30-plus pressures (32) this season, and he’s surrendered the most hurries (29). It’s a credit to Baker Mayfield and the play-calling that Tampa Bay’s offense is functioning as well as it is amid so many injuries.
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EDGE: Mike Green, Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens traded Odafe Oweh, in part, to open up more snaps for rookie edge rusher Mike Green. Viewed as a first-round talent entering the 2025 NFL Draft, he fell to the 59th overall pick due to multiple allegations of sexual assault. Green’s on-field performance this year has been nothing short of underwhelming. In 303 defensive snaps this season, Green has the third-fewest pressures (eight) among starting edge rushers. He also rates as one of the worst edge defenders versus the run and he’s a disaster on the rare instance he’s asked to drop back in coverage.
LB: Kenneth Murray Jr, Dallas Cowboys
Whatever the Dallas Cowboys were hoping to get out of Kenneth Murray Jr. this season, they likely haven’t gotten it. The former first-round pick entered Week 9 rated as the worst starting linebacker in the NFL, in large part because of his run defense. It’s backed up by a Cowboys defense that has allowed 167.8 rushing yards per game and a 5.6 yards-per-carry average since Week 4. On top of that, Murray has been exploited in coverage to the tune of an 83.3 percent completion rate, 116.9 QB rating, and 282 passing yards allowed on 30 targets.
CB: Christian Benford, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford earned his lucrative $76 million contract extension in March after a breakout season where he, at times, looked like an All-Pro. Unfortunately for Buffalo, he’s been one of the worst NFL starters in 2025. After allowing 21.06 receiving yards per game last year, Benford is surrendering 32.3 yards per game this fall with a 115.4 QB rating allowed in coverage. He’s also tied for the most touchdowns allowed in coverage this season (four), which is the same total he surrendered all of last year. The fall-off has been drastic for Buffalo’s top defensive back, and this defense desperately needs him to turn it around in the second half of the season.
Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2025, Weekly Analysis of all 32 Defenses
