The Cleveland Browns are on their second starting quarterback of the season, yet the results are the same.

Dillon Gabriel was named the starter entering Week 5 to replace Joe Flacco, who was sent to the Cincinnati Bengals. The third-round pick has struggled in his four starts, completing less than 60% of his passes for 683 yards.

Gabriel’s most recent outing came in a 32-13 loss to the New England Patriots this past weekend, and he now has the same number of starts Flacco had when he was removed from the starting lineup.

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There is another quarterback waiting in the wings in Cleveland, and that’s Shedeur Sanders, who has been embattled since falling from a possible top-five overall pick to barely becoming a top-five round selection.

But the Browns are 2-6 with no bright future in sight, leading Cleveland radio host Ken Carman to go scorched earth and call for Sanders, the Colorado alum, to start.

“You got four blowouts in an NFL season. It’s not even Halloween, we have four blowouts in an NFL season… That’s insanity!” Carman said on his show on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, on Sept. 28, 2025. (David Reginek/Imagn Images)

LANE KIFFIN GETS LAST LAUGH ON OKLAHOMA PLAYER AFTER OLE MISS EARNS GRITTY ROAD VICTORY

“I can’t believe I’m saying that — I think there is some guys that definitely care inside the locker room. It’s just, it can’t happen. Either the offense is inept or you’ve put yourself in a bad situation. Either way, you gotta be just moving on from all of it. There ain’t nothing I’m gonna be able to do this season. I don’t know what’s gonna happen this offseason. You know what? Just, I might as well have a chance to have a little bit of fun. If [Sanders’] back isn’t locked up and he doesn’t need a back-iotomy, just put him out there, for the love of Christ! Just put him out there and let’s see! Give me a good effort for a week and let’s see what he can do.”

After Gabriel was named the starter, it took a few more days for head coach Kevin Stefanski to commit to Sanders as the backup, but he got the job.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) celebrates his touchdown pass against the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)

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Brian Kelly came to LSU in late 2021 with a clear and realistic purpose: to win a national championship.

His three predecessors as Tigers coach — Ed Orgeron, Les Miles and Nick Saban — all led LSU to titles by the end of their fourth full seasons on the job. Kelly had more impressive credentials than any — yes, even Saban — when he came to Baton Rouge, as the winningest coach in Notre Dame history, a two-time Division II national champion at Grand Valley State and a two-time AP National Coach of the Year.

Kelly brought his bold and brash style to the bayou and immediately had success, winning an SEC West Division title in his first season, and 10 games in each of his first two years. But he didn’t make the CFP in his first three seasons, and when his much-anticipated fourth veered after three losses in four games, LSU quickly pulled the plug.

A 49-25 home loss to Texas A&M in which the Tiger Stadium stands had emptied by the fourth quarter, followed by a contentious Sunday of meetings, led to Kelly’s ouster. He briefly addressed the team Sunday night, before driving away from the football operations building and Tiger Stadium for the last time.

How did it go so wrong so quickly for Kelly at LSU? He generated reactions from the moment he arrived, beginning with his “here with my fam-u-lee” speech at a Tigers basketball game. But whatever barbs came his way, Kelly still could stand on a track record of winning big … until he couldn’t.

ESPN reporters Mark Schlabach, Max Olson and Adam Rittenberg examined the reasons Kelly ultimately didn’t work out at LSU.

CEO approach not effective in hands-on SEC

Those who worked with Kelly at both Notre Dame and LSU described him as a true CEO-style head coach. He typically hired strong staffs, especially at Notre Dame with defensive coordinators Mike Elko, Clark Lea and Marcus Freeman — all in sequence — and let them do their work. Kelly always received outsized attention for his sideline reactions to bad moments, but few who have worked with him described him as overly mettlesome.

When Kelly entered his third decade as a head coach, he became less hands-on with the day-to-day operation, according to sources with knowledge of the program. Kelly operated the program somewhat from a distance, handling the media and the public-facing elements. “That’s his M.O.,” one former staff member said.

The approach ultimately cost him in a conference like the SEC, where head coaches don’t just oversee the operation, but recruit maniacally, interface regularly with everyone who touches their teams and grind until the wee hours of the morning just about year-round. There’s no letup in a conference with so many championship-minded programs, and Kelly fell behind.

A CEO approach can work at many programs, some of which will jump at the chance to hire a coach with Kelly’s credentials. But LSU ultimately needed a different style. — Rittenberg

Couldn’t crack the coordinator code

Kelly never could find the right mix of coordinators, especially after offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock departed after the 2023 season to take the same position at Notre Dame. Denbrock helped quarterback Jayden Daniels win a Heisman Trophy in 2023, when the Tigers led the SEC in scoring with 45.5 points per game.

The only problem was that LSU’s defense, led by former Kansas City Chiefs linebackers coach Matt House, struggled to stop opponents. The Tigers went 10-3 in 2023, giving up 42 points or more in each of their three losses. They ranked next-to-last in the SEC in scoring defense (28 points) and run defense (161 yards).

Kelly fired House and three other defensive assistants after the 2023 season, and LSU plucked defensive coordinator Blake Baker from Missouri, giving him a three-year contract that made him the highest-paid assistant in the FBS at $2.5 million per season.

With the LSU defense seemingly in good hands, Kelly promoted quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan to co-offensive coordinator and playcaller. It proved to be a fatal mistake. The Tigers were last in the SEC in rushing (116.4 yards) in 2024, and were even worse this season, averaging 106.3 rushing yards and 25.5 points. Sloan was relieved of his coaching duties Monday, the school announced. — Schlabach

Never seemed to fit in

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Stephen A. calls out LSU AD after Brian Kelly firing

Stephen A. Smith reflects on Brian Kelly’s LSU tenure and calls out athletic director Scott Woodward over the large buyouts for Kelly and Jimbo Fisher.

There’s an old Cajun saying about family, “Tout le monde est cousin ic,” which means, “Everybody’s kin around here.” Unless you aren’t — and try too hard to prove you belong.

Kelly was a fantastic football coach at Grand Valley State, Cincinnati and Notre Dame. He went to LSU because he wanted to coach at a place that had the recruiting base, financial resources and football-crazed fans that would help him win a national title.

From his disastrous introductory speech at an LSU basketball game, in which he pronounced “family” with a fake Southern drawl that was thicker than roux, Kelly just never seemed to fit in.

And he wasn’t blind to that. This offseason, Kelly worked with a Washington, D.C.-based image consultant to try to improve his public persona.

The problem wasn’t that Kelly was from Massachusetts and had never coached at a school outside the Midwest. Saban was from West Virginia and had never worked at a school or NFL team in the Deep South before taking over LSU. But Saban was authentic and true to his roots and didn’t try to hide what he was — a demanding perfectionist who finally turned the Tigers into champions again after a title drought of 45 years.

On Saturday, Kelly even seemed to fall out of favor with Gov. Jeff Landry, who in the wake of the Texas A&M loss trolled LSU on social media about raising football ticket prices for 2026. Landry was then right in the middle of the discussions that led to the school separating from Kelly, according to a source close to the situation.

In the end, Kelly didn’t win enough and tried too hard to prove to LSU fans that he was one of them. — Schlabach/Rittenberg

Portal haul raised expectations

LSU set out to build the best transfer portal class in college football this offseason, believing the roster was a few missing players away from title contention. After losing incoming freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood to Michigan, the coaching staff was determined to go out and win big in December when the portal opened.

One program source told ESPN in February they were confident LSU had assembled the No. 1 portal class in the country, and they saw little room for debate. “I don’t think it’s particularly close,” the source added. LSU asked top donors for seven-figure gifts to support this portal push. The Tigers went out and signed who they coveted. And then they started 5-3.

The moral of the story: If you’re shoving all-in and spending at an elite level in this new era, you better produce results.

LSU didn’t whiff on a much-hyped portal class that has yielded 11 new starters. Mansoor Delane is enjoying an All-America caliber season at cornerback, A.J. Haulcy has been one of the SEC’s top safeties and the Tigers’ efforts to overhaul their secondary have paid off. Defensive tackle Bernard Gooden has been a difference-maker up front when healthy.

Eight games in, though, most of these additions have been more solid than spectacular. Barion Brown and Nic Anderson were considered two of the top wide receivers in the portal but haven’t transformed LSU’s passing attack. Brown has a team-high 36 catches, but his 60 receiving yards against Texas A&M were his most against a Power 4 opponent this season. Anderson has 10 catches for 74 yards. The Tigers’ offensive line has struggled despite the additions of veteran starters Braelin Moore and Josh Thompson.

The larger point here is similar to what played out at Penn State: If you’re a head coach asking supporters to break the bank for a special season and underdeliver on the final product, they’ll turn on you quickly.

LSU wanted to compete with the best with an $18 million football roster after trailing behind many SEC peers in the NIL collective era. When you have a potential first-round pick at quarterback leading a roster full of blue-chip high school and portal talent, the reasonable expectation is College Football Playoff or bust. Kelly understood and embraced that going into 2025, but he couldn’t live up to it. — Olson

The race for Lane Kiffin

Florida firing Billy Napier or Penn State dismissing James Franklin didn’t have much to do with LSU’s decision to cut ties with Kelly. It was a partnership that wasn’t working, and LSU’s influential decision-makers had seen enough.

Unless the Tigers are trying to jump to the front of the line for Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, who has a 51-19 record in his sixth season with the Rebels.

But right now, Kiffin is in a great spot personally. His children and ex-wife are living in Oxford, Mississippi, and his brother, Chris, is his defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for defense.

That said, can Kiffin win a national title at Ole Miss? He has relied heavily on the transfer portal in building his rosters the past couple of seasons, and that puts a lot of pressure on the coaching staff to continuously turn over a roster.

Taking a job like LSU would put Kiffin on equal playing ground with SEC powers Alabama, Georgia and Texas. He could build his roster through Louisiana’s fertile high school recruiting ground and supplement it with transfers to fill needs.

LSU is probably a better job than Florida for those reasons, and the Tigers aren’t having to battle in-state rivals for the best prospects. — Schlabach

Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season was filled with dominant wins, as it featured the first Sunday slate with one or zero games decided by single digits since Dec. 20, 1970, per ESPN Research. That one matchup happened to be the Jets’ first victory of the season, in which they overcame a 14-point deficit with less than eight minutes remaining against the Bengals. Week 8 concluded with the Chiefs handling the Commanders on “Monday Night Football.”

How do all of these teams fit in our updated Power Rankings? We restacked the NFL heading into Week 9, which includes byes for four teams (Browns, Buccaneers, Eagles and Jets). In addition to the 1-32 rankings, our NFL Nation reporters picked the best offseason addition from each roster. They chose from 2025 draft picks, free agent signings, trade acquisitions or coach hirings. Who has made the most impact so far?

Let’s get into it with our No. 1 team, which is different from last week. 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.

Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

Week 8 result: Beat the Titans 38-14
Week 8 ranking: 2

Best offseason addition: QB Daniel Jones

The one-year deal for Jones was characterized as competition for Anthony Richardson Sr. in the spring. In the end, it turned out to be so much more. Jones’ decision-making has helped the Colts become No. 1 in the NFL in yards per game (385.3), yards per play (6.5) and points per game (33.8). He is second behind the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott in QBR (79.3) and is completing a career-best 71.2% of his pass attempts. — Stephen Holder

Week 8 result: Bye
Week 8 ranking: 1

Best offseason addition: RG Tate Ratledge

After losing Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow (retirement) and veteran guard Kevin Zeitler (signed with the Titans), the Lions drafted Ratledge in the second round to help navigate those offseason departures. He has started in all seven games at right guard next to All-Pro tackle Penei Sewell, and Detroit hasn’t missed a beat with the third-most points per game in the NFL (30.7). Detroit was forced to replace 40% of an offensive line that was on the field for the second-most points and touchdowns of any five-man unit in the NFL last season, per ESPN Research. — Eric Woodyard

Week 8 result: Beat the Giants 38-20
Week 8 ranking: 3

Best offseason addition: LB Jihaad Campbell

The first-round pick out of Alabama has been a contributor in Vic Fangio’s defense from the jump. Campbell has played 87% of the snaps with 45 tackles, eight QB pressures and an interception. His role shifted when Nakobe Dean recently returned from a knee injury, moving from starting inside linebacker to more of a hybrid edge player. That has come with a learning curve, but Campbell’s versatility is already proving valuable. — Tim McManus

Week 8 result: Beat the Panthers 40-9
Week 8 ranking: 6

Best offseason addition: DT Deone Walker

The fourth-round pick has turned into a valuable player for the Bills, especially given the injuries that have hit their defensive tackle position. Playing time for Walker and other defensive rookies isn’t a surprise, but he has started six games and played 51.7% of defensive plays. He is tied for the team high in tackles for loss (seven) with Ed Oliver and is third leaguewide in run stop rate (8.2%). Since Oliver is out indefinitely with a torn left biceps, the Bills will need Walker to continue stepping up. — Alaina Getzenberg

Week 8 result: Beat the Saints 23-3
Week 8 ranking: 4

Best offseason addition: WR Emeka Egbuka

The No. 19 pick has been slowed by a hamstring injury while playing when the team has been without its other top three receivers (Mike Evans, Chris Godwin Jr. and Jalen McMillan). But Egbuka’s 562 receiving yards are seventh most in the league, and all five of his touchdown grabs (tied for eighth most) came in the first five games. The rookie put together his best performance in Week 5 against the Seahawks, catching all seven of his targets for 163 yards and a touchdown. — Jenna Laine

Week 8 result: Beat the Commanders 28-7
Week 8 ranking: 7

Best offseason addition: LT Josh Simmons

Although Simmons has been away from the team since Oct. 12 because of a family situation, the first-round pick has shown he can be the Chiefs’ franchise left tackle for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In five games, Simmons was exceptional in pass protection, allowing the Chiefs’ offense to be functional. When he returns, he could develop into a Pro Bowler. A qualified second candidate is left tackle Jaylon Moore, a four-year veteran who has played well in Simmons’ absence. — Nate Taylor

Week 8 result: Beat the Steelers 35-25
Week 8 ranking: 8

Best offseason addition: DE Micah Parsons

Parsons has been everything the Packers had hoped for — and perhaps even more — when they traded away two first-round picks plus Kenny Clark before giving Parsons a $188 million contract. Parsons not only leads the NFL in pressures (33), he has helped free up Rashan Gary (who leads the Packers with 7.5 sacks) and bring an overall energy to the Packers’ defense. Green Bay ranks sixth in the NFL in yards allowed per game (289.4). — Rob Demovsky

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Does the road to the Super Bowl go through the Packers?

Alex Smith, Adam Schefter and Rex Ryan discuss the Packers’ young roster and their chances of reaching the Super Bowl.

Week 8 result: Bye
Week 8 ranking: 5

Best offseason addition: WR Davante Adams

The Rams retooled their receivers room this offseason, adding the veteran on a two-year, $46 million deal to pair with Puka Nacua. While Adams and quarterback Matthew Stafford have said building chemistry with a new teammate takes time, that growth showed up in the Rams’ last game before their bye. Against the Jaguars in Week 7, Adams had his most productive performance of the season with three touchdown catches in London. — Sarah Barshop

Week 8 result: Beat the Cowboys 44-24
Week 8 ranking: 11

Best offseason addition: RB J.K. Dobbins

After getting four touchdowns from rookies on Sunday, the long-term answer here could be different. But right now, fifth-year ball carrier Dobbins is third in the league at 79.3 rushing yards per game and second only to the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor in runs of at least 10 yards. Dobbins is the first Broncos running back with two 100-yard rushing games in a season since Melvin Gordon had three in 2021. And with his reliability as a pass protector and a receiver, Dobbins has checked every box. — Jeff Legwold

Week 8 result: Beat the Browns 32-13
Week 8 ranking: 12

Best offseason addition: HC Mike Vrabel

When Vrabel was hired in January as the 16th head coach in franchise history, he said: “I want to galvanize our football team. I want to galvanize this building. I want to galvanize our fans.” Consider it all galvanized. The Patriots are off to their best start since 2019; Vrabel’s clear focus on team identity and goals have resonated throughout the organization. The Pats play with “effort and finish,” as Vrabel said, and are ahead of schedule on their first goal of competing for the AFC East title, as they hold a half-game lead over the Bills. — Mike Reiss

Week 8 result: Bye
Week 8 ranking: 9

Best offseason addition: QB Sam Darnold

You could come up with a long list of home run additions that general manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald made this past offseason, including offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and rookie left guard Grey Zabel. But when a team changes quarterbacks and gets the kind of play that Darnold has given Seattle, he’s the easy choice. Signed to a three-year, $100.5 million deal after the Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Raiders, Darnold ranks sixth in Total QBR, and he’s showing that his brilliant season with the Vikings was no one-year wonder. — Brady Henderson

Week 8 result: Lost to the Texans 26-15
Week 8 ranking: 10

Best offseason addition: DC Robert Saleh

Take it from San Francisco tight end George Kittle, who has said all year that Saleh has been the Niners’ biggest addition. Through eight games, Saleh has had to earn every penny with a revamped defense that has lost star linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) and end Nick Bosa (ACL) to season-ending injuries. It hasn’t been perfect, as there is still a lack of pass rush and interceptions, but Saleh’s defense is eighth best in points allowed (20.5). It would be no surprise if Saleh is again a strong candidate in the next head coaching cycle. — Nick Wagoner

Week 8 result: Lost to the Packers 35-25
Week 8 ranking: 13

Best offseason addition: QB Aaron Rodgers

Of all the uncharacteristic offseason acquisitions, Rodgers, perhaps the most controversial addition, has been the Steelers’ most reliable. At 41 years old and two years removed from an Achilles tear, it was unclear exactly what he had left in the tank. Rodgers, though, has been a steadying leader for the offense, and he has shown flashes of vintage moves by extending the play, breaking the pocket and firing deep balls downfield. But he isn’t a cure-all for the Steelers’ offense, which converted just 1-of-10 third-down opportunities against the Packers. — Brooke Pryor

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Rex Ryan: Steelers’ defense got old

Rex Ryan, Alex Smith and Adam Schefter discuss the Steelers’ struggling defense and how it could be detrimental to their season.

Week 8 result: Beat the Vikings 37-10
Week 8 ranking: 15

Best offseason addition: WR Keenan Allen

Allen is only technically an addition. He spent his first 11 seasons with the Chargers but was traded to Chicago for a fourth-round pick after a contract dispute prior to the 2024 season. He returned to the Bolts in early August, and he has been quarterback Justin Herbert‘s favorite target. Allen is first in the team in yards (479), receptions (48) and targets (70). He has earned the nickname “third-and-Keenan” from teammates, as he has the fifth-most first-down receptions in the NFL (31). — Kris Rhim

Week 8 result: Bye
Week 8 ranking: 17

Best offseason addition: WR/CB Travis Hunter

He’s arguably the Jaguars’ best receiver and cornerback already. Coach Liam Coen also is making it a priority to call more plays where Hunter is the No. 1 option on offense. He leads the team with 28 catches and is coming off his first 100-yard game (eight catches, 101 yards and a score against the Rams). Hunter has three pass breakups in limited work on defense, including one on third down against Davante Adams. — Mike DiRocco

Week 8 result: Lost to the Ravens 30-16
Week 8 ranking: 14

Best offseason addition: HC Ben Johnson

The Bears are a competent, well-coached football team under Johnson. The results aren’t always there, as red zone efficiency and penalties continue to be a problem. But Chicago put together a four-game win streak, and it has buy-in that feels different than other seasons. Johnson has preached accountability, which he has demonstrated in his honest reflection on decisions and calls that didn’t work. That’s a breath of fresh air as the culture shifts inside Halas Hall. — Courtney Cronin

Week 8 result: Beat the 49ers 26-15
Week 8 ranking: 21

Best offseason addition: RB Woody Marks

The fourth-round pick has been a nice addition to the offense. Marks is boom or bust at times, but when he booms, he shows explosiveness and dynamic ability in the running and passing games. He has had three catches for over 20 yards this season. The rookie out of USC has been a nice complementary player to Nick Chubb, who is more of a bruiser on early downs. Marks leads the Texans in scrimmage yards with 379. — DJ Bien-Aime

Week 8 result: Lost to the Broncos 44-24
Week 8 ranking: 16

Best offseason addition: RB Javonte Williams

Nobody could have predicted Williams would be on pace for a 1,345-yard, 17-touchdown season when the Cowboys signed him to a one-year deal. Yet, here he is. Williams has shown the ability to break some long runs and pick up the dirty yards. How he holds up over the course of the season with the usage he has so far (on track for a career-high 264 carries) will be of interest. But if teams want to play their safeties deep to defend wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, then the Cowboys will continue to feed Williams. — Todd Archer

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Stephen A. to Jerry Jones: ‘You’ve got to try something’ to fix the defense

Stephen A. Smith urges Jerry Jones to strengthen the Cowboys’ defense to go along with their strong offense.

Week 8 result: Lost to the Bills 40-9
Week 8 ranking: 18

Best offseason addition: RB Rico Dowdle

Over a two-game stretch when Chuba Hubbard was injured, Dowdle set a franchise record with 473 scrimmage yards and Carolina went 2-0. For the season, the former Cowboys running back has a team-leading 551 rushing yards to go with 121 receiving yards. While the Panthers are now splitting series between Hubbard and Dowdle, the latter clearly has made more impactful plays. — David Newton

Week 8 result: Lost to the Chiefs 28-7
Week 8 ranking: 19

Best offseason addition: LT Laremy Tunsil

Washington traded away four picks, including a 2025 third-rounder and a second-rounder in 2026, to Houston for Tunsil and a fourth-round pick. He has provided the Commanders with their best tackle play since Trent Williams in 2018. Tunsil is credited with allowing three sacks, though one of those came on a play that took 3.7 seconds. Regardless, he came at a premium cost, and he is worthy of an extension with one year left on his deal, even at age 31. “I would definitely want Laremy to be my bodyguard,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said after Week 1. That remains true two months later, though a hamstring injury suffered Monday will need to be monitored. — John Keim

Week 8 result: Lost to the Chargers 37-10
Week 8 ranking: 22

Best offseason addition: RB Jordan Mason

Acquired via trade from the 49ers, Mason has proved to be a powerful and resourceful runner. He is averaging 2.02 yards after contact per carry, part of the reason his first-down rate is 28.4%, which is 11th best in the NFL and by far the highest for a Vikings running back since coach Kevin O’Connell arrived in 2022. Mason’s four rushing touchdowns might seem modest, but they are only one short of what Aaron Jones Sr. produced in all of 2024. — Kevin Seifert

Week 8 result: Beat the Bears 30-16
Week 8 ranking: 26

Best offseason addition: K Tyler Loop

The Ravens took a risk by going with a sixth-round pick to replace Justin Tucker, the NFL’s most accurate kicker at the time when Baltimore cut him amid accusations of sexual misconduct. But Loop has exceeded expectations so far, making 12 of 13 field goals (92.3%). His only miss was from 55 yards. In comparison, Tucker was 12-of-15 (80%) in his first seven games last season, which ended up as the worst of his career. Loop has struggled at times on kickoffs, and he has missed an extra point, but he has been an upgrade over Tucker on field goals to this point. — Jamison Hensley

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Schefter: NFL to investigate Lamar Jackson’s injury status

Adam Schefter tells Pat McAfee that the Ravens will likely face some punishment over the Lamar Jackon injury report issue.

Week 8 result: Lost to the Jets 39-38
Week 8 ranking: 23

Best offseason addition: TE Noah Fant

Fant was a late addition to the Bengals’ roster because of the injuries they were dealing with at the position. But he has been a valuable asset for their offense, especially given the injury to starting quarterback Joe Burrow. Fant has 23 catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns. With Mike Gesicki on injured reserve (pectoral injury), Fant has become a very important player for Cincinnati. — Ben Baby

Week 8 result: Bye
Week 8 ranking: 24

Best offseason addition: Edge Josh Sweat

Backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett has a strong case. But since Arizona lost in both of his starts, Sweat becomes the best offseason acquisition. Sweat has made an instant impact on Arizona’s defense, which has kept the Cardinals in a number of games while the offense has struggled. He has five sacks, two forced fumbles and a batted pass. More importantly, Sweat is one of the focal points for opposing offensive coordinators to game-plan around, which opens the pass rush for everyone else. — Josh Weinfuss

Week 8 result: Beat the Falcons 34-10
Week 8 ranking: 30

Best offseason addition: CB Rasul Douglas

Douglas signed with the Dolphins just before the regular season and was thrust into a starting role after an injury to Storm Duck in Week 1. Now that he has had two months to digest Miami’s playbook, Douglas has stabilized the position for a defense that desperately needed it. He has been the Fins’ most targeted defensive back but has allowed only one touchdown this season — on a play in which Jets wideout Garrett Wilson had less than a yard of separation when the pass arrived. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Week 8 result: Lost to the Dolphins 34-10
Week 8 ranking: 20

Best offseason addition: S Xavier Watts

Watts has been such a good complement to Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III that Bates has said the rookie out of Notre Dame reminds him of a younger version of himself. Watts has two interceptions and four pass breakups. He was named an NFC Defensive Player of the Week in September. Watts has been a key figure for a Falcons defense that has allowed the second-fewest yards per game (275.6) in the league. So far, he has looked like a steal as a third-round pick. — Marc Raimondi

Week 8 result: Lost to the Patriots 32-13
Week 8 ranking: 25

Best offseason addition: DT Maliek Collins

The Browns signed Collins to a two-year, $20 million deal this offseason. The 30-year-old lineman has been a perfect fit, taking advantage of the one-on-one opportunities afforded him while star pass rusher Myles Garrett faces double-teams. Collins ranks 10th in the league in pass rush win rate at defensive tackle (12.4%), and his 3.5 sacks are second most on the Browns. He also has been a valuable mentor for young players such as No. 5 pick Mason Graham. — Daniel Oyefusi

Week 8 result: Lost to the Eagles 38-20
Week 8 ranking: 27

Best offseason addition: QB Jaxson Dart

The rookie quarterback has impressed despite being 2-3 as a starter. He has injected life into a listless Giants offense that had trouble scoring the previous two-plus seasons. It’s more than just Dart’s arm. Perhaps most impressive has been his ability to avoid sacks and use his legs. Dart joined Cam Newton this week as the only quarterbacks since 1950 to have a passing and rushing touchdown in four of their first five career starts, per ESPN Research. — Jordan Raanan

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Rich Eisen: Cam Skattebo’s ankle injury is a bummer

Rich Eisen reacts to Giants running back Cam Skattebo’s season-ending ankle injury.

Week 8 result: Bye
Week 8 ranking: 29

Best offseason addition: CB Eric Stokes

Stokes, who signed a one-year deal with Las Vegas in the offseason, has been fairly solid as a starter. In 221 coverage snaps, Stokes has allowed 11 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown on 21 targets. He has given up a passer rating of 93.6 and a completion rate of 52.4%. “He’s just a steady player… Very athletic [and] smart,” Raiders defensive backs coach Joe Woods said. “He hasn’t made a lot of plays on the ball because there haven’t been a lot of opportunities coming his way. But at the same time, he hasn’t given up a lot of plays.” — Ryan McFadden

Week 8 result: Lost to the Buccaneers 23-3
Week 8 ranking: 28

Best offseason addition: S Jonas Sanker

The rookie third-round pick had to fill in almost immediately after Julian Blackmon suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the Saints’ Week 1 loss to the Cardinals. Sanker has been a solid addition to a team that has struggled; he has registered one interception, one fumble recovery and 38 total tackles in seven starts. Sanker’s 27 solo tackles are the most by any rookie defensive back this season. — Katherine Terrell

Week 8 result: Beat the Bengals 39-38
Week 8 ranking: 32

Best offseason addition: RT Armand Membou

Drafted with the No. 7 pick, Membou assumed a starting role in OTAs, and he hasn’t looked back while playing every offensive snap. He is excelling as a run blocker, ranking seventh out of 63 qualified tackles in run block win rate. Membou has had some hiccups in pass protection (39th in pass block win rate), but he hasn’t looked out of place. He is a steady rookie with a high ceiling. — Rich Cimini

Week 8 result: Lost to the Colts 38-14
Week 8 ranking: 31

Best offseason addition: WR Chimere Dike

Dike has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for the Titans. The 2025 fourth-round pick leads the league in all-purpose yards, thanks in large part to an NFL-high 991 return yards. Without top receiver Calvin Ridley (hamstring) for the past two weeks, Dike has led the team in receiving yards. His seven receptions for 93 yards against the Colts were both career highs. He and quarterback Cam Ward have spent increased time together in the film room to improve their chemistry. — Turron Davenport