Every NFL Team's Most Disappointing Player So Far This Season

That period of eternal optimism most NFL fans experience in the late summer? It's long gone. 

At this point in the season, every team has encountered some disappointment in terms of player performance. 

Here's a rundown of the biggest disappointments on each squad as we approach midseason. 

AFC East

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Greg Rousseau

Buffalo Bills: Edge Greg Rousseau

The highest-paid defensive player on the roster has just 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits in six games. He beats out Matt Milano, who simply can't stay healthy. Bills fans should be used to that by now.

Miami Dolphins: QB Tua Tagovailoa

The sixth-highest-paid quarterback in the league is again not coming close to getting it done. He's tied for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions, and his play has fallen off an even steeper cliff without Tyreek Hill.

New England Patriots: RB Rhamondre Stevenson

The handsomely-paid veteran has fumbled three times in seven games while ranking 39th among 44 qualified backs with just 3.6 yards per carry. 

New York Jets: QB Justin Fields

Just six starts into his run with the Jets, Fields has already lost his starting job. He has been horrendously inconsistent and unreliable, with just seven completed passes 15-plus yards downfield all season thus far.

AFC North

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Jerry Jeudy

Baltimore Ravens: Edge Odafe Oweh

Oweh broke out with 10 sacks in 2024, but he didn't register a single quarterback takedown in five games before the team essentially gave up and traded him to the Chargers.

Cincinnati Bengals: CB Cam Taylor-Britt

The 2022 second-round pick intercepted seven passes with promising improvements as a cover man in 2023 and 2024, but he has regressed significantly in 2025. Opposing quarterbacks have a ridiculous 147.6 passer rating when throwing in his direction.

Cleveland Browns: WR Jerry Jeudy

The 2024 Pro Bowler has yet to score a touchdown in seven games and is on pace for just 624 yards. That would mark the worst healthy season of the 26-year-old's career.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Edge T.J. Watt

Those hoping the superstar would get back into the 20-sack range after an 11.5-sack down year in 2024 have to be let down by the fact that he's got just four sacks and one forced fumble thus far. His 78.3 Pro Football Focus grade is his worst since 2019.

AFC South

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Trevor Lawrence

Houston Texans: QB C.J. Stroud

It's continued disappointment for the 2023 rookie sensation. His rate-based numbers have risen slightly from his sophomore slump campaign, but it's generally been mediocre across the board while the 2-4 Texans have a bottom-12 scoring offense.

Indianapolis Colts: Edge Samson Ebukam

There were high hopes for the veteran coming back from a lost season due to an Achilles injury. He did have 9.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2023, but he's got just two with no forced fumbles thus far and now he's hurt again.

Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Trevor Lawrence

Lawrence's 80.6 passer rating is actually his worst since his rookie season. It's become ridiculous for the fourth-highest-paid player in the sport. 

Tennessee Titans: WR Calvin Ridley

The veteran has just 16 catches and six games and has yet to score. He's dropped four passes and has caught fewer than half of the throws he's been targeted on. No help to rookie Cam Ward.

AFC West

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Ladd McConkey

Denver Broncos: CB Jahdae Barron

Patrick Surtain II has set the bar seriously high for first-round cornerbacks in Denver, and it's too early to become concerned here. That said, the rookie No. 20 overall pick has yet to earn a major role and has played just a quarter of the team's defensive snaps. He's got the fifth-lowest defensive PFF grade on the team.

Kansas City Chiefs: OT Jawaan Taylor

The most penalized offensive lineman in the NFL this season (eight), Taylor's PFF grade ranks 48th among 58 qualified offensive tackles despite his $20 million salary. 

Las Vegas Raiders: QB Geno Smith

It's obviously disappointing that Brock Bowers has yet to score in his sophomore season, but a knee injury is a factor there. Also, his expensive new quarterback has seven touchdown passes to a tied-for-league-high 10 interceptions. The experiment has failed. 

Los Angeles Chargers: WR Ladd McConkey

After averaging 10.3 yards per target during a promising rookie season, that rate for McConkey plummeted 6.6 through Week 7. He caught 73.2 percent of the passes thrown his way in 2024, but that rate sunk to 63.8.

NFC East

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Saquon Barkley

Dallas Cowboys: CB Trevon Diggs

Opposing quarterbacks have a 148.7 passer rating when throwing into Diggs' coverage. Additionally, he's allowed three touchdowns and has yet to intercept a pass. Not ideal considering his $19.4 million salary. 

New York Giants: CB Deonte Banks

Russell Wilson is too easy, and his downfall has at least led to Jaxson Dart. But with Banks struggling again in limited playing time this season, it's time to give up hope on the 2023 first-round pick. 

Philadelphia Eagles: RB Saquon Barkley

The 2024 Offensive Player of the Year has fallen off a cliff. He's yet to hit 100 yards in a game, and his yards-per-attempt average has dropped from 5.8 to 3.3. This dramatic decline raises questions about his performance.

Washington Commanders: QB Jayden Daniels

The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year has also fallen in 2025. It's not quite "sophomore slump" territory just yet, but his completion rate is down eight points and his QBR has sunk by more than 16. Knee and hamstring injuries have been a big factor, though.  

NFC North

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J.J. McCarthy

Chicago Bears: G Jonah Jackson

A key free-agent addition as part of Chicago's 2025 offensive-line overhaul, Jackson has been penalized four times while posting a sub-60 PFF grade thus far. 

Detroit Lions: CB Terrion Arnold

Frankly, the Lions likely hoped for more from each of their last two first-round picks this year, as both Arnold and Tyleik Williams continue to underwhelm. But Arnold is a year further along, and he's been assaulted in coverage when healthy as a sophomore. 

Green Bay Packers: CB Nate Hobbs

Fresh off signing a four-year, $48 million contract in the 2025 offseason, the veteran has surrendered a 121.4 passer rating in coverage and has yet to make an impact play. 

Minnesota Vikings: QB J.J. McCarthy

I try not to hit injured guys too hard here, but it's no doubt extremely disappointing that McCarthy has been sidelined again this season. His 67.2 passer rating when healthy is the clincher.

NFC South

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Alvin Kamara

Atlanta Falcons: QB Michael Penix Jr.

By no means can we call Penix a bust yet, but the sophomore first-round pick's bad-throw rate of 25 percent is the worst among qualified passers, and he has just five touchdown passes in six games. 

Carolina Panthers: RB Chuba Hubbard

Coming off an 1,195-yard, 10-touchdown campaign, the 26-year-old has averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and has yet to rush for a touchdown. As a result, Rico Dowdle has become the guy in the Carolina backfield. 

New Orleans Saints: RB Alvin Kamara

The five-time Pro Bowler has seen his yards-per-attempt average drop from 4.2 in 2024 to 3.6 in 2025, and he's found the end zone just once in seven games. He may be reaching the end at the age of 30. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: RB Bucky Irving

After averaging 5.4 yards per rush as a rookie, Irving has seen that number decline to 3.3 in 2025. Only one qualified back is below that. He's also yet to score a rushing touchdown.

NFC West

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray

The franchise quarterback has again been mediocre far more often than not, and now he's injured once more. On top of that, he's been outplayed by backup Jacoby Brissett. Wouldn't fault anyone for losing hope here.

Los Angeles Rams: WR Tutu Atwell

Atwell has caught four total passes in six games. Outside of an 88-yard touchdown in Week 4, he's been a ghost, albeit with a hamstring injury playing a role. 

San Francisco 49ers: RB Christian McCaffrey

While the three-time Pro Bowler has at least remained healthy as the rest of the roster crumbles, he's averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry. That said, he carried the team to victory in Week 7. Again, I'm just trying to avoid going after injured guys, but Brandon Aiyuk would also be an acceptable answer here.

Seattle Seahawks: RB Zach Charbonnet

The 2023 second-round pick ranks dead-last with an awful 2.8 yards per carry for a Seattle team that is clearly shifting its focus to Kenneth Walker III in the offensive backfield.