- Vontae Davis was magical in 2014: The Colts cornerback earned at least a 91.1 grade in both coverage and run defense while establishing PFF history.
- Puka Nacua made history in 2025: Although Nacua fell short of any trophies, he reset the single-season record for overall PFF grade by a wide receiver.
From hotly debated offseason rankings to games themselves, stars drive NFL discourse. Indeed, marveling at players’ unstoppable performances over the regular season and playoffs is what breathes life into pro football action.
In 2025, that included the likes of Matthew Stafford, Myles Garrett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who all earned hardware for their campaigns. Although individual trophies often celebrate the best performances in any given year, it’s tougher to contextualize the foremost season of a larger sample size spanning multiple seasons.
That’s where PFF data and other advanced metrics can come into play. With the 2025 season marking the 20th year of PFF charting, players’ efficacies can be evaluated at a deeper and more consistent level.
Below is the highest-graded individual season at every conventional position since 2006.
Note: A player had to play a qualifying number of snaps in the given season in order to be eligible for this list.
Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (95.1 – 2020)
Given that Rodgers’ 2020 campaign is regarded as one of the best by a quarterback in league history, it isn’t a shock to see him claim the top spot. In that season, the league MVP tossed 49 big-time throws to only 15 turnover-worthy plays — ranking top three in both rate categories. Rodgers’ 81.2% adjusted completion percentage is also the highest since 2019.
Not far behind were Lamar Jackson in 2024 and Tom Brady in 2016, two remarkable campaigns that culminated in a 94.9 overall grade. Brady followed suit a year later with a 94.2 mark in 2017. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees also reached a 94.0 in 2007 and 2018, respectively.
Running Back: Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens (94.1 – 2024)
Henry has carved out a Hall of Fame career, and this is another ledger to add his to his stacked resume. His first season in Baltimore was a legendary one, leading the NFL with a 93.5 PFF rushing grade. Although Saquon Barkley was neck-and-neck for much of the season, Henry eclipsed Barkley in missed tackles forced (87 vs. 80), yards after contact per attempt (3.60 vs. 3.32) and explosive run rate (14.4% vs. 12.6%).
Interestingly, Barkley actually didn’t provide the second-highest-graded season that year alone. That belongs to Bijan Robinson, who produced a 92.8 mark — partially due to his 82.2 PFF receiving grade. Other standouts included Adrian Peterson’s 92.4 grade during his MVP season in 2012, plus Kenneth Walker III’s 91.4 during the Seahawks’ title run last year.
Wide Receiver: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams (96.1 – 2025)
Although Nacua didn’t win Offensive Player of the Year, he had just as good of an (if not a better) argument as Smith-Njigba. His 96.2 PFF receiving grade led the NFL, powered by a monstrous 3.57 yards per route run. The well-rounded Nacua incorporates almost every tool in his kit, including contested catches — of which he caught 63.8% in 2025 to rank third — as well as ability after the catch, forcing a league-high 29 missed tackles.
The last decade has also featured a myriad of other incredible personal receiver seasons, including Julio Jones (93.5) in 2016, Tyreek Hill (93.4) in 2023 and Cooper Kupp (93.0) in 2021. Interestingly enough, some of the best wideouts in pro football history didn’t fare as well in this era. Calvin Johnson maxed out at a 91.2 grade in 2011, while Randy Moss and Terrell Owens never surpassed an 87.2 during their short stints in 2006 or later.
Tight End: George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers (94.4 – 2019)
The race between Kittle and Travis Kelce wasn’t separated by much, but Kittle’s 2019 season edged out Kelce’s 93.8 mark in 2020. Kittle’s third pro campaign featured an astounding 94.3 PFF receiving grade — the best for any skill-position player that year — along with 2.87 yards per route run and a miniscule 2.1% drop rate.
Kittle and Kelce combine for four of the eight highest-graded tight end seasons ever, and Rob Gronkowski is also worth obvious mention. His 92.9 grade in 2011 ranks third, and he also accomplished a 91.3 in both 2014 and 2015. Others inching close were Jason Witten (91.6) in 2007 as well as Mark Andrews (91.5) in 2021.