Gaffney's 2025 NFL Week 5 Team of the Week

The complexion of the NFL continues to change by the week, and that is especially true in the AFC, with the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Cincinnati Bengals struggling to gain momentum. Nine total teams in the conference sit under .500, compared to just four in the NFC, which has several legitimately good teams, and their players make up a good chunk of our Week 5 Team of the Week squads.

Gaffney's 2025 NFL Week 5 Team of the Week (First-Team)

Offense: Baker Mayfield (QB, TB), Andrew Thomas (OL, NYG), Rico Dowdle (RB, CAR), Stefon Diggs (Pass Catcher, NE)

I don't know how the Tampa Bay Bucs keep winning games like this, but by god, they keep the beat going one way or another, and Baker Mayfield is playing out of his mind in clutch spots save for one pick vs. Philly. Seattle is one of the best pressure teams in the league, and Mayfield, who's dealt with an egregious amount of pressure through five weeks, went into Seattle and dropped season-highs in yards, passer rating, EPA, and EPA per drop-back, completing nearly 90 PERCENT of his passes. Demon behavior, and that's not even getting into his pre- and post-game trash talk with an individual Seahawks fan.

Another pair of guys hard not to be impressed with after Week 5 are Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas and Panthers backup running back Rico Dowdle. After missing the first couple of games this year, Thomas has been a brick wall, allowing not even a single pressure against any of the Chiefs, Chargers, and now the Saints. As for Dowdle, he became the first back to crack the 200-yard barrier this year, and put up a league high (tied) six runs of 10-plus yards, and added his 28 receiving yards into the mix, his scrimmage yard total was 234 yards at nine yards per touch on the dot and a touchdown. The Dolphins' run defense is what it is, but the Panthers couldn't have dreamed of a better day on the ground with Chuba Hubbard out of the lineup if they tried.

I mentioned this in my Patriots recap from yesterday, but channeling hate into something more productive can lead to great things, and that's exactly what Stefon Diggs did in his return to Buffalo. Even as a guy who isn't an every-down receiver in New England still, he put up 10 grabs for 146 yards, abusing the Bills' corners frequently and making the most of his frequent YAC opportunities. You could certainly make the argument that Emeka Egbuka should've been here, but situation and circumstance do help out Diggs' case here for first-team. He was absolutely unreal.

Defense: Jeffrey Simmons (IDL, TEN), Nik Bonitto (EDGE, DEN), Devin Lloyd (LB, JAX), Marcus Jones (DB, NE)

You'll typically find some of, if not the most #unethical offensive double teams in the league coming against one Jeffery Simmons of the Titans, and he was a big reason as to why the Titans pulled off that big comeback win over the Cardinals. If he wasn't getting pressure, he was absolutely eating double teams and taking that Emari Demercado fumble run out; he helped keep the Cardinals' run game grounded at south of 3.5 yards per carry. Not quite a DPOY front-runner just yet, but put him in the dark horse section through five weeks.

Speaking of DPOY, my pick five weeks in would be either one of these next two members of our Week 5 first-team: Nik Bonitto or Devin Lloyd. Bonitto continued his career year with a pair of huge second-half sacks, maintaining his league lead in both sacks and pressures. Better yet, his Broncos became the first team to beat the Eagles in Philadelphia in over a full season. Meanwhile, Llyod continues his reign as the top outright pass defender in the NFL per EPA per pass and PFF grading, and has the play of the year in his back pocket now: a 99-yard pick-six of Patrick Mahomes.

Rookies: Emeka Egbuka (WR, TB) and Abdul Carter (EDGE, NYG)

Emeka Egbuka is just a certified stud at this point, but I'm at the point where I think I'm going to come here every week and say I feel horrible for Abdul Carter for the fact that the sack production isn't there for him, and not reflecting how disruptive he's been. Once again, he was top five in the NFL in pressures, quick pressures, and led the NFL with a 25% pressure rate (among those with 20 or more pass rush snaps). I don't know when, but the market correction game, where he somehow gets 4.5 sacks, is coming. We're just delaying the inevitable at this point. Just Carter, Will Anderson, and the aforementioned Bonitto have hit 14 quick pressures and at least 25 total pressures so far this year.

Gaffney's 2025 NFL Week 5 Team of the Week (Second-Team)

Offense: Drake Maye (QB, NE), Tyler Steen (OL, PHI), Jacory Croskey-Merrit [R] (RB, WSH), Kendrick Bourne (Pass Catcher, SF)

Defense: Malik Collins (IDL, CLE), Aidan Hutchinson (EDGE, DET), Jack Campbell (LB, DET), Will Johnson [R] (DB, ARI)

Rookies: Quinshon Judkins (RB, CLE) and Trey Amos (DB, WSH)

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