There are a ton of talented players in the AFC West, and ahead of the 2025 NFL Season, we ranked the very best.
The AFC West may honestly turn into the best division in football. In 2024, the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos all made the playoffs and won double-digit games. Both LA and Denver got noticeably better on paper, as some have said that Denver is now the biggest threat to KC in the west.
This could be an ultra-competitive division with the three top teams vying for that division title, something the Chiefs have won every year since 2016. Let's power rank the best players in the AFC West.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking the best players in the AFC West for 2025
7. Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers
Already a two-time Pro Bowler in his first four seasons with the Chargers, Rashawn Slater is a top LT in the NFL and is surely going to sign an extension with the team. Slater is set to play in his age-26 season and is only entering his prime.
6. Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos
Arguably the top guard in the NFL, Quinn Meinerz really hit his stride in the 2024 NFL Season, earning first-team All-Pro honors and starting all 17 games. Meinerz has started every game over the last two seasons for the Broncos.
5. Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs
A two-time Super Bowl champion with three Pro Bowls, Creed Humphrey has not missed a regular season start in his career and is simply the gold standard at the center position. The offensive line often does not get as much attention since they aren't playing a highlight-type of position like running back or wide receiver, but Humphrey is a top player in the NFL, let alone the AFC West.
4. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Through five years in the NFL, Justin Herbert seems to have hit a clear ceiling thus far, but he's still a good player. Herbert has been to the postseason twice in his career and is honestly always efficient, but the bigger question with Herbert is whether or not this team is going to eventually be able to go on a Super Bowl run with him under center.
3. Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
A four-time Pro Bowler, Maxx Crosby did not miss a game in his first five years in the NFL, but did miss five games in 2024. In his six years in the NFL, Crosby has 59.5 sacks, 105 tackles for loss, and 144 QB hits, so he's built quite the career for himself thus far.
2. Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos
A three-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, and now a defensive player of the year, Patrick Surtain II is only entering his age-25 season but has emerged as a top player in the NFL. He's missed just two games across four seasons while adding 11 interceptions, 47 passes defended, and an opposing passer rating of 73.4 when in coverage.
Surtain is just excellent and a huge reason why the Denver Broncos defense is as good as it is.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes production may have dipped a bit over the last two seasons, but that doesn't change this ranking. A three-time Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Famer, Mahomes is an all-time great. Over the last two seasons, Mahomes has thrown for 53 touchdowns and 25 interceptions for a 'so-so' 93 passer rating.
Despite this, the Chiefs have been atop the NFL and have made the Super Bowl in three-straight seasons. Mahomes has been the starter since 2018, and the Chiefs have won double-digit games in each year of the Mahomes era. This is an obvious ranking.