The most overpaid & underpaid players at every NFL position

The rookie Dart hasn't brought much team success to New York yet, but he's created optimism in the Giants' fan base with his strong play. His cap hit is just over $3 million in 2025.

The Raiders added Smith from Seattle in the offseason, though his impact hasn't been as hoped. The veteran has struggled, leading the league with 13 interceptions through Week 12. His cap hit is more than $40 million, ranking sixth among quarterbacks.

A rookie seventh-round pick, Croskey-Merritt was the talk of training camp and has emerged as Washington's starting back. His cap hit is only about $870,000 this season.

A foot injury has prevented Mixon from taking the field in 2025 after a strong first season in Houston. His cap hit is the fourth most at his position at more than $9.4 million.

Rice missed the start of the season due to a suspension, but has made up for lost time with 42 catches for 486 yards and five touchdowns in only six games. The third-year wideout's cap hit is just over $1.35 million.

Injuries have plagued wideouts at the top of the wideout chain this season, as Ridley, Tyreek Hill, and Mike Evans have all missed significant time. Ridley is tops in the league with a cap hit of more than $28 million, and he didn't have a significant impact even before his injury with only 17 catches for 303 yards and no scores in seven games.

Gadsden has been a great find for the Chargers as a fifth-round pick, with 37 catches for 507 yards and two scores in his first nine career games. His cap hit is only about $938,000.

Knox contributes as both a pass catcher and blocker, but his cap hit of more than $14.5 million exceeds his role. He has only 16 catches for 195 yards and one score this season, and didn't make it to 40 catches in either of the last two years.

The 32nd overall pick in this year's draft, Simmons has emerged as a strong protector of Patrick Mahomes' blindside this season. His cap hit is under $2.7 million.

Opposite Simmons is Taylor at right tackle, who is a generally stable pass blocker but is also penalized often. He has the highest cap hit of any tackle in football at nearly $27.4 million.

While he's missed time, Avila has emerged as a quality starter in his third season with the Rams. The former third-round pick has a cap hit of about $2.5 million.

Hunt was placed on injured reserve after Week 2 with a torn biceps. The veteran has the second-highest cap hit among guards at $21.65 million.

Bortolini has emerged as an excellent starting center for the Colts in his second NFL season. The former fourth-round pick has a cap hit for the Colts under $1.2 million.

Cushenberry has shown better health this season after missing most of 2024, but he's found some struggles on the field. He has the second-highest cap hit among centers at nearly $14.3 million.

Ezeiruaku has been a big contributor at a much-needed spot for Dallas this season after the team traded Micah Parsons. The rookie second-round pick has 30 tackles and two sacks. His cap hit is only about $1.85 million.

After missing all of last season due to injury, Koonce has struggled to bounce back this year. He has only two sacks and 20 tackles through 11 games, playing somewhat limited snaps. His cap hit is over $10 million.

Playing next to star Jalen Carter, Ojomo has emerged in his third NFL season. He has four sacks and 28 tackles in 12 games, though his cap him is only about $1 million.

Baltimore's defense has taken a big step back this season due in part to Madubuike's serious neck injury. His cap hit is very significant at nearly $16.5 million.

Verse has been a star since he stepped on the field as a rookie for the Rams last season. After winning Defensive Rookie of the Year last season, he has six sacks in 11 games. His cap hit remains under $3.5 million.

Reddick hoped to revitalize his career this season in Tampa, but it hasn't worked out with only 1.5 sacks through Week 12. His cap hit for the Bucs is nearly $13.2 million.

McDuffie is an unsung hero for the Packers strong defense, with big tackle numbers since 2023. He has 66 tackles in 12 games this season, but his cap hit is over $3 million.

Milano has been plagued by injuries since making the Pro Bowl in 2022. He played a combined nine games over the last two seasons and has struggled with injuries again this year. His cap hit ranks seventh among inside linebackers at nearly $12.2 million.

The much-maligned Bengals defense has seen some strong contributions in certain areas. Turner has played at an elite level in his third year, leading the league with 16 passes defensed and adding two interceptions. His cap hit of $1.7 million is very affordable.

The Titans signed Sneed to a huge contract after acquiring him from Kansas City last year, but he's missed most games over that time due to injuries. His cap hit of more than $22.5 million is the most in the league at cornerback by a wide margin.

Kinchens is another terrific find from the 2024 draft for the Rams, emerging as a key defensive player. He has 55 tackles and two interceptions through his first 11 games, but his cap hit remains under $1.3 million.

Smith has been a key defensive player for the Vikings since 2012, but age has started to take its toll this season. He's missed time and allowed a completion rate of over 80% in coverage. Smith's cap hit is sixth highest at safety, coming in at more than $9.9 million.