Best 20 players on NFL championship Sunday: Is Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes No. 1?

19. Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie

Kansas City didn't skip a beat defensively after trading L'Jarius Sneed to the Titans during the offseason. McDuffie has been instrumental in keeping the secondary afloat by allowing just 140 yards after the catch on 54 receptions (h/t Pro Football Focus).

18. Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell

A Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist, Mitchell — who is expected to play Sunday after suffering a shoulder injury in the divisional round — has been an excellent outside corner for the Eagles. Per PFF data, Mitchell is tied with veteran cornerback Darius "Big Play" Slay for a team-high 16 forced incompletions and has only allowed 43 receptions on 77 targets, a completion rate of 55.8 percent.

18. Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith

The 2020 Heisman winner has been quiet through the first two rounds, nabbing eight receptions for 76 yards against the Packers and Rams. Smith is still one of the best offensive playmakers remaining, ranking ninth in ESPN Analytics' wide receiver ratings.

16. Bills cornerback Christian Benford

Benford is one of the league's more underrated defensive backs but was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday because of a concussion. In 17 games (including postseason), Benford has two interceptions and 10 passes defended and has allowed 37 receptions, 396 yards and two touchdowns.

15. Chiefs offensive lineman Joe Thuney

In Week 15, the nine-year veteran shifted from left guard to left tackle after entering the season with only 81 career snaps at left tackle. He has held up well, providing stability for what could have been a disaster.

14. Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown

Brown has had plenty of time to read during the Eagles' 2-0 playoff start, recording just three receptions on 10 targets for 24 yards. Still, he's one of the best wideouts in the playoffs, and with 13 receptions, 162 yards and a touchdown against the Commanders this season, he could be in line for a breakout performance.

13. Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata

Mailata is crucial for Philadelphia's outstanding offensive line, which is sixth in ESPN's pass-block win rate rankings and ninth in run-block win rate. Per PFF, Mailata has only allowed one sack and 17 total pressures this season, and ESPN ranks him 14th among all offensive tackles in pass-block win rate (92 percent).

12. Eagles linebacker Zack Baun

Baun is one of the year's best stories, going from primarily a special teams player with the Saints to a first-team All-Pro linebacker in Philadelphia. During the regular season, he had 151 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles as Philadelphia finished the season ranked first in total defense.

11. Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter

The second-year pro had his first multi-sack playoff game (two) in the divisional round against the Rams and also deflected two passes and forced a fumble. According to PFF data, Carter leads the Eagles with 65 pressures (including postseason).

10. Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner

The future Hall of Famer, in his 13th season, is the backbone of Washington's defense. The 34-year-old former Seahawk leads the Commanders with 132 tackles, and he's also an excellent run defender, posting the sixth-lowest missed tackle rate this season on run plays among 56 linebackers with at least 250 run-defense snaps (h/t PFF).

9. Chiefs center Creed Humphrey

Humphrey has never missed a game since being selected in the second round (No. 63 overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft and was named first-team All-Pro for the first time this season. He's the league's best center, allowing no sacks and getting flagged for a penalty only once this season.

8. Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin

It's hard not to feel good for McLaurin, who suffered through dismal seasons in Washington to get to this point. McLaurin had his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving  season in 2024 (1,096) and scored a career-high 13 touchdowns. He has continued his excellence in the playoffs with 11 receptions and 176 yards receiving.

7. Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson

Johnson is an all-around asset for the Eagles, equally dominant in pass- and run-blocking situations. Per PFF data, he hasn't allowed a sack this season, and running back Saquon Barkley averaged 5.4 yards per carry off right tackle.

6. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce

The all-time playoff receptions leader comes through when Kansas City needs him most. After a down regular season in which Kelce gained his fewest receiving yards in a full season (823), the four-time first-team All-Pro had 117 yards receiving in the divisional-round win over the Houston Texans, his ninth 100-yard playoff game, breaking a tie with Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice for the most 100-yard postseason games in NFL history (h/t Stathead).

5. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels

Daniels looked like anything but a rookie in leading Washington to its first conference championship game since 1991 by outdueling Lions quarterback Jared Goff, an MVP finalist, in the divisional round. He already has four fourth-quarter comebacks. Daniels threw for 3,568 yards and rushed for 891 during the regular season.

4. Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones

Jones was named first-team All-Pro for the third consecutive season in 2024. He ranked first in ESPN's pass-rush win rate among defensive tackles despite being double-teamed on a staggering 70 percent of his snaps, which also frees up other defenders to win manageable one-on-one matchups.

3. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley

Barkley joined retired former Saints quarterback Drew Brees as arguably the two best offensive free agents in league history after his monster regular season. The 2018 Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year, a finalist for MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, rushed for a career-high 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns and has followed that with 51 carries, 324 yards (6.4 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns in two playoff games.

2. Bills quarterback Josh Allen

Allen has been one of the league's best quarterbacks for years, but he moved up a notch this season with better ball protection. His 1.2 interception rate is the lowest of his career, and ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky noted that Buffalo's 12 turnover-free games are "the most by any team ... since that stat was tracked in 1933."

1. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes

Mahomes makes the impossible look effortless, such as his touchdown pass to Kelce while falling against the Houston Texans in the divisional round.

Seeking to become the first team to threepeat as Super Bowl champions, Kansas City has the perfect quarterback to do what's never been done.