A look at the most underrated for each team in the NFC West, according to PFF.
As the NFL transitions to the quiet part of the offseason where it is dominated online by lists and rankings, we have the opportunity to rate players on rosters around the league.
Who are the stars? Who is underrated?
PFF put together a list of the most underrated player on each team’s roster.
We wrote about their pick for the Arizona Cardinals.
But let’s have a look at the entire NFC West. Who are the most underrated players in the Cardinals’ division?
Williams operated as the Cardinals’ primary slot cornerback in 2024, delivering the second-best PFF coverage grade (83.7) among qualifying cornerbacks in the regular season. He is set to once again man the slot in 2025 after allowing just a 25.9% first-down-plus-touchdown rate in coverage there this past season — tied for the seventh-best mark among 114 qualifying slot cornerbacks.
Williams also let up just 0.67 yards per coverage snap while working out of the slot, which was a top-five mark.
Budda Baker gets all the recognition as the Cardinals’ best defensive player. Williams quietly is not far behind Baker, if at all.
Jackson was a 2021 undrafted free agent, so his emergence as a 1,000-plus-snap player in 2023 probably wasn’t viewed as an ideal path for the Rams, considering past contributors at the position, Andrew Whitworth and Joe Noteboom.
While Jackson had his ups and downs in 2023 as a first-time starter, he really came into his own in 2024, delivering a 78.4 PFF overall grade, which ranked 18th at the position, while leading the team in PFF pass-blocking grade (79.2). He ranked 22nd in PFF pass-blocking grade among all offensive tackles in 2024 while playing more than 1,000 snaps for the second straight season — way more mileage than any team can expect to get out of a former UDFA offensive lineman.
There is perhaps no better way to know how important a player is who doesn’t get much fanfare than when he is not playing. When Jackson missed three games, the Rams lost all three. Against the Cardinals in Week 2, Matthew Stafford was sacked five times.
San Francisco 49ers: WR Jauan Jennings
Jennings came into the 2024 season facing a crowded depth chart in San Francisco, between Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and even 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, not to mention the added target competition of George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey.
Despite all odds, Jennings established himself as a top option on offense, ranking in the top 20 in PFF receiving grade (83.7), receptions (77) and yards per route run (2.26) in the regular season among qualifying wide receivers. Thanks to his most recent season, the former seventh-round pick is now in a prime spot to continue his stellar play in 2025.
When the 49ers re-signed the 2024 restricted free agent to what seemed like a needlessly large contract for two years, no one knew how important he would be with McCaffrey missing most of the season and with Brandon Aiyuk going down with an injury as well. Jennings was both fantastic and consistent.
Love came through with a career year in 2024 as a seemingly perfect fit in Mike MacDonald’s defense, which led to a more complete showing. Love finished sixth at the position in PFF overall grade (81.2) and was one of only two safeties (Kyle Hamilton) to rank in the top 10 in PFF run-defense grade (89.5) and PFF coverage grade (76.1) this past season.
Calling Love underrated when he was a Pro Bowler in 2023 is interesting, but he certainly was solid in 2024.
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