Denver's Nik Bonitto headlines DPOY chatter, with Pat Surtain II endorsing him as a contender. Bonitto leads the league in pressures (27) and quick pressures, has 4.5 sacks, and a 31.4% pressure rate—the best mark for 50+ rushes since 2018. Surtain notes his elite get-off and Broncos' defensive momentum. History shows back-to-back DPOY teammates are rare; Gradishar won in '76, while Donald and Watt have recent consecutive wins, framing Bonitto's rise as a bold bet.

Peak McVay is back in full gusto. After a 27-20 win over the Colts, L.A. sits 3-1 with Stafford slicing defenses, Nacua blossoming into a league-leading receiver, and a swarming, aggressive defense thriving behind Donald and company. The fourth-down mindset and tempo-setter attitude signal a blueprint for a potential dynasty run, especially with a looming Thursday clash vs. San Francisco that will sharpen how fantasy managers ride Nacua, Stafford, and a resurgent Rams attack.

Geno Atkins is among 128 Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees after an 11-season run with Cincinnati. Mike Zimmer calls him a game-changing pioneer for undersized interior tackles, highlighting power, quickness and his impact on the position. Atkins compiled eight Pro Bowls, two All-Pros and 75.5 sacks, stanched by a fourth-round selection, and he’s now the kind of legacy candidate whose influence echoes in how teams value interior disruption.

Aaron Donald’s Pittsburgh roots and Pitt No. 97 retirement loom large as the Panthers host Notre Dame, capping a career that began with NCAA dominance and blossomed into a Rams dynasty. Pitt will honor Donald alongside Hall of Famers, while Donald’sNFL accolades—three DPOYs, nine All-Pros, a 2022 Super Bowl—anchor a legacy that now nods toward a 2029 Hall of Fame berth. His AD99 Foundation and a brutal, memorable Rams workout with Jared Verse round out a career defined by relentless pursuit and leadership.

Dexter Lawrence enters 2025 with a clear path to reaffirm himself as the NFL’s top interior defender after Aaron Donald’s retirement, following a 2024 season cut short by a Thanksgiving elbow injury. The Giants’ front must stay healthy and improve to maximize his disruption, while fantasy managers weigh his upside against his injury history as NYG eyes a return to elite pressure up front.