Eli Manning, Marshawn Lynch, lead 2025 Hall of Fame nominees

Wed Sep 18 3:31pm ET
Field Level Media

Giants quarterback Eli Manning and few other familiar Super Bowl performers are among 167 modern-day nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

Running back Marshawn Lynch, kicker Adam Vinatieri, defensive end Terrell Suggs and late wide receiver Demaryius Thomas are among first-year nominees with Lombardi Trophy resumes. That list also includes offensive tackle Joe Staley, safety Earl Thomas, center Ryan Kalil and tight end Vernon Davis.

In an evolved process, the 2025 selection protocol changed to include a committee assigned to "screen" the larger list of modern-day candidates to 50 finalists over the next month. From there, the 50-person Hall of Fame Selection Committee trims the list to 25 semifinalists and a second vote narrows the pool to 15 finalists. The committee debates the merits of the finalists and selects the new class to be introduced one day prior to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in February.

Players are required to be five full seasons from their last game to be eligible for nomination, meaning anyone who last played during the 2019 season is eligible for the first time in the 2025 class.

Multiple finalists from the 2024 Hall of Fame class are nominated again, including wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Torry Holt, pass rusher Jared Allen, offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans, running back Fred Taylor and defensive backs Eric Allen and Darren Woodson.

Manning is one of 10 quarterbacks nominated for the 2025 class. Late Titans quarterback Steve McNair, former Eagles and Vikings quarterback Randall Cunningham and Tony Romo (Cowboys) are repeat nominees.

A two-time Super Bowl winner and the No. 1 pick in 2004, Manning played 16 seasons in the NFL with the New York Giants. He was MVP of both Super Bowl wins and he played 236 regular-season games (234 starts) with the Giants, who acquired the Ole Miss product in a draft-day trade -- from the Chargers for No. 4 pick Philip Rivers. Manning beat the Patriots in Super Bowls XLII -- New England was 18-0 -- and XLVI with fourth-quarter drives to take the lead. Manning is one of 21 quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl without losing one.

Older brother Peyton Manning was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021. Former Eli Manning teammate Tiki Barber is a 2025 nominee also bidding to join his brother in Canton. Barber was a running back with the Giants and is the twin of longtime Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber, who was a member of the 2023 Hall of Fame Class.

The running back nominees include Shaun Alexander (Seahawks), Jamal Lewis (Ravens), Clinton Portis (Washington, Broncos), Corey Dillon (Bengals, Patriots) and Thomas Jones (Jets, Bears). Adrian Peterson, who retired in 2021, and Frank Gore, are not yet eligible. Gore is fifth on the NFL's all-time rushing list with 16,000 yards in a career that spanned five teams from 2005-2020 and Peterson is No. 5 on the list (14,918).

Lynch was known as "Beast Mode" for his powerful running style. He retired for the first time in 2015 due to injuries, then returned to play for his then-hometown Oakland Raiders in 2017. After another retirement, Lynch returned to join the Seattle Seahawks for the last game of the regular season and playoffs. A first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2007, he joined the Seahawks in 2010. He had 10,413 rushing yards and 94 touchdowns and played a starring role with the Seahawks in two Super Bowls. Lynch was a member of Seattle's Super Bowl-winning team (XLVIII) in his fourth season with the team.

Barber is narrowly ahead of Lynch on the NFL's all-time rushing list -- with 10,449 yards -- and one of 31 backs with more than 10,000 career rushing yards. Sixteen are in the Hall of Fame. Former McNair teammate and longtime Titans running back Eddie George is between Barber and Lynch on the NFL's all-time rushing list and one of 31 running backs nominated.

Vinatieri played 24 seasons in the NFL with the Patriots and Colts. Undrafted in 1996, Vinatieri would become synonymous with playoff success on Bill Belichick-coached teams, winning four Super Bowl (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLI). He signed with Indianapolis following the 2005 season to help Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and quarterback Peyton Manning win the Super Bowl with the Colts in February 2007.

A number of other players tied to the Patriots dynasty are nominees, including Vince Wilfork, Mike Vrabel, Logan Mankins, Willie McGinest and 2024 finalist Rodney Harrison.

Vinatieri retired in 2019 after 24 seasons as the NFL's all-time leading scorer (2,673 points) and holding league records for field goals made (599), postseason points (238) and field goals made in overtime (12).

Previous Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt and Vinatieri special teams teammate in Indianapolis, punter Pat McAfee, are 2025 nominees.

A two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, Thomas was Peyton Manning's lead receiver when the Broncos claimed Super Bowl 50 over the Carolina Panthers in 2016. Thomas caught 63 touchdowns in his career and totaled 9,763 receiving yards in his career which included part of the 2018 season with the Houston Texans and short stints with the Patriots and Jets in 2019. He died at age 33 in 2021.

2025 MODERN-DAY NOMINEES

* - 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist

QUARTERBACKS (10): Marc Bulger, Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Doug Flutie, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Eli Manning, Steve McNair, Tony Romo

RUNNING BACKS (31): Shaun Alexander, Terry Allen, Jamal Anderson, Tiki Barber, Larry Centers (FB), Jamaal Charles, Stephen Davis, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Charlie Garner, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Thomas Jones, John Kuhn (FB), Vonta Leach, Dorsey Levens, Jamal Lewis, Marshawn Lynch, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), Glyn Milburn (also WR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Clinton Portis, Tony Richardson (FB), Robert Smith, Darren Sproles (also PR/KR), Fred Taylor*, Chris Warren, Ricky Watters, Ricky Williams

WIDE RECEIVERS (21): Anquan Boldin, Donald Driver, Antonio Freeman, Irving Fryar, Torry Holt*, Joe Horn, Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Derrick Mason, Herman Moore, Muhsin Muhammad, Jordy Nelson, Andre Rison, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Demaryius Thomas, Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne*, Wes Welker, Roddy White

TIGHT ENDS (6): Ben Coates, Vernon Davis, Antonio Gates, Jeremy Shockey, *Delanie Walker, Wesley Walls

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (26): Willie Anderson* (T), Bruce Armstrong (T/G), Matt Birk (C), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans* (G), Travis Frederick (C), Jordan Gross (T), Ryan Kalil (C), Lincoln Kennedy (T), Olin Kreutz (C), T.J. Lang (G/T), Nick Mangold (C), Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Mark Schlereth (G/C), Josh Sitton (G), Chris Snee (G), Joe Staley (T), Dave Szott (G), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G), Marshal Yanda (G)

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (18): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen* (DE), La'Roi Glover (DT/NT), Casey Hampton (DT/NT), Robert Mathis (DE), Chester McGlockton (DT), Haloti Ngata (DT), Simeon Rice (DE), Clyde Simmons (DE/DT), Justin Smith (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Henry Thomas (DT/NT), Justin Tuck (DE), Ted Washington (NT/DT), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Jamal Williams (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT), Pat Williams (DT)

LINEBACKERS (20): Jessie Armstead, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Keith Brooking, NaVorro Bowman, Tedy Bruschi, Donnie Edwards, James Farrior, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Willie McGinest (also DE), Ken Norton Jr., Julian Peterson, Bill Romanowski, Takeo Spikes, Terrell Suggs, Mike Vrabel, Lee Woodall

DEFENSIVE BACKS (18): Eric Allen* (CB), Eric Berry (DB), Antoine Bethea (S), Dré Bly (DB), Kam Chancellor (S), Nick Collins (DB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), DeAngelo Hall (DB), Rodney Harrison* (S), Eugene Robinson (DB), Samari Rolle (DB), Allen Rossum (DB), Bob Sanders (S), Aqib Talib (CB), Earl Thomas (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Darren Woodson* (S)

PUNTERS/KICKERS (15): David Akers (K), Gary Anderson (K), Darren Bennett (P), Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Jason Hanson (K), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Shane Lechler (P), Pat McAfee (P), Brian Moorman (P), Matt Stover (K), Matt Turk (P), Mike Vanderjagt (K), Adam Vinatieri (K)

SPECIAL TEAMS (2): Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB)

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Player Notes
Zamir White Oct 4 2:50pm ET
Zamir White

Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White (groin) is currently considered doubtful to suit up for the Week 5 matchup against the Denver Broncos. White was limited on Wednesday and didn't suit up for practice at all on Thursday. The Raiders already said fellow back Alexander Mattison was going to get increased reps this week. Now, Mattison could be the lead back with White unlikely to play. Mattison did a nice job last week as he rushed for 60 yards on five carries. He won't get an easy task against the Broncos defense, but increased snaps should help his value. He should be considered a low-end flex option, assuming White is unable to play.

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Cole Kmet Oct 4 2:40pm ET
Cole Kmet

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet (knee) has been removed from the injury report ahead of the Week 5 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Kmet popped up on the injury report on Wednesday as a limited participant. However, Kmet has been removed now after getting in back-to-back full practice sessions. Kmet has 18 receptions for 162 yards and one touchdown through four games. A bulk of his stats came from one game, which makes him a shaky weekly option. He should be on the TE2 radar for this Week 5 contest.

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Romeo Doubs Oct 4 2:30pm ET
Romeo Doubs

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (personal) was absent for the second straight practice on Friday. Doubs remains away from the team due to a personal matter. Head coach Matt LaFleur said the organization is hopeful to get Doubs back in time for Sunday's game. If not, Bo Melton could be asked to take on a bigger role with the Packers already shorthanded at wideout. Melton hauled in one of his three targets for 28 yards last week. Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks figure to benefit the most in the receiving game.

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David Njoku Oct 4 2:20pm ET
David Njoku

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (ankle) is considered questionable for the Week 5 matchup against the Washington Commanders. Njoku has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury during the season opener. He returned to practice last week, but was ultimately ruled out for Week 4. Njoku practiced on Wednesday and appears to be headed in the right direction. If active, Njoku should be considered a low-end TE1 for Week 5. Otherwise, Jordan Akins figures to make another start, but he was held to one reception on two targets last week. Akins doesn't offer much upside right now, so fantasy managers should look elsewhere for help if Njoku is sidelined again.

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Aaron Rodgers Oct 4 2:20pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (knee) has been removed from the injury report ahead of the Week 5 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. The veteran signal-caller sat out of Wednesday's practice, but returned to the field on Thursday and Friday. That being said, Rodgers will be fine heading into their matchup in London. This isn't an ideal matchup for the Jets against a tough Vikings defense that is allowing less than 15 points per game. Rodgers will be on the lower end of the QB2 radar for this weekend.

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Deshaun Watson Oct 4 2:13pm ET
Deshaun Watson

Dynasty | Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 19-of-24 passes for 180 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against Atlanta. Dynasty Analysis: With 11 touchdowns, two interceptions, and 1,164 passing yards through four weeks, it's clear Mayfield's resurgence last year was no fluke. He's in complete control of the offense and is a QB1 option moving forward. While his age (29) dampens his dynasty value, he's turning into more than just a streaming option. You simply have to wonder just how much the Browns regret moving on from Mayfield in favor of an expensive and ineffective Deshaun Watson.

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Rachaad White Oct 4 2:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Bucs running back Bucky Irving had 44 rushing yards, two catches and 12 receiving yards in a loss against Atlanta. Dynasty Analysis: #timeshare. With Rachaad White (66 yards on 13 touches), this has officially turned into a 50/50 timeshare with the two running backs. Irving clearly has more juice, but White has also been effective at times this season. This looks like great news for the Bucs, but a frustrating development in dynasty leagues. At this point, each of these runners is a Flex play at best unless the other misses time. Irving is a solid dynasty hold at the moment.

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Mike Evans Oct 4 2:13pm ET
Mike Evans

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Kirk Cousins Oct 4 2:13pm ET
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Kirk Cousins Oct 4 2:13pm ET
Kirk Cousins

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Darnell Mooney Oct 4 2:13pm ET
Darnell Mooney

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Tyler Allgeier Oct 4 2:13pm ET
Tyler Allgeier

Dynasty | Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 61 rushing yards, three catches and 16 receiving yards in a win against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: The line itself isn't horrible. However, when you consider the Falcons scored 36 points and Tyler Allgeier had another nine touches (Robinson had 15), anger starts to set in for dynasty managers. It's clear at this point Robinson is just not going to be used as the engine of the Falcons offense and simply one of many options. With just 285 rushing yards (on 4.3 yards per carry), 18 catches, 151 receiving yards and one lone touchdown on the year, this is shaping up to be another pedestrian year for a player many hoped would become a truly elite RB1 this season. Robinson's dynasty star is going to start fading soon.

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Kirk Cousins Oct 4 2:13pm ET
Kirk Cousins

Dynasty | Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts had seven catches for 88 yards in a win against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: It only took Kirk Cousins throwing the ball 58 times (and posting the 15th highest single-game passing yardage total in league history) to unlock the potential of Pitts. Even with all that, Drake London and Darnell Mooney still had 29 targets combined to lead the way, compared to the eight for Pitts. While this was a good bounce-back, he still seems to be a secondary option in an offense seemingly determined to fail to get two of their best players (Pitts and Bijan Robinson) the football. Pitts is still a TE1 in dynasty leagues, but that's more because of the inconsistency of the position than his own usage rate.

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Jaylen Warren Oct 4 2:00pm ET
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (knee) has been ruled out for the second week in a row for Sunday night's contest against the visiting Dallas Cowboys, according to sources. With Warren out again, the Steelers will look to Aaron Shampklin and Jonathan Ward as RB depth behind starter Najee Harris. Even while working in tandem with Harris, Warren was a weekly RB3/flex option for fantasy managers last year. That hasn't been the case so far in 2024 with dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields running the offense. In the three games that Warren has played, he has only 14 carries for 54 yards (career-low 3.9 yards per tote) while catching all five of his targets for only 28 yards. Warren is still rostered in just over 50% of Yahoo leagues, but he obviously belongs on benches yet again in Week 5. With Warren out for the second week in a row, Harris should see plenty of volume in a good matchup, making him a solid RB2 in fantasy.

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Anthony Richardson Oct 4 1:40pm ET
Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (abdomen, oblique) is in pads and practicing for the third time this week on Friday. However, The Athletic's James Boyd reports that veteran Joe Flacco is taking most, if not all, of the first-team repetitions in practice as Richardson stands behind Flacco to watch him throw. Richardson was relieved by Flacco in the Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. The 22-year-old's injury isn't believed to be serious, but perhaps they let Flacco make the Week 5 start against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday. Either way, Richardson has fallen to low-end QB1/high-end QB2 territory after a disappointing start to his sophomore season in which he leads the league with six interceptions thrown. Check back for Richardson's final Week 5 status going into Sunday's game. The Colts will also be without star running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) this week.

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Nick Chubb Oct 4 1:40pm ET
Nick Chubb

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (knee) has officially been ruled out for the Week 5 contest versus the Washington Commanders as he continues to work his way back from a devastating left-knee injury he suffered in Week 2 of 2023. Chubb returned to practice for the first time this year on Wednesday and is being eased back into action. There really isn't a firm timetable for when the 28-year-old might make his 2024 debut, and the Browns could use the full 21-day window to make sure Chubb is fully up to speed before working him back into the backfield on game days. Fantasy managers should have Chubb stashed in all formats, but there's no guarantee he'll return for a Week 6 tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles. In the meantime, Jerome Ford will continue to operate as Cleveland's lead back, with D'Onta Foreman being sprinkled in as a change-of-pace option.

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Tyler Lockett Oct 4 1:30pm ET
Tyler Lockett

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (thigh) finds himself in the flex conversation once again in Week 5. Lockett has earned at least seven targets in three of four games this season and that volume will keep him fantasy relevant. Unfortunately, Lockett has only cleared 61 yards in one game. He also has yet to score a touchdown after scoring at an incredibly high clip earlier in his career. However, Lockett is still a trusted safety valve for quarterback Geno Smith and will see his fair share of targets even with the emergence of second-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Lockett enters a matchup with a New York Giants team that has lost several playmakers in the defensive backfield in recent years. The Seahawks should have no trouble moving up and down the field against this team which could give Lockett his first chance to score this season.

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Noah Fant Oct 4 1:30pm ET
Noah Fant

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (toe) continues to stay off the fantasy radar. After a big Week 3 in which Fant caught six passes for 60 yards, he was back to his usual two catches per game in Week 4. Fant is far from his days in Denver when he was a high-end fantasy starter. He is far more necessary to the Seahawks offense than he is to fantasy teams. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb focuses more on his talented group of wide receivers than Fant, and rightfully so. If you have an extra roster spot than Fant may be worth a stash, but you should not even think about starting him until he proves any kind of fantasy worth.

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Geno Smith Oct 4 1:30pm ET
Geno Smith

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith is a solid play at quarterback in Week 5. He is coming off a game in which he threw for 395 yards and a touchdown. A late interception dampened the day, but the output was huge. Smith has thrown for exactly one touchdown in all four games this season. This Seahawks offense feels like it is on the cusp of an explosion which could come in Week 5. Smith should have a chance to finally break through with a multiple-touchdown game. He should also push for 250 or more passing yards. Smith has been serviceable all year which is evidenced by his current standing as the QB9 in fantasy. If you need a bye-week fill-in for Jalen Hurts or Jared Goff, or you have an underperforming starter such as Patrick Mahomes, then Smith is a fine option to deploy.

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T.J. Hockenson Oct 4 1:30pm ET
T.J. Hockenson

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said that tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) was limited in his return to practice on Friday, but he has been ruled out for Week 5 against the New York Jets and will not come off the Physically Unable to Perform list just yet. The Vikings opened Hockenson's 21-day practice window on Friday, but he'll have to wait until at least Week 7 against the Detroit Lions -- the Vikings have their bye in Week 6 -- before potentially making his 2024 debut. We'll have a better idea in a few weeks of whether the 27-year-old will be able to return in Week 7 by his practice participation. Hockenson deserves to be stashed in all fantasy formats and should have TE1 utility when he's back in a Vikings offense that has looked great under quarterback Sam Darnold so far in 2024. Until Hockenson returns, fantasy managers can continue to ignore Johnny Mundt.

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