Week 4 kicked off with fireworks, from the Seattle Seahawks stunning the Arizona Cardinals to the Pittsburgh Steelers edging the Minnesota Vikings 24-21 in Dublin, the season’s second international showdown. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn’t crack the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, while the New York Giants found new life in rookie starter Jaxson Dart, securing their first win. Excitement and upsets, this week has been unpredictable in the best way possible. And through it all, these 10 players turned heads with their electric and, simply spectacular performance.

Top 5 defensive players in Week 4

1. Cedric Gray-linebacker, Tennessee Titans

Gray had a career-high in tackles during the Tennessee Titans’ 26-0 upset, recording the most by a Tennessee defender since safety Daryl Worley posted 17 at Washington on Dec. 1, 2024. The North Carolina product also registered the highest tackle total by any NFL defender in a single game this season, 17. He added a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit.

 2. Tuli Tuipulotu-linebacker, Chargers

In the absence of linebacker Khalil Mack (arm injury), Tuipulotu has stepped up in a major role for the defense. He did it once again in Week 4. He recorded his third sack of Dart in the first half alone, with the final one resulting in a 3-yard loss. He had 4 sacks with 10 tackles and 4 solo.

3. Patrick Queen-linebacker, Steelers

Steelers linebacker Queen opened the game with a blitzing sack on Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz, forcing the team to settle for a field goal on their first drive. Queen went on to finish with 11 total tackles (8 solo), 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss, 2 passes defended, and 2 quarterback hits.

4. Kam Curl- safety, Rams

Los Angeles Rams safety Curl intercepted Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones in Week 4 of the 2025 season and added another pick later in the game. He finished with nine total tackles (tied for the team lead) and three passes defended.

5. TJ Watt-linebacker, Steelers

After a string of underwhelming performances, the Steelers’ defense delivered a pleasant surprise in Week 4. Watt made a huge impact with both a sack and an interception. The unit managed to put pressure on Wentz. The Steelers will need more of that from now on. He had 5 tackles, 3 solo, 1 sack, and 2 QB hits.

Top 5 offensive players in week 4

6. Bucky Irving-running back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In the loss to the Eagles, Irving had a 72-yard touchdown reception. This was his second 70-plus-yard score of the season. Thanks to that, he led the team in rushing as well as receiving. He rushed the ball 15 times for 63 yards while catching all five of his targets for 102 yards.

7. George Pickens- wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys

In the absence of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, Pickens stepped up. One instance is when he secured an 11-yard catch near the sideline from quarterback Dak Prescott, at the 1-yard line, despite double coverage. He had 8 catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Pickens was one of the brightest stars of the night.

8. Amon-Ra St. Brown- Wide receiver, Detroit Lions

In the Week 4 defeat of the Cleveland Browns, quarterback Jared Goff connected with Brown on all seven of his targets for 70 yards and two touchdowns. St. Brown has caught a touchdown in each of the three games, giving him six on the season, the second-most through four games in team history.

9. James Cook- running back, Buffalo Bills

Fresh off his contract extension and the launch of his new “James Cookies” brand, the running back has been delivering on the field as well, putting up big numbers since Day 1 to prove he’s worth the deal. With the game tied at 7, Cook ran the ball from a yard out to give his team a 14-7 lead. The score also made him the first player in franchise history to record a rushing touchdown in eight straight games. He had 284 rushing yards. In the game, he had 22 carries for 117 yards with 1 touchdown.

10. Michael Penix Jr.-quarterback, Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback completed 20 of his 26 attempts and had a career-high 313 passing yards, leading the team to a 2-2 record with a win over the Washington Commanders. He was outstanding, and much credit also goes to the entire offense for stepping up. Head coach Raheem Morris also rewarded the quarterback with a game ball for his performance. His QBR rating was 90.5%.

11. Patrick Mahomes-quarterback, Chiefs

After a slow start on their opening two drives, the entire offense and Mahomes had to step up. That is seen on the team’s third possession, Mahomes made a five-play, 56-yard drive, capping it off with a touchdown pass to veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in the middle of the end zone. He threw for 270 yards along with four touchdowns.

Last but not least, New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs deserves a special mention. One word for Diggs is incredible. Just a year removed from his ACL injury, he hasn’t missed a beat. In the New England Patriots’ thrilling matchup against the Carolina Panthers, he recorded a season-high 101 receiving yards on six receptions. At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising if wide receiver DeMario Douglas lost his starting role to Diggs.

Another honourable mention is Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs delivered a highly efficient performance against the Bucs. While his volume numbers were modest – five receptions for 52 yards – Doubs made every catch count by hauling in three touchdown passes from quarterback Jordan Love. The three-score night showcased Doubs’ red zone prowess and chemistry with Love, as the receiver maximized his limited targets by finding the end zone on 60% of his receptions.

Week 4’s standout performers set a high bar. Week 5 will reveal whether these same players can maintain their momentum or if new names will emerge.

The real intrigue lies in seeing who can string together consecutive dominant performances. Repeat appearances on the list would indicate sustained excellence rather than one-game flukes, while fresh faces would demonstrate the league’s depth of talent and week-to-week unpredictability.