13 Great 1-on-1 Matchups to Watch This Sunday

Another epic Sunday of NFL battles is upon us. Here’s a quick primer of some of the best players to keep your eyes on. Badass linemen attacking each other, top corners and receivers doing battle, or running backs trying to bowl over linebackers. Here are the top XXX 1-on-1’s you should watch closely this Sunday.

49ers @ Giants – Brian Burns vs. Trent Williams

Trent Williams needs no introduction, he may be the best offensive lineman in the entire league. Brian Burns meanwhile, is quietly having a great year, one big reason why I picked him as my midseason DPOY (check out all my awards re-ranks here). He already has double-digit sacks this year, and he’ll be looking to rack up more as the Giants look to rein in newly healthy Brock Purdy. Williams will be a great test for how real Burns’ year is, and a general test for this touted Giants defensive line. Look to see if Burns and his costars can put Purdy under pressure, or if the San Francisco line can impose their will and run the football on the Giants. This matchup will determine the course of this game.

Chargers @ Titans – Tony Pollard vs. Daiyan Henley

If you’ve watched the Chargers at all this year, you should know Daiyan Henley’s name. And if you love defense, you love his game. He’s a do-it-all linebacker, stopping the run and the pass and even rushing the passer. The Titans have struggled to get things going offensively, averaging 13.8 points per game. To get their offense going, they’ll have to get past Henley, and the best way to do that is by establishing the run with Tony Pollard. That could open up the field for rookie QB Cam Ward to finally shine and give Tennessee fans something to look forward to.

Vikings @ Lions – Jonathan Greenard vs. Penei Sewell

The Vikings desperately need a big win against their division rival, and most of the eyes will be on their young quarterback returning from injury. However, don’t miss this matchup of two absolute titans at the line of scrimmage going head-to-head. Penei Sewell is the “best athlete on the team” according to head coach Dan Campbell, and that team includes Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Brian Branch, so that is high praise. Greenard is the star pass rusher for what has at times been an incredible Vikings defense. However, both he and the defense have had an underwhelming year, and he has only 2 sacks so far in 2025. If the Vikings are going to win this game, it will involve getting to Jared Goff in the pocket. And to do that, you have to get past Penei Sewell.

Falcons @ Patriots – Bijan Robinson vs. Milton Williams

We all know Bijan is one of the best running backs and probably the best players in the NFL. But he’s been up and down this year, with only 1 game over 100 yards this year. He’s had back-to-back solid games with 72 and 75 rushing yards, but the Falcons are relying on him as a “straw guy,” who stirs the drink in the words of Jon Gruden. The Patriots are red hot right now, and their offseason moves are looking great so far. One of the biggest was bringing in big Milton Williams from the Eagles to be their run stuffer. If he can show that the massive contract they gave him was worth it by bottling up Bijan, the Patriots could keep their win streak alive. But if Bijan explodes, Drake Maye will be playing catch-up all game.

Colts @ Steelers – Jonathan Taylor vs. Cam Heyward

Jonathan Taylor is putting together a pretty convincing MVP case, and the Colts are one of the best teams in the league. Their offense is producing at a historic level, and Taylor is on track to pass the 2000 yard mark in 2025. Meanwhile, the Steelers’ defense has been consistently underperforming their high pay and pedigree. Cam Heyward stands in as an avatar for this defense, which is a little old and arguably overpaid. It’s also his job to be the anchor at the center of the defense, both physically and mentally. If he can lead Pittsburgh to stifle this potent Colts attack, then it’ll be a great sign that they still have control of their division. But if the Colts run all over the highest-paid defense in the league, perhaps we will all be forced to take them seriously.

Broncos @ Texans – Will Anderson Jr. vs. Garrett Boles

The Texans’ season hasn’t gone as well as they expected, and most of their struggles have been on the offensive end. The defense still appears to be one of the best in the league, largely due to their franchise cornerstone, Will Anderson Jr. Garrett Bolles isn’t as talked about, but he is one of the best tackles in the league, and there’s a reason you don’t know his name; it’s not usually said during games. The Broncos have shined at two things: protecting their QB, and getting at yours. We know that they’ll have luck with the second against the poor Houston O-line, but if Anderson can put the team on his back and get after Bo Nix, the Texans will have a fighting chance in this game.

Bears @ Bengals – Trey Hendrickson vs. Darnell Wright

Trey Hendrickson has yet to break out, as I’m sure he desperately wants to in this contract year. He only has 4 sacks, and the Bengals’ defense has unsurprisingly struggled, giving up 31.6 PPG. Meanwhile, the Bears are coming off a blowout loss to the Ravens, and questions are swirling around their supposed franchise quarterback. One thing we do know about Caleb is that he doesn’t do well under pressure, so if Hendrickson can finally provide some, that might not bode well for Chicago. Darnell Wright is a stout tackle, allowing only 5 pressures this year, and only 1 sack. If he can contain 2024’s sack king, perhaps Caleb Williams can get this Bears offense rolling against Cincinnati.

Panthers @ Packers – Tetairoa McMillan vs. Keisean Nixon

Though the Panthers are rarely in the national spotlight, Tet McMillan has shone for them in his rookie year. He’s racked up a respectable 512 yards, though only 2 touchdowns. If he wants to be a true alpha go-to for Bryce Young, he needs to start finding the endzone and facing some of the best corners in the game. Keisean Nixon is among them, with 11 passes defended in 2025. As Tet goes, so does the Carolina offense, so keep an eye on this matchup to see if the Panthers can pull off an upset.

Saints @ Rams – Jared Verse vs. Kelvin Banks Jr.

The Saints have virtually no chance to win this game, and I think even their fans would admit that. They don’t have a competitive roster in 2025, largely due to the massive dead cap hits they face. However, they do have some exciting young talents on their roster, like their first-round pick, tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. If he can match up well with the Rams’ young star pass rusher, it bodes well for the Saints’ future even if it doesn’t necessarily help them win this game. Verse is an electric talent who will draw your eye, and if you see him getting contained by Banks, the Saints will be thrilled.

Jaguars @ Raiders – Ashton Jeanty vs. Arik Armstead

Ashton Jeanty has yet to pay off his massive potential as the sixth overall pick, though he has shown flashes. The Jaguars are the sixth-best run defense in the league, largely behind a great defensive line featuring Arik Armstead among others. It’s no secret the Raiders offense – and the Raiders as a whole – are struggling. Can Jeanty finally get it going against a tough matchup? Can he spark the Raiders into some offense?

Chiefs @ Bills – Josh Allen vs. Patrick Mahomes

This is sort of cheating since these guys won’t actually face off against each other head-to-head, but there’s really no other way to conceptualize this great matchup. Josh has a stellar regular-season record against Patrick, but he’d trade it all for even one playoff win. After a rough starts, the Chiefs offense looks as great as it ever has, and though the Bills haven’t blown anyone off the map yet, we all know what Josh Allen is capable of. As always, all eyes will be on these two QBs at the top of their games going up against each other, and I can’t wait!

Seahawks @ Commanders – Terry McLaurin vs. Josh Jobe

Scary Terry is back, and the Commanders will need him to come up big to beat the Seahawks and build some momentum towards a playoff push. He’ll face off against Josh Jobe, who’s had a great year so far with 6 passes defended. Jayden Daniels has been wracked with injury and not been playing his best ball, and it’s Terry’s job to help him get the ball out quickly, avoid the rush, and make plays. Jobe and the rest of the young, talented Seahawks D will do everything they can to slow him down, and I like their chances frankly.

Cardinals @ Cowboys – CeeDee Lamb vs. Will Johnson

The Cowboys’ offense has been the most explosive of the year so far, and shows no signs of slowing down. Even in a bad game against the Broncos, they still scored 24. We all know CeeDee Lamb is the class of the league and will get his yards. The Cardinals would be thrilled if their rookie corner could overcome his injury issues and slow this star receiver down. Johnson slid to the Cardinals in part due to his injury concerns, but he’s looked good through 9 weeks with 5 passes defended. If Johnson puts together another good game against one of the league’s best, Arizona will know their high pick was well spent.