Top 10 Returners Going Into the 2025 NFL Season

We’re back once again with an article about returners! In what has become an annual feature special, we’re ranking the top 10 returners going into the upcoming NFL season. As always, both kick returners and punt returners will be evaluated. Neither type of returner will be favored over the other, but a player who does both might get a few brownie points. Most of the players on this list indeed do both. Rookies will only be included in special cases, as we haven’t seen play at the NFL level. Field position is critical, and it’s always nicer to start a drive at the 35 than at the 20. These players will help teams do that, so let’s meet them!

Also, make sure to follow us on X/Twitter, where you can get in touch with us and be the first to know when a new post is up!

Notes: The teams listed are the players’ current teams. Any team names in (parentheses) denote previous teams that the players were on in 2024 before switching this offseason. Their previous rankings from last year’s edition are also shown.

1. Ka’Vontae Turpin, Cowboys (Previous Ranking: 6)

Vaulting all the way to #1 is the only man who scored both a KR TD and a PR TD in 2024. The First-Team All-Pro kick and NFC Pro Bowl returner last season, Turpin averaged a league-best 33.5 yards per kick return, and his 904 KR yards cleared all other players by over 100. While his PR average of 10.4 was greatly boosted by his 60-yard TD, his strengths were still on display. Turpin, despite his smaller stature, possesses elite speed and change-of-direction capabilities. If you don’t get a hand on him early, he’s gone. The only thing that may be able to stop him is NFL discipline deriving from his recent arrest, but he wouldn’t miss much time.

2. Marvin Mims Jr, Broncos (Previous Ranking: 1)

Dropping Mims from #1 is not an indictment of his play. In fact, he was just as good as he was as a rookie in 2023. He returned fewer kicks last year (just 7), but he did well there, averaging 27.7 yards per return. Punts were where he shined though. Mims led the league with 15.7 yards per punt return, earning him First-Team All-Pro honors for that role. He also returned to the Pro Bowl as the AFC’s return specialist for the second time in his 2-year career. As Mims makes his mark in the receiver room, he’s gaining confidence in his field vision. It’s working to great effect, and he’s now among the league’s elite return men.

3. Derius Davis, Chargers (Previous Ranking: 2)

Maybe it’s because he hasn’t had quite as many opportunities as others on this list, but Davis has flown under the radar. He only had 19 returns of each type, but he took advantage of his opportunities. Mostly a gadget player on offense, Davis uses his human joystick-like ability to great effect on both kick and punt returns. With averages of 12.4 yards per punt return and 27.6 yards per kick return, he consistently gave his team good starting field position in all situations. Given more chances in 2025, I expect him to continue producing. Higher raw counting stats should garner Davis the respect he deserves.

4. DeAndre Carter, Browns (Bears) (Previous Ranking: Not Ranked)

A few players on the 2025 list weren’t on the 2024 edition, but they’ve come back with a vengeance. Only KaVontae Turpin had more yards per KR than Carter’s 31.9, and he added a solid 9.3 yards per punt return too. At 31, Carter is the oldest player on this list, yet his burst remains intact. He has exclusively been a return specialist the past couple of years, which I think has kept him fresh. Carter glides through traffic on kick returns, blowing by defenders before they realize what hit them. More returns should be forthcoming in Cleveland on a Browns team that is widely expected to struggle this season.

5. Marcus Jones, Patriots (Not Ranked)

Injuries kept Jones off this list in 2024, but fully healthy, he returned (pun intended) in an instant. It was hard to make the list this year without being both a KR and a PR, but Jones returned punts better than almost anyone. The shortest regular punt returner at 5’8″, Jones tends to get lost until defenders close in on him, at which point it’s too late. He accelerates extremely quickly, making fools out of would-be tacklers. Jones finished 3rd with 14.8 yards/PR, representing a career high. You wonder if the Pats will continue to expose him in the return game as he plays more at slot CB, but he’s too valuable to leave on the bench.

6. Rashid Shaheed, Saints (Previous Ranking: 3)

Unlike our last two players, Shaheed got hurt during the 2024 season, not prior to it. A torn meniscus ended his season after 6 games, but prior to that point, he continued where he left off as a Pro Bowl returner in 2023. Had he been eligible (he returned just 9 punts), his 15.9-yard PR average would’ve led the league. His 28.5 yards/KR were also strong, though he only had 6 attempts. The way in which Shaheed operates is no mystery: he uses pure speed to outrace the coverage team. Hopefully his knee is right because the way he blows by defenders is truly a sight to behold…and that may be the only positive for the 2025 Saints.

7. Brandon Codrington, Bills (Previous Ranking: Not Ranked)

We’ve finally found our first brand-new face on this list. Acquired from the rival Jets in a trade last season during roster cuts, he took the return job and ran with it, putting up great numbers as a rookie. His 11.6-yard PR average was very robust, as was his 27.8-yard average per KR. He showed us his talent during the 2024 preseason, and that’s what prompted Buffalo’s trade. Elusiveness and short-area quickness are key strengths of his. The only thing keeping this ranking from being higher is that Laviska Shenault has been signed as the primary KR. Codrington may still see opportunities on that front though.

8. Jamal Agnew, Falcons (Jaguars, 2023) (Previous Ranking: Not Ranked)

Agnew wasn’t even on a team in 2024 as he rehabbed from various ailments. Finally healthy, our one-time #1 returner could make a big impact for an upstart Falcons team. Earlier in his career with Detroit, Agnew was the best returner in the NFL. He mostly kept that up with Jacksonville before injuries slowed him down. Atlanta split their return duties between Ray-Ray McCloud and Avery Williams last year, and both did well. The fact that the Falcons brought in Agnew and installed him at #1 on the depth chart for both the KR and PR roles tells you about their confidence in him. His skills should age rather well.

9. Tory Horton, Seahawks (Previous Ranking: Not Applicable)

I said in the intro that I don’t put many rookies on these lists. However, when a guy takes a punt to the house in 3 consecutive college seasons, his inclusion is warranted. Horton, whose season ended prematurely last year (though he didn’t miss any games prior to that), is my top-ranked rookie returner who could actually play in 2025. Running a 4.41-s 40 at 6’2″, he’s an athletic freak that defenders have trouble bringing down. He fits Seahawks GM John Schneider’s profile in terms of traits, and even though he may see the field early as a receiver, he’ll make his initial mark on special teams with his punt returning skills.

10. Xavier Gipson, Jets (Previous Ranking: 9)

Even if your averages aren’t amazing, sheer volume can prove your worth. Nobody returned more punts than Gipson (33), and he chipped in with 17 kick returns as well. His success was greater on kicks (28.8 yards per return), but he may cede a few returns to new signee Kene Nwangwu (a former fixture on this list himself) in 2025. You might not think that Gipson’s 8.1 yards per punt return were particularly noteworthy, but with 33 attempts, a few of those were simply dead on arrival. The tape looks much better for him, and the Jets wouldn’t have let him return that many punts if he did poorly. Gipson is still a top-10 returner in this league.