The AFC North is always one of the most competitive divisions in the entire NFL. Made up of teams that always seem to excel no matter what the circumstances, except for the Browns, the AFC North is a threat in a postseason year in and year out. It should be no different in 2025, as the Baltimore Ravens look strong once again, the Cincinnati Bengals are looking to rebound, the Pittsburgh Steelers just signed a Hall of Fame quarterback, and the Browns are, well, the Browns.
Regardless of how these teams look on paper heading into the 2025 season in Madden 26, though, they still need key players to perform well if they want a shot at a deep postseason run. While the superstars on each team will, of course, be crucial to their squad’s success, every team also hinges on the performance of “make or break” players.
Make or break players are players who can either lift their team up by playing well or bring the entire team down with poor play. Today, we’ll be identifying a make or break player for every AFC North team in Madden 26. We’ve already covered the AFC East, NFC East, AFC South, and NFC South, so check those articles out to see some of the competition for the AFC North. For now, though, look below to see every AFC North team’s make or break player.
RB Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
It goes without saying that the success of the 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers largely rests on the shoulders of newly signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers need Rodgers to at least play at an average level if they want to keep their streak of winning record seasons going.
However, the supporting cast around Rodgers will help or hurt the quarterback’s chances at playing well. A lot of eyes will be on new wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, but we want to turn our attention to the backfield. We’re especially looking at running back Jaylen Warren, who has the backfield all to himself now that Najee Harris has moved on to the Chargers. Warren has been a decent running back during his time with the Steelers, but now all of the pressure is on him to be the number one guy that the Steelers think he can be.
A dominant run game would do wonders for Rodgers and the Steelers’ offense. It would take pressure off Rodgers to pass for 300 yards every game and help establish a balanced attack that would allow Pittsburgh to control the pace of all four quarters. On the other hand, if Warren turns out to be just another running back who struggles as the number one option, the Steelers will truly need Rodgers to play like a Hall of Famer if they want any chance of competing in the AFC North.
WR DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore Ravens
DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best wide receivers in the modern era, who is entering the twilight of his career. After a failed half-season with the Kansas City Chiefs that culminated in a costly drop in the Super Bowl, Hopkins signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens to continue chasing that elusive ring. While Hopkins seems like he doesn’t have much left in the tank, a successful last hurrah for the receiver might just be the missing piece for a Ravens team that has struggled to win in the postseason.
No one is expecting Hopkins to be a true number one receiver anymore, but he could fit in extremely well behind Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. While teams are scrambling to cover those two speedsters, Hopkins could provide quarterback Lamar Jackson with a safety net or even be a downfield option if he can manage to separate from defensive backs. Hopkins going for around 800 yards and a handful of touchdowns is all he needs to do in a Ravens offense that’s always going to be dominated by a rushing attack.
However, the flip side of the Hopkins signing is that he proves his unsuccessful stint in Kansas City wasn’t a fluke. It could be that Hopkins simply can’t be an effective receiver anymore, and the Ravens’ offense would largely be back where it was in 2024, and we all know how that group of players managed in the postseason. Regardless of all of that, though, Hopkins should still be a fun player to have on the Ravens in Madden 26.
DE Joseph Ossai, Cincinnati Bengals
This might seem like a weird pull, even if you’re a Bengals fan. However, the current situation with defensive end Trey Hendrickson likely doesn’t have a happy ending, and Cincy didn’t sign another notable pass rusher in free agency. To make matters worse, 2025 first round edge rusher Shemar Stewart is still refusing to sign a contract with the Bengals. This thrusts defensive end Joseph Ossai into the spotlight as the team’s beacon of hope along the edge.
Ossai was resigned by Cincy to a one-year deal in free agency, largely due to some injury concerns that have plagued the player since he was drafted. However, in 2024, Ossai trended in the right direction, playing in all 17 games and showing some real promise, putting up five sacks. Now, without Hendrickson or any other notable edge rusher on the team, Ossai needs to be a force to be reckoned with along the defensive line.
If he can build on his 2024 season, then the Bengals should be able to get to the quarterback effectively, even without Hendrickson or Stewart. However, if Ossai gets bitten by the injury bug again or regresses in his production, it could be a long season on defense in Cincinnati.
Whoever Plays QB, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns find themselves in one of the most interesting spots in the entire NFL. The team currently has five quarterbacks who could theoretically be the starting quarterback in week one: Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders. The latter two are rookies, Pickett has starting experience, Flacco is a well-seasoned veteran who’s had success in the Browns system, and Watson… is technically the incumbent QB1.
For the Browns to have any sort of success in 2025, the quarterback who gets “lucky” enough to win the starting job needs to perform well. We’ve all seen how bad quarterback play has affected Cleveland in the past, and while a strong Browns defense should help mitigate a potentially poor offense, you still need to put points on the board.
The Browns’ best chances at quarterback are likely with Flacco lining up under center, at least to start the season. Then, as the year goes on, Cleveland could insert whichever rookie quarterback is playing the best in practice, whether it be Gabriel or Sanders. If Flacco, the rookies, Pickett, or even Watson play below-average, though, the Browns’ season is likely doomed.
That wraps up our picks for the AFC North’s make or break players in Madden 26. Did we get the players right? Let us know down in the comments below.
