Not every NFL player can be C.J. Stroud or Puka Nacua.
Those two were fantastic right away as rookies and became instant stars. It takes other players more time. Sometimes injuries set them back. Others just need the chance to play before they shine.
We see veteran breakouts every season in the NFL, and here are 10 players in a great spot to break out this NFL season.
This list should be dedicated to Williams. Nobody is in a more obvious spot to break out. Williams was the 12th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft whose career got off to a slow start due to his recovery from a torn ACL at Alabama and a suspension for betting. He came on late last season, showing the game-breaking speed that made him a high draft pick. The Lions are thin at receiver after Amon-Ra St. Brown, and their offense will be very good once again. If Williams doesn’t break out this season it’s on him because the situation for it is ideal.
Did Achane break out already? He had 997 yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns as a rookie. But what if there’s a much higher level coming in his second season? Achane has electric speed, which is why he averaged an astounding 7.8 yards per carry. He won’t repeat that number but could be well above 5 with a much bigger role. Go back to the primes of Chris Johnson and Jamaal Charles for a comparison to Achane. On top of Achane’s ability, the Dolphins under head coach Mike McDaniel have shown that’s a great situation for any running back. Achane had a very good rookie season and he could blow past that in his second year.
Patrick Queen left in free agency for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Ravens always seem to have a backup plan. Simpson was a third-round draft pick out of Clemson last season and didn’t play much because he had Queen and Roquan Smith ahead of him. With Queen gone, Simpson is projected as a starter. He had a team-high 11 tackles in the Ravens’ preseason opener and has drawn rave reviews for being a quick learner. Simpson could fill the hole left by Queen without much dropoff.
Anthony Richardson is another clear second-year quarterback breakout candidate, but that ground has been covered plenty this offseason. So why not Levis? Levis had a couple very good games as a rookie, and some poor ones as well. His situation is much better this season. He has a new head coach in Brian Callahan, who wants to throw it more, a new receiver in highly paid Calvin Ridley and another pass-catching back in Tony Pollard. Levis has obvious talent. Let’s see what he can do in what should be a quarterback-friendly environment.
The main reason Wicks might not post a big season is the Packers have a ton of talent at receiver and only one ball to go around. Yet Wicks has the talent to separate himself. As a fifth-round rookie last season, he flashed and finished with 581 yards and four touchdowns. To start this preseason, he caught a 65-yard touchdown from Jordan Love. Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Christian Watson all were drafted higher, but Wicks has intriguing skills. On a team that’s loaded with young pass catchers, it shouldn’t be a surprise if Wicks ends up leading the Packers in receiving yards.
Pittsburgh Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.
Porter is the player the Steelers got with the draft pick acquired in the Chase Claypool trade, and that is looking like one of the biggest heists in team history. Porter had an excellent second half to his rookie season and in some ways he has already arrived as a top-end cornerback. He shadowed opponents’ No. 1 receivers down the stretch and fared well. This should be the season Porter takes his spot among the NFL’s best cornerbacks.
Because Sam LaPorta set records, perhaps some see Kincaid’s rookie season as a bit of a disappointment. In reality, there’s nothing wrong with a 673-yard season as a rookie tight end. And the opportunity is there for the 2023 first-round pick to explode this season. Stefon Diggs has departed and the Bills didn’t invest heavily at receiver outside of second-round pick Keon Coleman. Receiver Khalil Shakir could have been on this list too because he was reportedly making a lot of plays in Bills camp. But we’ll go with Kincaid, who can line up everywhere and take on a lot of the targets vacated by the Diggs trade. Catching passes from Josh Allen, he should have an excellent second season.
Melifonwu got a starting job in Week 14 last season. His play after that was eye-opening. In eight games, counting playoffs, Melifonwu had 30 solo tackles, five sacks (including two games with more than one sack) and two interceptions. He moved from cornerback to safety during the 2022 season and finally saw a payoff late last season. Melifonwu isn’t even guaranteed to start at the beginning of the season for a deep Lions team, but his playmaking last season was tough to ignore.
Smith-Njigba was seen as the best receiver in the 2023 NFL Draft class, but he dealt with some downs last season. The Seahawks’ passing game wasn’t quite as good as 2022, Smith-Njigba was behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, and in a preseason game he suffered a fractured wrist, setting him back. He still ended up with 628 receiving yards and some fine moments, including a game-winning touchdown in the final minute against the Browns. With a new offensive scheme in place, Smith-Njigba could end up being a bigger part of the offense than the two well-known star receivers who were ahead of him on the depth chart last season.
Dodson played well when forced into a starting role with the Buffalo Bills due to injuries last season. He played well enough to be the No. 1 linebacker in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades. Dodson signed with the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason, and Mike Macdonald’s defense got great production from Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith the past two seasons. Dodson is just 26 years old and could have a big season coming.
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