Players showing up at training camp and unexpectedly playing at an elite level is nothing new in the NFL.
Just last year, Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua and running back Kyren Williams, Houston Texans receiver Nico Collins and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Daron Bland emerged from relative obscurity to become some of the best players at their positions.
With that in mind, here’s a look at 10 players who have a chance to break out this season. The list features two quarterbacks who are former top-three picks, three pass-catchers ready to elevate and a few players you’ve probably never heard of.
But you will.
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1. Bryce Young, QB, Panthers
After a disappointing rookie year, the Alabama product is looking for a bounce-back performance in his second season in Carolina. And new head coach Dave Canales is now in charge of making that happen.
Canales has already shown what he can do with quarterbacks, helping Baker Mayfield revive his career last year in Tampa Bay. Canales also served as quarterback coach for Geno Smith during his rebirth with the Seahawks and worked with Russell Wilson during his early days in Seattle.
Canales will try to design an offense that best suits Young’s skill set, a run-based scheme with play-action and pocket movement that accentuates Young’s running ability.
2. Drake London, WR, Falcons
New Atlanta offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has experience creating opportunities for talented receivers from his time with the Rams, where Nacua and Cooper Kupp dominated the target share in Sean McVay’s scheme.
According to Next Gen Stats, the Rams were in 11 personnel (3 WRs, 1 TE) for a league-high 1,043 snaps on offense last season. Although tight end Kyle Pitts could be considered a receiver, Robinson should find innovative ways to get both London and Pitts the ball in space using similar concepts from his time in Los Angeles.
And this year, London will be catching passes from Kirk Cousins (or maybe Michael Penix Jr.) rather than Desmond Ridder.
3. Dalton Kincaid, TE, Bills
He showed playmaking ability as a rookie last season, posting 73 catches for 673 yards and two scores on 91 targets. Now, with WR1 Stefon Diggs in Houston, Kincaid should get more targets in got-to-have-it moments on third down and in the red zone. Kincaid finished with a combined 28 targets in those situations last year.
Can the Bills survive without Stefon Diggs?
4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks
The first receiver selected in the 2023 draft, Smith-Njigba started his rookie season slowly before coming on the second half. From Week 6 on, he had 51 receptions for 566 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 75 targets.
He figures to take it to another level this season. Smith-Njigba should benefit from Ryan Grubb taking over as Seattle’s offensive coordinator. Last year with the Washington Huskies, Grubb engineered one of the top passing offenses in the country.
5. Sam Darnold, QB, Vikings
Yes, Minnesota selected Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the draft. However, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is a former NFL quarterback and understands that the 21-year-old McCarthy needs time to develop.
The veteran Darnold knows Minnesota’s offense after playing under Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers. He showed promise in limited snaps with San Francisco last season, and with playmakers like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the perimeter and tight end T.J. Hockenson (once he’s healthy), Darnold could be ready to take off as a starter.
It’s now or never for the No. 3 pick of the 2018 draft, but he’s in a good spot to succeed.
J.J. McCarthy “squarely behind” Sam Darnold on Vikings’ depth chart
6. Zamir White, RB, Raiders
With Josh Jacobs now plying his trade for the Green Bay Packers, White takes over as the lead back for the Silver and Black. He finished with 451 yards and a touchdown last season in limited action.
At 6-foot and 215 pounds, White is a bruising runner who can move the pile in short yardage situations, but he also has the speed to create chunk plays. He figures to get plenty of chances with head coach Antonio Pierce wanting to run the football to protect quarterback Aidan O’Connell.
7. Steven Avila, C, Rams
A second-round selection by Los Angeles last season, Avila played the most snaps of any rookie (1,148) in 2023. Not only was Avila durable, he also produced, earning a spot on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team.
After playing left guard last season, Avila will move inside to center, where he played at TCU. He pairs with high-dollar guards Jonah Jackson and Kevin Dotson to create a formidable front wall to protect aging quarterback Matthew Stafford.
While there will likely be some hiccups early in the season as Avila makes the transition to playing center in the NFL, he has the potential to develop into a productive player at the position long-term.
8. Yaya Diaby, LB, Buccaneers
A third-round selection by Tampa Bay last season, Diaby showed promise by finishing with 7.5 sacks and 26 pressures. At 6-foot-3 and 263 pounds, Diaby is a physical specimen, running a 4.51 40 and posting a 37-inch vertical jump.
The Buccaneers finished tied for seventh in the league with 48 sacks last season with a 33.8% pressure rate. An uptick in Diaby’s development should help improve both of those numbers.
9. Daiyan Henley, LB, Chargers
The second-year pro out of Washington State should get more of an opportunity to show off his speed and playmaking ability in new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s 4-3 scheme. Henley finished with 16 tackles and played just 53 defensive snaps his rookie season.
This year, the Los Angeles native should be in line to earn a starting job. And because of his ability to cover, he has a chance to remain on the field in passing situations.
What are the expectations for the Chargers and Jim Harbaugh?
10. David Ojabo, LB, Ravens
One of new defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s priorities will be unlocking the enormous potential of Ojabo.
The Michigan product was limited to two sacks in five games during his first two seasons due to injuries, including a torn Achilles. But make no mistake: Ojabo has the talent to develop into a consistent pass rusher and should get more opportunities in his third season for a team looking to generate consistent pressure.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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