Football season is right around the corner. Right now, NFL teams are in camp and going through the preseason, and we’re just a few weeks away from teams taking the field for the regular season. It’s hard not to get excited, and today, we wanted to look at the players in both conferences that we’re especially fired up to watch.
Here, we will do just that, starting with the NFC, which about as wide open as a conference can be heading into the season. We have no clue who is going to win it, but we can say that these players are going to be fascinating to watch as the year goes on. Then, in the AFC, it’s all about chasing Patrick Mahomes and the champion Kansas City Chiefs, but there are plenty of threats looking to knock them off their throne in 2024.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons
All three of these guys are among the best in the league at their respective positions, and yet all three are heading into this year with uncertainty about their futures — they are all set to become free agents after this year. With how drama follows the Cowboys around, watching these guys play through their contract situations will be fascinating to watch.
New York Giants: Daniel Jones
It is unclear if Jones is any good, but the Giants invested a ton of money in him. The team traded out one ultra-dynamic weapon (Saquon Barkley) for another (Malik Nabers), and Jones is going to have to show that he can be the guy in New York. Will he? Who knows! But it should be fun to watch.
Philadelphia Eagles: Saquon Barkley
Barkley’s departure from the Giants would have been a big deal even if he did not end up with a division rival. The funny thing is that the Eagles might be the best spot for him in the league, as he’ll be part of a dynamic backfield alongside Jalen Hurts and his ability in the passing game is as good as any back in the league. He’ll do some special things in Philly.
Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner came from out of nowhere to become the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Daniels is the exact sort of threat as a runner and a thrower that teams are looking for in their signal caller, and while he is going to have some bumps in the road during his first year, he’s such a dynamic player that he is going to have some incredible high points.
NFC North
Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams
It has to be Williams, right? We haven’t had a No. 1 overall pick come into the league with as much hype as the former USC standout in a few years, and the Bears have done a good job putting pieces around him to help him succeed. It’s unclear if Matt Eberflus will be their head coach beyond this year and Williams has the weight of the Bears’ QB history on his shoulders, but he could do some really special things right away.
Detroit Lions: Their entire offensive line
You can go with a number of different players here — Jared Goff! Jahmyr Gibbs! Amon-Ra St. Brown! Sam LaPorta! Aidan Hutchinson! Brian Branch! Others guys who I surely could mention! But everything in Detroit is built around having the meanest offensive line in football. Watching them grind opponents to dust is unlike anything else in the sport, and they’re never afraid of finding unique ways to use them, even if that means giving one of them the ball.
Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love
What a couple of months Jordan Love has had. He was good last season, his first as the starter in Green Bay, then tore up the Cowboys in the playoffs before losing to the Niners in the Divisional Round. And then, he got a record-tying contract. Not bad! With another year of experience under his belt and some really good pass catchers around him, we do not think he’s going to be a flash in the pan.
Minnesota Vikings: Dallas Turner
Justin Jefferson is the obvious pick here, but Turner was our favorite player in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he fell all the way to 17th. We think he’s going to be awesome early on in his NFL career, and with Danielle Hunter now in Houston, someone has to get to the quarterback in Minnesota. Turner has a chance to be that guy.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson
It was insane watching how Robinson was used last season. But 2024 will see a new coaching staff in Atlanta, and if Robinson is used as the all-around standout running back that he is, he’ll put up gigantic numbers, both as a runner behind a stout offensive line and as a safety blanket in the passing game for Kirk Cousins.
Carolina Panthers: Derrick Brown
I still think the Panthers offense is such a work in progress that it’ll be hard to judge Bryce Young. As such, let’s go to the other side of the ball, where Brown is coming off of his best season in the league — 103 tackles, 15 QB hits — and just received a lucrative contract extension. He’s a stud, and while Carolina isn’t great, he’s a major building block.
New Orleans Saints: Chris Olave
The Saints roster has a long way to go to get back to the point where they’re a competitor in the NFC. For now, they can take a lot of solace in knowing they have a star at receiver in Olave, who has cleared the 1,000-yard mark in each of his first two seasons. Derek Carr has loved throwing him the football, and that will not change this year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Antoine Winfield Jr.
What a stud. Winfield has established himself as the best safety in the NFL, and trying to throw the ball down the field against the Bucs is almost impossible because he is there. He’s also willing to mix it up with anyone. He’s not my favorite player to watch in the NFL, but boy, is he up there.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr.
Kyler Murray is 1A here, because I want to see what he looks like now that he’s back to 100 percent. But man, Harrison is the best receiver prospect I have ever seen. I cannot wait to see what he does from the very beginning in his NFL career, especially for a QB in Murray who hasn’t had a no-doubt No. 1 receiver in a while.
Los Angeles Rams: Cooper Kupp
I almost put down Tre’Davious White, who might have a monster bounce back year in his first season on a team other than the Bills if he can stay healthy. But if Kupp is healthy, and the Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams duo means that teams can’t totally focus on slowing him down, he’s going to put up gigantic numbers this year.
San Francisco 49ers: George Kittle
There are, like, eight different directions you can go in with the Niners. I am putting Kittle down for the simple reason that I absolutely adore watching George Kittle play football. He exudes joy when he plays, which is ironic because he is one of the most violent tight ends you’ll ever see. He rocks, I hope he does this forever.
Seattle Seahawks: Devon Witherspoon
Witherspoon is very mean and was really impressive as a rookie, and it’s safe to assume he’ll only get better as Seattle tries to find the spiritual successor to the Legion of Boom. Don’t be surprised if he gains a reputation for being one of the best corners in the game this year, in large part because going up against the pass catchers in this division will be quite the tall task. He’s up for it, though.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: Keon Coleman
The Bills got rid of Josh Allen’s top two wide receivers this offseason, letting Gabe Davis walk to Jacksonville in free agency and trading Stefon Diggs to Houston. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, that was a bold move and it’s clear they have a lot of faith in their first round pick out of Florida State, Keon Coleman, to fill the void. Coleman is a big, physical receiver who has the traits (and personality) of a star, but struggled with consistently producing at a high level at college. The flashes were spectacular, and how quickly he can make a consistent impact will determine how well the Bills offense can operate.
Miami Dolphins: Jaelan Phillips and Chop Robinson
The Dolphins offense will be the Dolphins offense, which is to say, highly explosive and capable of putting up record-setting numbers when they get rolling. The defense, meanwhile, features some new faces, especially up front after they lost Christian Wilkins and Andrew Van Ginkel in free agency. Those two accounted for 15 sacks and 42 hits on opposing quarterbacks last year, while Bradley Chubb (11 sacks, 22 QB hits) is currently rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered in Week 17 and may not be ready for the start of the season. That is a lot of productivity that needs to be replaced up front for Miami, and puts serious pressure on guys to step up. Jaelan Phillips is at the top of that list, and the Dolphins will need him to stay healthy after playing just 8 games last season, while first round pick Chop Robinson will need to have be an impact rookie if Miami’s defense is going to be able to apply pressure to opposing QBs.
New York Jets: Garrett Wilson
Aaron Rodgers is back and, as such, the Jets are supposed to be a threat in the AFC East this year. A year ago, everyone was very excited to see Garrett Wilson, coming off a ROY season with Zach Wilson throwing to him, get to play with a legitimate NFL quarterback. Instead, Rodgers suffered a season-ending injury four plays into the season and Wilson was back to dealing with subpar QB play. Now the expectations are back for the Jets offense and Wilson should have an opportunity to prove he is among the NFL’s elite at the receiver position with Rodgers throwing him the ball.
New England Patriots: Christian Gonzalez and Kyle Dugger
Look, the Pats are gonna be bad. The plan is to start Jacoby Brissett at QB until Drake Maye is ready, which takes away the chance to even be excited to see a young QB at the helm. I do think that’s the right decision for Maye to be successful long-term, but the offense in New England doesn’t figure to offer much to right home about. That said, they do have some big time players on defense, especially in the secondary. Dugger flies around from his safety position and does a bit of everything, while Gonzalez has a chance to be one of the best young corners in the league — his rookie year only saw him play four games before suffering a season ending labrum tear. Gonzalez is back healthy and earning high praise from opposing receivers in the preseason, and Dugger will look to build off a terrific 2023. This year figures to be similar to last year, in that the defense should be better than the offense in New England (even after trading Matthew Judon to Atlanta), and Dugger and Gonzalez figure to be the bright spots for Pats fans in what could be an otherwise tough year.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Henry
What if we gave the NFL’s most dynamic rushing attack the most dominant running back in the league? Well, we will get the answer to that question this year in Baltimore, as Derrick Henry joins Lamar Jackson to create a truly terrifying rushing tandem. Yes, Henry is 30, but he’s not a typical running back and still rushed for over 1,100 yards a year ago in Tennessee despite defenses not respecting the Titans passing attack at all. Now he goes to a Ravens team that has a perennial MVP candidate in Jackson at quarterback and won’t need him to tote the rock 300 times. As such, Henry might not put up the same raw numbers he did in his Titans prime when they rode him like Secretariat, but the stress his presence will put on opposing defenses is going to be incredible to watch.
Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow is going to be back playing football, and I’m excited to see that, because, boy, the Bengals were not very fun to watch in his absence. With Burrow, this is a contender, and without him, well, they’re a very mediocre football team. This also might be the last ride for Burrow with both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins as his top receivers, so time is of the essence for the Bengals to make the most of their star-studded offense.
Cleveland Browns: Nick Chubb
Speaking of welcome returns from injury, Nick Chubb is going to be back toting the rock for the Browns and that brings me great joy. The soft-spoken squat king has a legitimate claim to being the NFL’s best running back when healthy, and the Browns offense needs his presence desperately to be a threat in the AFC. He demands the attention of opposing defenses and brings those safeties and linebackers a little closer to the line of scrimmage, helping to open up opportunities in the passing game.
Pittsburgh Steelers: George Pickens
The Steelers three QBs (Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph) threw for 3,421 yards and 13 touchdowns last year, which is a hysterically low number in this era of football. George Pickens had 1,140 of those receiving yards and five of those receiving touchdowns, and he deserves some kind of medal for putting up those numbers in that offense with those quarterbacks. This year, Pickens gets to catch passes from Russell Wilson, and while Wilson might not be the guy he was in his prime, he is still an upgrade over what was there and also throws one of the prettiest deep balls in football. I think Pickens could be in for a big time season, just by having a semi-competent quarterback throwing him the ball. If Wilson can recapture some magic from yesteryear (a major, major if)? It could be really fun.
AFC South
Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud
After winning Rookie of the Year, the Texans went out and got C.J. Stroud some new toys. Joe Mixon arrives to provide some more rushing support, and while he’s not as dynamic as he once was, I do think he’s an upgrade in the backfield. Even more importantly, Stefon Diggs arrives via trade and Tank Dell is back from injury. Those two, plus Nico Collins, make up a dynamic receiving corps and Stroud proved last year he is among the best in the league at throwing the ball at all three levels. All three are capable of going over the top, which will put a lot of stress on secondaries, but Diggs is so efficient working the intermediate areas that the Texans should be even more dangerous and dynamic this season. This could be a contender if Stroud takes another stride forward, which is truly incredible to think about given where they were two years ago.
Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson
The Colts do have some questions in the secondary to answer, but this is a playoff contender for sure. Anthony Richardson showed flashes of brilliance before having his season ended with a shoulder injury last year, and if he can get back to that level and build off a strong start to his NFL career, the Colts could be a fun team to watch. He is dynamic both as a passer and a runner, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Colts handle him given he got popped a few too many times last year in the running game and it cost him the season.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Thomas Jr.
The Jaguars will, once again, be hanging around that playoff level, and so much of their success comes down to whether Trevor Lawrence finally can put it all together. The talent has never been a question with Lawrence, but what we’ve never quite known is how much of his ups and downs are on him or on the situation he’s in. This year, the Jags went out and revamped their receiving corps, as Calvin Ridley left for Tennessee. Gabe Davis comes in from Buffalo, but more intriguing to me is rookie Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU. Thomas was a big play waiting to happen in Baton Rouge, and the Jaguars need that kind of downfield threat. Lawrence threw for just 21 touchdowns a season ago, while Thomas caught 17 himself at LSU (in 13 games). Having a big receiver who can stretch the field vertically and be a red zone target could be big for the Jags, and shifts pressure on Lawrence to take advantage of what looks on paper to be one of the best receiving corps he’s had.
Tennessee Titans: Will Levis
The Titans will spend this year figuring out if Will Levis is the guy for them long-term. He has the weapons on the outside with DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley, and they’ve invested in the offensive line with top picks in each of the last two drafts. There were flashes last year once he took over the starting job and with a full offseason, the expectation is to take a step forward. However, with Henry gone and a very different kind of backfield with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, the Titans will shift more responsibility on Levis’ shoulders to run the show.
AFC West
Denver Broncos: Bo Nix
The Broncos jettisoned Russell Wilson and ate a historic amount of dead money to do so, but they were determined to hit the reset button and used their first round pick to bring in Bo Nix. There were a number of comps of Nix to Drew Brees in terms of accuracy and production during his time at Oregon, as he went from a turnover prone wild card at Auburn to a highly efficient distributor of the football with the Ducks. Now he gets to play for Sean Payton, who unlocked the best of Brees on his way to a Hall of Fame career with the Saints. Setting Brees as the expectation for Nix would be wildly unfair, but I do want to see how the young QB fares under Payton on a Broncos team that is certainly looking towards the future in 2024.
Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Worthy
If you’ve seen a highlight out of Chiefs camp this summer, it’s likely been a deep ball from Patrick Mahomes to first round pick Xavier Worthy. The Chiefs have been desperately trying to find an explosive receiver since Tyreek Hill’s departure, and it sure looks like Worthy might be the guy to do it. Mahomes was unbelievable a year ago, picking apart defenses underneath and just out-executing other teams on the way to another Super Bowl win. His ability to beat you with efficiency now makes it even more terrifying to think about the Chiefs offense with a legit explosive play threat, and if Worthy can make plays down the field consistently, good luck with KC.
Las Vegas Raiders: Christian Wilkins and Maxx Crosby
The Raiders have a ton of question marks on offense, but their defense is terrifying. Maxx Crosby is one of the all around defensive ends in football, up there with the Bosas and Watts and Garretts of the world in his ability to just wreck shop in the pass game and run game. Now you add Christian Wilkins, who is one of the best pass rushing defensive tackles in football, and this Raiders pass rush can absolutely go. That’s the formula you want in a division with Patrick Mahomes, and while I don’t think they’ve got the firepower this year on offense to make a real push in the AFC, opposing offenses will not enjoy dealing with those two up front.
Los Angeles Chargers: Ladd McConkey
The Chargers are going to Run The Damn Ball this year. That’s just what the identity of a team coached by Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman is going to be. That said, Justin Herbert is a dynamic passer and they just lost their two top receivers this offseason, with veteran Kenean Allen now in Chicago and Mike Williams in New York. That shifts some pressure on last year’s first round pick Quentin Johnston to clean up his drop issues, and while a lot of attention is on him, I’m keeping an eye on their new rookie receiver, Ladd McConkey from Georgia. Look, we can be honest here, a white receiver named Ladd McConkey is not immediately driving fear into the hearts of defenders, but NFL DBs will soon learn that McConkey has some real juice. He is an elite route runner, has sub-4.4 speed, and used to turn around the SEC’s best corners regularly. I think he can be an instant impact guy, and Herbert is going to need a reliable threat to play off of that run game.
