Last year before the season, I released a podcast talking about the top players to add prior to the NFL season. These are players who have largely been undrafted and they are my top bets to break out. While I’m sure there were some players who never materialized, that podcast did feature a couple of guys who broke out (Kyren Williams and Sam LaPorta).
Rather than wait for someone to break out in week 1 and then fight over them with your FAAB money or with your waiver slot, it makes sense to invest in them now if you have the roster space.
Here are my potential breakout players. I’m including their roster availability (gathered from ESPN as of this morning)
Onto this week’s waivers:
Quarterback:
- Jayden Daniels (15% available) – I’m favoring QBs that can run, but most of the guys I’d target are rostered. I’m including Jayden Daniels knowing he’s probably not available for you. I just want to drive the point home that I think he has top-10 potential
- Bo Nix (87% available) – I think he’ll run more than you think this year and I loved the way he looked in preseason
- Bryce Young (89% available) – I thought he was garbage last year, but I really believe in this coaching staff
Running Back:
- Jonathon Brooks (23% available) – once the league kicks off on Thursday, you’ll be able to stash him on your IL
- JK Dobbins (23% available) and Gus Edwards (25% available) – one if not both of these players is going to be exceptional in the new Chargers offensive system
- Chuba Hubbard (35% available) – the unquestioned starter in a run-based system until Jonathon Brooks returns to action
- Antonio Gibson (57% available) – should get plenty of receptions in this system
- Jaleel McLaughlin (59%) – I know Audric Estime is looking good, but McLaughlin is the best pure runner on this team (yes, better than Javonte). His pass blocking is still weak, but he was good enough to warrant the Broncos releasing Samaje Perine
- Jaylen Wright (77% available) – probably won’t play much, but he’s a Raheem Mostert injury away from 100 yard games. It won’t be long before he passes Jeff Wilson on the depth chart
- Carson Steele (2.1%) – could get a decent amount of touches for the Chiefs behind Pacheco
- Justice Hill (97% available) – he disappointed me last season, but Keaton Mitchell is still out and the rookies aren’t providing much competition for the #2 WR role in Baltimore
Wide Receiver:
- Brian Thomas Jr. (23% available) – could be just as good as Calvin Ridley was for the Jaguars
- Mike Williams (28% available) – he’s very good when healthy and Garrett Wilson will be drawing double teams. Williams should have plenty of deep ball chances this year
- Khalil Shakir (51% available) – there’s a decent chance Shakir leads the Bills in targets this year
- Xavier Legette (68% available) – reviews on him were mixed in camp, but he will be a top 3 receiver to start the year and should improve from there
- Dontayvion Wicks (80% available) – The Packers have a lot of mouths to feed, but Wicks caught my attention last season and looked solid in preseason. Hey may well have the highest ceiling of all the Packers receivers, but he’s being slept on
- Jalen McMillan (97% available) – he’s looked great in preseason and will be a day 1 starter for the Buccaneers
- Xavier Gipson (99.5% available) – Corley is taking a while to come on and Aaron Rodgers hates rookie receivers. If Gipson is the slot winner to start the year for the Jets, he has 8 TD potential this year.
Tight End:
- Zack Ertz (98% available) – Sinnott is #3 on the depth chart. Ertz plays well in this system and Daniels will throw him plenty of passes. If you don’t like your TE depth, pick Ertz up before week 1.
- Taysom Hill (56% available) – he’s going to continue his slasher role
- Theo Johnson (99% available) – the smart money is on Bellinger to start, but I have a feeling Johnson will be the guy by the end of this season
- Ja’Tavion Sanders (99.5% available) – if you believe the depth charts, he’s #3 on that list, but he looks really good. I don’t think that’ll last. Of course, I said similar things about Michael Mayer for the Raiders last year.
- Will Dissly (99.9% available) – the Chargers will throw to their TE this year and I like Dissly to get more targets based on his ability to play a more physical brand of football for Harbaugh than Hayden Hurst can offer