Every season, there is a select handful of players around the NFL that seemingly come out of nowhere and have fantastic seasons. As the beginning of the 2023 season continues to creep closer, several players are quietly lurking and will have every opportunity to become household names before the coming campaign concludes.
Quarterback: Sam Howell, Washington Commanders
I’m not just all aboard the Sam Howell hype train, I’ve become the conductor. Everyone wrote off Howell after he had a final college season that failed to reach monumental expectations. What people fail to acknowledge is that nearly all of Howell’s weapons had left for the NFL, and he had a very poor offensive line in front of him. No, he didn’t throw for a million touchdowns and set the college football landscape on fire, but he still had a respectable season on a bad team, totaling 35 touchdowns, 11 of which were on the ground.
He has a huge arm, he can run with the ball much better than anyone ever talks about, and he has the likes of Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson to throw to, as well as a defense that was very quietly top 10 in DVOA. By the end of 2023, everyone will be asking how every other team let Sam Howell fall to the fifth round, and the Washington Commanders will be contending for a playoff spot.
Running back: Devon Achane, Miami Dolphins
Achane’s name is a popular one in the mouths of Dolphins fans. The rookie out of Texas A&M fits the mold for what the Dolphins do. They are a zone-run heavy team that incorporates a lot of play action and RPOs with guys that will simply run past you. Miami is built off speed with the likes of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at receiver and Raheem Mostert at running back.
Throwing Achane into the fray just gives them another guy who can blow past you. His 5-foot-8 frame limits him in terms of pass blocking, but in terms of a home-run hitter that can give you explosiveness, both as a runner and receiver out of the backfield, Achane will hit his fair share of dingers this season in the Dolphins’ track team of an offense.
Wide receiver: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Nacua is going to see a large percentage of touches and targets in the Rams offense as a rookie, in large part because of his versatility and talent, but also because the Rams lack any sort of serious weapons. Demarcus Robinson has shown he isn’t very good when anyone not named Patrick Mahomes is throwing him the ball, Ben Skowronek is your uncle’s favorite player for the same reason Taysom Hill was three years ago, and then some guy named Lance McCutcheon is also there.
Nacua was a guy that reportedly got a large workload during OTAs in a variety of roles. In his final season in school, he caught 48 passes for over 600 yards and five touchdowns, and added an additional five scores on the ground. By all accounts, the Rams can make the former BYU star their discount Deebo Samuel. While the rest of the roster may be filled with LinkedIn applicants, Nacua has a chance to shine in an offense that, outside of Kupp, lacks star power.
Tight end; Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenny Pickett found a safety blanket in Freiermuth down the stretch in 2022. The former Nittany Lion totaled 63 receptions for over 700 yards, making it consecutive seasons with 60 or more catches to begin his young career.
Pittsburgh will have a lot of mouths to feed in their offense with a cast composed of Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, and Najee Harris, to name a few. Pittsburgh is also going to run the ball more frequently, and effectively, in 2023. The Steelers will lean into the ground game and play action plays off of it, and Freiermuth will be the recipient of a lot of passes in the middle of the field. Expect north of 70 receptions for the former Penn State star in his third season as he continues to show he is one of the best tight ends in football.
Offensive line: Andre Dillard, Tennessee Titans
Dillard is a former first round pick who didn’t see the field in Philadelphia because all of their lineman watched Tuck Everlasting a little too closely and found out how to become immortal. However, he gets his shot in Tennessee, where the Titans have given their offensive line a makeover. That potential Dillard had coming out of Washington State is still there, and he gets to showcase it full time.
Defensive interior: DaVon Hamilton, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars were 11th in run defense DVOA in 2022, and a large reason for that was the play of DaVon Hamilton. He was fifth in the NFL in run stops with 36, per PFF, and was sixth amongst defensive interior players in tackles. If the rest of the Jaguars front seven take steps forward, especially Josh Allen and Travon Walker, that will only free up more opportunities for Hamilton to make plays in the trenches.
Edge rusher: Jaelan Phillips, Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins sneakily have one of the best front fours in football, and they will all fit Vic Fangio’s scheme like a glove. Christian Wilkins and Zach Seiler finished No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in run stops, and Phillips finished eighth in the league in pass rush win percentage (min. 130 pass rush snaps).
These three, along with Bradley Chubb, will only sharpen one another. Fangio isn’t going to blitz regularly, so the Dolphins will rely on their front four to win a lot of their battles. Phillips should have his first career double-digit sack season if all goes well.
Linebacker: Kaden Elliss, Atlanta Falcons
Elliss made the most of his increased role with the Saints in 2022. Of all linebackers with at least 268 run defense snaps, he was PFF’s eighth-highest graded linebacker against the run, and finished in the top 20 in run stop percentage.
Now with the Falcons, Elliss will have a role as a full-time starter, and a chance to build upon his best season to date.
Cornerback: Benjamin St-Juste, Washington Commanders
St-Juste brings a versatility to the Commanders’ secondary that allows them to move him around and try different things. He spent extended time both on the perimeter and in the slot in 2022. Now, with Emmanuel Forbes coming in to compliment both he and Kendall Fuller, all of these guys are going to make each other better.
St-Juste finished sixth in the NFL in lowest reception percentage in 2022. With added help in the secondary, as well as a more defined role, the Minnesota product could have a breakout year.
Safety: Rodney Thomas II, Indianapolis Colts
The Yale product showed his smarts went beyond the classroom as a rookie in 2022. Thomas allowed the fourth fewest passer rating amongst safeties when being targeted, as well as the second lowest reception percentage. Thomas also intercepted four passes through the course of his rookie campaign.
Had the Colts not been a complete tire fire, more attention would have been paid to the truly remarkable rookie season the Colts’ safety had. Year two could be even bigger.
