As we are less than two months away from the NFL regular season kicking off, one thing I love about the NFL is how quickly players can turn around their careers by making their marks on the league. With that, here are ten players I expect to take a jump in 2024.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Going into the 2023 draft, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the consensus top wideout in that draft class, which is why fans were so excited he was going to join the Seahawks offence of dynamic playmakers such as D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Kenneth Walker III.
JSN's rookie season started slow but he did pick up his production over the last 10 games where he was targeted 5.7 times per game while hauling in 4 catches a game. The Seahawk's new coaching staff in 2024 features former Washington Huskies OC Ryan Grubb who joins Seattle in the same role. Grubb likes his quarterbacks to spread the ball out and Smith-Njigba has been seen working out consistently with quarterback Geno Smith all off-season. With Tyler Lockett getting up in age, expect Smith-Njigba to take on more of Lockett's workload in the Seahawks new-look offence
Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals this spring traded long-time running back Joe Mixon to the Houston Texans and replaced him with Zack Moss in free agency. The Bengals will look for Moss & Chase Brown to carry the run game. As the Bengals look for someone to separate from the pack, Brown's speed could be the factor that takes snaps away from Moss in the Bengals running back room in 2024 as the Cincy is prepping to gear up for a run at the Lombardi Trophy.
Kobie Turner, EDGE, Los Angeles Rams
Turner had a very productive rookie season for the Rams in 2023 with 9 sacks and was a key reason why Los Angeles' defence was able to exceed expectations on their way back to the post-season.
With All-Pro defender Aaron Donald hanging up the cleats this spring, the Rams will rely on Turner to step up and lead the next generation of Rams defenders as LA looks to close the gap on the 49ers in the NFC West.
Christian Gonzalez, CB, New England Patriots
Before a season-ending injury in 2023, Gonzalez was on his way to potentially having a defensive rookie of the year caliber season. Despite the best defensive mind ever Bill Belichick no longer being in New England, the Patriots' defense still should be a top-10 unit on that side of the ball and Gonzalez will tasked with shutting down some of the game's premier wideouts in 2024 for Jerod Mayo's defense.
Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers
His rookie season could not have gone worse but new coach Dave Canales over the last two seasons helped turn around the careers of veteran QBs Geno Smith, and Baker Mayfield over the last two seasons.
If Canales can help build a run game, and get the line to protect Young, I expect a major turnaround for the 2023 #1 overall pick this upcoming season. I could see around 20-23 touchdown passes which would be a drastic improvement from his play in 2022.
Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers
Over his last ten games of the season, Reed began to form a strong connection with QB Jordan Love. Over the last ten games of the year, Reed had 45 catches for 495 yards, as well as catching 7 touchdowns.
As the Packers do not yet have a true #1 wide receiver in their building, expect Love to rely on Reed if both of them can continue the level of production they showed on the Packers' run to the divisional round in 2023.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Another sophomore whose rookie year was cut short due to injury, few players were more exciting to watch over the first month of the 2023 season than Colts QB Anthony Richardson, with his ability to run with the football, paired up with his laser of an arm.
Richardson has all the athletic tools a player could ask for, as long as he can remain healthy, Richardson will form one of the league's scariest backfields along with Jonathan Taylor, as well as second-year coach Shane Steichen looking to continue the promise he showed in his first season on the job.
If everything goes to plan for the Colts, Indy could be a sneaky contender in the AFC in 2024, provided Richardson can take a leap in his first full season under center.
Joshua Palmer, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
With the departures of Mike Williams and Kennan Allen this off-season, Justin Herbert needs someone to throw the ball to.
In 2022 (the last time Hebert played a full season), Palmer reached nearly 800 yards in 16 games while catching 3 touchdowns.
With that in mind, someone will need to step up for the Chargers, and I would not be shocked if Palmer can top 1000 yards in 2024 as Los Angeles looks to return to the playoffs in Jim Harbaugh's first year with the team.
Khalil Shakir, WR, Buffalo Bills
Much like the Chargers, the Bills' wide receiver room could probably be better, especially with a quarterback of the caliber of Josh Allen.
If the Bills want to compete for a Super Bowl in 2024, they will need someone to step up with the departures of Stefon Diggs, and Gabe Davis this summer.
There has been a lot of off-season hype about the team's second-round pick Keon Coleman but I see a lot of Davis similarities in Shakir and would not be surprised if early in the season, Shakir and Tight End Dalton Kincaid start the year off as Allen's go-to targets in the Bills offence.
Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Washington Commanders
With a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels, the Commanders will likely want to ease Daniels in, especially behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league who gave up 39 sacks in 2023. As a result, I expect lots of work for Brian Robinson Jr. this season, and he could be a league winner in fantasy in 2024 with the type of workload I can see Kliff Kingsbury giving Robinson early on in the season.
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