Who are the best breakout candidates for all 32 NFL teams?
Every season produces surprising names that seem to come out of nowhere and dominate the NFL (and your fantasy football leagues). But often those close to a team have a good sense of which players are on the verge of a breakout campaign. This year is no different, and after OTAs and minicamp, The Athletics writers have their picks for the players who will take the biggest leaps forward:  AFC East  Buffalo Bills  The Bills are bringing back a similar roster to the one they had a year ago, so they could benefit from a breakout season or two from some of their younger players. Cornerback Dane Jackson, tight end Dawson Knox, running backs Devin Singletary and Zack Moss and wide receiver Gabriel Davis are all candidates. But when I think of a player capable of a breakout that the league notices, defensive lineman Ed Oliver comes to mind. Hes flashed dominant stretches of play during his first two seasons, but the consistent production hasnt always been there. If Oliver can put it all together, that would be a massive boost to a pass rush that could use it.  Matthew Fairburn  Miami Dolphins  Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has plenty to prove after a rookie season in which he went 6-3 as the starter. Miami has positioned itself to build off a promising 10-win season by surrounding Tagovailoa with additional firepower at wide receiver. But the spot to pay attention to is actually behind Tagovailoa. When the Dolphins waited until the seventh round to draft a running back, they expressed their confidence in Myles Gaskin, who led the team with 584 rushing yards and three touchdowns despite playing in only 10 games. If Gaskin can stay healthy, Miami has shown it is willing to give him a heavy workload. With a fully loaded receiver corps, Gaskin will have the green light in the backfield to take off.  Josh Tolentino  New England Patriots  Its a toss-up between safety Kyle Dugger and outside linebacker Josh Uche. Dugger should be a big-time playmaker due to the improved pass rush, but lets go with Uche for this one. Although he was limited due to a couple of ankle injuries as a rookie, Uche was easily the Patriots most explosive pass rusher when he was able to take the field. Uche has awesome talent, gained muscle this offseason and looked really good at times during OTAs. Matt Judon and Kyle Van Noy probably will play the most snaps at the position, but Uche will make his presence known. The Patriots will find ways to get him on the field on passing downs.  Jeff Howe  New York Jets  The Jets couldnt believe Elijah Moore was there in the second round of this years draft; team cameras caught coach Robert Salehs and general manager Joe Douglas jubilance after turning in their card. Its early, but its not hard to see why. Moore was among the best players at the Jets offseason workouts, showcasing explosiveness not seen around Florham Park in quite some time. While the Jets have a crowded receiving room (yes, really) with Corey Davis, Denzel Mims, Jamison Crowder and Keelan Cole, it will be hard to keep the rookie off the field. He looks that dynamic.  Connor Hughes  AFC North  Baltimore Ravens  The Ravens didnt put a lot on rookie running back J.K. Dobbins shoulders early last season. He didnt get double-digit carries until Week 8. That wont happen this year. The Ravens love Gus Edwards and offensive coordinator Greg Roman maintains that hell stick with running back by committee, but Dobbins figures to be one of the focal points of an offense that runs the ball better than anybody in football. The Ravens hit another level offensively last season after Dobbins was thrust into a prominent role. Despite sporadic use, Dobbins still finished with 925 total yards and nine touchdowns and he averaged more than 6 yards per touch. The Ravens believe hes capable of more and would like to get him more involved in the passing game.  Jeff Zrebiec  Cincinnati Bengals  Opposing coaches and players, as well as Pro Football Focus, have been raving about Jessie Bates for a couple of years, but as a safety playing on a team that has won just six games in two years, hes still fairly anonymous to casual fans. Thats about to change. Bates could reset the safety market heading into his contract year. A Pro Bowl snub in 2020, Bates had a great season despite playing behind the worst pass rush in the league. But the Bengals invested in the defensive line through free agency and the draft, which should result in a lot more pressures and sacks. And that, in turn, will create opportunities for Bates to have more game-changing moments to go along with his consistently high level of play. Dont be surprised if there is not only a Pro Bowl berth but an All-Pro selection for Bates this fall.  Jay Morrison  Cleveland Browns  Second-year linebacker Jacob Phillips is big, fast and uber-talented. He didnt play much last year as a 21-year old rookie; that was partly by design and partly because some minor injuries limited Phillips early in the year. But the Browns gave him more work as the season went along, and Phillips started showing up around the ball. He has serious range and enough size to play any spot. The Browns tried to fix their defense in the offseason and want to be multiple with their fronts. Assuming he stays healthy and grows from last years limited experience, Phillips is good enough to play in just about any situation and help the defense take a necessary leap.  Zac Jackson  Pittsburgh Steelers  Linebacker Alex Highsmith moves into the prime pass-rushing position in his second season. He will start at right outside linebacker, replacing departed free agent Bud Dupree. With T.J. Watt on the other side and end/tackle Cam Heyward in front of him, Highsmith will be surrounded by talent that can only help him be successful. He showed flashes as a rookie third-round pick in 20, first as a sub for Dupree and Watt and when he started five games after Duprees season ended with an injury. He had two sacks, an interception and six quarterback hits.  Ed Bouchette  Alex Highsmith filled in for an injured Bud Dupree in 2020. Hell be a full-time starter in 2021. (Ken Blaze / USA Today)  AFC South  Houston Texans  Among defensive linemen who played no more than 350 snaps as a pass rusher in 2020, Charles Omenihus 16 QB hits ranked third. Now entering his third season, Omenihu, who played 49 percent of the Texans defensive snaps last year, could be in line for a bigger role on a line with few established players as Houston transitions to a 4-3 defense. How much more playing time Omenihu sees will depend in part on how the Texans new coaching staff feels about his run-stopping ability. Last season, Omenihu ranked fourth among Texans defensive linemen in early-down snaps.  Aaron Reiss  Indianapolis Colts  Two years into his career, the story on Parris Campbell reads like this: five injuries, just 24 catches, nine games played out of a possible 32. Not exactly the return on investment the Colts hoped for when they took the speedy Ohio State receiver in the second round of the 2019 draft. But there is still a lot of confidence in the building that Campbell can deliver; coach Frank Reich has big plans for him, and among those texting him weekly last fall while Campbell rehabbed from his knee injury was GM Chris Ballard. I still believe in Parris Campbell, Ballard said this winter. Barring another injury, Campbell could become a consistent weapon in the Colts passing attack as a speedy threat who can take quick throws and pile up yards after the catch. But its a big year for him, and it starts with staying healthy. One thing Ive learned through all of this: its not what you do your first two years, Campbell said recently. Its who can last the longest.  Zak Keefer  Jacksonville Jaguars  The easier answer would be Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars drafted him at No. 1. Hes supposed to be a franchise-altering quarterback who lifts Jacksonville up from the bottom depths of the NFL standings that they have existed in for most of the last 13 years. But rarely do rookie quarterbacks create change that quickly. (Peyton Manning, for example, went 3-13 his first year.) Instead, look to fellow rookie Travis Etienne, the running back who was the Jaguars second selection in the first round at No. 25. The Jaguars expect him to help Lawrence grow by becoming a safety net both as a rusher and a pass-catcher. Coach Urban Meyer hasnt been shy about his goals for Etienne as a dual threat out of the backfield. So if Lawrence surpasses early expectations and makes a bigger-than-expected impact this season, dont be surprised if its because Etienne has broken out as a star. Tennessee Titans  Darrynton Evans is an afterthought in the Titans offense at this point, but that may not be the case a few weeks into the season. The 2020 third-round running back out of Appalachian State has the skills and explosiveness to be the change of pace the Titans have been seeking for Derrick Henry, but a nagging hamstring injury wiped out most of his rookie season. He looks fast and had a lot of work catching the ball this spring. A big key will be Evans taking a step forward in all that goes into pass protection. If he does, he should be another beneficiary of the Henry-A.J. Brown-Julio Jones Triangle of Terror.  Joe Rexrode  AFC West  Denver Broncos  Even while struggling with drops, catching passes from three different starting quarterbacks and working through a nagging ankle injury, Jerry Jeudy, the No. 15 pick in the 2020 draft, still piled up 856 receiving yards, the second-most for a rookie in franchise history. Well insert the its early caveat here, but Jeudy looked sharp during offseason workouts open to media members, and recently, new quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said he was impressed by the professionalism and work ethic he has seen from Jeudy. As 2019 Pro Bowl wide receiver Courtland Sutton returns from an ACL injury to draw attention away deep down the field  thats the hope, anyway  Jeudy should have more freedom in the middle of the field to turn his precise route-running ability into more game-changing plays.  Nick Kosmider  Kansas City Chiefs  Mecole Hardman has rare speed and he would be the fastest player on the Chiefs roster if not for Tyreek Hill, the leagues fastest player. But there are several reasons to believe Hardman is capable of a breakout performance, as most receivers start mastering Andy Reids offense in their third year. The Chiefs let Sammy Watkins hit the market because they are bullish on Hardman, who can thrive in one-on-one matchups if opposing teams have to account for Hill and star tight end Travis Kelce. With Patrick Mahomes and a revamped offensive line, Hardman could benefit by producing 1,000 receiving yards.  Nate Taylor  Las Vegas Raiders  Third-year safety Johnathan Abram has only played 14 of a possible 28 career games and struggled mightily in coverage in 13 starts last season. That doesnt scream breakout player, but hes transitioning into a more natural fit as a box safety in new defensive coordinator Gus Bradleys Cover 3 scheme. Abram still needs to improve in coverage, but hell be closer to the ball now and able to fly around and make plays. If he can finally stay healthy, then he could be in for an impactful season on a defense that desperately needs difference-makers.  Tashan Reed  Los Angeles Chargers  Safety Nasir Adderley was a second-round pick in 2019 and has not yet lived up to his draft slot. He missed almost all of his rookie season with a hamstring injury he first suffered during the pre-draft process. And last year, Adderley was forced into a starting role once Derwin James went down with a season-ending knee injury in training camp. He struggled with consistency manning the single-high free safety role in Gus Bradleys defensive scheme. But it seems his role in Brandon Staleys new defensive scheme will be more aligned with his skill set and ball-hawking mentality. The free safety in Bradleys scheme, simply put, does not get a lot of action. That player is the last line of defense and the clean-up garbage tackler. It takes a great deal of patience and discipline to be successful. Adderley will be moving around more in Staleys scheme, even potentially defending the slot at times. He will also be around the ball more. In short, he can be much more aggressive. And, if everything goes according to plan, he will be playing alongside James for the first time. Adderley has been a disappointment so far, but I think that changes.  Daniel Popper  NFC East  Dallas Cowboys  This one came down to CeeDee Lamb and Randy Gregory. I think both have the opportunity to have a big year. Since Lamb already had a nice rookie season, Im giving Gregory my official vote. With Aldon Smith no longer on the roster, Gregory is in position to be Dallas starting right edge defender with DeMarcus Lawrence handling those duties on the left. Considering that Gregory has been suspended for more games for violating the leagues substance-abuse policy than hes played in, hes become somewhat of a forgotten man around the league. But at 28, he still has plenty of talent to possibly lead the Cowboys in sacks and quarterback pressures. In a recent conference call with reporters, Gregory sounded like someone who is in a great place on and off the field. And considering the former second-round pick is in the final year of his contract, theres even more motivation to put together his best season.  Jon Machota  New York Giants  The Giants are relying on a bunch of veterans after their free-agent spending sprees in the past two offseasons. But they need some of their young draft picks to make a jump. Left tackle Andrew Thomas, the No. 4 pick in the 2020 draft, struggled in the first half of his rookie season before settling down. Hell need to be consistently better this season. Safety Xavier McKinney, a second-rounder in 2020, missed the first 10 games with a broken foot but showed enough flashes after his return to fuel optimism. McKinney could be poised for a breakout sophomore season.  Dan Duggan  Philadelphia Eagles  With Zach Ertz expected elsewhere next season, Dallas Goedert will likely take over as the No. 1 tight end. That should lead to even more production from a player who will be featured in new coach Nick Siriannis offense. Goedert ranks No. 13 among tight ends in receiving yards since he entered the NFL in 2018 and No. 11 in receptions and touchdowns, so hes already among the more productive tight ends in the NFL. He played 66 percent of the Eagles offensive snaps in 2019 and 54 percent of the offensive snaps last season while limited to 11 games. Look for the playing time to increase if he stays healthy, and his target share should jump as well. A Pro Bowl bid is not out of the question. (Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)  Washington Football Team  Antonio Gibson had more than 1,000 combined yards from scrimmage with 36 receptions and 11 touchdowns as a rookie. That sounds like the definition of a breakout performance for a running back selected in the third round. Just remember that Gibson primarily played receiver at Memphis and had only 33 carries during his final season. No wonder he was slow to read his running lanes early on for Washington. Yet he still averaged 4.7 yards per carry and managed to find the end zone frequently despite playing in a lackluster offense that ranked 25th in scoring and cycled through four quarterbacks. Now theres Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, a greater pool of playmakers and an experienced version of Gibson ready to run his game up another level.  Ben Standig  NFC North  Chicago Bears  With Kyle Fuller now in Denver, Jaylon Johnson is expected to be the Bears No. 1 cornerback. New defensive coordinator Sean Desai should assign Johnson with the toughest individual matchup each week. So in this case, the Bears surely hope that Johnson, the 50th pick in 2020, has a breakout season. They need it to improve defensively. Johnsons rookie season was cut short by a shoulder injury but his 15 pass breakups in 13 games were still a good starting point.  Adam Jahns  Detroit Lions  Some have wondered what type of impact Jamaal Williams arrival will have on DAndre Swift, but the second-year back from Georgia should still be in position to expand his game within coordinator Anthony Lynns offense this season. Swift was  by a wide margin  Detroits most elusive and electric back in space a year ago despite playing fewer than 400 snaps. That number should be higher this season, even with Williams arrival. Not sure how this combination will impact Swifts fantasy value, but if youre in a points-per-reception league, he could turn a corner there, too. Swift has the ability to be a three-down back. This could be the year we see him show it.  Nick Baumgardner  Green Bay Packers  Last year, it was tight end Robert Tonyan, who tied for the league lead among tight ends with 11 touchdown catches. This year, Green Bays breakout player will be wide receiver/return specialist Amari Rodgers. The rookie third-round pick out of Clemson is a natural slot receiver, something the Packers lacked, and a skilled punt returner, another tool the Packers were missing. Rodgers, who stands only 5-foot-9 but 212 pounds, can also serve as a gadget piece out of the backfield on jet sweeps, reverses and other motion action.  Matt Schneidman  Minnesota Vikings  For the Vikings, its probably Irv Smith Jr. While head coach Mike Zimmer has downplayed any role expansion for Smith that comes from Kyle Rudolphs departure, the Vikings have only two proven pass-catchers on the roster and Smith is the next man up. Hes flashed, though never sustained, some intriguing play. There isnt a clear third receiver on the roster, and the Vikings put their tight ends on the field more than almost any other team. Opportunity is there and it looks like the talent is there, too.  Arif Hasan  NFC South  Atlanta Falcons  Everyone wants to talk about Calvin Ridley and Kyle Pitts when discussing the Falcons offensive weapons, and they should. But when it comes to the players who have the most to gain, look to Russell Gage and Hayden Hurst. The Falcons didnt pick up Hursts fifth-year option, so he and Gage can be free agents in 2022. Without Julio Jones, Gage has the opportunity to continue down the path he was on in 2020, as a viable option for Matt Ryan in the passing game. Some may say Pitts stifles Hursts opportunities, but with new coach Arthur Smith as the play-caller, expect to see wide use of tight ends in multiple sets and packages. If youre a tight end, you want to play in Smiths offense, even with Pitts in the position group.  Tori McElhaney  Carolina Panthers  Defensive end Brian Burns was in the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation in 2019 before the first-round pick from Florida State punched the turf in frustration at Houston and broke his wrist. Burns took another step forward in 2020, increasing his sack total from 7.5 to 9 while showing off an array of pass-rush moves, most of which capitalize on Burns terrific speed and burst. But it still seems like Burns is just scratching the surface of his talent. With free-agent acquisition Haason Reddick pulling some of the double-teams off him, the 23-year-old Burns should be in line for double-digit sacks and his first Pro Bowl appearance.  Joseph Person  New Orleans Saints  The Saints have been waiting for defensive end Marcus Davenport to blossom. Entering Year 4, its been a long wait. Trey Hendrickson broke out last season for 13.5 sacks, limiting Davenports snaps (injuries hindered him as well). Yes, the Saints drafted Payton Turner in Round 1 a couple of months ago. But the time is now for Davenport to live up to his expectations after the Saints traded up to No. 14 in 2018 to select the edge rusher. Davenport knows how many eyes in New Orleans will focus on him this season.  Larry Holder  Tampa Bay Buccaneers  He was already a starter on a Super Bowl champion, but this could be the year Devin White becomes a household name as one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL. White was a turnover machine in the playoffs, showing a real penchant for being around the ball and making plays. He could be headed to his first Pro Bowl, and the same could be said for tackle Tristan Wirfs, guard Ali Marpet, cornerback Carlton Davis or safety Antoine Winfield.  Greg Auman  NFC West  Arizona Cardinals  Someone has to fill the void left by Larry Fitzgerald (who hasnt technically retired but isnt signed), both in targets and overall production, and while its tempting to pick Rondale Moore as a breakout star candidate, it is rare for a rookie receiver to explode. Instead, this could finally be Christian Kirks time to shine as a complement to DeAndre Hopkins and potentially a better No. 2 option than A.J. Green, even playing from the slot. We know he already has chemistry with Kyler Murray; its beyond time for that to carry over onto the field.  Lindsay Jones  Los Angeles Rams  It might be a bit unfair to recognize a player who started regularly last year as a breakout candidate, but defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day certainly has earned the interest. Hes one of the teams best run-defenders and spent the offseason working on his pass-rush arsenal. We know Aaron Donald always will occupy the most attention from offensive linemen, so there may be an opportunity for Joseph-Day to pad his sack numbers and his future paycheck. By June, the position didnt seem as deep. Top runner Raheem Mostert was out with a minor knee sprain while the No. 2 back, Jeff Wilson, will be gone at least into October with a more serious meniscus tear. Those spring issues left Trey Sermon atop the depth chart. The third-round pick already was likely to be part of the tailback rotation. With Wilson out, he moved up a notch. Sermon is big, well-versed in zone-running schemes and has the backing of position coach Bobby Turner. The 49ers aspire to have more than 500 rushing attempts this season and, if hes healthy, Sermon ought to get a big chunk of them.  Matt Barrows  Seattle Seahawks  Defensive tackle Poona Ford, undrafted out of Texas in 2018 despite being the Big 12s top defensive lineman in his final season, started as a one-technique defensive tackle playing primarily on rushing downs. He thrived in that role for two seasons then blossomed into a formidable pass rusher in 2020, displaying his ability to get in the backfield as a three-technique as well. He finished fourth on the team with 28 QB pressures, according to TruMedia, and that earned him a two-year, $12.3 million contract extension in March. Ford, 25, has the potential to be one of the games top defensive tackles.  Michael-Shawn Dugar  (Photo of J.K. Dobbins: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)