PHOTO USA At present Sports activities Photos For each NFL participant who breaks by way of this season, there’s one other who will break aside.
There’s just one ball to go round. Just one workforce that may win every recreation. Just one locker the place all of the cameras shall be arrange first to interview probably the most impactful participant.
Someplace, another participant will marvel why they’re slumping as an alternative of surging.
Listed here are 5 gamers who might underachieve in 2024.
Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans
Stefon Diggs has rather a lot to stay as much as after being traded from the Buffalo Payments to the Houston Texans. Picture supply: Getty Photos All of it seems to be so engaging on paper. Diggs is with the Houston Texans now, the place he’ll workforce up with stellar second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud.
However there’s a purpose why the Buffalo Payments traded Diggs, together with a 2024 sixth-round choose and a 2025 fifth-round choose, to Houston in alternate for the wideout and a 2025 second-round choose. That is as a lot in regards to the canine already within the WR room in Houston who’ll make it tougher for Diggs to run the present. Don’t overlook, Diggs will flip 31 years previous this season, and he’s coming off a season during which he averaged 69.6 receiving yards and fewer than a half-touchdown per recreation.
He nonetheless has expertise, however a brand new uniform is just not going to cowl up his diminishing returns.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert throws a cross for the Los Angeles Chargers. Picture supply: Getty Photos Herbert can chuck the ball; there’s no query about that. He’ll produce a number of highlight-reel performs this season that make him appear like a famous person.
However look deeper, and also you’ll see that the Los Angeles Chargers are a workforce in flux. Jim Harbaugh is able to roam the sidelines, and he is likely to be a effective rent over the course of his contract, however his first 12 months figures to characteristic a bumpy transition.
The workforce traded Keenan Allen and would possibly depend on rookie receiver Ladd McConkey to be its prime cross catcher. There are simply too many alerts that Herbert is due for an up-and-down efficiency, week to week.
TE Travis Kelce, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce (87) takes the sphere previous to a recreation in opposition to the Chicago Bears at GEHA Area at Arrowhead Stadium. credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports activities Sorry, Swifties. That is nothing private. You, too, will in the future expertise the getting old course of. You’ll get up, and your ft will damage, and also you’ll don’t know why. You’ll begin to make involuntary noises everytime you rise up from the sofa. You’ll purchase a fowl feeder and watch with pleasure from the window as your new friends fly in for his or her meals.
Anyway, this isn’t in any respect autobiographical; that is fully, ahem, all about Kelce. He’s turning 35 in October. He’s coming off his fewest receiving yards since 2015. He’s fortunately in love, and that’s nice, however the solar is rapidly setting on his outstanding profession.
TE Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons tight finish Kyle Pitts (8) runs for a landing after a catch in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports activities It’s humorous (possibly not humorous, ha-ha) to incorporate Pitts proper after Kelce on this record. Kelce is on the downslope of a Corridor of Fame profession. Pitts is younger, athletic and stuffed with potential—the other of an getting old star.
But Pitts has already made us appear like fools twice. Does anybody actually need to make it thrice in a row? The Falcons’ tight finish had 28 catches for 356 yards and two touchdowns in his second NFL season in 2022, and he adopted that up by making 53 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns in 2023. Positive, Kirk Cousins might assist, however possibly it’s time to deboard the Pitts hype practice.
WR Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
New York Jets huge receiver Garrett Wilson catches a cross in opposition to the Cleveland Browns. supply: Getty Photos This can be a robust one as a result of Wilson is actually good. He’s coming into his age 24 season, and he’s already posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns, and he has all of the makings of a star wideout within the NFL.
So why is he on a listing of doubtless underachievers? It’s as a result of his quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is a weirdo dinosaur who will flip 41 years previous this season when you really imagine that there are a mean of 365 1/4 days per 12 months. It’s as a result of his offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, has a playbook with all of the firepower of a backyard hose.
Wilson shall be good in the long run, however this season options too many questions. Did we point out his quarterback is a weirdo dinosaur?
