PHOTO USA At the moment Sports activities Photographs For each NFL participant who breaks by way of this season, there may be one other who will break aside.
There’s just one ball to go round. Just one crew that may win every recreation. Just one locker the place all of the cameras might be arrange first to interview essentially the most impactful participant.
Someplace, another participant will surprise why they’re slumping as an alternative of surging.
Listed here are 5 gamers who may underachieve in 2024.
Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans
Stefon Diggs has so much to stay as much as after being traded from the Buffalo Payments to the Houston Texans. Photograph supply: Getty Photographs All of it seems to be so enticing on paper. Diggs is with the Houston Texans now, the place he’ll crew 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 decide and a 2025 fifth-round decide, to Houston in trade for the wideout and a 2025 second-round decide. That is as a lot concerning the canines already within the WR room in Houston who’ll make it tougher for Diggs to run the present. Don’t neglect, 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 isn’t going to cowl up his diminishing returns.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert throws a go for the Los Angeles Chargers. Photograph supply: Getty Photographs 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 crew in flux. Jim Harbaugh is able to roam the sidelines, and he is likely to be a high quality rent over the course of his contract, however his first 12 months figures to characteristic a bumpy transition.
The crew traded Keenan Allen and would possibly depend on rookie receiver Ladd McConkey to be its high go catcher. There are simply too many indicators 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 sector previous to a recreation in opposition to the Chicago Bears at GEHA Discipline at Arrowhead Stadium. credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports activities Sorry, Swifties. That is nothing private. You, too, will someday expertise the getting old course of. You’ll get up, and your toes will harm, and also you’ll don’t know why. You’ll begin to make involuntary noises everytime you stand up from the sofa. You’ll purchase a chook feeder and watch with pleasure from the window as your new visitors 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 shortly 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 (perhaps 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 wish 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 may assist, however perhaps it’s time to deboard the Pitts hype prepare.
WR Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
New York Jets extensive receiver Garrett Wilson catches a go in opposition to the Cleveland Browns. supply: Getty Photographs This can be a robust one as a result of Wilson is admittedly good. He’s getting 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 an inventory of seemingly underachievers? It’s as a result of his quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is a weirdo dinosaur who will flip 41 years previous this season in case you truly consider 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 might be good in the long run, however this season options too many questions. Did we point out his quarterback is a weirdo dinosaur?
