As training camps get underway in earnest across the league this week, we’re going to be hearing a lot about surprise and standout players. Who’s come back and looks like a completely different player? Who came out of nowhere to make a push for a starting role?

Today, I’m taking a look at one breakout candidate for each team. I focused mostly on second-year players, as they often have the easiest path to a breakout. Some teams didn’t have any obvious candidates among their sophomores or had other clear choices, so these aren’t all Year 2 guys.

Let’s dive right in:

Arizona Cardinals: DT Walter Nolen III

The 2025 No. 16 overall pick got off to an inauspicious start as a rookie, playing in just six games and seeing meaningful snaps in a mere four. Injuries significantly hampered him last year, but even so, he flashed serious upside when he saw the field. Nolen had two sacks and a pass rush win rate of 15 percent as a rookie — imagine what he could do with a fully healthy season ahead of him.

With the caveat that advanced metrics can be unreliable in such small sample sizes, Nolen’s potential as a penetrating interior pass rusher was tremendous coming out of college. The Cardinals are starving for stars on defense, and Nolen just might be that guy.

Atlanta Falcons: TE Kyle Pitts

Is it fair to call a guy entering his sixth season a breakout candidate? Pitts looked like the league’s next star at tight end after topping 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie, but the next three seasons were extremely forgettable, for reasons not entirely all his fault. Last season, Pitts bounced back with career highs in catches, touchdowns and first downs, with a threat rate (targets per route run) of nearly 21 percent.

It’s a new offense, but Pitts was finally used in the intermediate game last year to great success. If Tua Tagovailoa wins Atlanta’s starting quarterback job as expected, he’ll need a target to feast over the middle. That might be Pitts, and we could see him used as the high-volume passing target at tight end he was supposed to be coming into the league.

Baltimore Ravens: WR Devontez Walker

It’s now or never for Walker. The Ravens selected two receivers in the middle rounds of this past draft: Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt. They’ll be battling third-year receiver Walker for the third starting receiver spot behind Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman.

Walker was targeted just eight times in 2025, but three of those targets went for touchdowns. He provides Baltimore with a field-stretching option on the outside. That’s a skill set Lane and Sarratt don’t really possess, so there’s a chance Walker just fits what the Ravens need at that spot more than the competition. If he doesn’t break out this year, though, his opportunity will likely pass him by.

Buffalo Bills: DTs T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker

I’m grouping these two players together — they’re both second-year interior defenders who have a big opportunity ahead of them at a position the Bills need help. Walker was the surprise rotation piece as a fourth-round pick, but Sanders was a second-round pick in his own right who flashed some upside when he saw the field.

Both struggled in run defense as rookies, but their work as pass rushers showed some promise. Walker, in particular, called back to his 2023 season at Kentucky with some of the reps he put on film. Like I said, the Bills need at least one of these two (but preferably both) to prove themselves as real dudes this season to feel good about their defense.

Carolina Panthers: ED Princely Umanmielen

I was all set to talk about Nic Scourton right here. Then he tore his ACL on the first day of camp and put a lot of pressure on Umanmielen to step up in his place. Scourton had a really good rookie season and seemed primed for a star breakout as a sophomore. Now, the Panthers need Umanmielen to be on a similar trajectory.

Though he didn’t stand out the way Scourton did, Umanmielen still flashed some upside as a rookie. His nine percent pass rush win rate is a bit concerning, but it came on just 144 total pass rush snaps. I liked him a lot as a specialist as a prospect — Carolina doesn’t have any choice but to hope he lives up to that with Scourton out.

Chicago Bears: WR Luther Burden III

I’m not spilling any secrets here. The Bears are screaming it to anyone who will listen: Burden is on star watch this year. He was awesome down the stretch of his rookie season, seeing a big usage increase from about Week 10 on. Even factoring in his limited target share early in the season, he still finished with 2.24 yards per route run.

Burden provides a unique combination of explosiveness and savviness. He had 40 catches from Week 10 on, with his big performance coming in Week 17 against the 49ers. Chicago is already proclaiming him the star of the summer. Now he just needs to prove them right.

Cincinnati Bengals: LG Dylan Fairchild

The Bengals had a lot of candidates for this piece, but ultimately I settled on Fairchild. Cincy’s been struggling to find consistent offensive line play, and Fairchild earned the starting left guard spot as a rookie third-round pick.

Though he struggled a lot to open the season, he settled into his role with time, and he finished the season on a strong note — especially as a pass blocker. Fairchild finished with a pass blocking efficiency rating of nearly 97 percent and allowed just nine pressures over the final six games. If he can build on that, he’ll provide the Bengals with some much-needed relief on the interior.

Cleveland Browns: DT Mason Graham

Graham already had a pretty good rookie season, but I’m expecting more from him in Year 2. He had a double-digit pass rush win rate in seven of the team’s final 10 games of the season, ending on a strong note in run defense too. With Myles Garrett off to Los Angeles, the Browns will be looking for Graham to step into a larger role.

The runway will be there for Graham, as his starting job is safe and the Browns aren’t close to a contention window. Cleveland will need more from him than one sack and 36 total pressures, and I think he can deliver.

Dallas Cowboys: ED Donovan Ezeiruaku

Despite his reputation, Ezeiruaku graded out better as a run defender than a pass rusher as a rookie. He had a positive grade on 18.3 percent of his snaps and had 18 run stops to go with 10 tackles for a loss. His pass rush win rate sat at 12.5 percent and he had three sacks, so he was still solid in that department, just not a standout.

The Cowboys drafted Malachi Lawrence in the first round this year. Ideally, they’d want both to emerge as the future starters on the edge. Ezeiruaku developing into a premier pass rusher would go a long way towards that, and Dallas needs a lot more juice in its pass rush this year regardless.

Denver Broncos: RB RJ Harvey

I was the highest media scout in the industry on Harvey coming out of UCF. Then the Broncos took him even higher than I had him ranked, only for him to turn in a fairly middling rookie season. He flashed his potential as a three-down, big-play back who can impact the game in multiple ways, but was inconsistent and couldn’t elevate in the playoffs when Denver needed more from him.

That said, he was a rookie. Now he’s entering his second season and the Broncos didn’t draft anyone over him (although they did add Jonah Coleman in the fourth round), choosing instead to re-sign J.K. Dobbins. Harvey and Dobbins will likely split the backfield once again, but Harvey is the high-upside play. He forced 51 missed tackles last season — now that he has his legs under him, perhaps he can build on his rookie performance.

Detroit Lions: DT Tyleik Williams

It was a forgettable rookie season for Williams, who struggled to defend the run despite projecting as a two-down run stuffer coming out of Ohio State. He had a negative grade more often than a positive one and had just 11 run stops as a rookie. That said, he looked a lot better as a pass rusher than expected, with a win rate of nearly nine percent and a consistent pressure rate that stayed steady all season long.

I’m not worried about Williams’ ability to stop the run. The fact that he showcased his pass rushing chops makes me that much more excited for what he can be.

Green Bay Packers: WR Matthew Golden

The Packers infamously didn’t draft a first-round receiver for like 20 years. Then they take one, only for Golden to post one of the worst statistical rookie seasons for a first-round receiver in a while.

I think the box score stats are lying a bit here, though. Golden had limited opportunities, but he graded out well and caught over 97 percent of his catchable targets. He just didn’t get the ball much in a crowded receiving game. With Dontayvion Wicks and Romeo Doubs now out of the picture, the Packers will turn to Golden more. And he proved last season that he can take advantage of his opportunities when they come.

Houston Texans: WR Jayden Higgins

Tank Dell is back and he’ll probably push Jaylin Noel out of the starting lineup. But the other Iowa State receiver Houston drafted last year should still have his role. Higgins put together a strong rookie season in a struggling offense, with 525 receiving yards and a threat rate of nearly 19 percent.

Higgins occupies a unique role in the Texans’ offense. He thrives over the middle of the field, particularly in the intermediate game, which is exactly what Houston needs from him. His size should allow him to continue feasting in that area while Nico Collins takes the top off the defense and Dell operates in the short-range game.

Indianapolis Colts: WR Josh Downs

Downs is entering his fourth season and already has over 2,000 career receiving yards. You could definitely argue he’s already broken out, but he’s set to reach all-new levels of production this year. The Colts traded fellow WR Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers to clear the cap room to re-sign Alec Pierce. This bumps Downs up in the pecking order at receiver.

Indianapolis’ passing game was ludicrously efficient last year when Daniel Jones was healthy. The entire operation will be funneled through Pierce, Downs and TE Tyler Warren. Downs will likely see the biggest increase in target share as a result of the Pittman trade and his numbers could be insane.

Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Travis Hunter

Yes, that’s cornerback Travis Hunter now. The Jaguars coaching staff has already indicated they plan on putting Hunter on defense full-time, with a more situational offensive role at times instead of a true 50/50 split like he did as a rookie.

I liked Hunter better at cornerback as a prospect anyway, and this was always the most likely outcome for his professional career. It’s simply far too difficult to learn two full positions at this level. But Hunter looked good on defense before his season-ending injury, and it should excite Jaguars fans to see him there full-time.

Kansas City Chiefs: LT Josh Simmons

This one was an easy choice. Simmons only played in eight games as a rookie due to some personal matters that kept him away from the team. In those eight games, though, he allowed just 20 pressures and had a pass blocking efficiency rating of 97 percent. PFF graded him at a 75.5 in pass protection, a strong mark for a rookie.

The Chiefs are counting on Simmons to lock down the left tackle position this year, even trading away Wanya Morris when it became clear he wouldn’t have a starting role on the team. Simmons has a clear runway for a breakout season and flashed his considerable potential as a rookie.

Las Vegas Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty

Jeanty’s rookie season wasn’t impressive, but I’d argue he was a victim of his situation more than gets discussed. He forced 86 missed tackles and had three yards per carry after contact — over 83 percent of his yards per carry average came after contact.

Even with that, Jeanty nearly hit 1,000 rushing yards and made an impact as a receiver, too. The Raiders’ offensive line should be much-improved and Jeanty will be the biggest beneficiary of that. Las Vegas still doesn’t have much at wide receiver, so the offense will run through Jeanty and TE Brock Bowers. Don’t be surprised if they both post ridiculous counting stats this year, even if the Raiders offense as a whole isn’t all that great.

Los Angeles Chargers: RB Omarion Hampton

The other 2025 first-round running back, Hampton missed a chunk of the season with a leg injury. But when he was on the field, he looked good, perhaps most notably as a receiver. North Carolina didn’t use him much in the passing game, but Hampton looked comfortable doing that as a rookie, with 32 receptions on 35 targets.

But Hampton’s bruising running style proved to still be his calling card. He forced 0.27 missed tackles per rushing attempt and averaged 3.3 yards per carry after contact, both really high marks. If the Chargers feed him the ball, he’ll produce, and it’ll be interesting to see how he fits in Mike McDaniel’s offense.

Los Angeles Rams: RT Warren McClendon Jr.

The Rams don’t have room for many players to break out. This is a veteran-led team primed for a Super Bowl run. But McClendon is entering his first full season as the starter, taking over for the injured Rob Havenstein midway through last season and never looking back.

McClendon had a pass blocking efficiency rate of 97.4 percent, with a pressure allowed percentage under five. He proved effective as a downhill run blocker and on the move, adapting to Los Angeles’ varying scheme and performing well enough that the Rams were comfortable with him as the full-time starter.

Miami Dolphins: DT Kenneth Grant

Grant got off to a rough start in his rookie year. The disaster around him that was the Miami defense didn’t help. But he finished the season on an upward trajectory and could be poised for a Year 2 breakout.

Over the last five games of the season, Grant had 16 pressures and cracked a double-digit pass rush win rate in four of them (topping out at 16 percent against the Bucs in Week 16). His run defense steadily improved from an abject disaster early on to decidedly passable by the end of the year. Grant’s prospect profile described a freakish athlete who would need time to develop in the NFL. Let’s see what he’s got this year.

Minnesota Vikings: ED Dallas Turner

It’s Turner’s time. Jonathan Greenard is in Philly and the path has been cleared for the third-year edge rusher to make a major impact for the Vikings. Jared Verse is a star, while both Laiatu Latu and Chop Robinson have been productive. Turner is the only first-round pick at edge rusher in 2024 who hasn’t really broken out yet.

Turner’s second season was a step in the right direction, at least. He had a 12.8 percent pass rush win rate with 45 pressures and nine sacks. For a rotational edge rusher, that’s pretty good, even if he was largely invisible against the run. The opportunity is before him: now Turner needs to go capitalize on it.

New England Patriots: C Jared Wilson

The Patriots traded Garrett Bradbury to the Bears this spring to pave the way for Wilson at center. A second-round pick in 2025, Wilson tested out of this world at the Combine, shooting him up boards after a strong college career at Georgia. He played center for the Bulldogs, but with Bradbury entrenched at center, New England started him at left guard.

The results were mixed. Wilson struggled as a run blocker, but he had a pass blocking efficiency rating of 96.3. He allowed 41 pressures all season, 13 of which came in the Patriots’ playoff run to the Super Bowl. Now back at his natural position, Wilson has a chance to become one of the centerpieces of New England’s offense.

New Orleans Saints: QB Tyler Shough

I was low on Shough heading into the draft, which was clearly a mistake. The Saints made him a priority pick in the second round and he responded with a nice rookie season, taking over as New Orleans’ starter in Week 8 and putting out a 73.1 passing grade.

The box score stats won’t wow anyone, but Shough had a turnover-worthy play rate of just two percent and completed over 67 percent of his passes. He pushed the ball down the field without putting it in harm’s way, and now he’s in the midst of his first full NFL offseason. The Saints have a sneaky good roster and they could go far if Shough takes a leap.

New York Giants: ED Abdul Carter

Even in a hybrid and constantly-shifting role, Carter looked like a true pass-rushing stud as a rookie. He had an 85.1 PFF pass rush grade with 73 total pressures and a 15.2 percent pass rush win rate. Seven sacks is a solid rookie number, but Carter was better than that total would suggest.

All eyes will be on this offense under John Harbaugh and Matt Nagy, but Carter is set to be unleashed as a sophomore. Double-digit sacks should be the expectation for him and there’s a world he gets to 15.

New York Jets: WR Adonai Mitchell

A throw-in from the Colts in the trade that sent Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis, Mitchell had a good run with the Jets to close the season. He finished the year with a 22.6 threat rate despite minimal usage with the Colts, becoming a high-volume deep threat in New York.

Reports out of New York this summer indicate that Mitchell looks the part as an emerging option at receiver. Garrett Wilson isn’t going anywhere, but he needs help. Mitchell is a dynamic weapon who can fill multiple roles in an offense. He’ll have every opportunity to prove himself on a team without the high expectations the Colts had last year.

Philadelphia Eagles: S Andrew Mukuba

Mukuba earned a starting role as a rookie and became a feast-or-famine player in coverage. He made some big plays, but he also allowed some big plays and was a bit too inconsistent on the back end. On the plus side, he was a stud in run support despite his smaller size, with an 81.0 PFF run defense grade and nine run stops.

The concern with Mukuba coming out of Texas was his ability to hold up in run support with his smaller frame. That doesn’t appear to be an issue. His speed and fluidity give him rare upside in coverage, and he was one of the best coverage safeties in the country as a senior in college. Adjusting to the speed of the NFL is difficult for all rookies, but Mukuba took his lumps early while quieting some of his concerns. That has him marked for a potential breakout. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: DT Derrick Harmon

Harmon’s rookie season wasn’t anything to write home about. He missed some time with various injuries and didn’t make much of an impact as a pass rusher or a run defender, despite being a first-round pick.

This time, however, he enters the offseason healthy and can get back to what he does best: getting pressure on quarterbacks. He only had 24 total pressures last year, but that led to four sacks, and he can build on that performance to become more impactful down-to-down.

San Francisco 49ers: DT Alfred Collins

This one is more by necessity than anything else. The 49ers need someone to step up in the middle of their defense next to Osa Odighizuwa. Collins had a better rookie season than CJ West, so he’s the guy who will go into 2026 with higher expectations.

Collins had a negative grade on a head-scratching 30 percent of his run defense snaps, despite that being his calling card at Texas. He wasn’t an impactful pass rusher, either, but that was to be expected. San Francisco needs him, and he’ll have a runway to start. The opportunity is there, if nothing else.

Seattle Seahawks: LG Grey Zabel

Zabel might seem an odd choice here given the hype and accolades he received for his performance last season as the Seahawks went on to win the Super Bowl. But he actually didn’t grade out all that well, with just a 62.9 overall PFF grade and a pass-blocking grade of 59.2. Seattle’s offensive line was much-improved and Zabel was the headline addition, but he was more reputation than performance last year.

That said, he did a lot of awesome things, and he could assert himself as one of the best guards in football this year. He had a pass blocking efficiency rate of 97.4 and allowed only 35 pressures on the year. He thrived as a blocker in space, too. Zabel could go supersonic this year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Calijah Kancey

Kancey played in just three games last season, but he’s been an impactful pass rusher when he’s been healthy. He just hasn’t been able to stay on the field. A 10.8 percent pass rush win rate as a rookie is a good mark, and his 8.8 percent win rate in his second season was solid too. He had 90 total pressures in that span.

The Bucs fell short of the playoffs last year but they’re favored to win the NFC South once again. If that’s going to happen, their defense needs to improve. And Kancey is a prime candidate to emerge.

Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward

The 2025 No. 1 overall pick didn’t have an awful rookie season. But he undeniably struggled in an anemic Titans offense. New OC Brian Daboll should draw up better stuff for him to run, and the talent around him was upgraded.

Still, the numbers last year were rough. Ward had as many turnover-worthy plays as big-time throws and completed less than 60 percent of his passes. The talent and pedigree is there for him to be awesome — and if he is, Tennessee has to feel good about their long-term prospects.

Washington Commanders: CB Trey Amos

It’ll be hard for Amos to stand out as long as he’s on the PUP list recovering from a broken leg suffered in November. But once he’s back, I like his chances to emerge in this secondary. He was the only cornerback with a pulse in Washington last season, even though he took plenty of lumps himself as a rookie.

Amos’ length and speed make him a weapon on the outside, and he can cover bigger receivers or smaller, quick ones. If he doesn’t take a step, the Commanders will be in trouble.