Overrated, underrated, rightly rated — value is in the eye of the beholder. What teams in the NFL determine to pay their players is going to vary from franchise to franchise. Some players don’t produce what their dollar amount entails, but some far outplay their contract. Finances are a byproduct of appreciation.
These are the 10 most underappreciated players in the NFL today.
10. Dallas Cowboys – DaRon Bland
Dallas’ CB2 stepped up when Trevon Diggs got injured this year. With a team-best nine interceptions in 2023, Bland could stand toe to toe with any receiver paired against him. When Diggs returns in 2024, Bland will likely be relegated to his previous role. While the Cowboys’ secondary will likely be stacked, Bland will likely not receive the credit he’s due until free agency hits.
9. Cincinnati Bengals – Tee Higgins
Higgins has been a staple of quarterback Joe Burrow’s time as a Bengal. The reliable receiver has always played second fiddle to star receiver Ja’Marr Chase due to the two’s chemistry. Higgins will likely find a new home on a new NFL roster soon, one that will hopefully appreciate him more than Cincinnati does.
8. Kansas City Chiefs – Nick Bolton
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Bolton is a staple of the Kansas City defense. While he had a down year in 2023, he was essential to the Super Bowl run this season. With 60 combined tackles, 22 assists, and an interception, Bolton’s third season was a slump from his sophomore campaign, but the 24-year-old linebacker is primed and ready for a long career ahead.
7. New England Patriots – Kyle Dugger
Dugger is on a one-year, $13 million putting up numbers year after year. The fourth-year safety has been a staple of the post-Brady era in New England. In 2023, Dugger combined for 109 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two interceptions to discuss whether the team will extend his contract. Some pundits say the young buck could be worth as much as $70 million, but others don’t give the safety that same respect. Time will tell what decision New England makes.
6. Buffalo Bills – Micah Hyde
Hyde does get his flowers at the Pro Bowl level, but make no mistake — Micah Hyde is an all-pro caliber safety. The safety is a staple of the Bills’ defense. In 2023, Hyde broke up seven passes and caught two interceptions to pair with his 37 solo tackles. If he can continue to produce at this level, Hyde will be an all-pro in no time.
5. Washington Commanders – Frankie Luvu
Luvu was a big splash get for the Commanders this offseason. After a dominant season with the Panthers, Luvu made a name for himself as a premier defensive tackler in the NFL. The seventh-year standout combined for 125 total tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2023. The sixth-year jump for Luvu was a leap ahead of anything he’d produced up to that point, and Washington paid him like so. Even still, Luvu is one of the more underappreciated players in the league.
4. Baltimore Ravens – Keaton Mitchell
As an undrafted free-agent running back in 2023, Mitchell proved he had a place in the league after averaging 8.4 yards per carry before tearing his ACL. Mitchell only rushed 47 times on the season, picking up 396 yards along the way with two touchdowns. The East Carolina University product played with a chip on his shoulder until injury took him out. Now he’s looking to fight for position over free agent signee Derrick Henry amongst an already crowded running back room.
3. Detroit Lions – Donovan Peoples-Jones
People-Jones has been beaten down the pecking order after the Browns traded for Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy and Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper. Now, with Detroit, Peoples-Jones has all the tools to become a talented weapon for the Lions. He does the dirty work that doesn’t appear on the stat sheet. If there’s a hard worker who doesn’t get the credit he deserves, it’s Peoples-Jones.
2. Philadelphia Eagles – Dallas Goedert
Goedert is arguably the third-best tight end in the league but gets treated like a middle-of-the-pack talent. Goedert, like Peoples-Jones, does all of the hard work but gets only a fraction of the credit for it. Goedert is one of quarterback Jalen Hurts’ most reliable targets but has never had a 1,000-yard season in his career. In an appearance on Pardon My Take last season, Goedert assured the hosts that Hurts promised him more targets in 2023, but that did not end up being the case.
1. New Orleans Saints – Rashid Shaheed
Like Mitchell, Shaheed joined the Saints as an undrafted free agent. The Weber State product escalated his game to the next level coming into the NFL. As the Saints’ speedy downfield threat and punt return specialist, Shaheed carved a starting role for himself quickly as a member of the New Orleans offense. Shaheed beat out the league’s all-time single-season receptions leader for the WR2 spot, all while making close to the league minimum. If there is a name associated with underappreciation, it’s Shaheed’s.
