All 32 NFL teams have at least one under-the-radar player who’s not getting much attention. But hey, these players wouldn’t have it any other way.
Let’s dive into all 32 NFL teams’ biggest secret weapon heading into 2024.
Who are the secret weapons for each NFL team next season?
Arizona Cardinals: Trey Benson
The Cardinals used the No. 66 pick on the Florida State running back, who will serve as James Conner’s backup.
But don’t be surprised if Benson eventually replaces Conner as the RB1. The ex-Seminoles sta had over 1,000 yards of offense in each of his final two college seasons. With his speed and shiftiness, Benson will get lots of carries in a new-look Arizona offense featuring a healthy Kyler Murray and prized rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
Atlanta Falcons: Darnell Mooney
The excitement in Atlanta’s offense centers around Kirk Cousins, Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson. But don’t sleep on newcomer Darnell Mooney, who signed a three-year deal worth $39 million.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
Mooney put up 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns in 2021 on a lousy Chicago NFL team. He was held back by lackluster QB play in his final two years in Windy City, so don’t be surprised if Mooney regains his 1,000-like form with Atlanta.
Especially if Pitts is unable to regain that star-like form we saw in 2021…
Baltimore Ravens: T.J. Tampa
The Iowa State corner was supposed to be gone by the second round, but Tampa somehow fell to Baltimore in round four.
The 6-foot-1, 194-pound corner won’t get much attention with Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Williams, Kyle Hamilton, and fellow rookie Nate Wiggins. But Tampa was a rock-solid cover corner who notched 16 pass breakups and three interceptions over his final two seasons with the Cyclones.
Buffalo Bills: Khalil Shakir
The Bills’ 2022 fifth-round pick had a stellar sophomore season, posting 39 receptions for 611 yards and two touchdowns.
Keon Coleman and Curtis Samuel are projected to be Josh Allen’s top two wideouts with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis gone. But don’t sleep on the speedy Shakir, who already has established chemistry with Allen.
Shakir could easily emerge as the new WR1 or No. 2 receiver in Orchard Park.
Carolina Panthers: Jonathon Brooks
Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, Diontae Johnson, and Chuba Hubbard round out Bryce Young’s set of weapons.
But we’re also bullish on rookie Jonathon Brooks, who should get his fair share of touches in Dave Canales’ offense. The 207-pound back can at least expect lots of action in goal-to-go situations as both a runner and pass-catcher, making Brooks a potential sleeper to target in your fantasy leagues.
Also Read: All 32 NFL Teams’ Most Underrated Move Of The 2024 NFL Offseason
Chicago Bears: Tyrique Stevenson
Stevenson had his struggles in coverage like most rookie corners, but he made up for it with excellent plays on the ball. Stevenson had four interceptions, 16 pass breakups, and two forced fumbles in year one.
Stevenson can only improve in coverage, and the presence of Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson and young safety Jaquan Brisker means more favorable matchups for the former. With elite ball-hawking skills, Stevenson could make the jump to All-Pro in year two.
Cincinnati Bengals: Cam Taylor-Britt
The Bengals D took a step back last year, but an inevitable turnaround starts largely with third-year corner Cam Taylor-Britt.
Britt had four interceptions and one pass breakup in 2023. And according to Pro Football Reference, he allowed just a 56.7 completion percentage and a 78.0 passer rating when targeted.
This is the year for Taylor-Britt to make the jump to the superstar level. If he builds off last year, the Bengals should re-assert themselves as the Kansas City Chiefs’ main challengers in the AFC.
Cleveland Browns: Martin Emerson Jr.
When you think of the Browns’ elite defense, you think of Myles Garrett first. Then Denzel Ward, Za’Darius Smith, Juan Thornhill et al.
Well, don’t sleep on third-year corner Martin Emerson Jr. — who might actually supplant Denzel Ward as the Browns’ main shutdown corner.
MJ was low-key lights out last year with four interceptions and 14 pass breakups. Per PFR, he also didn’t allow a single TD in coverage and allowed a 46.8 completion percentage and opposing passer rating of 46.3 when targeted.
That’s the definition of a secret weapon if we’ve seen one. Can’t wait to see what the kid has in store for year three!
Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Tolbert
The No. 88 pick of 2022 has seen very little playing time in Dallas’ offense over his first two years. But that’s gotta change here in 2024, given the shallow wide receiver depth after CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks.
Tolbert’s game is built on speed, and Dak Prescott needs to take advantage of it and try more deep shots. Maybe this is the year Tolbert puts it all together and takes over as the No. 2 receiver behind Lamb.
Denver Broncos: Marvin Mims Jr.
Mims Jr. saw limited action on offense as a rookie last year, but he still tallied 22 receptions for 377 yards and a touchdown.
The Oklahoma product flashed on special teams, earning Pro Bowl and second-team all-pro nods as a return specialist.
With his game-breaking speed and ability to stretch the field, Mims Jr. should get every chance to vie for the Broncos’ No. 1 receiver role with Jerry Jeudy long gone. Mims is well-suited for Sean Payton’s quick-strike offense, and he’s in a good position to produce early with opposing NFL teams mostly focusing on Courtland Sutton.
Detroit Lions: Alim McNeill
Despite missing four games in 2023, McNeill tallied a career-high five sacks for the NFC runner-ups. He also finished with an excellent Pro Football Focus grade of 88.5, excellent as a beast of a run-stopper and interior pass-rusher.
Most people are focusing on Aidan Hutchinson, Jack Campbell, Brian Branch, and Terrion Arnold on that Detroit defense. But don’t sleep on McNeill, who looks poised to go from “very good” to “All-Pro” This year.
Green Bay Packers: Dontayvion Wicks
Wicks was one of many standouts from the Packers’ 2023 rookie class, tallying 39 receptions for 581 yards and four touchdowns.
Jayden Reed was the Packers’ top receiver last year, but Wicks has the upside to supplant him as Jordan Love’s new go-to guy…especially if Christian Watson again struggles to stay healthy.
Houston Texans: Calen Bullock
Right now, Houston’s 2024 third-round pick slots behind Jimmie Ward and Jalen Pitre on the safety depth chart.
But head coach DeMeco Ryans will want to get some meaningful reps in for the jack-of-all-trades safety. Bullock’s football IQ and ball-hawking skills could make him a fun chess piece on Ryans’ defense, so keep an eye on the USC product when he hits the field.
Indianapolis Colts: Adonai Mitchell
The Texas wideout was widely projected to be a first-round pick, yet he somehow fell to Indy in round two at No. 52 overall.
It might be easy to lose sight of Mitchell in an offense led by Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., and Josh Downs. But Mitchel’’s 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame and explosive abilities actually make him a candidate to take over as Indy’s No. 1 receiver.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Tank Bigsby
Travis Etienne Jr. is a top-10 running back in football, but the Jags didn’t use a 2023 third-round pick on Bigsby to be a benchwarmer.
Head coach Doug Pederson has stressed the need to get Bigsby more involved in 2024. As great as Etienne is, the Jaguars need to cut back on his workload and give Bigsby the chance to shine. And Pederson knows that.
Kansas City Chiefs: Jaylen Watson
Watson has only made eight starts over his first two seasons, but that’s largely because of the Chiefs’ rich group of corners.
With L’Jarius Sneed long gone, Watson will get first dibs on replacing his starting lineup gig. Watson has the luxury of learning behind an all-time great DC in Steve Spagnuolo, so it’s not a stretch to think that he’ll quickly emerge as KC’s next stud corner.
Las Vegas Raiders: Jack Jones
Jones’ off-field and character issues caused the Pats to waive him mid-season. He was picked up by the Raiders, where JJ flourished in a small sample size.
He had two picks and yielded just a 63.0 passer rating when targeted. In his 2022 rookie year with the Pats, Jones didn’t allow a single TD in coverage and yielded only a 64.8 passer rating.
So yeah, the kid could be pretty damn good on a vastly improved Raiders’ D under head coach Antonio Pierce.
Los Angeles Chargers: Josh Palmer
With Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler gone, Palmer will get his shot to become one of Justin Herbert’s top weapons in 2024.
2023 first-rounder Quentin Johnston and 2024 second-round pick Ladd McConkey are bigger household names, but Palmer — who had 581 yards receiving in 11 games last year — has the upside and experience to become the next Pro Bowl pass-catcher in LA.
Los Angeles Rams: Blake Corum
The Rams already have a stud RB1 in Kyren Williams, but an NFL team in win-now mode wouldn’t use a third-round pick on Corum if they weren’t planning to use him.
Corum was the star of the Michigan Wolverines offense in their national championship-winning season. Sean McVay loves using multiple RBs, so expect a good chunk of carries for the 213-pound beast — especially in goal-to-go situations.
Miami Dolphins: Jonnu Smith
Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, and De’Von Achane get all the attention as Tua Tagovailoa’s main weapons.
But newcomer Jonnu Smith could also be in line for another year after a superb 50-582-3 stat line on a rush-first Atlanta offense last season. Smith will get his fair share of targets from Tua, especially in the red zone.
Minnesota Vikings: Andrew Van Ginkel
Minnesota signed Van Ginkel to a two-year pact worth $20 million, reuniting him with ex-Dolphins head coach and current Vikings DC Brian Flores.
Van Ginkel had a career year in Miami last season, tallying six sacks and eight pass breakups. PFF also graded him at 91.1 on the year, so there’s a real shot here of AVG and 2023 rookie stalwart Ivan Pace forming a top-tier linebacker duo.
New England Patriots: K.J. Osborn
Osborn has exceeded the 500-yard mark thrice — including a career-best 655 yards — in the last three years. To us, that’s impressive, considering he had to share the ball with Justin Jefferson and the likes of Adam Thielen, TJ Hockenson, Jordan Addison, and Dalvin Cook in Minnesota.
But now Osborn joins a…much less dangerous New England offense with no clear No. 1 receiver. With minimal competition in this NFL team, the fifth-year wideout could actually break out and emerge as New England’s top receiver for Jacoby Brissett and/or Drake Maye.
New Orleans Saints: Juwan Johnson
Johnson missed four games in 2023 and was thus unable to build off a stellar 2022 season that saw him post a stat line of 65-508-7. But with no clear-cut No. 2 pass-catcher to complement Chris Olave, this feels like the year where Johnson could step in and emerge as a star in New Orleans’ offense.
New OC Klint Kubiak, like his father Gary, loves featuring TES in his offense. So maybe this is where Johnson stays healthy and becomes the new star tight end in New Orleans after tallying 15 receiving TDs over the last three years.
New York Giants: Wan’Dale Robinson
Robinson showed signs of growing into a star in 2023 by tallying 79 receptions for 525 yards and a touchdown.
The arrival of can’t-miss rookie wideout Malik Nabers will greatly open up the Giants’ offense and force Daniel Jones to throw it more now that Saquon Barkley is gone. That could open the door for the lightning-quick Robinson to break out in year three and assert himself as a future star in the Big Apple.
New York Jets: Allen Lazard
Lazard’s first year with the Jets was a disaster mostly because he didn’t have Aaron Rodgers.
Well, Lazard’s old pal from Green Bay is healthy and ready to dominate again. Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams and Breece Hall are getting all the love as Rodgers’ main weapons, but he’s got the most chemistry with Lazard — who could very well put together a career year if Rodgers is healthy.
Philadelphia Eagles: Nakobe Dean
Dean started out in 2023 as a starter on Philly’s D, only to be limited to five games because of multiple injuries.
So, the Georgia product will be tried again here in 2023. The arrival of new DC Vic Fangio should help Dean, who’ll get an expanded look at Philly’s loaded front seven featuring Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Bryce Huff, and Josh Sweat.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Roman Wilson
The Steelers have a long history of finding stud wide receivers after round one. George Pickens serves as the most recent example, so pardon us for being bullish on rookie Roman Wilson this year.
Pittsburgh doesn’t have a clear-cut No. 2 receiver following the Diontae Johnson trade. The Michigan product had 12 receiving TDs on a rush-first Michigan offense last year, so we’re excited about his potential on a new-look Pittsburgh offense that added Russell Wilson and Justin Fields at QB.
San Francisco 49ers: Jauan Jennings
Both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel are hot trade candidates to monitor between now and the trade deadline. If one of them leaves, then the door will open up for Jennings to step up and enjoy a bigger role in the offense after a stellar showing in the postseason.
Seattle Seahawks: Uchenna Nwosu
Nwosu had an unexpected breakout year in year one with the Seahawks two years ago, tallying 9.5 sacks, four pass breakups, and three forced fumbles. Unfortunately, he missed all but six games last year with a torn pectoral muscle.
So don’t sleep on a healthy Nwosu in 2024 for this NFL team. He stands to benefit greatly from new head coach Mike Macdonald, too.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cade Otton
The Bucs were too reliant on the receiving tandem of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin last season. But third-year tight end Cade Otton, who had a 47-455-4 stat line a year ago, looks poised to enjoy an expanded role in the Bucs’ pass-heavy offense.
The Bucs’ red zone offense would be that much scarier with a third playmaker to help Evans and Godwin, so don’t be shocked if Otton gets more targets and asserts himself as the new TE1 in Tampa.
Tennessee Titans: Roger McCreary
Tennessee’s 2022 second-round pick took a big step forward last season, allowing zero touchdowns in coverage while tallying six pass breakups, two sacks, and one interception.
The Titans’ prized offseason acquisition, L’Jarius Sneed, will help McCreary immensely. With more support back there, McCreary will get more favorable 1-on-1 matchups and should easily top last season’s semi-breakout campaign.
Washington Commanders: Frankie Luvu
Luvu tallied 12.5 total sacks and nine pass defenses over his last two seasons on a lousy Carolina team. With more support around him in DC — not to mention the arrival of defensive mastermind and head coach Dan Quinn — Luvu could easily put together a career year in 2024.
At the very least, he’ll be another serviceable pass-rusher alongside Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen.
Also Read: Ranking Every NFL Team That Hasn’t Won The Super Bowl In The Order We Expect Them To Finally Win One
