The NFL has slowly, but surely become a more star-centric league with single players existing as the focal point of organizations. That said, it is still completely impossible for a team to win a Super Bowl—or even have any regular degree of regular season success without putting forth a true team effort. Usually, there is one player on each roster who is a driving force behind this and goes under or worse, unappreciated. It is time to highlight them!
Arizona Cardinals: Trey McBride, TE
While the Cardinals as a whole haven’t gotten much shine over the past few years, the lack of attention that Trey McBride has gotten is surprising. The Colorado State alum had a breakout year in 2024 going for 81 catches and 825 amid a rather chaotic season for the Cardinals.
Atlanta Falcons: Kaden Elliss, LB
2023 was a disappointing year for the Falcons as a team, but Kaden Elliss stepped up and made a name for himself. He joined Atlanta the preceding offseason after spending the first four years of his career with the Saints and made an immediate impact on the Falcons’ defense, finishing the season with 122 tackles and four sacks.
Baltimore Ravens: Patrick Ricard, FB/DL
Fullback is a fairly thankless position, but Patrick Ricard makes it look darn cool. The self-described “football player” gets slotted in all over the field, sometimes even on the defensive side of the ball and always finds a way to make an impact for the Ravens.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
Buffalo Bills: Taron Johnson, CB
Taron Johnson has been with the Bills since they snagged him in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Weber State. He generally plays as a nickel-back, regularly taking meaningful coverage reps in the slots, and is an aggressive tackler. Johnson is a bonafide difference-maker for that Buffalo D.
Carolina Panthers: Shaq Thompson, LB
Unfortunately, Shaq Thompson missed most of the 2023 season with a broken fibula, but when healthy, he is undeniably among the most underappreciated players in the league. He has a reputation for being a great leader, but that almost works against him and people seem to forget that he’s one of the most consistent performers in the game.
Chicago Bears: T.J. Edwards, LB
Bringing in T.J. Edwards as a free agent a couple of seasons back was one of the better decisions the Bears have made in recent years. Chicago should do everything in its power to keep him in the Windy City, as he has proven to be an every-down starter and a great off-ball linebacker—even if he doesn’t get the national attention he deserves because of the position he plays.
Cincinnati Bengals: Trey Hendrickson, DE
All of the hype in Cincinnati is around Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and that Bengals offense, but they have a stud on their defensive line in Trey Hendrickson who doesn’t get nearly enough shine. He is a three-time Pro Bowler and had a monster 17.5 sacks last year and he still doesn’t get mentioned among the top edge rushers in the game.
Cleveland Browns: Joel Bitonio, OG
Cleveland is not one of those cities that tends to get a lot of shine, but he is one of the most consistent offensive linemen who regularly goes unnoticed by fans and media members alike. What differentiates Bitonio from his peer group loaded with extremely tough athletes is the dynamic approach he takes to blocking—he has a unique ability to diagnose what the opposition is doing and to keep his quarterback safe.
Dallas Cowboys: Jake Ferguson, TE
Jake Ferguson has quickly emerged as a very reliable target for Dak Prescott in Dallas, especially in crucial situations. The tight end knows how to create space and get open and is a very solid blocker as well.
Denver Broncos: Jaleel McLaughlin, RB
The Broncos offense wasn’t exactly a juggernaut last season, but Jaleel McLaughlin put some tape together that is sure to impress folks around the league. The young running back put some impressive elusiveness and vision on display whenever he got the opportunity.
Detroit Lions: Romeo Okwara, DE
Detroit’s defense was a bit of a sore spot in 2023, but Okwara quietly had himself a nice year. It is hard to stand out when you are playing across from Aidan Hutchinson, but Okwara was a consistent pass rusher who often gets overshadowed by other defensive stars.
Green Bay Packers: Romeo Doubs, WR
When you think of Packers wide receivers, Christian Watson is probably the first name that comes to mind, but Romeo Doubs has quietly established himself as a legitimate 1A option for Jordan Love.
Houston Texans: Adrian Amos, S
People claim that Adrian Amos has lost a step, but if you watched him play in 2023, first with the Jets, then the Texans where he made a huge difference down the stretch for them, the guy always seems to be in the right spot at the right time. He is savvy, and athletic, and doesn’t get enough credit for his coverage ability, let alone the fact that the Packers move him up in the box against the run.
Indianapolis Colts: Grover Stewart, DT
Shocking as it may be, the former SUNY Albany football player has become a critical component of the Colts’ defense. He is great in the run and almost always requires a double team from opposing offensive lines. He is set to become a free agent this year, but the Colts should look to find a way to keep him in Indy.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Evan Engram, TE
People need to erase their memories of Evan Engram from his days with the Giants Men in Black style—because he broke out for Jacksonville this season. Engram is versatile in the passing game as a receiver and steadily improving as a blocker.
Kansas City Chiefs: L'Jarius Sneed, CB
After the postseason he had, L’Jarius Sneed won’t be underappreciated much more. Sneed has become a key part of the Chiefs’ secondary with his ability to make the big and little plays. He is turning into a star—even if he is still underappreciated.
Las Vegas Raiders: Jakobi Meyers, WR
While he may not get a ton of attention and the lasting memory of Jakobi Meyers may not be favorable, he is a very reliable receiver in what has been a chaotic offense and team, really, out in Las Vegas.
Los Angeles Chargers: Michael Davis, CB
It is time to forget the fact that Michael Davis was an undrafted free agent. The Chargers regularly trust Davis to lock down their opponent’s number one option and he is one of the only consistent performers on that defense, despite not always getting the recognition.
Los Angeles Rams: Ernest Jones, LB
Ernest Jones has been a rock in the middle of the Rams’ defense since they took him in the 3rd round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
2023 was his first full year as an every-down starter and he delivered in a big way, notching 145 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
New England Patriots: Mike Onwenu, OL
There wasn’t much for Patriots fans to smile about this past season, but if they look a little closer, they’ll see they have something with Mike Onwenu. He was one of the most consistent forces on that offense anchoring their line. Unfortunately, he may be tough for them to keep in free agency, but the new regime in New England should try their darndest.
New Orleans Saints: Isaac Yiadom, CB
Isaac Yiadom was extremely impressive for the Saints this season, despite not getting much recognition for it. The young cornerback stepped in seamlessly for Marcus Lattimore and was one of the best corners at making plays on the ball all season.
New York Giants: Darius Slayton, WR
Well, it wasn’t a great season for Darius Slayton in New York—at least not statistically… But the wide receiver is undeniably talented, his lack of production was just the result of a dysfunctional if not entirely stunted offense.
New York Jets: D.J. Reed, CB
Though he has quickly become a household name in New York, the rest of the league doesn’t seem to appreciate D.J. Reed for the shutdown corner that he is. That is in part a product of playing across from Sauce Gardner, but Reed is a star in his own right.
Philadelphia Eagles: Devonta Smith, WR
A.J. Brown ends up getting most of the wide receiver shine in Philadelphia, but Devonta Smith is a bonafide star in his own right. The Alabama alum is a force to be reckoned with on the outside and has some of the best hands in the league, even if he doesn’t get paid his due often enough.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Isaac Seumalo, LG
After playing a significant role in the Eagles’ Super Bowl run a couple of years ago, Isaac Seumalo was a major pickup for Pittsburgh this offseason, despite it not making a lot of headlines. He was extremely steady for them this year and helped counteract some terrible offensive coaching.
San Francisco 49ers: Kyle Juszczyk, FB
There are so many weapons on the 49ers offense that it isn’t a huge shock that Juszczyk gets overshadowed, especially considering he’s by trade a fullback—the forgotten position of the NFL. That said, he is extremely versatile for a fullback and even gets slotted out. Need to appreciate a guy like that more.
Seattle Seahawks: Tyler Lockett, WR
This is one is a bit different, as Tyler Lockett is largely a household name, but the Seahawks wide receiver does not get nearly enough credit for his level of talent. He is a legit WR1 option and has continued to prove it—and played a huge role in the re-emergence of Geno Smith.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Aaron Stinnie, LG
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were one of the best stories in football this year, rallying to make the postseason with Baker Mayfield under center, but Aaron Stinnie was the real unsung hero of that team. He stepped into left guard midseason and fit in seamlessly. He was a driving force in protecting Mayfield and opening up running lanes for that complementary rushing attack.
Tennessee Titans: Chig Okonkwo, TE
Okonkwo has been in the league for two years and played on a rather tumultuous Titans offense, but has managed to carve out a nice role for himself. He set a career-high last year with 54 receptions and 528 receiving yards and could be poised to break out, especially if everyone keeps sleeping on him!
Washington Commanders: Darrick Forrest, SS
Though he missed some time during the middle of the 2023 season with a shoulder injury, Darrick Forrest was super impressive when he was healthy for Washington. The Commanders safety was all over the secondary and a key stabilizer for a unit that struggled all season.
