The NFL spotlight is many things—it is fickle, intense, and, most of all, unpredictable.
While there are certain star players who don’t struggle to find their way into the limelight, there are a number of very talented guys who never seem to get the attention and recognition that they deserve.
Maybe it’s because they play a less glamorous position. Maybe they’re stuck on a team that can’t buy a win. Or maybe they’re just too damn consistent to make noise — no drama, just excellence.
Let’s take a look around the NFL and give flowers to the best player on each team who is not getting nearly enough respect.
Which players need more recognition from each NFL team this season?
Arizona Cardinals: Trey McBride, TE
Kyler Murray’s comeback has been solid, but who’s quietly been his safety blanket? Trey McBride. The dude’s been catching everything thrown his way, racking up tough yards, and showing that he might be next up at tight end in the NFL.
Atlanta Falcons: Darnell Mooney, WR
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Everyone talks about Drake London, but Darnell Mooney has been cooking defenses like it’s 2021 again. In Zac Robinson’s McVay-inspired offense, Mooney becomes that sneaky deep threat who stretches the field and makes defenses pay for blinking.
If Kirk Cousins hadn’t flamed out, Mooney’s numbers might be even better. But hey, Michael Penix Jr. could be the guy who unlocks Mooney’s full potential.
Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers, WR
Whether he’s stretching the field or making defenders miss on quick hitters, Flowers has added a spark to this Ravens offense that is sorely needed. He might not have the highlight-reel catches of a Justin Jefferson or a CeeDee Lamb, but his impact is undeniable.
Buffalo Bills: Khalil Shakir, WR
Post Stefon Diggs in Buffalo, Khalil Shakir is proving that he can be that dude who’s quietly keeping things steady. He’s not the flashy NFL WR1, but he’s reliable, clutch, and always seems to be in the right spot. Whether it’s a key third-down conversion or a sneaky deep ball, Shakir delivers. He’s like the Bills’ offensive safety valve, and in a season of chaos, that matters.
Carolina Panthers: Jalen Coker, WR
This year was rough for the most part in Charlotte, but Jalen Coker has given Panthers fans a reason to hope. The undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross has been a revelation, catching contested balls and showing off a surprising degree of explosiveness.
He’s been one of the few bright spots in an offense that’s otherwise been stuck in quicksand for the better part of 2024.
Chicago Bears: T.J. Edwards, LB
While the Bears’ season has been a disaster, T.J. Edwards has been a tackling machine. The guy’s everywhere. He’s stuffing the run, making plays in coverage, and being the kind of field general Chicago’s defense desperately needs. Edwards doesn’t get the Roquan Smith-level hype, but his production’s been just as important.
Cincinnati Bengals: Trey Hendrickson, DE
Cincinnati’s defensive struggles have overshadowed everything that the Bengals have done this year, but Trey Hendrickson has been quietly terrorizing quarterbacks. The man’s an edge-rushing machine—double-digit sacks, constant pressure, and no let-up. He’s not flashy, just relentless. Without him, that Bengals defense would crumble faster than a stale cookie.
Also Read: Who Are The Top 5 Rookie Pass-Catchers In The NFL?
Cleveland Browns: Dalvin Tomlinson, DT
Myles Garrett gets all of the love on the Cleveland defensive line… and largely… with good reason. But people seem to routinely forget that there is a big man in the middle of that line who draws a ton of attention from the opposing o-line.
Dalvin Tomlinson is the unsung hero of the Browns’ defense. And he isn’t just your prototypical draw lineman; he stuffs the gaps again and runs the defensive tackle, either. The 30-year-old can even get after the quarterback himself!
He’s the glue holding that Browns’ front together, and he’s doing it with minimal fanfare.
Dallas Cowboys: Rico Dowdle, RB
Despite his undersized stature, Rico Dowdle has been quietly stealing the show in Dallas. He’s got that burst, that power, and that hunger to turn every carry into a statement that he belongs in the NFL.
Denver Broncos: Quinn Meinerz, Guard
Bo Nix has gotten all of the attention in the Mile High City this year, but one of his men down in the trenches, Quinn Meinerz, deserves some shine.
He has been a stalwart over the last two seasons for the Broncos and has made Nix’s life immeasurably easier over the course of this year, as we’ve seen in some other seasons what can happen to rookie quarterbacks who don’t have time to throw.
Detroit Lions: Tim Patrick, WR
Everyone knows the heavy hitters on the Lions offense… Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta… the names go on and on, but there is a new kid on the block who has been getting into the end zone with the best of them—and his name is Tim Patrick!
This new kid on the block may be slowly gaining notoriety, but he isn’t young! He played four years in Denver before tearing his ACL and Achilles in back-to-back years.
And now he is really starting to come into his own in a complementary role in this Detroit offense!
Green Bay Packers: Xavier Mckinney, S
Xaiver Mckinney has been a game-changer on defense since coming over from the New York Giants, the team that drafted him 36th overall in the 2020 draft.
Safety is an oft-overlooked position, but Mckinney plays a critical role in solidifying that defensive secondary and creating opportunities for his teammates to make plays.
Houston Texans: Derek Barnett, DE
Since he arrived in Houston, Derek Barnett has quietly revitalized his NFL career. He’s been a disruptive force off the edge, racking up QB hits and tackles for loss like it’s 2017 all over again. He’s not the star, but he’s the kind of player every good defense needs.
Indianapolis Colts: Nick Cross, S
Nick Cross is balling out in Indy. The third-year safety is atop the leaderboard for the Colts in tackles and making game-changing plays all over the field. Whether he’s thumping ball carries or breaking up passes, Cross brings that relentless energy the Colts defense thrives on.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Jarrian Jones, CB
Jarrian Jones has been a revelation in the Jaguars secondary. The rookie plays with a swagger that’s infectious—ever since the Jags took him in the third round of the 2024 draft, he has been breaking up passes and locking down receivers like he’s been in the league for a decade.
Kansas City Chiefs: Noah Gray, TE
Everyone’s eyes are on Travis Kelce, but Noah Gray is quietly balling out. He’s reliable, he’s versatile, and he’s building trust with Mahomes week after week. With defenses hyper-focused on Kelce, Gray’s ready to make them pay.
This should send shivers down the spines of the DCs in the AFC West, who have been waiting for Kelce to finally retire… because Noah Gray might just be next up!
Las Vegas Raiders: Robert Spillane, LB
Robert Spillane is the tackling machine the Raiders desperately need. He’s got range, instincts, and a nose for the football. While the Raiders’ season has been a mess, Spillane’s been the steady force in the middle.
Los Angeles Chargers: Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE
Tuli Tuipulotu might have been overshadowed by the star power of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, but don’t let that fool you. This dude came into the NFL and immediately started causing havoc.
And he has already bested that total in 2024! The sky is the limit for Tuli playing in Harbaugh’s system.
Los Angeles Rams: Kobie Turner, DI
Kobie Turner was so good in 2023 that there were people pushing for him to win Defensive Rookie of the Year over Jalen Carter. Nine sacks in just four starts? Turner was out here trying to personally offset Aaron Donald’s retirement plans. And the scary part for the quarterbacks in the NFC West is he’s not slowing down any time soon.
Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB
While Tua is already a household name, he doesn’t always get put into the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks… but after getting a chance to see how inept this Miami offense looks without their signal caller—it is hard to argue otherwise.
After all, they go from being one of the top offenses in the league to among the worst! He may get love, but clearly not enough!
Minnesota Vikings: Jonathan Greenard, EDGE
Jonathan Greenard plus Brian Flores has proven to be a match made in blitzing heaven.
The guy’s been living in the backfield. And here’s the thing: he doesn’t need a mad scientist like Flores to ball out. This just makes him even more dangerous. Greenard is a game-changer for this Vikings defense.
New England Patriots: Keion White, DL
Keion White’s journey is straight out of a football odyssey — tight end to defensive lineman, Georgia Tech to the NFL, raw athlete to bona fide playmaker. The Pats took a gamble on him in 2023, and it’s paying off big-time.
In a league where offenses are all about quick releases, White’s proving he can get home in a hurry. The future might be murky for the Patriots, but White is a bright spot in all that gloom.
New Orleans Saints: Chris Olave, WR
As a first-round pick, there have certainly been eyes on Olave… and he’s been impressive when healthy, but I think because he has missed time, people have started to forget what a game-changer he has been for the Saints offense since they drafted him out of Ohio State.
He seems to possess the rare ability as a wide receiver to completely change the dynamics of the offense!
New York Giants: Azeez Ojulari, EDGE
Remember Azeez Ojulari? Giants fans do — or at least, now they do!
Back in 2021, he popped off for 10 sacks as a rookie. Injuries turned him into an afterthought, but when Kayvon Thibodeaux went down in Week 5, Ojulari stepped up and reminded everyone what he was about.
New York Jets: DJ Reed, CB
Sauce Gardner gets all the hype, but DJ Reed has quietly outplayed him in 2024. The Jets’ second man at the corner has been a force to be reckoned with for opposing quarterbacks since New York brought him into the fold from Seattle.
Philadelphia Eagles: DeVonta Smith, WR
Most of the attention in Philly goes to AJ Brown on the outside, but DeVonta Smith is sneaky a game changer for the Eagles offense. He isn’t physically imposing in the same way that Brown is, but he’s lightning-fast, and his hands are as reliable as they get.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Russell Wilson, QB
This may be a hard one for the haters to hear, but Russell Wilson is playing some great football for the Pittsburgh Steelers this 2024 NFL season. He has added depth to their offense that it did not have with Justin Fields—or any of the guys on the quarterback carousel that spun through the city the last few years following Roethlisberger’s retirement.
San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Mason, RB
Kyle Shanahan’s run game is supposed to be plug-and-play. That’s what everyone said when Jordan Mason stepped in, and Christian McCaffrey went down.
But Mason didn’t just fill in; he thrived, keeping the Niners offense rolling.
Once Mason hit the injury list, however, things got rocky. Turns out not everyone can be a McCaffrey clone. Mason showed he’s more than just a system guy — he’s a legit weapon when healthy.
Seattle Seahawks: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR
There are few wide receivers in the game today that get less overdue credit than JSN. DK quite literally overshadows him, but he has been quietly putting up big numbers and opening up the field for Geno Smith in a big way this season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bucky Irving, RB
The talk of Tampa last season was the renaissance of Baker Mayfield and fellow running back Rachaad White, but Bucky Irving has really emerged in the 2024 NFL season as a legitimate playmaker in this Bucs offense!
Tennessee Titans: Tony Pollard, RB
People have been critical of Pollard over the years, but the fact that he has been able to generate any production in that meager Titans offense that is completely devoid of a passing attack is insane! He routinely runs against stacked fronts with opposing DCs, daring Tennessee to try and beat them through the air!
Washington Commanders: Sam Cosmi, RG
Sam Cosmi went from raw project to straight-up bulldozer this year in DC. As a run-blocker, Cosmi has developed an impressive set of moves to win his matchups… and as a result, the Commanders’ offense is humming.
Under Kliff Kingsbury’s system, rookie QB Jayden Daniels is thriving, no doubt… But we need to give some credit to guys like Cosmi, who has been the glue up front. The run game, the RPOs — it all clicks because Cosmi’s out here mauling opposing linemen.
Also Read: Explaining The NFL’s Fumble Touchback Rule: Why Is It So Controversial?
