Professional sports attract the highest levels of athletic talent due to the exceptional salaries that come with it. In the NFL, we are fortunate enough to see new immensely talented players every year. Some are newly drafted rookies, others are veteran players that have gotten a 2nd chance on a new team and quickly remind us how good they can be. With the NFL season underway, here are some thrilling players to keep an eye on throughout this year.
Derrick Henry
The Tennessee Titans were a solid team last year, that much is for sure. While their 9-7 season leaves a lot to be desired, they clinched a wildcard slot and did surprisingly well in the playoffs, exceeding anyone’s expectations. Capitalizing on that momentum, the Titans are off to an impressive 5-0 start this season and if you follow the media, you’ll notice one name in particular that keeps popping up.
Running back Derrick Henry has played a huge role in the Tennessee Titans’ current 5-0 streak. He single handedly led the Titans to several improbable comebacks, most recently being the Texans overtime win. With the current hot streak Henry is on, online sportsbooks in Tennessee have the Titans as a consistent favorite in their matchups. It’s clear at this point that the 26 year old player is on his way to another stellar season and Henry is absolutely worth keeping an eye on.
Lamar Jackson
When it comes to quarterbacks in the NFL, everyone has their favorite and it’s easy to forget about others. While all eyes are on players like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or Patrick Mahomes, the Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson is having another incredible season. Thus far, the Ravens are sitting at 5-1, putting them at the top of the AFC alongside the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tennessee Titans.
Jackson really is a complete quarterback in every sense. He has dynamic playmaking abilities, he can run, shake tackles, has a deep-ball threat, and knows how to win under pressure. This makes him an exciting player to watch and a hard quarterback for defenses to play against. Since picking up Jackson, the Ravens are back to being one of the best teams in the league following a rocky period after losing Joe Flacco. Their last season was very successful including a playoff run, but this year really feels like they could go all the way to the Super Bowl. Make sure to pay attention to Jackson this season.
Stefon Diggs
When the league caught wind that Diggs was being traded to the Buffalo Bills, few could tell for sure if this was the best move for the team, yet everyone was excited. Analysts around the league sure had plenty to say about the Bills giving a treasure trove of draft picks for the receiver, essentially saying the Bills overpaid. However, now it’s looking like this was the big move that the team needed to really take off.
While young quarterback Josh Allen is developing, he needed better talent around him to truly build this Buffalo offense. In six games, Diggs has proven that he is that talent. Thus far he has been playing exceptionally well for the team, with 42 total receptions for 555 yards and 3 touchdowns. The exciting part is, this team is just getting started. As Diggs is essentially the go-to receiver in Buffalo, you can be assured that he is going to get a lot more playtime throughout the rest of the season. After a 4-2 start, Buffalo is gearing up for a big year and has a lot of momentum behind them. Diggs has the potential to end up as a top-three receiver by the end of this season.
Aaron Donald
Aaron Donald is one of those players that you cannot help but be fixated on. Defensive players are often overlooked unless they are exceptionally dynamic and Donald is one of those freak athletes that dominates the field and goes all-out on every down. Donald hits hard, covers ground, and breaks through offensive lines with ease. In the recent Los Angeles Rams vs Washington game, Donald managed to stack up four sacks on quarterback Alex Smith, making a total of 7.5 sacks for the season thus far. He is showing yet again why he is one of the best defensive players in the league and this season he is definitely a player you will want to watch out for.