It’s often said the third year is the most important for a player in the NFL. It’s a season where a player needs to stand out to determine the trajectory of his career. Generally, teams exercise extreme caution when investing in players who have flattered to deceive by the third year.
With that in mind, here’s a list of the top 10 NFL players tipped to have a breakout year in 2021.
#1 Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
The Giants quarterback often splits opinion in the league. Jones was picked early in the 2019 NFL Draft and, so far, hasn’t shown much to justify the investment. This could change in 2021.
Kenny Golladay, Kyle Rudolph and Kadarius Toney are just some of the important names that have made their way to the Big Apple to bolster the team’s offense, and the likes of Nate Solder and Saquon Barkley coming back will further help the Giants. This is a defining year in Jones’ career and, with a better group around him, he should elevate his production.
#2 Quinnen Williams, DT, New York Jets
Quinnen may have been underestimated by some NFL fans because of the Jets’ poor play over the last two seasons, but his impact on the team’s defense was quite something. He led New York with 7 sacks in 2020, twice as much as Tarell Basham, who is second-best in this area.
The arrivals of Carl Lawson and Sheldon Rankins, as well as the hiring of Robert Saleh as head coach and the move to the 4-3 defense, should help Williams reach his potential and become a star in 2021.
If all goes to plan, he’ll likely be one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL for years to come.
#3 Marquise Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Brown is a player who raised expectations after a good rookie year but failed to live up to those expectations in 2020, in a Ravens offense that desperately needed better wide receivers.
This situation could change in 2021, as the arrivals of Sammy Watkins and Rashod Bateman will take a lot of pressure off Brown. In addition, he’ll be able to align more often in the slot, which is his specialty, and ultimately become the deep target Baltimore initially bet he would be.
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