Each year in the NFL, many players break out. Some come out of nowhere like Ryan Grant and some were good but just got better like Braylon Edwards. Either way, both occur commonly and some of these players could end up making it to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl when the seasons over. I'm going to do my breakout players by day at different positions. Today its quarterback and running back where players like Derek Anderson and Grant could affect a whole team's season.
Quarterback:
Jay Cutler Broncos: Cutler may have thrown 20 touchdowns last year, but he is only reaching his potential. The Broncos acquired some new targets for Cutler in Keary Colbert and Darrell Jackson and if Brandon Marshall is suspended, it will soften the blow. Plus he always has Tony Scheffler to throw the ball to and he is on the verge of becoming an elite tight end. Don't be surprised if Cutler throws 30 touchdowns this year.
Trent Edwards Bills: Edwards was solid as a rookie last year as he was a very good game manager and ended up throwing 7 touchdowns. Now that he has a full year of the offense under his belt along with a 6'6 red zone threat in James Hardy, don't be surprised if Edwards throws 20 touchdowns this year.
Drew Stanton Lions: Many people forgot about Stanton last year as he went on injured reserve with a knee injury during preseason. But he is a name you want to remember this year. If the Lions struggle out of the gate, Stanton should see some playing time and with the targets he has in Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson, he could put up some big numbers. That and the fact the Lions usually play from behind, it wouldn't be surprising if Stanton threw at least 15 touchdowns.
JaMarcus Russell Raiders: The Raiders got some new weapons on offense this offseason and nobody benefits more than Russell. Russell now has a year of learning the offense and has a good group of receivers led by Javon Walker and Ronald Curry. When the Raiders start pulling it together later on in the season, people will be talking about how well Russell is performing and how he could lead them to the playoffs in 2009.
Troy Smith Ravens: If you've read my previous posts, you can see that I am very high on Smith and think he should be the starter in Baltimore. He was solid in limited playing time last year and could thrive under new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron as he will take pressure off of him by getting a ground game going. Joe Flacco might be the long term answer for the Ravens, but don't be surprised if Smith shines when he gets his chance.
Tyler Thigpen Chiefs: When most people see this, the first thing that comes to mind is, "Who?" but Thigpen could have a big impact this season. Thigpen has already impressed the Chiefs as he passed Damon Huard for 2nd on the depth chart entering training camp. Thigpen has a strong arm, good mechanics and 4.7 speed which is solid for a quarterback. He's only a few bad games from Brodie Croyle from starting and if Croyle plays anything like last year, Thigpen could be playing quickly.
Running Back:
Marshawn Lynch Bills: In his rookie season, Lynch ended up with over 1100 rushing yards to go along with 7 touchdowns. The scary part is, he missed 3 games. If Lynch played the whole season, Adrian Peterson might not have ended up with the rookie of the year award. Lynch's sophomore campaign should be even better as he now has a year of the offense under his belt and it doesn't hurt that he plays the Dolphins and Jets a combined 4 times. By the end of this year, Lynch could be mentioned in the same breath as the elite running backs in the league.
Selvin Young Broncos: With Travis Henry gone, Young is now the starting back for one of the best rushing attacks in the league. He had a solid rookie year averaging over 5 yards a carry for 729 yards. WIth all of that in mind, Young looks like he's ready to put up big rushing numbers in typical Broncos fashion. Don't be surprised if he has over 1300 rushing yards this year.
LenDale White Titans: Many people bash White for his weight, but last year he had a career best 1110 yards in the starting role with 7 touchdowns. But if those numbers sound impressive, get this, he played all of last season on a torn meniscus. Now with Chris Johnson in the backfield to help carry the load, White could be even more productive this season. 1200 yards and double digit touchdowns isn't out of the question.
Pierre Thomas Saints: When people think of Thomas, two questions come to mind. First, who names their son Pierre and the other is who is this guy? Well, I can only answer one of those questions but it should help. When Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush both went down with injuries, Thomas had his first career start in week 17 against the Bears where he had both 100 rushing and receiving yards. He is a north south runner and a good receiver. So basically he is what you get when you combine McAllister and Bush. With McAllister and Bush's health issues, Thomas could get some starts for the Saints this year and it wouldn't be surprising if he had over 1000 all purpose yards.
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