Jaxson Dart put up a ridiculous 24 combined touchdowns in just 12 starts last season for the Giants, but you still hear people questioning if he’s the guy. That’s wild when you look at the rookie numbers: 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions through the air, plus another 487 rushing yards and nine rushing scores on the ground. Despite missing time, he straight up produced. Now, with Malik Nabers lining up for most of the season and a better coaching staff on board, Dart is ready to shut down all the noise.
Dart’s Next Level Unleashed
That rookie production from Dart was huge, especially starting only 12 games. The Giants drafted him to be their future, and he is coming off a promising first year. He looked good, even with the missed time. People were weirdly questioning if he was truly the answer, but what else could he have done short of staying healthy? This season is his chance to remove all doubt and prove he is the Giants’ quarterback for the foreseeable future.
Rising Stars Across the Field
It’s not just Dart making waves. Over in Jacksonville, running back Bhayshul Tuten is primed for a huge season. Travis Etienne Jr. is off to New Orleans, which clears a massive path for someone to take over. Tuten was a fourth-round pick last season, and his 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the combine tells you everything about his explosive athleticism. He only had 386 yards from scrimmage as a rookie, but that’s normal. The Jaguars only added Chris Rodriguez Jr. for $10 million over two years at the position. While it could be a committee, Tuten has more upside, and if he starts fast, his playing time is going to explode.
Then you’ve got Luther Burden III with the Bears. He was a second-round pick last year, and after a camp injury slowed his start, he absolutely balled out in the second half of the season. Burden racked up 34 catches for 481 yards in his final eight regular season games. Before that, he only had 13 catches for 171 yards. His 2.34 yards per route run figure was elite, topping almost every receiver with at least 100 targets, even though Burden only had 60 targets himself. Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers, Amon-Ra St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens were the only ones better. That’s some insane company. With Ben Johnson in his second year as head coach, Burden is a big part of what could be a really intriguing Bears offense that takes off.
Rams’ TE Sleeper Could Break Out
Even with a crowded tight end room in Los Angeles, Terrance Ferguson with the Rams is someone to watch. Sean McVay is all about those multiple tight end sets, and Ferguson has a really interesting profile. He caught three touchdowns on just 11 receptions last season. Talk about efficiency! He started getting comfortable late in his rookie year, with three games above 50 percent snaps between Weeks 13 and 15. A hamstring injury cut that momentum short, but he still had a 59 percent snap share in the NFC championship game. This guy could be a red zone monster.
Every season, players just explode onto the scene, whether they were top picks or totally undrafted. These guys are already showing flashes of becoming key players. Keep your eyes peeled as the season kicks off; you just know some of these guys are about to make the league notice.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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