Unnoticed Possibility: Cardinals' Steve Breaston Is the Definition of Underrated

With the recent injury of Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin, most Cardinal fans were questioning whether or not their receiving core could get it done on Sunday against the Packers. 

For those that have been paying attention to the playoff race, would know that the Cardinals wide receivers did more than just "get it done" on Sunday.

From the number 14th-ranked offense in the league, to the No. 1 overall offense in the league, Kurt Warner and the Cardinals made a statement in their home town to advance to New Orleans.

One man that most analysts and experts seem to be excluding though, is young and upcoming wide receiver Steve Breaston. The former wide receiver for the Michigan Wolverines, wasn't taken as a high draft pick by Arizona, and as a result was regarded as a "could be" in the league.

In what began as a questionable career in the NFL, Breaston played in all 16 games for the Cardinals in the 2007 season. As promising as that sounds, his eight receptions and 92 yards on the season tells a different story.

When it all looked over and out for Breaston though, the 2008 season rolled along.  Competing for a starting job with Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin is a task in it's own right. However, when you go from 92 yards to 1,006 in the matter of a season, surely the coaching staff is going to notice you.

That's exactly what happened. When Boldin went down in Week 17 of the regular season, on a play that was never meant to happen, head coach Ken Whisenhunt immediately knew who to put in. Breaston's name was called, and boy did he deliver.

Already with 712 yards on the season and three touchdowns, Breaston has followed up his impressive 2008 campaign with consecutive good games whenever he has been needed.

Fast forward to the playoffs. Breaston needed to deliver, and so did Larry Fitzgerald.  Going against one of the most dominating pass defense's in the nation, the Cardinals were underdogs (for once) when it came to their passing game ability. Luckily for them though, the Packers defense barely showed up.

With Fitzgerald already making the highlight reel several times after dominating Charles Woodson physically, and making a fantastic one-handed touchdown catch to put the Cardinals up, it was time for the young man out of Michigan to deliver.

A guy that had previously never really been spoken about, suddenly lit up peoples eyes as he caught a touchdown pass and ended the game with 125 yards on the day. In case Troy Aikman's praise wasn't enough, this kid is showing some promise.

Along with other underrated wide receivers in the league such as Braylon Edwards, Greg Jennings and T.J Houshmandzadeh, Breaston is beginning to make a case for himself to be featured among those blockbuster names.

His future may not be with the Cardinals, for a wide receiver with his potential talent, it may be wise for him to leave Arizona and have his career flourish with another team where he will receive the number one spot.

Either way, Breaston's name may be one that we are seeing for years to come.