2024 NFL Predictions: 2nd-Year Players Set to Become Breakout Fantasy Stars

Run through enough fantasy football articles between now and the start of the 2024 NFL season, and you're bound to hear some talk of the dreaded sophomore slump.

Don't buy into the hype.

Sure, some second-year players will fall short of expectations. Definitely not all of them, though.

Some will not only pick up where they left off after strong rookie seasons, but they'll up their output and emerge as legitimate breakout stars. Let's spotlight three second-year players who already appear on the breakout path.

Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 11: Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) looks to pass during the NFL Preseason game between the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts on August 11, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Injuries limited Anthony Richardson to four games as a rookie—only two of which he finished. If you want to red flag him as too risky, that's your motivation right there.

For those of us buying his breakout potential, though, it's what he did during those outings that has us so enamored with his upside.

In the two games he played to completion, he passed for 423 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another 96 yards and two scores. He was the fourth-highest scoring quarterback in Week 1, per FantasyPros. In Week 4, he was second.

He is as explosive as it gets when it comes to running the football, and his arm strength is elite. He's also surrounded by pass-catching playmakers. His rushing ability helps raise his floor into solid-starter territory, but his passing potential gives him true breakout ability.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 24: Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after a play during the second half in the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The Seahawks already seemed set at receiver when they spent the No. 20 pick of the 2023 draft on Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

That showed how interested they were in adding his talent to their offense. Now, they should get busy incorporating him a lot more into the game plan.

He was decent as a rookie (63 receptions for 628 yards and four scores), but he could only do so much while trailing Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf in targets. Don't look for that to repeat itself. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Smith-Njigba seems to be "at the very least, the No. 2 option." It's reasonable, then, to expect Smith-Njigba to not only surpass Lockett on the pecking order but to potentially push Metcalf for the No. 1 spot.

Talent hasn't held Smith-Njigba back. Opportunities have been his issue. If that's no longer the case, his numbers could erupt.

C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans

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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 9: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans warms up before the preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on August 9, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

The learning curve of transitioning to the NFL is supposed to be steep.

C.J. Stroud never got that message.

The No. 2 pick of the 2023 draft was magnificent in his first big-league go-round. He threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns against just five touchdowns. Among quarterbacks with at least six starts, he ranked third in passing yards per game (273.9) and third in yards per attempt (8.2). He even scampered his way to three rushing scores.

Did he potentially peak too soon? In a word: nope. With Stefon Diggs having joined Nico Collins and Tank Dell in the receiver room, and Joe Mixon having taken over the backfield, Stroud has a plethora of playmakers around him and the arm talent to weaponize all of them. He could absolutely wind up in the QB1 discussion by this time next year.