Ranking the NFL's Top 10 Most Polarizing Players Ahead of 2024 Season
Some players are bona fide stars, but other big names can divide the opinions of fans like no others.
In these cases, it can be easy to love 'em, easy to dislike 'em. At least as NFL players, in this cruel sports world.
Ahead of the 2024 NFL regular season, let's look at 10 veterans who have become particularly polarizing as a result of a lack of consistent production or durability and/or other football-related causes.
10. Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley
1 of 10
The upside: The highly talented 27-year-old is just a season removed from a stellar campaign in which he amassed over 1,600 scrimmage yards and scored 10 touchdowns within a bad offense.
The downside: The great 2022 showing is really his only standout season since 2019, as injuries and inconsistency plagued him for much of his six-year tenure with the Giants.
Key question(s): How much will a new environment help? Is the change coming too late? Not many backs keep it up in or beyond Year 7, and the Eagles will have limited patience in a critical season.
9. New Orleans Saints WR Chris Olave
2 of 10
The upside: The 24-year-old has gone over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, despite the fact that the Saints have often struggled offensively during that period.
The downside: He didn't really build on a strong rookie season, with his yards-per-target total dropping from 8.8 to 8.1 despite the fact that the offense traded in Andy Dalton/Jameis Winston for the more accomplished Derek Carr.
Key question(s): How much support will Olave get from Carr and a terrible offensive line? Did he plateau as a rookie, or was that a miniature sophomore slump in 2023?
8. New England Patriots Edge Josh Uche
3 of 10
The upside: The 25-year-old 2020 second-round pick put up 11.5 sacks as a rotational contributor in 2022.
The downside: He followed that up with just three sacks in a similar role with similar playing time in 2023, resulting in just a one-year "prove-it" deal from the Patriots this offseason.
Key question(s): Which season was the aberration? And will Matthew Judon's departure help Uche flourish or result in less productivity as a result of a shifted defensive focus?
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7. Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
4 of 10
The upside: In his last two seasons combined, the 26-year-old has posted an AFC-best 102.9 passer rating. At various points, he was an MVP contender in both campaigns.
The downside: Injuries (concussions in particular) were a problem for Tagovailoa prior to the 2023 season, when he remained on the field but went just 1-5 against playoff teams, with the offense significantly less productive than usual in those contests.
Key question(s): Can he get over those hurdles, or has he peaked? And how much has he benefited from his surrounding cast? Is that sustainable?
6. Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor
5 of 10
The upside: The 25-year-old has shown us he has All-Pro ability, and he appears to be healthy and happy right now after a 2023 season that lacked health and happiness.
The downside: That All-Pro campaign was back in 2021, and it represents Taylor's only great season out of four in his pro career. He's now locked in at a cost of more than $28 million over the course of the next two years, so the Colts had better hope he can get it back.
Key question(s): Can he stay healthy? Can he replicate that 2021 campaign? Can he live up to that big (in running back terms) contract?
5. Atlanta Falcons TE Kyle Pitts
6 of 10
The upside: Still just 23, the 2021 No. 4 overall pick is one of the most uniquely skilled and versatile offensive players in the NFL. And he's now got an experienced and proven quarterback in Kirk Cousins.
The downside: After going over 1,000 yards as a rookie, Pitts has compiled just 1,023 yards in the two seasons since. He's also scored just six touchdowns in his career, and he's such a liability as a blocker that he often costs himself the ability to keep defenses honest.
Key question(s): Will Cousins unlock something in Pitts, or will the Florida product get lost in the shuffle amid a stacked skill-position group in Atlanta? And is there any chance he's improved his blocking skills?
4. Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence
7 of 10
The upside: The talent is undeniable, and it's not as though the 2021 No. 1 overall pick has been a complete bust. He's flashed enough to earn a lucrative long-term contract, and it's possible he's about to explode under Doug Pederson's tutelage in his age-25 season.
The downside: The Jaguars have yet to finish above 9-8 with Lawrence, who was the league's 21st highest-rated passer during a disappointing 2023 campaign and has lacked consistency and durability for much of his career.
Key question(s): Is this the year? Or will he again fail to put it all together with a so-so supporting cast? And how will his newfound pot of gold impact his psyche and performance?
3. Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson
8 of 10
The upside: Just 22, the 2023 No. 4 overall pick is one of the most intriguing young athletes in professional sports.
The downside: He missed most of his rookie season due to a shoulder injury and was banged up even before going down for the year. He's, arguably, both fragile (or at least vulnerable) and raw, which is a lot to overcome with a decent-not-great roster.
Key question(s): Can he stay on the field? If so, will he still need time to develop? Does he have enough support to accomplish that?
2. Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson
9 of 10
The upside: He's a potential Hall of Fame quarterback, and he's only 35. Many signal-callers are still in their prime at that age, and nowadays very few are totally washed up.
The downside: Of late, he's looked like a quarterback who is totally washed up.
Key question(s): Will a change of scenery allow him to rediscover his magic from those perennial Pro Bowl days in Seattle? Do more August struggles in Pittsburgh matter? Is he really going to lose the starting job to Justin Fields?
1. Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott
10 of 10
The upside: With a 105.9 passer rating and a league-high 36 touchdowns, Prescott was the NFL runner-up in 2023.
The downside: The Cowboys are apprehensive about giving him a new contract for a reason. The 31-year-old has been part of just two playoff wins despite rarely lacking support. He's thrown four interceptions in playoff losses the last two years.
Key question(s): Can he change that narrative? Because if not, none of the regular-season numbers will matter. And if he's playing for his financial future in 2024, will that boost his performance or cause him to wilt?
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