NFL Playoff Predictions: Unsung Players Who Will Break Out in Divisional Round

You know about Tom Brady. You know about Aaron Rodgers. You know about the guys who have the "playoff gene" and will put together huge performances in January no matter what.

But what about the lesser-known guys? What players are currently getting overlooked?

Which players, who have yet to make a real impact during the postseason, are going to break out this year?

Here's a quick look at three guys who will soon make names for themselves.

Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots

It's hard to classify a guy who had 910 yards and seven touchdowns as "overlooked," but it's Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker who continually get all the attention in this offense.

While those two are the team's best receivers, it was Hernandez who came up huge in Week 15 when these two teams met. Hernandez pulled in nine catches for 129 yards and one touchdown.

The Broncos are going to have to pick their poison in this one, and I'm guessing they get burned by Hernandez, who really struggled to make a name for himself in the playoffs last year (one catch, four yards).

James Starks, Green Bay Packers

Starks hasn't played since Christmas and he ran for just five yards last time the Packers played the Giants. So what makes Starks an intriguing player this Sunday?

Well, not a whole lot, actually. It's more of a gut feeling.

Still, though, don't forget about how Starks exploded on the scene last year in the playoffs, rushing for 315 yards during Green Bay's magical run. 

And while he hasn't played extensively for over a month, he has practiced this week and appears ready to go. The Packers will certainly throw the ball a lot, but they may want to slow things down a bit to keep Eli Manning off the field (never thought I would say that).

I fully expect Starks to get 10-12 carries and take advantage of New York's aggressive blitzing for at least one or two big plays. 

Torrey Smith, Baltimore Ravens

In a game that will be dominated by two imposing defenses, it will take one or two big plays for either of these teams to come out on top.

The king of the big play this year has been Torrey Smith.

The rookie is averaging just under 17 yards per catch on the year and is always good for a long, timely touchdown. Just ask the Steelers secondary.

The Texans have put together a terrific secondary this year, but it's likely they'll be concentrating on Anquan Boldin and even Ray Rice out of the backfield. That will leave Smith with single coverage, and if that happens, watch out.