8 Second-Year NFL Players Who Should Take on Bigger Roles in 2026 Season

Although the 2026 NFL draft will reshape depth charts, many members of last year's class should still be in line for bigger roles after flashing promise in limited snaps as rookies.

In some cases, teams draft players with an eye on the future rather than an immediate impact. Rookies who were backups could become breakout second-year pros in starting positions.

Excluding players who suffered season-ending injuries during their rookie campaign, we highlighted second-year pros who should take on bigger workloads in 2026.

Most of the players below are poised for more snaps after veteran departures via trade or free agency, giving them a clear chance to capitalize on expanded opportunities.

WR Jack Bech, Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

The Las Vegas Raiders signed Jalen Nailor, who was the Minnesota Vikings' No. 3 receiver behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. So, they don't have a clear-cut No. 1 wideout. Las Vegas' passing attack will run through All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers.

However, wideout Jack Bech could carve out a notable role after a quiet rookie campaign in less-than-ideal circumstances. 

Between October and November of last year, former Raiders head coach Pete Carroll dismissed offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and reunited with former Seattle Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett, who immediately took on a significant role in the offense.

With the youth movement underway in Las Vegas under general manager John Spytek and first-time offensive-minded head coach Klint Kubiak, Bech has a chance to establish himself within a wide receiver corps that lacks a true go-to target.

In college, Bech lined up on the perimeter and in the slot, which will allow him more opportunities regardless of formation. He could emerge as a starter and No. 2 option behind Bowers in the Raiders' aerial attack.

WR Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

The Chicago Bears traded wideout DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. Though the eight-year veteran saw a significant drop-off in his target share between 2024 and 2025, he started in every game and saw 85 targets last year.

Without Moore in the lineup, Luther Burden III could blossom into a lead receiver alongside Rome Odunze.

In the second half of the previous season, Burden saw an uptick in his snap count while Odunze battled a foot injury. He had his most productive performance in the Bears' Week 17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, catching eight passes for 138 yards and a touchdown.

Based on what head coach Ben Johnson did as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, Burden is in a system that will allow him to grow in his second year as a starter. Wideouts Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in Johnson's last year with the Lions.

Burden and Odunze are an ascending receiver duo, with the former set to come into his own this year.

ILB Jihaad Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

The Philadelphia Eagles allowed linebacker Nakobe Dean to walk in free agency. Over the last two seasons, he served as a starter alongside All-Pro Zack Baun. Without him, Jihaad Campbell is in line to fully take over a lead role in the middle of the defense.

Campbell opened the 2025 season in a starting role, but he eventually took a back seat to Dean, who started the campaign on the physically unable to perform list.

When healthy, Dean was one of the Eagles' primary starting inside linebackers. Now that he's in Las Vegas, Campbell just needs to make a full recovery from offseason shoulder surgery to regain the starting job.

The Eagles don't have a proven high-end edge-rusher. So, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio could tap into Campbell's pass-rushing ability, which he put on display in his final collegiate year at Alabama, recording five sacks. 

WR Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden

Matthew Golden will see an uptick in targets for two primary reasons. The Green Bay Packers lost a couple of their receivers this offseason. They allowed Romeo Doubs to sign elsewhere and traded Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 2025, Doubs and Wicks saw a total of 131 targets. The former led the team in targets (85), catches (55) and receiving yards (724). 

As a rookie, Golden built early momentum, racking up 52-plus receiving yards in three consecutive appearances, but he missed a few games because of injuries and had an inconsistent finish to the campaign.

Although Green Bay has finished in the bottom six in passing attempts for consecutive seasons, Golden can carve out a decent role in three-receiver sets with Jayden Reed and Christian Watson. If tight end Tucker Kraft isn't quite himself coming off a torn ACL, expect the second-year receiver to play a significant role in the passing attack.

CB Benjamin Morrison, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Gary McCullough

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison

Benjamin Morrison came into the league on the mend from hip surgery. He also suffered a hamstring injury during last year's preseason, and it cost him several regular-season games.

Now healthy, Morrison has a chance to fill a starting role on the boundary following Jamel Dean's departure in free agency.

Last season, Dean started in all 14 of his appearances, lining up opposite Zyon McCollum. Between Weeks 16 and 18, Morrison filled in for both of them. In that stretch, he logged 13 tackles (one for loss) and a pass breakup.

However, in limited duty, Morrison allowed three touchdowns and a 112.2 passer rating. Even though he's next in line for a starting job because of his draft pedigree, the 2025 second-rounder must tighten up his coverage and make plays on the ball to earn and keep a starting position. 

Edge Shemar Stewart, Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Shemar Stewart started his pro career with a lengthy holdout that cost him valuable practice time last offseason. He didn't sign with the Cincinnati Bengals until late July, days after the start of the team's training camp program.

As expected, he wasn't prepared to take on a significant role after missing extended time in the offseason. Yet he did play meaningful snaps in the second half of the season while star edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson sat out with injuries.

The Bengals lost Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai in free agency, which clears the pathway for Stewart to rotate with Myles Murphy and free-agent addition Boye Mafe at defensive end. 

Mafe's arrival may put a cap on Stewart's ceiling, though the second-year pro has a chance to outplay the newcomer and Murphy for more snaps. Regardless, all three should see the field in notable roles following Hendrickson's departure to the Baltimore Ravens. 

Though among the trio, Stewart, entering his age-23 term, may have the most upside.

RB Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Gary McCullough

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost lead running back Travis Etienne Jr. to the New Orleans Saints in free agency and added Chris Rodriguez Jr., who has only six career receptions in three seasons.

Sports Illustrated's John Shipley believes Bhayshul Tuten will see a "major hike" as a "key piece" of the Jaguars offense this year.

Tuten's versatile skill set could shine in the Jaguars' new-look backfield. In two collegiate years at Virginia Tech, he caught 50 passes for 320 yards and four touchdowns. Last year, while on the field for just 21 percent of the offensive snaps, the 2025 fourth-rounder recorded 10 catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

As a three-down tailback, Tuten could easily rack up over 1,000 scrimmage yards. Fellow 2025 draft classmate LeQuaint Allen and Rodriguez will likely be involved in the rotation, but Tuten finished with 93 touches last season, and that number should be more than double in 2026.

OLB Jalon Walker, Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

In 2025, Jalon Walker showed promising signs while on the field for 51 percent of the defensive snaps. He registered 5.5 sacks, 13 pressures, 36 tackles (five for loss) and forced two fumbles.

Walker didn't show much of his coverage ability, but that could change in the upcoming season. The Atlanta Falcons overhauled their coaching staff but retained defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who expressed excitement about Walker's potential growth while at Georgia's pro day, via Bryce Koon of Glory Glory. 

"I'll say this, the vision for him is so much clearer in Year 2. He's going to make huge strides this year in every way -- from a pass rush perspective, a pure end perspective. But then also we're going to start to also utilize his versatility off the ball and all the stuff he can do."

Last year, Walker appeared in 15 games, starting in nine of them. With a solid career start and continuity in the same system, he's in line to be the lead playmaker in Ulbrich's defense.

College football statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.