Which NFL Wide Receivers Are Primed to Be the Next Doug Baldwin?

In the pass-happy NFL, multiple veteran wide receivers are standing on the precipice of stardom ready to take the plunge. The recipe for their potential success is simple: Talent plus opportunity equals production.

These veterans are marinating at the moment ready to break through with career years. But everything must fall into place for this to occur. 

Last season, 22 wide receivers surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau. Eight joined the club for the very first time. Yet seven of those eight were either rookies or in their second seasons. Only one multiyear veteran finally broke through with a career year on his way to becoming his team's top target: the Seattle Seahawks' Doug Baldwin. 

Seattle signed Baldwin to a four-year, $46 million contract Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Caplan. 

In doing so, the 27-year-old receiver capitalized financially after an exceptional second half to the 2015 campaign. After Thanksgiving, Baldwin caught 34 passes for 530 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Stanford product became only the third receiver in NFL history—along with Jerry Rice and Calvin Johnson—to record two touchdown receptions in four consecutive games. He stands alone with Rice as the only two receivers to catch 10 or more touchdowns during the same stretch. 

During his fifth year in the league, the opportunity finally arose for Baldwin. His dominance coincided with Russell Wilson's continued development as well as injuries to tight end Jimmy Graham and Marshawn Lynch. The Seahawks morphed into a pass-first offense where Baldwin and Wilson became one of the NFL's best passing batteries. 

Baldwin didn't appear out of thin air. He developed into a capable and reliable receiver during his first four seasons. Before last year, the Seattle slot receiver averaged 684 yards per season and amassed 15 career touchdowns. When his team needed him, he stepped up in the absence of others and displayed rare explosive traits to make him a consistent threat. 

The same opportunity exists for others around the league. The right situation needs to present itself for those receivers to experience similar success to Baldwin, though. Four immediately jumped to the forefront with the talent and opportunity to do so. 

Terrance Williams, Dallas Cowboys

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A long time ago, Alvin Harper benefited greatly on the field and financially by playing opposite Michael Irvin. The Dallas Cowboys' No. 2 target during the organization's first two Super Bowls in the 1990s served as a key cog within a complete offense. 

Not everyone gets to play alongside Irvin, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Jay Novacek and the league's best offensive line. However, Terrance Williams should serve in a similar role due to the talent currently found in Dallas.

Twenty years may have passed, but the Cowboys once again claim the league's best offense line. The offense features one of the league's best tight ends in Jason Witten. The organization added running back Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick in this year's NFL draft. And Dez Bryant remains a massive presence in the passing game despite missing seven games last season due to injury. 

More importantly, Tony Romo will once again be behind center after dealing with collarbone issues. Last season, Williams led the team with 840 receiving yards despite having to deal with four different starting quarterbacks. 

A fully healthy Cowboys offense is arguably the league's most dangerous. They're now loaded at every position. If Elliott lives up to his potential and becomes an instant-impact rookie, his presence will take tremendous pressure off the passing game. 

Bryant will take some targets away from Williams if he returns to form and plays a full slate of games, but this doesn't automatically equate to the team's No. 2 receiver having a down season. Three teams featured a pair of 1,000-yard receivers last year. 

With a dominant offensive line, potentially explosive running game and a proven veteran presence behind center, Williams should be perfectly positioned to take advantage of defenses.

Markus Wheaton, Pittsburgh Steelers

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Martavis Bryant forced fellow wide receiver Markus Wheaton into the next-man-up role. The NFL handed Bryant a year-long suspension in March for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. 

Of course, Antonio Brown remains the Pittsburgh Steelers' primary target, and he's arguably the best wide receiver in the game, but these aren't your daddy's Steelers. They haven't featured a ground-and-pound offense for a long time. Ben Roethlisberger runs the show, and offensive coordinator Todd Haley built his scheme around the franchise quarterback. 

Last season, Pittsburgh threw the ball 58.4 percent of the time. Le'Veon Bell will be a bigger part of the offense after missing portions of the 2015 campaign, but the percentage didn't drastically change from 2014 to '15. When Bell ran for 1,361 yards two years ago, the Steelers still threw the ball 57.3 percent of the time. 

Roethlisberger will continue to sling the ball around the field, and Wheaton already proved he can be a dynamic presence. The Oregon State product can't provide the same physical tools as Bryant, but he can be dangerous out of the slot and in the middle of the field. Wheaton set career highs with nine receptions for 201 yards in a late November contest against the Seahawks' vaunted Legion of Boom secondary.

He won't be operating primarily out of the slot this year. Instead, he'll shift inside and outside, which should make him more comfortable. 

"I was a little new to that inside spot and we have those big play guys on the outside," Wheaton told ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler. "Really it's about being on the same page with Ben and talking advantage of those opportunities when they come your way."

The Steelers organization patiently waited for Wheaton to develop into a primary target after making him a third-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft. He's previously shown the ability to torch a top defense, and he'll never get a better chance to prove himself than he will this fall. 

Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis Colts

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Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson decided to surround quarterback Andrew Luck with veteran free agents last offseason. Andre Johnson became the team's top signing. Johnson didn't live up to expectations when he provided 501 receiving yards. 

Luck's injury-marred campaign contributed heavily to the wide receiver's disappointing season. However, the quarterback's status last year doesn't change the fact Johnson is no longer with the organization. 

Instead, T.Y. Hilton is the only proven wide receiver option for the newly minted $140 million man. Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett will be given much bigger roles, and the organization has high hopes for both. 

"We really feel with those three receivers being fast and healthy that Moncrief, Dorsett and T.Y. (Hilton) in particular—who’s really looking to have a huge year—we love where we are," Colts owner Jim Irsay said, per the team's official site. 

Hilton already produced three 1,000-yard seasons as Luck's favorite target. Dorsett is a former first-round pick. And Moncrief becomes the X-factor. 

At 6'2" and 222 pounds, Moncrief provides a physical presence on the outside opposite Hilton. The Ole Miss product led the team last season with six touchdown receptions. He's a big body who can be highly valuable on third down and in the red zone. 

Colts quarterbacks targeted Johnson 77 times last season. Those targets will now be spread between the team's top three wide receivers, and Moncrief has a chance to see a big surge in his production as the most physically imposing wide receiver in the group. 

Quinton Patton, San Francisco 49ers

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It's been quite some time since the San Francisco 49ers threatened defenses with their passing game. Former head coach Jim Harbaugh established a physical running attack that centered on the athleticism of quarterback Colin Kaepernick. 

New head coach Chip Kelly will bring in another run-first offense, but the potential presence of Blaine Gabbert behind center could bring a different dynamic.

In his eight starts last year, Kaepernick averaged 201.9 passing yards per game. Over the second half of the season, Gabbert averaged 253.9 yards. 

Quinton Patton excelled when Gabbert started. The former fourth-round pick set single-game highs in catches (five) and yardage (70) with Gabbert throwing to him. Nearly 60 percent of his 394 receiving yards also came in the final eight games. 

Plus, the 49ers will be without the services of Anquan Boldin for the first time since since 2012. Torrey Smith will still serve as the team's primary threat on the outside, but Patton's ability to work underneath routes and create after the catch should make him a perfect fit in Kelly's scheme.

Show Them the Money

A common theme emerges when discussing those listed above: They have yet to cash in during free agency. Each is still operating under their rookie contracts. Three of the four are entering the last year of those deals. 

This season is exactly the right time for each target to display their complete skill sets. 

Other wide receivers in similar points in their careers such as Travis Benjamin, Marvin Jones, Rishard Matthews, Chris Hogan and Mohamed Sanu already experienced free agency. None of them signed deals quite to the level of Baldwin, but they benefited from the system before experiencing a true breakout campaign. 

Certainly, these aren't the only options to discuss. The Baltimore Ravens' Kamar Aiken, Buffalo Bills' Robert Woods, Kansas City Chiefs' Albert Wilson, Los Angeles Rams' Tavon Austin, New Orleans Saints' Willie Snead and Philadelphia Eagles' Reuben Randle are all in situations where their production could tremendously increase. 

Seeing a young player explode during a contract year or produce late in a current contract is often seen as a negative. Sometimes, players take longer to develop or things finally click when presented with the right opportunity. 

The goal for any organization is to have the core of its roster signed long-term through the players' prime years. In Seattle, Baldwin joined Wilson, Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman and Bobby Wagner as the group of players that should spur the team's continued success. 

Before any young player can reach that point, though, they must prove themselves on the field. Moncrief, Patton, Wheaton and Willliams are primed to be this year's breakout stars. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski.