Rising NFL Stars to Keep an Eye On in 2018

With the 2018 NFL season still nearly four months away, the primary focus is on the shiny and new. Fans of all 32 teams are envisioning how a first-round pick or prized free agent will change the course of their favorite franchise. 

For many teams, though, the next big superstar is already on the roster.

Rising players can become Pro Bowlers in short order. Just look at Allen Robinson in his second season or Jared Goff last season.

Here, we'll predict which NFL players will be the next to break out. For these players—all of whom are still on their rookie contracts and haven't already earned Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors—we'll examine their situations for 2018 and explain why they could be on the verge of stardom.

Miami Dolphins RB Kenyan Drake

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When the Miami Dolphins traded away running back Jay Ajayi last season, it caused plenty of double takes. After all, Ajayi had back-to-back 200-yard games the previous season and Miami received only a fourth-round pick in return for him.

Ajayi went on to help the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Miami went on to average just 94.8 yards per game over the remainder of the season.

Still, the Dolphins had reason to let Ajayi go. They didn't view him as a good locker room fit, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, and they knew what they had in explosive runner Kenyan Drake.

With Ajayi leading the backfield, Drake received only four carries across the first seven weeks of the season. Once the Dolphins traded Ajayi, Drake racked up 619 rushing yards and 232 receiving yards over his final nine games. He had a pair of 100-yard outings, averaged 4.8 yards per carry across the entire season and scored four combined touchdowns.

Prorate Drake's nine-game production to a full 16-game season, and he would have had 1,100 rushing yards.

While Drake will share the backfield with free-agent addition Frank Gore in 2018, he's going to be the more explosive of the two and should have numerous chances to make his mark on the offense. He could be both a Pro Bowler and a legitimate star by season's end.

Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett

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Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was supposed to be a star from day one. The No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft was widely regarded as a can't-miss prospect and one of the best players in his draft class.

The one thing analysts can't predict kept Garrett from being a breakout star as a rookie. The Texas A&M product missed five games due to injuries, made just nine starts and finished his rookie campaign with 7.0 sacks.

If healthy, Garrett could be due for a J.J. Watt-like second-year rise in 2018.

Not only should Garrett be healthier and more experienced in his second season, but he'll have better talent around him, including safety Damarious Randall and rookie cornerback Denzel Ward. Those additions should help increase Garrett's production.

"I've got a video of 28 snaps of Myles Garrett pass-rushes last year where he gets within two steps or less of the quarterback when the ball comes out," Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams told Peter King of The MMQB. "Basically, we aren't covering long enough to let him get to the quarterback."

Don't be shocked if Garrett challenges to become the NFL's sack leader this season.

Cincinnati Bengals LB Carl Lawson

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While Garrett got all of the attention on draft weekend last year, Cincinnati Bengals rookie fourth-round pick Carl Lawson made his noise on the playing field.

The Auburn product slid in the draft because of durability and size concerns, but he led all rookies with 8.5 sacks last season.

"I think the two things with Lawson are the durability, and he doesn't have the arm length and wingspan. I think that's the only concern," ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said in the weeks leading up to the draft, per Matthew Stevens of the Montgomery Observer.

As Kiper acknowledged, Lawson has some weaknesses. At 6'2", he isn't as long as other edge-rushers, and he isn't a quality run defender at the edge. However, he's a high-motor edge-rusher who made the most of his opportunities in 2017 and should earn more of them this season.

Ten or more sacks should be a real possibility for Lawson in 2018.

Green Bay Packers LB Blake Martinez

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The Green Bay Packers weren't a defensive powerhouse in 2017—they ranked 26th in points allowed at 24.0 per game—which might be why linebacker Blake Martinez didn't receive the attention he otherwise deserved.

Martinez made plays at all levels of the field last season. He tied Preston Brown and Joe Schobert for the NFL lead with 144 tackles, and he also produced a sack, a forced fumble, an interception and eight passes defended.

Martinez isn't likely to fly under the radar this season, especially with him determined to soak up new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine's system.

"I think my mindset going into this is kind of back to my rookie season, where I think I spent four or five hours a night just making sure I worked through the whole entire install, learned every position and learned exactly what everyone is supposed to do," Martinez said, per Mike Spofford of the team's official website.

If Martinez has another season like he had in 2017, he'll be a Pro Bowler and a defensive star.

Eagles WR Nelson Agholor

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During his first two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, 2015 first-round pick Nelson Agholor was widely viewed as a bust. He struggled with drops and poor route running and only had 648 receiving yards across 28 games.

Everything changed last season, though.

As second-year quarterback Carson Wentz broke out, so did Agholor. The USC product racked up more receiving yards (768) than he had in his previous two seasons combined, and he became both a downfield threat and a top scoring option.

Agholor finished the year with a career-high 12.4 yards per reception and eight touchdowns. He added another 167 receiving yards on 15 catches during Philadelphia's postseason run.

Not only is Agholor no longer a punch line, but he's becoming the budding star of Philadelphia's receiving corps. If he continues to improve like he did between 2016 and 2017, he should be in store for a 1,000-yard season and a potential Pro Bowl campaign.

Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey

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While No. 8 overall pick Christian McCaffrey wasn't viewed as a rookie bust last season, fellow first-year backs Leonard Founette and Alvin Kamara largely overshadowed him. However, the Stanford product was still an important piece of Carolina's offense.

Though McCaffrey rushed for just 435 yards and averaged 3.7 yards per carry, he also added an impressive 80 receptions for 651 yards. He scored seven combined rushing and receiving touchdowns.

This season, McCaffrey could continue to be a valuable receiving weapon while also increasing his ground production. He was sharing time in the backfield with Jonathan Stewart, who is now with the New York Giants. McCaffrey will be sharing the backfield again this season, as Carolina signed running back C.J. Anderson on Monday, but he should be able to carve out a larger role.

It appears as though McCaffrey has added bulk this offseason, at least based on hype-inducing social media posts like this one. If he is bigger and stronger, he should have an easier time breaking tackles and increasing his efficiency as a runner.

If McCaffrey can boost his rushing production and continue to be a big-time receiving threat, he's going to force his way into the spotlight. Don't be surprised if he's the one casting a shadow over other young backs in 2018.

Cincinnati Bengals CB William Jackson III

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Bengals cornerback William Jackson III didn't play at all as a rookie in 2016, as he suffered a torn pectoral muscle and was placed on injured reserve in early September. But when he got on the field in 2017, he was the epitome of a star defender.

Jackson appeared in 15 games and made five starts. He amassed 27 tackles, returned one interception for a touchdown and allowed an NFL-low 34.9 percent of passes thrown against him to be completed, according to Pro Football Focus.

"He is a good kid and is going to be a great pro—likely an All-Pro for a long time," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said of Jackson, per Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "But he's still grasping it."

With Adam Jones out in Cincinnati, expect Jackson to be a full-time starter in 2018 and one of the league's top defenders sooner than later.

Cleveland Browns RB Duke Johnson

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Cleveland running back Duke Johnson is entering the final year of his rookie deal, which means he's looking at a hefty payday in the near future and plenty of time under the spotlight in 2018. The Browns will be scrutinizing him to determine whether they should retain him—they added both Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb this offseason—while other teams will be trying to decide if he should be a free-agency target.

Though the former Miami Hurricane is a shifty and efficient runner—he's averaged 4.2 yards per carry throughout his three-year career—he does the most damage as a pass-catcher. He's caught at least 50 passes in each of his first three seasons and had 74 receptions last season.

So far in his NFL career, Johnson has produced 1,085 yards rushing, 1,741 yards receiving and 10 combined touchdowns.

Johnson had more than 1,000 combined rushing and receiving yards last season, and he could do so again in 2018 even with Hyde and Chubb sharing the backfield. He'll be a major weapon in passing situations, and receivers like Jarvis Landry and Josh Gordon are going to pull attention away from him.

Johnson has yet to earn a Pro Bowl nod, but that could change in the near future, especially if he eventually lands in a different situation with a more significant role.

Panthers WR Devin Funchess

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Christian McCaffrey isn't the only Panthers offensive player poised to become a legitimate star in 2018.

While wide receiver Devin Funchess was a role player in his first two seasons, he became Cam Newton's go-to option last season after the departure of Kelvin Benjamin. Though a shoulder injury slowed him late in the season, Funchess still finished with a career-high 840 yards and eight touchdowns.

He could be even more productive in 2018, especially if he's healthy throughout the entire season.

Carolina brought in new receiving pieces to help upgrade its passing attack. Veteran speedster Torrey Smith will help stretch the field, and the Panthers drafted Maryland receiver D.J. Moore in the first round because of his potential to develop into a No. 1 receiver.

While Moore could become Newton's new favorite target over time, Funchess should maintain that role in 2018 due to familiarity. Both Moore and Smith will take defensive attention away from Funchess, giving him more opportunities to make big plays.

Funchess is also entering a contract year, which should help from a motivation standpoint. Expect him to make the most of the 2018 season and to become a full-fledged star in the process.

Los Angeles Chargers TE Hunter Henry

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Following in the footsteps of a franchise legend is never easy, but it sometimes leads to the emergence of a new bona fide star. It happened when Aaron Rodgers succeeded Brett Favre and when A.J. Green replaced Chad Johnson.

It's going to happen this year when Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry takes over for Antonio Gates, who won't be returning to Los Angeles.

Henry, who had 45 receptions for 579 yards and four touchdowns in 2017, is already a standout player. However, he still shared opportunities with Gates, who had 30 receptions, 316 yards and three receiving scores.

With the future Hall of Famer gone, Henry becomes the unquestioned top target at tight end for Philip Rivers. He should have little trouble approaching 1,000 receiving yards and putting together a Pro Bowl campaign in 2018.