It is difficult to choose 10 players among the 53 that make up each roster of the 32 NFL teams. Plenty of big names have been left off this list.
However, whether it be their standing in the league or their individual performance, these are the 10 names to look out for in 2023.
1. Patrick Mahomes – Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs quarterback has to be the first name that comes to mind for any NFL fan. With Tom Brady now retired, Mahomes is more than prepared to be the new face of the NFL. He has played in three Super Bowls in the last four years, and this season he is defending the crown and MVP. The loss of receivers this off-season has hurt the Chiefs offence, but Mahomes remains the key man.
2. Aaron Rodgers – New York Jets
Rodgers left the Green Bay Packers, the team that drafted him and kept him at quarterback for 18 years, to embark on a new adventure with the New York Jets. After a down year, there are those who think that his decline has already begun. However, prior to last year he won two consecutive MVPs. Now, it will be up to his magical hands to get the New York franchise into the playoffs for the first time in 13 years.
3. Russell Wilson – Denver Broncos
After the Broncos traded plenty of assets to land the Seahawks player, Wilson’s ability is now in question. Denver fans came into last season with all the excitement that signing a player of Wilson’s caliber can generate, and the disappointment could not have been greater. Disastrous season, change of coach and… the beginning of the end for him? Of course, with Sean Payton in the fold, excuses won’t be tolerated and Wilson will have to step up.
4. Bijan Robinson – Atlanta Falcons
There had to be a rookie on this list, and Bijan is certainly generating plenty of hype. The Falcons can’t wait to see what he has to offer, but they paid a high price to land him by selecting him eighth in the draft. He is a complete runner, who in addition to running, can also catch. He averaged more than a touchdown per game in college and is going to be one of those players you have to tune in for.
5. Justin Jefferson – Minnesota Vikings
From a future superstar to the best receiver in the NFL. Jefferson is coming off a 1,809 yard season and his intelligence, elasticity, hands, agility and speed show he has no weaknesses. For him and the Vikings the time is now for a deep run in the playoffs, having only made the postseason once in three years.
6. Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is in an interesting position. After a bad rookie year, he broke out in his second year to the point that he and Mahomes were in the same conversation last season. Many believed that a new rivalry had been born, but he showed several weaknesses in 2022. He took a lot of risks with his deep passes, forced a lot of runs and tried too many impossible passes. However, some development is expected this year, and the Bills have surrounded him with plenty of help to make that happen.
7. Jalen Hurts – Philadelphia Eagles
The NFL doesn’t have most improved player award like the NBA, but if it existed, it would have gone to Jalen Hurts. The Eagles quarterback made very few mistakes last season, improved his reading of the game, ran and led his team to the Super Bowl. Although they came up short, he had a legendary performance: 304 passing yards, 70 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. All this means he’s a Top-10 QB in the league.
8. Nick Bosa – San Francisco 49ers
After all the uncertainty, the best defensive player of last year will be available for the 49ers in Week 1. This comes after both sides agreed on a 170 million deal that makes the 25-year-old defensive end the highest paid defender in NFL history. Averaging more than one sack per game, Bosa heads into this season as the player most feared by QBs. Bosa and his 49ers are once again one of the favourites to emerge from the NFC.
9. Micah Parsons – Dallas Cowboys
If the money spent on Bosa seems high to you, wait until Micah Parsons’s time comes. He has only been in the league for two years and is a headache for offensive lines. His versatility allows him to camouflage the Cowboys’ defensive formations and his speed and agility is unique in the NFL. He came into the league as a linebacker, but an injury on the defensive line made him one of the best edge rushers. Write down his name, because if anyone can unseat Bosa as the best defensive player, it is the Cowboys star.
10. Tua Tagovailoa – Miami Dolphins
Tua enters this season as a huge question mark. Last year, just as he was becoming a star, the Dolphins player suffered two concussions that slowed down his progress. There was even talk of possible retirement for the 25-year-old QB, but he will return to the field to try and show that his injury woes are behind him. He will lead one of the best offenses in the toughest division, and with the Super Bowl a realistic possibility.
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