Remember when Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady weren't household names? Remember when the only Kansas City running back of note was Priest Holmes, and the only ball carrier in St. Louis that anyone knew was Marshall Faulk? In the cases of the Chiefs and Rams, now it's all about Larry Johnson and Stephen Jackson, both of whom used their predecessors' ailments and age as a stepping stone to NFL stardom. And just as was the case with Brady and Big Ben, Jackson and LJ, you can expect to see a whole new crop of NFL players emerge this season. While much of the focus in the early part of the 2006 NFL season will be on first-year stars like Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, and Vince Young, we've got our eyes on 10 more players--including a few rookies--that we expect to come up big in 2006.
Matt Jones - Wide Receiver - Jacksonville Jaguars
Even by NFL standards, Matt Jones is a physical freak. Standing at a towering 6'6", the guy looms over defenders and presents Byron Leftwich with a super-sized target with flytraps for hands. Nor does it hurt that the guy has great speed and is big enough to bowl over safeties as if they were made of papier-mache. Oh, and the former Arkansas quarterback has also been known to toss a ball or two in the NFL. Jones will see more balls tossed his way now that Jimmy Smith is retired, and we expect Jones to at least double his modest 2005 output.
Matt Jones will use his size and strength to become a favorite target of Byron Leftwich.
Frank Gore - Running Back - San Francisco 49ers
While the terms "talent," "San Francisco," and "NFL" don't seem to go together very well lately, it's tough not to see Gore's tremendous upside in the 49ers' backfield. The former Miami Hurricane, in just his third year in the league, has taken over as the premier running back for the team. In a league where more teams seem to be splitting carries between one or more backs, the 49ers seem to have found their man and will be sticking with him, barring injury, all season long. One needs look no further than the trade of former 49ers running back Kevan Barlow to the New York Jets for what amounts to a handful of sticky candy wrappers and a glass of lukewarm water (read: an undisclosed draft pick) to see how much Mike Nolan and crew are banking on Gore.
With the departure of Kevan Barlow, Frank Gore is set to become the featured back for the 49ers.
D'Brickashaw Ferguson - Offensive Tackle - New York Jets
Here's the first clue we had that Ferguson was going to be something special in the NFL: Jets fans cheered loudly when his name was called during the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Considering Jets fans are among the most notorious of Draft Day boo-birds, this phenomenon stuck with us long after the draft was done. Now, of course, it's up to Ferguson (whose unusual first name comes from the novel The Thorn Birds) to prove he was worth the cheers and the first-round salary. Goodness knows the Jets need help up front. With the oft-injured Chad Pennington getting another chance at starting under center, we're sure he'll feel better having D'Brick helping to hold the line.
Chad Pennington's health (and the hopes of Jets fans) rest on the shoulders of this highly touted rookie.
Chris Simms - Quarterback - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
You could perhaps make the argument that the Bucs' quarterback broke through last year. Still, we're thinking that the Son of Phil has some surprises up his sleeve for the 2006 season. It doesn't hurt, of course, that he played in 11 games last season (up from five in 2004), or that he's got vets like Joey Galloway, Michael Clayton, and Ike Hilliard to throw to, or a standout running back like Cadillac Williams to shoulder the load. But, from all reports of the 2006 preseason, Simms sounds like he's becoming more like the kind of quarterback his dad was in the 1980s--an underrated talent with a knack for rallying a team around him, leading by example, and, best of all, making things happen.
This is the year Simms steps out from underneath his famous father's shadow.
Vernon Davis - Tight End - San Francisco 49ers
Two San Francisco 49ers on a list of breakout players in 2006? What in the sweet, sandy hell are we thinking? Well, check this out: Vernon Davis has got the physical size and hands to be on par with great receiving backs like Antonio Bryant and Alge Crumpler. And while it's easy to argue that his great abilities won't amount to jack squat with Alex Smith behind center, we look at it as an opportunity for Vernon to show what he's truly made of. After all, if he can reel in some touchdowns from Smith and help San Francisco win four or five games, he'll be a hero. If, on the other hand, the 9ers aren't able to stop the freefall, well, at least Davis can look forward to catching passes from Brady Quinn in 2007.
The next time Alex Smith gets in a pinch in the pocket, he'll be glad to have a playmaker like Vernon Davis as an option.
Top Ten Breakout NFL Players
In honor of the first weekend of the 2006 NFL season, we take a look at ten players to watch this year.
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