One of the best things about sports is the emergence of new, standout players every year. For the National Football League, it means a wave of NFL breakout players is coming for the 2023 season.
Fans enjoyed plenty of breakthrough seasons in 2022. Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown were among the NFL breakout players in 2022.
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Let’s dive into our NFL breakout players in 2023, position by position starting with the offense.
NFL breakout players 2023 – Offense
QB: Sam Howell, Washington Commanders
Oftentimes, breakout seasons are shaped by external factors. Jalen Hurts deserves all of the credit in the world for the tremendous strides he made in 2022, becoming an NFL MVP candidate. However, it’s also important to remember he played behind the best offensive line in football with an outstanding group of offensive weapons and a scheme that made things easier.
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No one would suggest that Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell could challenge for MVP in 2023. With that said, he’s in very favorable circumstances. Washington’s receiving trio of Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel is one of the best in the NFC. Furthermore, the arrival of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy means Howell will be in an excellent system that could translate to the Commanders’ offense being much improved this fall.
Let’s not forget that entering 2021, Howell was viewed as the likely No. 1 overall pick after posting a 68-14 TD-INT ratio in his first two seasons at North Carolina. He had a poor 2021 campaign, but the Tar Heels’ receiving corps was decimated. Now, a quarterback with outstanding arm strength and excellent athleticism is in a position for a breakout season.
RB: Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL as a rookie and sharing touches with Leonard Fournette, Rachaad White never had a real shot to flourish. All of that changes in 2023 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting running back.
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White only averaged 3.7 yards per carry last season and scored a single rushing touchdown in 17 games. However, the 91st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft finished 36th in juke rate (21.8%), 21st in yards per route run (1.19) and averaged 4 ypc from Weeks 10-16. He’ll be the featured back in a run-first offense this season and with a much-improved offensive line, White can break out.
WR: Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
Jahan Dotson received the least amount of the wide receivers drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. While he was undersized at 5-foot-11 and 184 pounds, Dotson was one of the best rookies in the NFL when healthy last season.
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Dotson suffered a hamstring injury in early October, forcing him to miss Week 5 and he had a setback in Week 7. From Weeks 1-4, he averaged 12.8 yards per reception with four touchdowns in four games. In his final five contests, once healthy, he averaged 16.4 yards per catch with 344 receiving yards on 35 targets in five contests.
The second-year receiver doesn’t just get open (1.95 target separation), he wins on contested catches (50%) and he’s becoming an excellent route-runner. Even as the No. 2 target in Washington’s offense, Dotson can eclipse 1,000 receiving yards with eight scores in 2023.
TE: Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans tight end Chioziem Okonwko is one of the most popular NFL. breakout players in 2023 and for good reason. Entering his second season, the 6-foot-2 offensive weapon out of Maryland boasts all of the traits and situational factors to become a star at his position.
Dotson ranked first in yards per route run (3.26), 16th in target separation (2.07), 20th in average cushion (2.41 yards) and had the third-highest contested catch rate (62.5%) last season. Furthermore, he posted an elite athletic score at the NFL Combine in 2022. Tennessee will find itself in a lot of unfavorable game script situations this season. When that happens, Okonkwo could often be the go-to target for Ryan Tannehill.
OT: Ikem Ekwonu, Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers have been in search of a pillar at left tackle for years, someone who could hold their own in pass protection and be trusted for the next decade-plus. Ikem Ekwonu might be that guy. Taken with the sixth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Ekwonu had to go through his lumps as a rookie. In his first two games, Ekwonu allowed seven pressures and three sacks. He then allowed just 11 pressures and three sacks in his final 12 games, earning a 74.3 PFF pass-blocking grade. Improved quarterback play in 2022 should help stabilize this passing attack and if Ekwonu makes the second-year leap that the coaching staff is anticipating, he could earn a Pro Bowl selection.
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iOL: Cam Jurgens, Philadelphia Eagles
There’s no real on-field performance to use to project Cam Jurgens as one of the NFL breakout players in 2023. He only played 35 snaps in his rookie season, which simply isn’t large enough of a sample size. However, the 51st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft just spend a year learning from the best offensive line coach in the NFL, improving his technique and adding strength. Jurgens will also be lined up between two future Hall of Famers (Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson). All of that paired with trust in Philadelphia’s scouting of offensive linemen suggests Jurgens could be excellent this year.
2023 NFL breakout players – Defense
EDGE: Jaelan Phillips, Miami Dolphins
When the Miami Dolphins took edge rusher Jaelan Phillips with the 18th overall pick in 2001, they knew he would need some time to develop. He’s blossomed a bit faster than expected, recording 41 quarterback hits with 15.5 sacks and 41 quarterback hits in his first 34 games. Now, Phillips could be on the verge of becoming one of the best, young pass rushers in the league. The 6-foot-5 edge rusher ranked 16th in pass-rush win rate (16.4%) and had the sixth-highest PFF pass-rush grade (90) from Weeks 10-18 last season. With defensive coordinator Vic Fangio now in Miami, a career-year could imminent for Phillips.
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EDGE: Charles Omenihu, Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs lost bigger names in NFL free agency than they signed, but the replacements could be just as effective if not more so than their predecessors. In 2022 with the San Francisco 49ers, Charles Omenihu had the 15th-most pressures (30), finished 19th in pass-rush win rate (16.1%) and had the ninth-most hurries (23) in his final nine regular-season games. Now, Omenihu gets to be on the same defensive front as All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones and you can bet on defensive coordinator Steve Spagnulo being aggressive. All of it suggests Omenihu could have a breakout season this fall.
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DT: Isaiah Buggs, Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs entered the league as a sixth-round pick with the Pittsburgh Steelers, playing a small role through his first three seasons. He was then a member of the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad briefly in 2022, before latching on with the Detroit Lions.
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Here’s why Buggs could be on the doorstep of a breakout campaign. He ranked 11th in PFF pass-rush grade (74.8) among defensive tackles after Week 9, generating 16 pressures and six quarterback hits in nine games. If Aidan Hutchinson improves, taking more attention from offensive lineman, Buggs’ sack production could explode as a starter this year.
LB: Kaden Ellis, Atlanta Falcons
Always take notice of the players a coach gets reunited with on a new team. After hiring former New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen as their defensive coordinator, the Atlanta Falcons quickly went out and signed linebacker Kaden Elliss away from New Orleans.
The former 244th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft showed significant promise late last season. In his last nine games with New Orleans, Elliss was credited with 37 solo tackles, eight quarterback hits, si sacks and six tackles for loss in nine games. Because of his dominance, both as a pass rusher and run defender, Eliss received PFF’s seventh-highest grade among all linebackers in the second half of the season. Elliss now gets to be the guy in Atlanta and with the Falcons’ defensive line improved, Eliss has an opportunity to become one of the league’s rising linebackers.
CB: Greg Newsome II, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns’ defense must take a step forward this fall for the team to have a shot at playoff contention. While Denzel Ward receives a majority of the attention, Greg Newsome II is a player to watch closely this season. Taken with the 26th selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, the 6-foot-1 cornerback held opponents to an 89.2 average passer rating when targeted (PFF) last season. From Weeks 13-18, he allowed just 7.2 yards per reception and surrendered the 16th-lowest average QB rating (60.9). As long as the Browns’ pass rush plays well, Newsome offers Pro Bowl potential this year.
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S: Andre Cisco, Jacksonville Jaguars
Andre Cisco became a full-time starter last season and started to look like the All-ACC safety we saw at Syracuse. As a 22-year-old, Cisco really stood out in pass coverage and helped turn the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense around late in the winter. Even if his tackling remains an issue, Cisco’s ability to help take the deep ball away will prove very important for Jacksonville.
