Note: This is a four part breakdown of the best sleeper players on every NFL team most likely to have a breakout season in 2021. Each part will contain eight players from the same AFC/NFC divisions.
Part one of the best sleeper player for every NFL team starts with the AFC and NFC North squads. This list will include the Ravens, Browns, Steelers, and Bengals from the AFC and the Packers, Bears, Vikings, and Lions from the NFC. Eight players, one from each team, that will be listed in order of making the best case for an outstanding season.
8. Devin Bush, LB, Pittsburgh
Bush, the top-10 selection from the University of Michigan starts off the list. He had a forgettable season in 2020, only because of his 5 games played due to an ACL tear in his knee. In his rookie season, Bush showed promise recording over 100-plus tackles and 70-plus tackles by himself. He recorded one sack, one forced fumble, four fumble recoveries and two interceptions in that rookie season. Tons of promise shown from the second-year star of the Steelers defense, can be back to the forefront in 2021 as he looks to make a full recovery ahead of the season.
7. Irv Smith Jr., TE, Minnesota
Smith Jr. is not a big name, even in the Vikings offense. Being drowned out by other players such as Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, Kyle Rudolph, Justin Jefferson and even Stefon Diggs. Diggs, along with Rudolph, are officially gone from the Minnesota offense making room for Smith Jr. to shine. The second round pick from 2019 has 30-plus receptions in both years but saw his targets drop by four in year two. However, he brought in more yards in 2020 with 365 and his average yards per catch went up from 8.6 to 12.2 while bringing in three more touchdowns than the year prior. Smith Jr. will be the TE1 heading into this next season with the chances to see his play increase, a strong reason as to why he could have a breakout season.
6. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago
Montgomery has already made a name for himself in the league in the short two years that he’s played. The only reason the running-back is sixth on the list is because of how much production is coming out of him. A focal point of the Bears offense and a spitting-image of players like Alvin Kamara or Christian McCaffrey posted two straight seasons with 240-plus carries. However, he still has shown an increase in production making him a notable player for another breakout season. His rookie year, he played in all 16 games with 242 carries, 889 yards and six touchdowns. In 2020, he only played 15 games with 247 carries, 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns. His receptions rose by 29 in year two that amounted to 438 yards and two touchdowns. If he can continue the trend upward, then this 73rd overall pick from Iowa State will create havoc for opposing teams.
5. Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Cleveland
Stats are a huge part of the game and analysis of players; Peoples-Jones’ stats are not going to grab you by your football heart. Nevertheless, his game holds merit to where he will be at for the start of next season. A sixth round pick from Michigan only caught 14 passes in 2020, coming mainly after the injury to Odell Beckham Jr. Again, the stats will not speak to you but maybe his potential will as he averaged 21.7 yards per catch. He totaled 304 yards with two touchdowns in his rookie season. A huge chance that the Browns send Beckham Jr. packing this next season, look for Peoples-Jones creates a bigger name for himself with a chance to be higher on the depth chart behind Landry and Higgins.
4. Robert Tonyan, TE, Green Bay
Tonyan is a 6-foot-5, 237 pound freak from Indiana State that delivered his third season in the NFL in 2020. Over the past season, Tonyan posted 52 receptions for 586 yards, 11 touchdowns and 11.3 yards per catch. A surprise season from the Sycamores product as he only had one game where he dropped two or more passes. He was targeted 59 times and brought in 52 of those catches, a huge jump from the season prior that only saw 15 targets. He has 80 total targets in his career along with 763 yards and 13 touchdowns, Tonyan’s 2020 season accounted for 76% of his total yards, 73% of his total targets and 84% of his total touchdowns in his short career. Only one player brought in 85% of his targets when being thrown to 50 or more times: Robert Tonyan. Going into his fourth NFL season, Aaron Rodgers may look towards the sturdy, reliable tight end more and more as the season goes along.
3. D’Andre Swift, RB, Detroit
A loaded backfield that featured Adrian Peterson, Kerryon Johnson and now the Georgia product D’Andre Swift. All three 50-plus attempts in 2020, but Peterson and Swift rushed over 100-plus times. It is hard to gain ground in such a tough backfield that is splitting the carries three ways. Swift, however, averaged 4.6 yards per carry the most of any running back on the team. 10 total touchdowns between rushing and receiving which is best among any skill player that took the field for the Lions. A Swiss army knife player that can do it all; an aging Peterson with a new quarterback after the Stafford trade calls for a push in production for Swift.
2. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore
Like Swift, Dobbins has to share the ball…. a lot. Between Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill and even his quarterback Lamar Jackson, Dobbins was a surprise pick from Baltimore in the second round of the 2020 draft. Early on, Dobbins was low on the depth chart until an Ingram injury which led to more of Dobbins and Edwards carrying the rock. In the run-heavy offense, Jackson led the team in yards but Dobbins came in a close second with less carries that him and Edwards. Between the three (Edwards, Dobbins, and Jackson), their carries amounted to 437 which is not including other running backs or skill players on the team. Dobbins starts his career as a stud, being the top rookie running back in yards averaged per carry with six and coming in third for rushing touchdowns with nine. A chance at becoming RB1 with the new dynamic duo of Dobbins and Edwards on the rise, could mean huge things for Baltimore’s offense in 2021.
1. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati
Last but not least the first pick of the second round that helped show Joe Burrow as a true franchise quarterback, Tee Higgins. The leading receiver on the Bengals offense as a rookie speaks for itself. He led the team in several categories such as yards, yards per catch, touchdowns and yards per game. The Clemson product became the No. 1 receiver while Burrow was healthy; both progressing vigorously while on the field together. A.J. Green signed with Arizona in the offseason and Burrow is working on his rehab after his ACL tear, this being said that means Tee Higgins with Tyler Boyd by his side will run the show for a long time to come.