10 players on the rise heading into the 2017 season
The NFL carousel keeps turning. Every year, new players prove worthy of being considered among the cream of the crop while some stars begin showing signs of decline.
Entering the 2017 season, here are 10 players on the brink of superstardom.
Jay Ajayi, Dolphins
Ajayi didn't begin 2016 as the Dolphins' starting running back. That honor went to Arian Foster. Miami couldn't keep him off the field for long, however.
In his second game as a starter, Ajayi posted more than 200 yards and followed it up with another 200-yard performance the following week. He finished the year with three such games and 1,272 total rushing yards.
On the list of the league's best running backs - a group that includes Le'Veon Bell, David Johnson, and Ezekiel Elliott, among others - Ajayi finds himself on the periphery. Should he prove 2016 was not a flash in the pan, he'll enter 2018 as a bona fide star.
Xavier Rhodes, Vikings
Rhodes' incline was steep in 2016. In his fourth season, he emerged as a lockdown cornerback by allowing a 39.2 passer rating for the year.
The Viking shut down some of the game's best. He held Odell Beckham Jr. to just three catches and 23 yards in Week 4, while registering an interception, and helped keep T.Y. Hilton to three catches for 45 yards on seven targets in Week 15.
NFL offenses have learned that Rhodes is not the man to test in the Vikings' secondary. It won't be long before he's a household name with fans, as well.
Jamison Crowder, Redskins
Crowder came out of nowhere to produce 847 yards and seven touchdowns in his sophomore season. Throw in his proficiency as a punt returner and the 23-year-old is a dynamic weapon for the Redskins.
His rise in part allowed Washington to move on from DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. Now he'll be asked to deliver in a revamped receiving corps that includes Terrelle Pryor and Josh Doctson.
Don't be surprised if Crowder surfaces as quarterback Kirk Cousins' favorite wideout in 2017.
Taylor Lewan, Titans
It didn't take long for the left tackle to make good on the promise he owned as an 11th overall pick in 2014. He was the third tackle taken in that draft, but he's already proven to be among the league's best at his position.
Lewan allowed just one sack playing and starting in all 16 games last season. Don't bring the stat up with Lewan directly, however. As he revealed on NFL Network's "Top 100 players of 2017" show, he's still not over the play.
"One this year. But I don't wanna talk about it," he said.
That comedic side is also part of his allure. As he has showed with some of his off-field antics that include chucking catfish onto the ice at an NHL game and crushing beers with his fellow offensive linemen, Lewan's a star both between the lines and outside of them.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Packers
The recognition he earns for his play is starting to outweigh his name recognition.
One of the more memorable players to enter the league due to his unforgettable first name, Clinton-Dix has grown into a borderline star on the field. Following in the mold of players drafted and developed by the Packers, the safety grew into the playmaker of the secondary in his third season, recording five interceptions. He had two to his name after his first two seasons.
He's playing faster and with more confidence. He allowed a passer rating of 61.2 in 2016, per Pro Football Focus, and is a top run defender.
DeVante Parker, Dolphins
This is the year Parker's supposed to break out.
The Dolphins have been waiting for him to explode onto the scene since they used their 14th overall draft pick on the receiver in 2015. Injuries have sapped much of his first two seasons, but now completely healthy, Miami expects him to showcase his first-round ability in 2017.
Packaged with Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills, the Dolphins own a diverse receiving trio with plenty of upside and Parker just might have the most star potential of the lot.
Janoris Jenkins, Giants
Jenkins proved to be one of the best free-agent additions in 2016. Signed to a five-year, $62.5-million contract by the Giants, the corner produced his best season to date.
His stats are impressive - 44 tackles, three interceptions, 18 passes defensed - but it's the stats he allowed that should be noted. In two matchups against Dallas, Dez Bryant was held to two catches for 18 yards as the Giants handed their biggest rival two of the three losses they suffered on the season.
Jenkins goes by the nickname "Jackrabbit" and he had to play like one in order to keep up with some of the league's best receivers.
Stefon Diggs, Vikings
Diggs caught the league by surprise in 2016. Showcasing superior speed, he led the NFL in receiving yards early in the season. Injuries caught up to him before long, but not after he assumed the role as the team's top receiving threat.
Diggs will enter 2017 in that position and will be entrusted with leading the Vikings to playoff contention. What can he do with a full season of good health? He just might blossom into the next top receiver.
Dante Fowler Jr., Jaguars
The Jaguars were happy to get their 2015 first-round pick on the field in 2016. After missing a year with a torn ACL, Fowler suited up in all 16 contests last year and, in limited snaps, he still managed to record four sacks.
Expect the end to be given a full workload in 2017. He'll be bookended by veteran Calais Campbell in an important season for Jacksonville. It just may be the year in which we're witness to Fowler's entire repertoire.
Brandon Graham, Eagles
If Graham is one thing, it's adept at getting to the quarterback. In four of his past five seasons, he's recorded at least 5.5 sacks.
Fletcher Cox gets much of the plaudits, and rightfully so, but Graham has also been a force on the Eagles' defensive line. He ranked as the second-best edge rusher in the league in 2016, according to Pro Football Focus, as he led the NFL in quarterback hurries with 40.
He's used more on a situational basis, making his gaudy numbers all the more impressive.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)
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