From his blog in the Chronic:
I can't come up with 10 off the top of my head, but here are some offensive players I like to make a step up in '08.
1. Jacoby Jones - Despite his fabulous preseason as a rookie, it was unlikely a Division II player would make an impact in his 1st season. But with a year and another offseason under his belt, I expect Jones to make a real impact as both a punt returner and receiver in his 2nd season. He's the type of player who can turn a routine play into a long score, and the Texans will need that to make that next step as a playoff contender.
2. Stacy Andrews - It's hard to call a guy drafted in 2004 a "breakout player", but Andrews was a project pick that looks to be bearing fruit. Andrews moved from guard to Right Tackle last season, replacing an injured Willie Anderson. That move looks to be permanent and Andrews size and athleticism should help improve a sub-par Bengals running game.
3. Anthony Gonzalez - The former Buckeye was drafted as the future replacement at WR for long time Pro Bowler Marvin Harrison. With Harrison's injury plagued '07 season and criminal investigation over a shooting in Philly, the future may be now. I could see Gonzalez doubling his '07 output of 37-576-3.
4. Richie Incognito - Incognito has been bitten by injuries thus far in his career. But a move back to Center, where he played injury free in 2006, could lead Richie to have a breakout season. His combination of strength and quickness could propel Incognito to the upper echelon of NFC Centers. If he can stay on the field.
5. Kevin Kolb - I'm not predicting that Kolb will beat Donovan McNabb for the Eagles starting QB spot. I am predicting that McNabb won't last the season, and Kolb will take the reins a year earlier than Andy Reid had envisioned. Kevin doesn't have McNabb's once powerful arm or elite athleticism, but he's accurate with the ball and has enough improv in his game to be a success in the Eagles offense.
6. DeAngelo Williams - After sharing the load with DeShawn Foster his first 2 seasons, Williams has the Panther RB job to himself. With a renewed emphasis on the running game, and a healthy Jake Delhomme back at QB, look for DeAngelo to go over the 1000 yard mark for the 1st time, and help Carolina back into playoff contention.
7. Matt Schaub - Despite missing all or part of 8 games due to injuries, Schaub finished 13th in passer rating, and in the top 5 in completion % and yards per attempt in his first year as a starting QB. All this while missing his top WR, Andre Johnson, for several games and being handcuffed with a moribund rushing attack. Although Schaub suffered only 16 sacks, he took several big shots during the season. Offensive line guru Alex Gibbs was brought on to revitalize the Texans rushing attack, and cut down on the mental mistakes that caused Matt to take those big hits.
No shockers here, and some of these guys have had good seasons already.1. Jay Cutler, QB, Denver:
2. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit:
3. Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco:
4. Jahri Evans, RG, New Orleans:
5. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City:
6. Ben Grubbs, LG, Baltimore:
7. Trent Edwards, QB, Buffalo:
8. Tony Scheffler, TE, Denver:
9. Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego:
10. Aaron Sears, LG, Tampa Bay:
I can't come up with 10 off the top of my head, but here are some offensive players I like to make a step up in '08.
1. Jacoby Jones - Despite his fabulous preseason as a rookie, it was unlikely a Division II player would make an impact in his 1st season. But with a year and another offseason under his belt, I expect Jones to make a real impact as both a punt returner and receiver in his 2nd season. He's the type of player who can turn a routine play into a long score, and the Texans will need that to make that next step as a playoff contender.
2. Stacy Andrews - It's hard to call a guy drafted in 2004 a "breakout player", but Andrews was a project pick that looks to be bearing fruit. Andrews moved from guard to Right Tackle last season, replacing an injured Willie Anderson. That move looks to be permanent and Andrews size and athleticism should help improve a sub-par Bengals running game.
3. Anthony Gonzalez - The former Buckeye was drafted as the future replacement at WR for long time Pro Bowler Marvin Harrison. With Harrison's injury plagued '07 season and criminal investigation over a shooting in Philly, the future may be now. I could see Gonzalez doubling his '07 output of 37-576-3.
4. Richie Incognito - Incognito has been bitten by injuries thus far in his career. But a move back to Center, where he played injury free in 2006, could lead Richie to have a breakout season. His combination of strength and quickness could propel Incognito to the upper echelon of NFC Centers. If he can stay on the field.
5. Kevin Kolb - I'm not predicting that Kolb will beat Donovan McNabb for the Eagles starting QB spot. I am predicting that McNabb won't last the season, and Kolb will take the reins a year earlier than Andy Reid had envisioned. Kevin doesn't have McNabb's once powerful arm or elite athleticism, but he's accurate with the ball and has enough improv in his game to be a success in the Eagles offense.
6. DeAngelo Williams - After sharing the load with DeShawn Foster his first 2 seasons, Williams has the Panther RB job to himself. With a renewed emphasis on the running game, and a healthy Jake Delhomme back at QB, look for DeAngelo to go over the 1000 yard mark for the 1st time, and help Carolina back into playoff contention.
7. Matt Schaub - Despite missing all or part of 8 games due to injuries, Schaub finished 13th in passer rating, and in the top 5 in completion % and yards per attempt in his first year as a starting QB. All this while missing his top WR, Andre Johnson, for several games and being handcuffed with a moribund rushing attack. Although Schaub suffered only 16 sacks, he took several big shots during the season. Offensive line guru Alex Gibbs was brought on to revitalize the Texans rushing attack, and cut down on the mental mistakes that caused Matt to take those big hits.