NFL Week 7 Picks: Predicting the Winner and Score for All Upcoming Matchups
Oct 20, 2020
Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers Bud Dupree (48) and T.J. Watt celebrate a sack on Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The list of unbeaten teams in the NFL will be cut by at least one after Week 7.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans face off Sunday in a matchup of the AFC's two unbeaten teams.
While the sides carry a list of strong offensive options, their defenses could steal the show inside Nissan Stadium.
The Seattle Seahawks may be forced to put up points to remain perfect out of their bye week since the Arizona Cardinals are coming off a 38-point performance Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
Arizona and Seattle split their regular-season series in 2019, and the winner of both games produced 27 points.
With Kyler Murray playing at a high level and Russell Wilson scoring at will, Sunday's victorious total could be much higher.
Week 7 Score Predictions
Pittsburgh 26, Tennessee 17
Pittsburgh has allowed a single 100-yard outing on the ground to the Denver Broncos in Week 2, and Tennessee held Buffalo and Houston below triple digits in the last two weeks.
Mike Tomlin's team has the tougher task on its hands since it needs to contain Derrick Henry, who is coming off a 200-yard performance against Houston.
In Henry's lone game against the Steelers in 2017, he was limited to 32 rushing yards on seven carries in a 40-17 defeat.
If Henry does not get going, the Titans will have to rely on Ryan Tannehill to win the contest. That may not be ideal if Pittsburgh's pass rush is as effective as it was in Week 6 against Cleveland.
Pittsburgh sacked Baker Mayfield on four occasions, and its defensive unit has 24 sacks on the season. Bud Dupree, T.J. Watt and Stephon Tuitt are responsible for 13.5 of those takedowns.
If the Steelers' front seven shuts down Tannehill and Henry for stretches of the game, Ben Roethlisberger can pull away with his weapons in the aerial attack.
The Titans conceded 525 passing yards in the last two weeks and could be gashed by Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington.
Each member of the receiving trio has at least 24 targets and eight yards per attempt. If they break free, they could be the difference-makers in the battle of undefeated squads.
If the offense opens up an advantage, the Steelers' top-rated defense could close the door on the Titans and earn the crown of last undefeated AFC franchise in 2020.
Seattle 38, Arizona 31
The Seahawks were gashed for over 400 total yards in each of their five victories this season, but they have found a way to win those contests thanks to Wilson's play.
Wilson has a 72.8 completion percentage, 1,502 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He is 9-6-1 with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions in his career versus Arizona.
Arizona has limited the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys to 10 points each in the last two weeks.
But the Seattle offense is on a whole different level than the units trotting out Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton under center.
If Wilson works the ball down the field with relative ease, the Seahawks could be in front for a majority of the contest.
Due to their inefficient defense, the Seahawks may not be able to pull away. Their last four game have been decided by one possession.
The Kyler Murray-led Cardinals offense has put up at least 21 points in each game so far, but its downfall could be turnovers.
Arizona have given the ball away in five of its six contests, and Seattle's defense has produced multiple takeaways in all but one game.
If the Seahawks pressure Murray into a bad decision or two, that could make the difference in setting up Wilson with a short field to win another one-score game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers remained perfect with a Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns. Mike Tomlin's team did not allow its AFC North rival to take any control of the contest, as ...
We received more evidence on Sunday that the Pittsburgh Steelers have a knack for finding high-quality wide receivers in the NFL draft...
Healthy Big Ben No Longer In NFL's Elite, But Good Enough to Carry Steelers
Sep 14, 2020
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) in action against the New York Giants during an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Ben Roethlisberger is back as the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting quarterback, and he's...well, not better than ever. But he's good enough to make the Steelers a legitimate contender after last year's disastrous results with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges behind center.
The 38-year-old signal-caller doesn't have to be the player he once was because the Steelers feature a well-rounded roster, though a few concerning areas still need to be addressed after Monday's 26-16 victory over the New York Giants.
Roethlisberger will need help along the way, and the playmaking skills that made him a two-time Super Bowl champion are still present even if he looked a little rusty at points during Monday's performance.
Two seasons ago, Roethlisberger led the NFL with 5,129 passing yards. He shouldn't be expected to do the same this fall after surgery to his throwing elbow. Granted, Big Ben dealt with the issue for years, and he's arguably healthier than ever after having the tendon issue fixed.
"I know I'm not getting any younger, but I feel younger because I don't have any pain," he said on the ESPN telecast.
Even so, there's no reason to place undue pressure on the franchise quarterback as he works his way back into playing shape after nearly a year off.
The Steelers feature enough talent throughout the roster to make Roethlisberger a complementary piece, not the centerpiece. To be fair, the quarterback will still be the focal point of the offensive scheme, as is the case in every NFL offense. The difference lies in how he's utilized.
Roethlisberger has always been a premium-grade gunslinger. He should be viewed differently now. He's a distributor who will be best-served getting the ball out quickly and letting playmakers like JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson create after the catch.
Pittsburgh's offense demolished the Giants defense by working the middle of the field with Roethlisberger feasting on in-breaking routes, per NFL Next Gen Stats:
Ben Roethlisberger was most effective targeting receivers on IN-breaking routes in the #Steelers MNF win over the Giants:
Before, the Steelers were always going to take their shots downfield with Antonio Brown serving as the main recipient throughout Big Ben's career. Smith-Schuster and Johnson are different players. Both are better working in a rhythm and most dangerous when allowed to work in open space.
Although, Pittsburgh now has a 6'4", 238-pound rookie by the name of Chase Claypool, who Roethlisberger can exploit when he wants to drive the ball downfield or needs a bailout option.
Claypool caught two passes for 39 yards in his debut. His first NFL snag was remarkable and showed exactly what he adds to the offense:
Smith-Schuster and Johnson combined for 12 catches and 126 yards. The weapons are clearly in place for the Steelers passing game to be significantly better than last season's pitiful 31st-ranked effort.
In total, Roethlisberger completed 21 of 32 passes for 229 yards and three scores.
With the proper triggerman leading the way, the aerial attack doesn't need to be great. It just needs to be better than last year's. Even if Roethlisberger can't consistently supply the awe-inspiring throws after extending plays, as he has throughout his career, his experience and understanding of opposing defenses make Pittsburgh's offense a million times better.
"It's awesome to have the QB back and to see things and see them in the manner in which he does them," head coach Mike Tomlintold reporters.
With 3 passing TD tonight, Ben Roethlisberger becomes the 8th QB in NFL history with at least 3 touchdown passes in 50 career games.
The offensive line is in shambles, and the Giants' young and talented front pushed around the veteran group throughout most of the contest. To make matters worse, both right guard Stefen Wisniewski, who was already filling in for an injured David DeCastro, and right tackle Zach Banner left the game with injuries.
Wisniewski suffered a torn pectoral muscle, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac. Banner, meanwhile, needed to be carted off the field due to an apparent knee injury.
The protection provided by the front five, as well as their capabilities at the point of attack, will make life easier or much harder on the aging quarterback. In an ideal world, the Steelers would still have a veteran-laden front five that's considered one of the league's best. But that's no longer the case. The unit will likely operate with an entirely new right side for Pittsburgh's Week 2 contest against the Denver Broncos.
Running back is an issue, too.
As mentioned, the Steelers' offensive front struggled to get much of a push, though Benny Snell Jr. came in and provided a physical presence with 19 carries for 113 yards. His role expanded when an ankle injury sidelined James Conner, and he may have to become a workhorse moving forward because the last thing the Steelers want is Roethlisberger throwing the ball 35-40 times per contest.
Currently, Conner is expected back "in a timely manner," according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Either way, Snell earned more reps.
Defensively, the Steelers had a few hiccups and allowed a few more big plays than they would have liked. Even so, the group was clearly flying to the ball and creating havoc, especially outside linebacker Bud Dupree, who wrecked the Giants' entire game plan and came up with the biggest play of the night when his pressure led to a Cameron Heyward interception that turned the entire game in the Steelers' favor.
As a unit, Pittsburgh managed three quarterback sacks, eight more quarterback hits, 11 tackles for loss, five deflected passes and a pair of interceptions. Last season's top-five defense slammed the door shut on Giants running back Saquon Barkley. The 2018 NFL Rookie of the Year managed six yards on 15 carries.
For comparison, Roethlisberger alone chugged his way to nine yards on three scrambles.
"We had a commitment," Tomlin told reporters. "... We thought that guy was a catalyst for whatever they were going to do offensively."
To best summarize how much better the Steelers offense looked with its leader back, Roethlisberger's three touchdown passes were more than Rudolph and Hodges combined to throw during Pittsburgh's final four games of the 2019 campaign, as the Tribune-Review's Chris Adamski noted.
A veteran quarterback with some lingering big-play potential coupled with exciting weapons and a stingy defense once again places the Steelers back in the Super Bowl picture. The squad's flaws can't be overlooked, but Roethlisberger is the equalizer. All great quarterbacks are.
Make no mistake, the Steelers quarterback may not the same ol' Big Ben, but that doesn't matter because a healthy version can still lead Pittsburgh to victory against any and all opponents.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.
Ben Roethlisberger Throws 3 TDs to Lead Steelers Past Saquon Barkley, Giants
Sep 14, 2020
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) celebrates a touchdown against the New York Giants during an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
The Pittsburgh Steelers took the first step toward ending their postseason drought of two years.
With Ben Roethlisberger back for the first time since September 2019, Pittsburgh defeated the New York Giants 26-16 in Monday's Week 1 showdown at MetLife Stadium. Big Ben, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Benny Snell Jr. led the way in the effort and helped the Steelers join the Baltimore Ravens as the only AFC North teams at 1-0.
New York fell short at home despite a solid yardage day from Daniel Jones and two touchdowns from Darius Slayton, meaning it has now lost four consecutive season openers.
Notable Player Stats
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT: 21-of-32 passing for 229 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INT
Benny Snell Jr., RB, PIT: 19 carries for 113 yards
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, PIT: 6 catches for 69 yards and 2 TDs
James Washington, WR, PIT: 2 catches for 34 yards and 1 TD
Daniel Jones, QB, NYG: 26-of-41 passing for 279 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INTs
Saquon Barkley, RB, NYG: 15 carries for 6 yards, 6 catches for 60 yards
Darius Slayton, WR, NYG: 6 catches for 102 yards and 2 TDs
Big Ben Notched Win in Return Game
All eyes were on Roethlisberger coming into Monday's game.
After all, the future Hall of Famer played just two games last year because of an elbow injury that required surgery. His absence was a primary reason the Steelers missed the playoffs, as they played with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges under center.
The biggest question was whether the six-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champion would resemble what he was in his prime at 38 years old and coming off injury.
He didn't look like his former self in the early going as New York pressured him into overthrows while he struggled to establish a rhythm. Rudolph was even shown warming up as Roethlisberger had a wrap on his right elbow.
Big Ben found rookie Chase Claypool, who made a fantastic catch, for a key third-down conversion to set up a field goal in the first quarter. He also threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter to take the lead for good, one to Smith-Schuster and the second to James Washington, who muscled his way into the end zone.
The flurry helped make up for the absence of running back James Conner, who exited with an ankle injury after just six carries and gave way to Snell. Snell ran well for stretches, and Roethlisberger made enough throws to come away with a win with his defense limiting the Giants on the other side.
Roethlisberger's fourth-quarter touchdown strike to Smith-Schuster all but ended it.
Mistakes Doom Giants in Opening Loss
This was Joe Judge's first game as a head coach after eight years as an assistant for the New England Patriots, and things could have gone much better for the Giants.
The offensive line failed to open up any holes for star running back Saquon Barkley, who only found space on screen passes designed to get him into the open field. Without Barkley putting up his typical numbers, Pittsburgh's defense was able to focus on stopping Daniel Jones.
That was a recipe for disaster for the Giants, who were unable to overcome their young signal-caller's mistakes.
Even when things appeared to go well for the Giants, momentum was fleeting. They recovered a muffed punt inside Pittsburgh's 5-yard line in the first half but settled for a field goal. They followed an impressive touchdown throw from Jones to Slayton with an interception to T.J. Watt, which the Steelers parlayed into Smith-Schuster's first touchdown.
New York even appeared to be driving to take the lead while facing a 16-10 deficit in the third quarter when Jones was hit as he threw. The ball fluttered right into Cameron Heyward's arms in the end zone, and the Steelers turned that interception into a field goal and their first two-score lead.
Jones had one more chance to lead his team back while down 10 following a late touchdown pass to Slayton, but his two-point conversion attempt fell to the ground.
The Giants' only realistic chance to compete is for Jones to clean up his mistakes and the offensive line to establish some type of consistency in front of Barkley. Until then, they will be playing from behind for much of the season.
What's Next?
In Week 2, the Steelers will host the Denver Broncos while the Giants are at the Chicago Bears.
JuJu Smith-Schuster Not 'The Kind of Guy' to Hold Out for New Steelers Contract
Aug 17, 2020
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (19) tries to avoid Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)
Pittsburgh Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is heading into the final year of his rookie contract in 2020, but he isn't concerned about his future with the team.
"At the end of the day, I'm just here to play ball," Smith-Schuster told reporters Monday. "I'm not going to be the kind of guy that sits out and waits, regardless if there's a contract or not."
The 2017 second-round pick is coming off a disappointing year where he totaled just 42 catches for 552 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games. That's a steep drop from 2018 when he had 111 catches for 1,426 yards and seven scores on his way to his first Pro Bowl selection.
Smith-Schuster was limited by a knee injury in 2019. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's absence for most of the year also hurt the receiver's numbers with backups Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges inconsistent under center.
A bounce-back year in 2020 could help the 23-year-old rebuild his stock and earn a bigger contract.
Pittsburgh could have some tough decisions to make with key players like running back James Conner, offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and linebacker Bud Dupree set to hit free agency after the season.
Dupree is playing the year on the franchise tag after the Steelers were unable to agree to a long-term deal with the pass-rusher.
According toSpotrac, Pittsburgh is already $14.8 million over the projected cap for 2021.
Considering the Steelers have been hurt by holdouts in the past—notably, Le'Veon Bell missed the entire 2018 season—having Smith-Schuster on the field will be a positive regardless of his future status.
Fantasy Football 2020: Early Cheat Sheet for Choosing Best Team Names
Aug 3, 2020
Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Training camps have begun around the NFL, and the regular season is set to kick off in just over a month. This means that real, meaningful football is waiting in the not-too-distant horizon. It also means, of course, that we're approaching peak fantasy-draft season.
Smart fantasy owners will spend the next few weeks following teams' training camps and deciphering the projected roles and opportunities for fantasy studs, sleepers and value picks. In a year that isn't going to feature a preseason, the information gleaned during training camp will be more vital than ever.
Fantasy managers are also likely to spend some time in the coming weeks thinking of names for their virtual squads. Managers have an opportunity to add some personal flair to their fantasy teams by coming up with creative and unique names—and there are several approaches that fantasy enthusiasts can take.
If you're in a workplace or family league, inside jokes or occupational humor can fit well. However, in more general leagues, names based on NFL players are usually the way to go. These tend to be pun-based and quite often groan-worthy, but that's ok. There's nothing wrong with eliciting a chuckle and an eye roll when your fantasy team crops up on an opponent's schedule. After all, while fantasy can be serious business, it's also meant to be fun.
With this in mind, here is a cheat sheet for position- and theme-specific fantasy names for the 2020 season.
Rookies
In it Tua Win It
Friends in Burrow Places
Baskin Dobbins
Judge Jeudy
Fresh Princes of Helaire
Tua and a Half Men
Chaisson Glory
Okudah Matata
Silence of the Lamb
Akers Breaker One Nine
Managers looking to kick off dynasty leagues or base their season-long leagues around first-year players often use team names based on rookies. Here, we have names based on incoming rookies like Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Cincinnati Bengals signal-caller Joe Burrow and Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins.
Quarterbacks
What's Up Mahomes
Action Jackson
Feel the Brees
Tompa Bay
Brady's Bucs
Roethlisbergers With Cheese
Baker's Bunch
Mahomes' Millions
Cry Me a Rivers
Mahomes and Watson
Fantasy teams are typically centered around running backs and wide receivers rather than quarterbacks, but signal-callers are the most recognizable players in the NFL. Therefore, punny names based on quarterbacks tend to land quickly and efficiently.
If your team boasts a prolific fantasy passer like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson or Drew Brees, a quarterback-centric name might be right for you.
Running Backs
Hot Chubb Time Machine
O' Henry!
The Hatfields and the McCaffreys
Mixon It Up
Josh Jacobs Jingleheimer Schmidt
Dalvin and the Chipmunks
Cold as Guice
Put Some Mostert On It
Hines and Mack Sauce
In fantasy, and especially in standard scoring leagues, running backs are often the stars of the show. Here, we have some names based on running backs like Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey. Obviously, managers will want to name teams after their own running backs, and not those drafted by opponents—unless, of course, they're changing names weekly in order to troll opponents.
Wide Receivers
Do What You JuJu
Bend It Like Beckham
JuliO! I'm Good
Every Day's a Golladay
That Lovin' Thielen
Can You Diggs It?
Michael Thanos
Storm Coopers
DJ Chark On the 1s and 2s
Like running backs, wide receivers can be the centerpiece of a strong fantasy squad. This is especially true in PPR leagues, where pass-catchers like Julio Jones, Michael Thomas and Kenny Golladay reign supreme.
Music
Kerryon My Wayward Son
Country Road, Take Mahomes
Baby's Got Dak
Peaceful, Easy Thielen
That's What I Like About JuJu
Knockin' on Evans Door
Guice, Guice Baby
Luck Be a Brady Tonight
JuJu Tang Clan
Pock Lockett Drop It
Tua Legit To Quit
Zeke and Destroy
Film and Television
Tua and a Half Men
The Brady Bunch
Pretty Kittle Liars
Deshaun of the Dead
Inglorious Staffords
BoDak Horseman
The Ruggs Really Tied the Room Together
Lock, Stock and a Smoking Burrow
Mayfield of Dreams
These are fairly self-explanatory. Sometimes, going topical with a television, movie or music theme is the best route to take. Not only does it tend to land, but it can provide insight into a manager's interests outside of football and therefore add an even more personal aspect to a fantasy team.
Plus, some of these are just too pun-tastic to pass up.
A.J. Brown, Courtland Sutton and Other Young Receivers Who Will Reshape the NFL
Jul 9, 2020
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (12) makes a catch during an NFL football training camp practice Sunday, July 28, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Chris Godwin is one of the NFL's best receivers. He's coming off an 86-catch, 1,333-yard, nine-touchdown season for the Buccaneers in 2019, has already caught 179 passes for 2,700 yards in a three-year career, and he is about to share the huddle with the greatest quarterback in league history.
Godwin is also only 24 years and precisely (as of Thursday) 133 days old. He was five when Tom Brady made his first NFL start. That says a lot more about how old Brady is than how young Godwin is, but you get the idea: Godwin has done a whole lot in the NFL before his 25th birthday. And he's just the leader of a vanguard that is poised to lead the next wide receiver revolution.
Wide receivers accomplish much more at ages 22-24 than they did in the past because so many of them leave college before their senior seasons, while very few are forced to spend years on the bench learning the West Coast offense the way they did in olden times. Today's spread-heavy offenses are designed to get playmakers on the field right away. And with a 17-game season on the horizon and offenses becoming more pass-happy every year, this generation of young receivers will rise quickly up the all-time leaderboards, changing benchmarks and expectations for their position as they go.
Here's a breakdown of the best receivers in the NFL under 25, loosely ranked according to how likely they are to make a Godwin-like leap to superstardom this season. Grab as many of these rising stars for your fantasy roster as you can, and keep your eye on the rest as they start to reshape the NFL.
A.J. Brown, Titans (Age: 23 years, 9 days)
Brown averaged 20.2 yards per reception as a rookie, the second-highest figure in the NFL. (Mike Williams of the Chargers averaged 20.4 yards per catch). Brown also finished fourth in the NFL in Football Outsiders' DVOA metric, which measures efficiency as well as big-play capability. And he did it all despite playing half the season with peashooter-armed Marcus Mariota as his quarterback.
Brown caught 25 passes for 605 yards and five touchdowns with Ryan Tannehill under center in his final six regular-season games. That projects to 67-1,613-13 over a full season. Derrick Henry will get most of the attention in Tennessee, and Tannehill will get most of the money. But if the Titans remain in the Super Bowl chase, it will probably be because Brown built on his rookie success.
Courtland Sutton, Broncos: (Age: 24 years, 273 days)
Sutton has caught passes from Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Brandon Allen, Drew Lock and (on one memorable trick play) Emmanuel Sanders during his two NFL seasons, which is not exactly a Hall of Fame short list. Through it all, he has proven to be a bad quarterback's best friend, whether he was chasing down Flacco moonballs, leaping in front of two defenders to turn Allen underthrows into big plays, or serving as a security blanket for Lock as a rookie.
Sutton went 72-1,112-6 last season, but he has the potential to do even more as the Broncos offense slowly works its way back toward the 21st century. If Lock can take the big step forward that is expected of him this season, Sutton will be both a big reason why and a beneficiary.
The Steelers Trio
JuJu Smith-Schuster already has 211 career receptions for 2,895 yards and 17 touchdowns, plus an Instagram presence that puts some movie stars to shame, and he doesn't even turn 24 until November. Smith-Schuster is coming off an injury-marred year in which Diontae Johnson (who recorded a 59-680-5 stat line and turned 24 on Sunday) and James Washington (44-735-3, turned 24 in April) had to pick up the slack while Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges did most of the passing.
Johnson and Washington both have speed to burn, and Smith-Schuster has already proved what he can do when healthy. The only thing keeping any one member of this trio from breaking out is the likelihood that all three of them will get a healthy share of the targets.
DJ Moore, Panthers (Age: 23 years, 86 days)
Did you know that Moore caught 87 passes for 1,175 yards and four touchdownns in 2019? I appeared weekly on Charlotte radio last season to talk about the Panthers yet completely lost track of the huge numbers Moore was putting up. Yes, he caught a few passes against prevent defenses in lopsided losses, but catching 87 passes with the scatter-armed Kyle Allen running the offense for most of the year was a remarkable accomplishment.
Moore is a possession receiver who gobbled up lots of quick slants and comebacks while speedy-shifty Curtis Samuel (another gifted receiver under 25) and Christian McCaffrey did all of the flashy stuff. Teddy Bridgewater loves possession receivers who can get open on shorter routes, so look for Moore to make a lot more noise this year.
Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown, Ravens (Age: 23 years, 35 days)
Brown missed most of last offseason with a foot injury and played part of his rookie year with an ankle injury, yet he still managed to catch 46 passes for 584 yards and seven touchdowns. He was mostly limited to screens, shallow crosses and short catches in the flat last season, and he was rarely healthy enough to show off his speed and elusiveness. He's now healthier, more experienced and part of a faster, more dangerous receiving corps which added rookies Devin Duvernay and James Proche in the draft. Oh, and Lamar Jackson is his quarterback. Brown may not get as many targets as some of the receivers above him on this list, but he'll turn a few five-yard tosses into 40-yard gains.
Mecole Hardman, Chiefs (Age: 22 years, 119 days)
Hardman helped the Chiefs win a Super Bowl before his 22nd birthday. The only thing standing between him and superstardom is the fact he's stuck behind Tyreek Hill as the designated deep threat in a loaded offense. But if you don't think Andy Reid will find new ways of getting Hardman and Hill on the field at the same time and putting the ball in Hardman's hands, you haven't been paying attention for the past two years.
Christian Kirk, Cardinals (Age: 23 years, 234 days)
Kirk caught 68 passes for 709 yards and three touchdowns last year, but he runs the risk of being overshadowed by Larry Fitzgerald and newcomer DeAndre Hopkins this season. Then again, the Cardinals used four- or five-receiver personnel groups a league-high 33 percent of offensive snaps last season (per Sharp Football), so there will be plenty of opportunities to go around. Kirk is the best choice among the Cardinals receivers when head coach Kliff Kingsbury gets the urge to call some over-engineered screen or shovel pass, which is often.
Once Kingsbury reigns in his enthusiasm for double-reverse screen passes, his offense could be as effective and revolutionary as the Chiefs and Ravens offenses have become. If that happens, the speedy, versatile Kirk will be in the thick of things.
DK Metcalf, Seahawks (Age: 22 years, 208 days)
Metcalf was the yoked-up hill upon which hundreds of would-be draft experts died last season. Yes, Metcalf is one-dimensional: His signature move is to run straight up the left sideline and turn around for the ball. But when you are built like Superman, run like The Flash and have Russell Wilson throwing you the ball, the fact that you maneuver through traffic like a school bus doesn't matter much.
Metcalf is poised to be this generation's Plaxico Burress. That means there are going to be some 70-catch, 10-12 touchdown seasons in his future.
DJ Chark Jr., Jaguars (Age: 23 years, 290 days)
Chark is a 6'4" long strider with a knack for tracking and hauling in deep passes and enough speed to force defenders to give him a cushion to work underneath. Like Courtland Sutton, he could climb from an impressive sophomore season (73-1,008-8) into the stratosphere if Gardner Minshew II can take the next step at quarterback.
Michael Gallup, Cowboys (Age: 24 years, 96 days)
Like Christian Kirk, Gallup runs the risk of being overshadowed this year, as Amari Cooper and first-round pick CeeDee Lamb will likely be the focal points of Mike McCarthy's offense. Gallup must also overcome the dropsies, since he was second in the league (behind only Julian Edelman) with 11 drops last season, per Pro Football Reference. But if Gallup spent the offseason social distancing with a JUGS machine, he could find himself busy in a highly productive offense this year.
McCarthy found enough footballs to go around for Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley and James Jones during his best years in Green Bay. He should have no problem drawing up some ways to keep Gallup, Cooper and Lamb busy.
Terry McLaurin, Washington (Age: 24 years, 298 days)
The oldest receiver on our list, McLaurin led Washington's barely functional offense with 58 receptions for 919 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He's fast, he's a technician, and he's already a clubhouse leader. McLaurin may lack the upside of A.J. Brown, the measurables of Metcalf or the sizzle of Hardman or Hollywood Brown, but he'll spend the next decade catching an awful lot of passes, whether from Dwayne Haskins or someone else, for whatever the Washington franchise calls itself.
Deebo Samuel, 49ers (Age: 24 years, 176 days)
Samuel suffered a foot injury in mid-June, so while the 49ers are hopeful that he'll be ready for the regular season, he doesn't quite have the short-term breakout potential of some of the other receivers here. And he generated so much buzz last year that you may be surprised to learn that his statistics (57-802-3, 159 rushing yards) weren't all that spectacular. But Samuel is the prototype for the next-gen all-purpose offensive weapon, capable of lining up anywhere and running through defenders as well as around them.
The future belongs to versatile Deebo-types, Hardman/Hollywood types and king-sized Metcalf-Sutton types. For now, the revolution has just begun.
Mike Tanier covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @MikeTanier.
Most rising stars on expiring contracts don't hit the free-agent market. Typically, NFL teams re-sign top playmakers and attempt to replace decent talent. Yet those castoffs can make a stronger impact elsewhere...
The NFL stands as the ultimate "what have you done for me lately" league, a reality that is best exemplified by its quick turnover of younger players...
