With the 2026 NFL season on the horizon, here are six players who are poised to break out in 2026.
Six NFL Breakout Candidates In 2026
WR Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears
Burden will be entering his second season in the NFL after being drafted in the second round in 2025. Burden showed flashes as a rookie, finishing the season with 42 catches and 642 yards. As the season went on and Burden continued to get comfortable, he became a big-time playmaker for the Bears, who finished thier season in the Divisional round. Burden has already been off to a strong start in the Bears’ offseason practices to the point where head coach Ben Johnson has said publicly he is buying stock in the second-year playmaker for 2026.
S Xavier Watts, Atlanta Falcons
Watts was a third-round rookie drafted to the Falcons out of Notre Dame. Last season, Watts locked down the starting safety spot and finished his rookie season with three interceptions. He came in fourth place in the 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, and he will quickly rise up the ranks of young safeties in the NFL after his play from last season.
TE Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams took the NFL by storm last year with their use of three tight ends (13 personnel sets). As a rookie, Ferguson didn’t fill the stat sheet, but he had plenty of moments showing he could be a difference-maker in the Rams’ offense in the future. Ferguson only had 11 catches for 231 yards, but he scored two touchdowns and averaged 21 yards per catch.
With a year under his belt and the Rams’ heavy usage of tight ends, we could be looking at a breakout season by Ferguson in 2026.
CB Nohl Williams, Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs overhauled their cornerback room this offseason after trading away Trent McDuffie for a first-round pick and letting Jaylen Watson walk in free agency. After drafting Mansoor Delane in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chiefs will be looking to pair Delane with Williams to make a formidable cornerback tandem in 2026.
Williams showed flashes of strong play in the 2025 season while filling in, and with the changes the Chiefs made, they feel good about what Williams can offer them in 2026
QB Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Shough was a second-round pick by the Saints in 2026, who didn’t make his first NFL start until week nine. Despite not starting the full season, Shough was able to show some positive things from behind center. With Shough having a full offseason with the Saints knowing he is the starting quarterback, he will be more confident in 2026. In his limited time in 2025, Shough passed for 2,384 yards, ten touchdowns, and six interceptions.
The Saints have a real shot at being competitive in the NFC South division, and if they are, Shough would be the driving force.
RB Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
Hampton was a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and had an up-and-down rookie season. Hampton was productive when he played, but missed a large chunk of his rookie season due to a high ankle sprain. LA’s offense will look completely different this season after hiring offensive wiz Mike McDaniel. While in Miami, McDaniel’s run game was strong and explosive, maximizing the high-level talent of running backs like De’Von Achane. Hampton could break out in his sophomore campaign and show why he was a first-round talent.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
