2019 NFL all-breakout team
Lamar Jackson, Dalvin Cook among players who have made a leap this season
Although the NFL is often defined by its mainstays, the annual emergence of new standout players highlights how quickly the league can be reshaped.
In 2018, for instance, the Pro Bowl welcomed 24 performers receiving the nod for the first time, including MVP Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs. With this season already past the halfway point, the latest class of breakout players already has begun to come into view.
USA TODAY Sports chose a team of candidates – all of whom had to be past their rookie year and could not have been selected to a Pro Bowl before – through Week 9.
QB – Lamar Jackson, Ravens: Maybe the actual breakthrough came last year, when the rookie’s dynamic play sparked Baltimore to a 6-1 record to finish the season. Yet it’s impossible to ignore that Jackson has made a quantum leap in 2019, establishing himself as a first-tier candidate for NFL MVP while confounding the likes of Bill Belichick and a Patriots defense previously thought to be a potential all-time great unit. Jackson is on pace to rush for 1,274 yards, which would shatter Michael Vick’s record for a quarterback (1,039), and averages an absurd 6.4 yards per attempt. His continued development as a passer, meanwhile, has kept defenses off-balance and keyed the Ravens to become the league’s highest-scoring group (31.4 points per game).
RB – Dalvin Cook, Vikings: After injuries derailed his first two years as a pro, Cook took on the role of offensive centerpiece this season without any hiccups. He trails Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey for the league lead in all-purpose yards by only 12 with 1,232, and no player has more runs of 15+ yards (12). He’s also buoyed inconsistent QB Kirk Cousins with his prowess on screen passes.
RB – Aaron Jones, Packers: For all of the spring and summer speculation about what Matt LaFleur’s offense would look like for Aaron Rodgers, there remained a good deal of intrigue about whether the attack would better utilize Jones, who led the NFL with 5.5 yards per carry in 2018 but was still used sparingly. At midseason, Jones has already nearly surpassed last year’s touch total (157 to 159) and, with 11 total touchdowns, ably handled the duties of an all-purpose catalyst. As effective as he’s been on the ground, Jones adds an allimportant dimension with his ability to split out wide and create mismatches against linebackers, which LaFleur utilized repeatedly in a win over the Chiefs.
WR – Chris Godwin, Buccaneers: Taking on the coveted big slot role in Bruce Arians’ offense has served the third-year receiver well, as Godwin has eclipsed the 100-yard mark in four games and ranks fifth in the NFL with 766 yards. He’s still second fiddle to Mike Evans, but he takes advantage of the attention paid to his teammate and is an imposing matchup for cornerbacks given his athleticism and penchant for coming down with contested catches.
WR – DJ Chark, Jaguars: Since Allen Robinson was injured one game into the 2017 campaign and then left town, Jacksonville has scraped by with a hodgepodge of serviceable-at-best receivers. Enter Chark, who fueled Minshew Mania by stepping up as a trustworthy target after a rookie year marred by drops. So long as the deep threat can establish a rapport with Nick Foles upon the quarterback’s return from a broken collarbone, Jacksonville will have the big-play potential it has long lacked.
TE – Darren Waller, Raiders: Once at the fringes of the NFL after serving a one-year suspension in 2017 while battling drug addiction, Waller has made a remarkable ascension. The 6-6, 255pound target who spent most of last year on the Ravens’ practice squad is now the focal point of the Raiders’ passing attack, ranking third among tight ends in receiving yards (548) and receptions (48).
OL – Ronnie Stanley, Ravens: A steady riser through his first three years, Stanley has now reached Pro Bowl form as a blindside protector. He’s been impeccable as a pass blocker for Jackson, and the Ravens wouldn’t be averaging a league-best 5.5 yards per carry without him.
OL – La’el Collins, Cowboys: Dallas surprised many by giving Collins a fiveyear, $50 million extension in September amid contract speculation on RB Ezekiel Elliott, QB Dak Prescott and WR Amari Cooper, with the latter two still
awaiting deals. That agreement, however, might prove to be a bargain, as the fifth-year veteran has made substantial improvements both in keeping top pass rushers at bay and opening up holes in the run game.
OL – Laken Tomlinson, 49ers: After being cast off by Detroit following his first two seasons in the league, the former first-round pick found his footing in San Francisco as a reliable starter the last two seasons, signing a three-year, $18 million extension last June. His true leap, however, has coincided with that of the rest of the 49ers’ offense, as Tomlinson helped hold things together while starting tackles Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey each have been out for significant stretches.
OL – Matt Feiler, Steelers: Losing Ben Roethlisberger could have been a death blow to Pittsburgh’s season, but the offensive front has kept pressure on fill-in Mason Rudolph to a minimum. The Steelers have yielded an NFL-low eight sacks, and Feiler’s stable play at right tackle has been a boon for the line.
OL – Frank Ragnow, Lions: Back at his natural center position after a rocky rookie campaign at guard, Ragnow looks much more at ease. The 2018 firstround pick is at his best moving defensive tackles in the run game, though his steady protection has partially enabled Matthew Stafford to rediscover his bigplay touch in new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell’s scheme.
Edge rusher – Shaquil Barrett, Buccaneers: Nine of his 101⁄2 sacks came in the first four games (including seven in Weeks 2 and 3 against the Panthers and Buccaneers), but his total still leads the league. Not bad for a former undrafted free agent who signed a one-year, $4 million contract in March and now undoubtedly has a bigger payday coming this offseason.
Edge rusher – Arik Armstead, 49ers: The first of four first-round defensive
linemen selected by San Francisco in the last five years, Armstead is a central figure in the rise of the 49ers’ formidable front, even if rookie Nick Bosa and trade acquisition Dee Ford earn the bulk of the attention. His 51⁄2 sacks are already a career high, and the progress he’s made as a pass rusher could be a turning point for a player plagued by injuries and inconsistency at the start of his career.
DT – D.J. Reader, Texans: Given his responsibilities, he’ll never post the sack numbers of bygone edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney or injured defensive end J.J. Watt, but the 6-4, 347-pound nose tackle has been more disruptive than ever after improving his fitness over the offseason. Reader also continues to command double teams and remains a powerful presence against the run.
DT– DaQuan Jones, Titans: Like Reader, Jones is making life difficult for AFC South foes by generating a significant push in the middle. With the sixthyear veteran flanked by Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey and emerging first-round pick Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee has something special brewing up front.
LB – Eric Kendricks, Vikings: Although Minnesota brought back Anthony Barr on a pricey deal this offseason, Kendricks looks like the gem of the linebacker corps and the one deserving of top honors this year. His size (6-0, 232 pounds) hasn’t prevented him from becoming a force in the box, and his aggressive-yet-calculating coverage approach is reflected by his 10 passes defensed, the most of any non-cornerback.
LB – Shaq Thompson, Panthers: In taking over for Thomas Davis, Thompson has established himself as a fitting running mate for Luke Kuechly and a vital playmaker after being relegated to a limited role in his first four seasons. His versatility operating both in the box and
matching up with receivers and running backs has been an invaluable asset to Carolina.
LB – Raekwon McMillan, Dolphins: Miami’s found at least one young defender worth keeping amid its rebuild. McMillan, a second-round pick in 2017, missed his entire rookie season with a torn ACL and looked to be another potential write-off by the team. This season, however, he has been one of the lone bright spots for a maligned franchise and has been stout against the run.
CB – Jaire Alexander, Packers: The second-year standout is intent on becoming the NFL’s next lockdown corner, and he already plays with a bravado befitting the role. For most of the year, Alexander has bottled up opposing receivers and tracked down the ball when quarterbacks have tested him, as his 11 passes defensed rank second in the league. His next step, however, will be to rein in his overly audacious tendencies, which Cowboys WR Amari Cooper capitalized on while recording 11 catches for 226 yards in their September matchup.
CB – Shaquill Griffin, Seahawks: Don’t be thrown off by the fact he has yet to record an interception in 2019 – Griffin has earned this nod. Active in anticipating passes and closing out on receivers, he’s proved to be a worthy successor to Richard Sherman as Seattle’s left cornerback. The rest of the post-“Legion of Boom” secondary needs to step up, however, as the Seahawks have surrendered an NFL-worst 22 touchdown passes.
S – Justin Simmons, Broncos: The “No Fly Zone” is long gone, but Simmons is keeping the spirit alive with his stellar play. The fourth-year pro has elevated his coverage prowess in a contract year, recording two interceptions and nine passes defensed. Only turning 26 later in November, Simmons looks like the new cornerstone of the secondary, so long as John Elway is able to re-sign him.
S – Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers: Maybe a change of scenery – and scheme – was all the No. 11 pick in 2018 needed. The Steelers were widely criticized for giving up next year’s firstround selection in exchange for a player who floundered for the Dolphins, but Fitzpatrick began thriving right away in Pittsburgh, his four interceptions in six games with the team tying for second in the NFL.
K – Josh Lambo, Jaguars: He’s the only kicker besides all-time accuracy leader Justin Tucker to have a perfect mark on field goals (22-for-22) this season, and he would have an unblemished ledger if not for a missed extra point try two weeks ago.
P – JK Scott, Packers: Labeled a “weapon” by Pro Bowl left tackle David Bakhtiari and a “true difference-maker” by coach Matt LaFleur, Scott has helped Green Bay frequently flip the field with a 42.5 net yards per punt average.