NFL predictions: Unlikely stars for all 32 teams entering 2019
A look at the surprising names that have turned heads for your favorite NFL team in this list of unlikely standouts as we make NFL predictions for 2019.
The long offseason is finally over and NFL fans everywhere are enjoying their first taste of football in months. With training camps finished up and 2019 NFL predictions in full swing, fans should already be noticing some surprising names standing out.
Everybody expects the high draft picks and players that have already carved out a role to get their snaps but it’s always a treat to see lesser-known guys make their mark and earn their way onto a roster.
Whether it be the late-round/undrafted underdog, the journeyman that just needed a change of scenery, or the player that has dealt with unfortunate injuries, these are the guys you really root for.
Their early impact has not gone unnoticed and they deserve a little bit of shine for it.
With the regular season less than a week away, let’s take a look at the unlikely standouts for each NFL team that could provide an extra spark for your squad in 2019.
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears: Deon Bush, S
Deon Bush was drafted in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft but has yet to find his role within that loaded Chicago Bears defense. In three seasons, he has just 32 tackles and is in desperate need of some splash plays in the final year of his contract if he is going to earn a new one.
Well, if camp and the preseason are any indication of his progress, Deon Bush should be in for a productive year in 2019.
Bush has made plays throughout the early season process and looks as confident as ever.
Through three preseason games, Bush leads the NFL with 5 pass deflections and 2 interceptions, one of which he brought 91 yards the other way for a score.
While Bush is currently second on the depth-chart to Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, his solid play should earn him plenty of rotational reps in 2019, where he will hopefully be able to finally prove his worth on his way to a new deal.
Detroit Lions: Mark Thompson, RB
After years of struggling in the run game, the Detroit Lions all of a sudden find themselves with solid depth at the position. With Kerryon Johnson, C.J. Anderson and Zach Zenner making up the top of the depth chart, there is another name that may need to be kept around after a solid camp and preseason.
Mark Thompson has been making a case for him to make the 53-man roster, as he has made the most of his opportunities thus far.
He was consistently good throughout camp and leads the team in rushing three games into the preseason.
Thompson has carried the ball 17 times for 80 yards and has found the end zone twice.
His hard-nosed running style and effort are too valuable to let walk, so I expect Thompson to be kept around as a depth option that could see the field in short-yardage situations in 2019.
Green Bay Packers: Allen Lazard, WR
Allen Lazard was a standout at Iowa State and set several receiving records while in school. He, unfortunately, ended up being one of the more surprising undrafted players in the 2018 class and spent his first season in the NFL on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad.
The Packers ended up nabbing him from the Jaguars towards the end of last year and he will add another big target in a receiver full of similar guys.
While that usually spells trouble, Lazard has made the most of his opportunities to show he belongs so far in Green Bay.
He leads the team in receiving yards through three preseason games with 114 and is averaging 19 yards per catch, proving to be a true deep ball threat early on.
Lazard has even earned praise from Aaron Rogers who singled Lazard out for having a great camp, saying that “He’s made a bunch of plays. He’s always showing up on special teams. He does things the right way at practice. He’s put himself into a position to be playing for all 32 teams.”
That’s quite the endorsement for the second-year player, so fans should be on the lookout for Lazard to make an impact in 2019.
Minnesota Vikings: Hercules Mata’afa, DT
Hercules Mata’afa was an undrafted free agent signee for the Minnesota Vikings in 2018 but tore his ACL before the preseason even began last year.
Now healthy, Mata’afa is showing no rust and has been a pleasant surprise for the Vikings during the preseason.
Although undersized, Mata’afa was a force at the collegiate level. He ended his career with 21.5 sacks and 45.5 tackles for loss, 22.5 of which came his senior year (just behind Bradley Chubb in 2017). He is now out to prove that his lack of size won’t keep him from showing the same relentlessness in the NFL.
He’s shown impressive ability to push bigger offensive lineman backward and has been very disruptive throughout the preseason, making several splash plays in the process.
If he’s able to solidify his position on the Vikings roster, Mata’afa could be used in a rational role as an inside pass rusher on obvious passing downs in 2019.