We know that the superstars will show up in every NFL season. If Patrick Mahomes can stay healthy, he's going to put up great numbers while leading the Kansas City Chiefs to a whole lot of wins. If Myles Garrett can stay healthy, chances are he'll be among the league leaders in sacks.
You never truly know what you're going to get, though, from 99 percent of the league. Some of these players will have breakout years, while others might fail to reach expectations. These five players had lackluster 2024 campaigns, but are primed to bounce back in 2025.
5) Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars
When the Jacksonville Jaguars used a first-round pick on Travis Etienne back in 2021, they expected big things. And he was nothing but productive in his first two NFL seasons, rushing for over 1,000 yards in each year. He even received some down ballot Offensive Player of the Year votes in 2023. Well, fresh off that campaign, Etienne was one of the most disappointing players in the NFL in 2024, rushing for just 558 yards and averaging 3.7 yards per attempt in 15 games.
Etienne found his name in trade rumors following that down year, but the Jaguars elected to hold onto him. They figure to reap the benefits for several reasons: A healthier season from Trevor Lawrence and the presence of Travis Hunter on the offensive end should help, but perhaps the biggest reason to buy a bounceback is because of the Liam Coen hire.
Despite being the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator for only one season, Coen made a world of difference for that team, particularly with its ground attack. The Bucs were dead last in the NFL in 2023, averaging just 88.8 rushing yards per game. That number spiked up to 149.2 yards per game in 2024, good for fourth in the NFL. Bucky Irving certainly helped, but Coen's play calling was outstanding, and should help the Jaguars be far more efficient offensively, particularly on the ground.
4) Bryce Huff, San Francisco 49ers
Not too long ago, Bryce Huff was one of the most underrated defensive players in the NFL. He recorded 10 sacks in 2023 while playing just 42 percent of the New York Jets' defensive snaps, proving to be one of the most efficient pass rushers in the sport. This led to the Philadelphia Eagles signing him to a hefty three-year, $51 million deal that offseason.
Unfortunately, things didn't work in Philadelphia. Huff appeared in 12 games and was mostly a non-factor, recording just 2.5 sacks and four QB hits. Things went so poorly for Huff that he was a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl.
The San Francisco 49ers acquired him via trade in the offseason, reuniting him with former Jets head coach Robert Saleh. Say what you want about Saleh as a head coach, but he was an outstanding defensive coordinator in San Francisco and is back with the Niners in that role. Pairing him with a player who dominated under him in 2023 made all of the sense in the world, and should pay off for all parties.
3) Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
I am ready to get hurt again. Kyle Pitts entered the NFL with as much hype as any tight end in league history when the Atlanta Falcons selected him in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and while he only had one touchdown reception, he recorded over 1,000 yards and was a Pro Bowler in his rookie year. Unfortunately, he's failed to eclipse 670 receiving yards in any sesason since, and had just 602 yards and four touchdowns in 2024.
The entire NFL world has given up on Pitts, and understandably so. But he's just 24 years old, still has immense talent and is on a Falcons team that figures to have opportunities for him to catch the ball.
Bijan Robinson is elite and Drake London might be also, but beyond those two players, who else is there for Michael Penix Jr. to give the ball to? Darnell Mooney? Ray-Ray McCloud III? Pitts should be Penix's third target comfortably, and even if he doesn't get back to 1,000 yards this season, a year with 800+ yards and 5+ touchdowns could be in store.
2) D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
D'Andre Swift signed a three-year, $24 million deal with the Chicago Bears last offseason and followed that up by putting up the least efficient season of his career on the ground. Yes, he rushed for 959 yards and made an impact in the passing game, but he averaged just 3.8 yards per carry, the worst mark of his career. To show just how inefficient he was: Despite carrying the ball 24 times than he did in 2023, he finished with 90 fewer yards.
It was far from an ideal first impression for Swift in a Bears uniform, but Chicago didn't do much to add to their backfield over the offseason. Roschon Johnson is still there, and the Bears selected Kyle Monangai in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but that's it. The opportunity is there for Swift to have a major bounceback, and there's reason to believe that'll happen for a couple of reasons.
First and foremost, Ben Johnson, Swift's former offensive coordinator with the Lions, is in town as the head coach. He should help the entire Bears offense — especially Swift, who he's already familiar with — improve. Second, the Bears completely revamped their offensive line. Chicago acquired three veterans — Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman — to help drastically improve the interior. This is obviously great news for Caleb Williams, but it's just as great for Swift, who should have much more room to run this season.
1) Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins used a first-round pick on Jaylen Waddle in 2021 expecting him to be the Robin to Tyreek Hill's Batman. And for the first three years of his career, he was just that: He recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of those years and averaged over 1,100 yards per season. Unfortunately, Waddle finished 2024 with just 744 receiving yards and two touchdowns, both career lows by a wide margin.
As disappointing as Waddle was, it wasn't exactly his fault. Tua Tagovailoa was limited to just 11 games all season due to injury, and Waddle didn't eclipse four receptions or 46 yards in any of the six games he missed. He had three games with 99 or more yards, and all three came with Tagovailoa.
It's hard for any wideout to thrive without the starting quarterback, and Waddle proved to be no exception. He wound up getting targeted only 83 times all year, a career low by far, mostly due to the quarterback troubles. Assuming Tagovailoa is healthier (which I admit is a lot to ask for), Waddle is in for a major bounceback. He remains one of the most talented receivers in the NFL, and the stats should back that up in 2025.