Expectations are higher than usual for several notable veterans heading into the 2024 NFL season.
While there’s always a constant pressure to perform at the game’s highest level, that burden can be ratcheted up a notch for players who just signed big contracts, landed with a new team via trades or free agency, flashed talent as a rookie or made a leap the previous season.
However, not every player with increased expectations will deliver on them.
Whether they stick out as being injury-prone, ended up in a system or on a roster that won’t maximize their skills, have a history of inconsistent performances or some combination of these factors and others, there’s a good chance at least several players going into highly anticipated campaigns fall flat.
With that in mind, let’s look at five NFL players who won’t live up the hype in 2024.
Few players have ever generated as much hype across their first few NFL appearances as Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane did in 2023.
The third-round rookie got off to a slow start, but he exploded with 233 total yards and four touchdowns against the Denver Broncos in Week 3 to earn AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Achane stayed red-hot following that breakout showing, amassing another 285 yards and three more scores over the next two contests.
However, a knee injury sidelined Achane for the next four games, and he wasn’t the same upon his return. After topping the 100-yard mark in three straight games before his knee injury, the 22-year-old reached triple digits only once over his final six regular-season appearances.
Expectations will be high for Achane after he put up those massive numbers, but the second-year back isn’t likely to repeat his rookie-year success. He averaged an unsustainable 7.8 yards per carry but never topped more than 18 carries in a game.
He’ll also be facing fierce competition for playing time and touches this coming season.
Not only did Miami sign incumbent starter Raheem Mostert to a one-year extension, but it also selected dynamic playmaker Jaylen Wright in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft. Wright might not only usurp Jeff Wilson Jr. as the team’s tertiary back, but he could cut into both Mostert’s and Achane’s volume as well.
The Dolphins also came to terms with Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason to pair with Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill in one of the league’s most dangerous receiving corps. Miami was already league-average in terms of its pass-run ratio in 2023 (throwing on approximately 57 percent of offensive snaps) but could get even more throw-happy in 2024.
Given the Dolphins’ prowess in the passing attack and their increasingly loaded backfield, Achane may have some special games, but he won’t see the workload necessary to consistently live up to the hype in his second season.
The Houston Texans made a slew of major signings and trades this offseason to capitalize on C.J. Stroud’s rapid development into a franchise quarterback. They also gave an extension to No. 1 wideout Nico Collins, who broke out last year with a career-best season.
It’s hard to argue that Collins didn’t deserve the three-year, $72.8 million extension he received on the heels of his 80-catch, 1,297-yard, eight-touchdown campaign. However, that might wind up being the high-water mark of his tenure with the Texans.
Collins started out the 2023 season on a high note, putting up 428 yards and three touchdowns on 22 receptions over the first four games. His production began to wane following the emergence of rookie Tank Dell, though. Collins notched only 203 yards and one score on 14 catches over the next four contests.
A season-ending injury to Dell (who had gone off for 369 yards and five scores on 25 catches over his last four starts) opened the door for Collins to take back over as the unquestionable No. 1 pass-catcher in Houston. While Collins capitalized on that lack of competition for looks in the latter stages of the season, it won’t be the same story in 2024.
Not only does Dell appear poised to return, but the Texans also acquired star wideout Stefon Diggs this offseason. The four-time Pro Bowler has received at least 150 targets in each of the past four seasons with Buffalo, so he figures to command a heavy share of looks from Stroud in Houston as well.
While Houston threw on 59.1 percent of its offensive plays last season, there may be fewer passes to go around this year. The Texans also acquired former Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon to lead their revitalized backfield.
With so many mouths to feed, Collins could be the odd man out and see the biggest drop in production in 2024.
The Carolina Panthers seemed desperate to find big bodies capable of bolstering Bryce Young’s protection following his abysmal 2023 rookie season. That led them to sign guard Robert Hunt in free agency to shore up the interior of their offensive trenches.
While Hunt isn’t a terrible signing for a team that watched Young get sacked 62 times last year, he’s set to cost Carolina $100 million over the next five seasons. Considering that Hunt has never made a Pro Bowl nor earned any significant awards during his first four years in the NFL, that’s a rather risky and expensive investment.
Hunt had arguably his best season in 2023, getting flagged for only two penalties and giving up a single sack while earning a respectable 77.1 Pro Football Focus grade. However, he was available for only 547 offensive snaps across 11 games, as knee issues largely sidelined him in the back half of the campaign.
Hunt will have to prove he can continue that consistent play while avoiding further availability issues to warrant such a lofty contract.
Although Hunt did score a decent 73.7 PFF grade during his last healthy season in 2022, he struggled with penalties (getting flagged 11 times over his 1,055 snaps) and conceded three sacks. If the 27-year-old regresses instead of making a leap in Carolina, the team won’t be getting a great return on its signing.
The Panthers may not be considered a playoff contender yet, but they need to make strides following their atrocious 2-15 season. If Young doesn’t take a step forward behind an improved offensive line headlined by Hunt, even more drastic changes will be needed to turn this team around.
The Tennessee Titans made waves this offseason by signing Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million contract in free agency. The veteran wideout rounded out what has become a loaded receiving corps, but this unit will struggle to reach its potential if quarterback Will Levis doesn’t make a leap in a pivotal sophomore season.
After stepping away from the Atlanta Falcons for personal reasons early in the 2021 season and sitting out all of 2022 due to a gambling-related suspension, Ridley put together a 76-catch, 1,016-yard, eight-touchdown campaign, his first and only with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
While Ridley wanted to remain in Jacksonville this offseason, he said the Titans “had that other side for me.” Ridley now joins DeAndre Hopkins, Tyler Boyd and 2022 first-round pick Treylon Burks to form one of the NFL’s deepest, most veteran-laden receiving corps.
Despite the sheer amount of talent in that room, it’s going to be difficult for any of Tennessee’s pass-catchers to live up the hype if Levis doesn’t take significant strides in his sophomore season. The 2023 second-round pick has flashed potential—including dicing up the Atlanta Falcons for four touchdowns in his NFL debut—but he ultimately had a pedestrian rookie season after taking over the starting role midway through the year.
The Titans seem like they’ll be more pass-heavy following Derrick Henry’s departure and the hiring of offensive guru Bryan Callahan as head coach. However, Ridley barely topped the 1,000-yard mark last year despite playing with a considerably stronger signal-caller in Trevor Lawrence while appearing in all 17 games and logging a career-high 993 offensive snaps.
Given the competition for touches, the potential for Levis to underwhelm and the amount of money he’s making, Ridley likely won’t live up to the hype in his debut Titans campaign.
Kyren Williams had a special 2023 campaign, but his chances of stringing together another top-flight season aren’t looking too great.
The Los Angeles Rams running back entered the offseason hoping to build on the breakout 1,144-yard, 12-touchdown campaign he had on the ground last year. However, after missing five games last year due to injuries, Williams is already sidelined for the remainder of OTAs with another ailment.
According to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, Rams head coach Sean McVay described Williams’ latest injury as a “foot issue.” While McVay added that “it’s nothing to worry about”, the Pro Bowl running back has a concerning history of foot problems.
Williams suffered a broken foot as a rookie during OTAs and subsequently landed on IR when he went down with a high ankle sprain on the team’s first kickoff return of the 2022 season. He’s now missed 12 games over his first two seasons and could quickly lose his feature role if he fails to stay on the field in 2024.
The Rams spent a third-round pick this year on Michigan running back Blake Corum, which gives them a more pedigreed rusher to push Williams for carries even if he does manage to remain healthy. Corum amassed 1,245 rushing yards and a whopping 27 touchdowns on 258 carries last season en route to a national championship.
Rams general manager Les Snead said he picked Corum “so we don’t just totally run down Kyren” and wants to have as many as three backs contributing. However, it wouldn’t be a shock if Corum usurps Williams as the top option in L.A. relatively quickly.
Considering how quickly the Rams moved on from former starter Cam Akers after he failed to distinguish himself at the start of the 2023 season, Williams could be the next in a long line of McVay running backs to lose his feature role and never regain it if he slips and Corum shines.