Ahead of the 2023-24 NFL season, there are players who are on the brink of super stardom, players with the weight of the world on their shoulders to live up to the hype, and players who are striving to maintain their elite level of play.
Either way, they all have something to prove.
That said, Emmanuel Acho listed the five players who he believes have the most to prove entering the upcoming season on a recent episode of “Speak,” and some of his picks might surprise you.
Let’s get to it.
5. Trevon Diggs, CB, Dallas Cowboys
Key 2022-23 stats: 50 solo tackles, three interceptions
Acho’s thoughts: “Trevon has had a 10-interception season. Some say that he’s the best cornerback in the NFL, but he’s polarizing. If you talk to some defensive coordinators, they’ll tell you that he gets beat way too much. This is what’s interesting about Diggs — he’s not a first-round pick. There is no fifth-year option to pick up. This is the year that he needs to become a $100-million player.”
4. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Key 2022-23 stats: 1,580 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, 314 receiving yards, two receiving TDs (Texas)
Acho’s thoughts: “Robinson has the weight of the running back world on his shoulders. Do you realize that he’s going to make more this year in cash than any other running back in the National Football League? He has to prove that he should have been taken in the top 10.”
Justin Fields, Tua Tagovailoa atop players with the most to prove
3. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
Key 2022-23 stats: 4,789 passing yards (second in the NFL), 25 passing TDs, 10 INTs
Acho’s thoughts: “Everyone tells me [that] he’s a God — a football immortal man — but he has no playoff wins. … Three years, no playoff wins. Prove to me and prove to the world that you’re as good as they say you are.”
2. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins
Key 2022-23 stats: 3,548 passing yards, 25 passing TDs, eight INTs
Acho’s thoughts: “The Dolphins only won one game without Tua. He has to stay healthy and prove that he can lead the ultra-dynamic offense of the Miami Dolphins.”
1. Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
Key 2022-23 stats: 2242 passing yards, 17 passing TDs, 11 INTs
Acho’s thoughts: “They’ve given him all the help he could ask for. They traded for DJ Moore [and] they forewent the first overall pick to support him. Fields has to prove to me that he’s not famine, but he’s simply feast.”
