NFL Analysis
8/7/24
6 min read
Predicting The Biggest Breakout Players of 2024 NFL Preseason
The preseason is not only a refreshing breath of fresh air for football fans who have been starved of new action since the Super Bowl, but it's the time when optimism peaks. We may not see many starters on the field until Week 1 of the regular season, but that doesn't mean the preseason is worthless. There will be breakout stars who will earn a role for the regular season.
After diving through depth charts and adding what we know about team needs, we've found five big breakout candidates for the 2024 NFL preseason. Each of these playmakers has the chance to carve out a key role with a breakout performance.
Based on their talent, depth chart situation, and overall opportunity, we expect these young playmakers to become important stars of tomorrow.
NFL Preseason Breakout Candidate Predictions
Khalil Shakir, WR, Buffalo Bills 
The focus this offseason was understandably on who the Buffalo Bills lost and added to their receiver room, but an important incumbent fell through the cracks a bit.
Sure, trading Stefon Diggs to Houston hurt in the short-term, and the combination of Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, and Mack Hollins isn't filled with All-Pros. However, Coleman and 2022 fifth-round pick Khalil Shakir are key pieces for the offense's future.
Shakir leaped in Year 2, producing 444 of his 611 receiving yards in the team's final nine games of 2023. Included in that were 100-yard games against the Jets and Dolphins and efficient outputs in both playoff games. His production coincided with Dalton Kincaid's surge, a promising sign that both will thrive as bigger pieces in the offense.
Remembering when Khalil Shakir said "UH UH!" and scored one of the touchdowns of the season 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/FjBdc59vZa
— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) July 23, 2024
Coleman, Shakir, and Kincaid will each have their moments throughout 2024, but Shakir's reliability and explosiveness in the slot are important for his role. He ranked 13th in slot snaps last year and first in yards per target. Perhaps the best sign for Shakir is that Josh Allen's quarterback rating per target to Shakir ranked as the best in the NFL, so the two clearly have chemistry.
Look for Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady to involve Shakir early and often throughout the preseason as he asserts his readiness.
Andrei Iosivas, WR, Cincinnati Bengals 
Few franchises address future needs as effectively as the Cincinnati Bengals. Knowing Tyler Boyd was likely in his final season with the franchise in 2023, the team added two receivers in the draft class. The second, Andrei Iosivas, quickly took to the slot role in his limited opportunities last season.
His four touchdowns in only 15 receptions in 2023 was a small snippet of how reliable the 6-foot-3, 212-pounder can be for Joe Burrow. Thus far in training camp, Iosivas' name has been consistently mentioned as someone who has taken a jump. Even Burrow has predicted Iosivas will "have a big year."
The door is wide open for the former Princeton star. Jermaine Burton has dealt with injuries already, and Charlie Jones has yet to show he's an NFL-caliber playmaker. Cincinnati should allow Iosivas to be the top receiver throughout his preseason playing time to ensure he'll thrive with more volume.
Jalen Tolbert, WR, Dallas Cowboys 
The Dallas Cowboys have one of the least proven sets of playmakers around their quarterback across the NFL.
CeeDee Lamb is phenomenal, and Jake Ferguson broke out in 2023. Beyond them is an over-the-hill Brandin Cooks, who produced more than 49 yards in only three games last year. This puts pressure on Jalen Tolbert to be a breakout star this fall.
Trey Lance’s best throw all training camp right here to Jalen Tolbert #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/ACgtdjJPv6
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) August 2, 2024
Though he has only 24 receptions in two seasons, the uber-athletic Tolbert is the most logical benefactor on the roster to take up some of the 124 targets left by Michael Gallup and Tony Pollard. Regarding internal candidates, the young duo of Ryan Flournoy and Jalen Brooks aren't nearly as athletically capable of providing a spark for the offense as Tolbert.
Barring a trade or free-agent addition, Tolbert is the de facto choice for a high number of targets. His collegiate profile was promising, and what seems like a delayed breakout in Year 3 makes the most sense, given that he played at South Alabama rather than Alabama.
Also, given his inexperience, though, Dallas must make it a point to force-feed Tolbert throughout the preseason to ensure it doesn't need to look outside of the organization for help.
Rasheen Ali, RB, Baltimore Ravens 
Derrick Henry will be excellent alongside Lamar Jackson, but the Baltimore Ravens always have multiple backs ready to rotate in to provide a spark. Justice Hill is back, but with speedster Keaton Mitchell on the PUP list, there's a hole for the third running back spot. Fifth-round rookie Rasheen Ali is the perfect candidate to grab the opportunity.
Ali dominated at Marshall, producing 2,809 rushing yards and 39 scores in 28 games during the last three seasons. A speedy slasher who dashes to the open field efficiently, Ali will maximize every bit of green space created by Baltimore's powerful rushing attack. At only 206 pounds, Ali doesn't play with great strength, but he'll strain defenses with quickness and vision better than Hill and Mitchell.
Jackson's usage might dictate how many touches Ali gets this season, but the preseason will be Ali's show. Backups Owen Wright and Chris Collier don't have the same upside as Ali, so expect the Marshall star to make the most of his touches during the next few weeks.
Spencer Rattler, QB, New Orleans Saints 
It was a shock to see Spencer Rattler fall to the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, given his natural creativity and playmaking at the position.
While his journey to becoming the starting quarterback over Derek Carr is nowhere near complete, Rattler has everything needed to be a preseason star right away. His four years of collegiate experience should help him hit the ground running and avoid typical young player mistakes.
A dime from @SpencerRattler to @Atorian_Perry 🙌 pic.twitter.com/vzQXj7HyCr
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 4, 2024
Rattler's unique balance of avoiding bad throws, escapability out of pressure, and delivering catchable passes makes him a must-watch preseason star. He won't be confused with Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels, but few backups have anywhere near the tools Rattler does. It's not hard to fathom Rattler becoming the New Orleans Saints' long-term starter based on his traits and developmental curve shown throughout college.
The Saints' own set of playmakers should help Rattler succeed. Speedsters like Bub Means, Stanley Morgan Jr., and Marquez Callaway will likely be on the field alongside the rookie, and each offers explosive skill sets that can create highlight plays.
