James Jones and the 11 Breakout NFL Receivers/Tight Ends for 2011
March 22, 2011James Jones and the 11 Breakout NFL Receivers/Tight Ends for 2011
Every year in the NFL, there's a small group of players who take drastic steps forward on the verge to superstardom.
For the Super Bowl champion Packers, wide receiver James Jones is expected to do big things, since he's been the No. 3 man on the depth chart for a while. His role will be expanded.
Whether it's because these guys move up on the depth chart, or their skills mature in only one offseason, every young stud finds his comfort zone in the starting lineup.
For example, if both Dez Bryant and Felix Jones breakout for the Dallas Cowboys, will Dallas' offense be first in the league? It might, considering Tony Romo will be healthy again.
The list is long, but who else will breakout in 2011? Let's take a look...
James Jones (WR, Green Bay Packers)
He's been the No. 3 guy on a loaded Packers receiving corps for the last two seasons.
Even with Greg Jennings on the depth chart, Jones stands as the hidden vertical threat with absolutely great speed. Jones had 50 catches for 679 yards and five touchdowns in 2010, which is solid for his role.
The only thing Jones must work on is how often he drops passes. In both the Super Bowl and the NFC Wild Card game, he dropped perfect touchdown passes delivered by Aaron Rodgers.
Jones is only 26 years old and with Donald Driver retiring soon, he'll get his chance to shine.
Dez Bryant (WR, Dallas Cowboys)
Jerry Jones made it clear that he wouldn't make the same mistake he made when passing on Randy Moss, so apparently Dez Bryant is supposed to be a star.
He was immediately implemented into Dallas' offense in 2010 and gelled with quarterback Jon Kitna after Tony Romo's injury.
Bryant missed the last four regular season games with a fractured ankle, but he managed to catch six touchdowns and return a couple kicks/punts.
Since the Cowboys offense is always good, expect Bryant to play a huge role and bring the flash, too. He will probably start as the No. 2 receiver over Roy Williams.
Jermichael Finley (TE, Green Bay Packers)
Jermichael Finley was an interesting case in 2010.
He was on pace for 1,000 yards receiving, but suffered a knee injury in Week 5. Finley has unusual speed for a tight end, and with his 6'5" frame, he'll cause havoc for opposing linebackers and safeties.
It won't be easy to cover Finley though, since there's also Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones and Jordy Nelson on offense.
Look for him to thrive off single coverage while it lasts in 2011.
Kenny Britt (WR, Tennessee Titans)
Britt missed four games in 2010, but he showed flashes of his great potential.
He played very well with Vince Young at quarterback, including a game against Philadelphia when he caught seven passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns.
The sticky quarterback situation in Tennessee will determine Britt's 2011 success, as Vince Young won't play for them and Rusty Smith isn't the answer.
Britt will continue to surprise people in 2011—even if he ends up playing with a rookie quarterback.
Mike Williams (WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Williams already had a great season in 2010, but he'll officially be a superstar after the 2011 season ends.
Tampa Bay has a very exciting young core with Josh Freeman running the offense.
Williams had 964 yards and a whopping 11 touchdowns in 2010. The amazing part about Williams' great season is that he was a rookie.
The Buccaneers will threaten for a playoff spot in 2011 and Williams might be the second-best receiver in the NFC South behind Roddy White.
Mike Williams (WR, Seattle Seahawks)
Mike Williams is a great comeback story after struggling in Detroit, Tennessee and Oakland during a four-year span.
He revived his career and became Seattle's No. 1 receiver in 2010 with 751 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.
As Matt Hasselbeck is still wanted in Seattle, Williams will continue to improve. He may get 1,000 yards in 2011, but it depends on how No. 2 receiver Ben Obomanu plays.
Johnny Knox (WR, Chicago Bears)
Knox is very close to breaking out for Chicago as he enters his third season in the NFL.
Last season, Knox recorded his first 100-yard receiving game of his career and finished with 960 yards as Jay Cutler's top target.
One would figure that Cutler's thirst for the big play compliments Knox's speed well, which is hopefully the case in 2011. Knox won't bring in a ton of catches, but at 18.8 yards per catch, he'll do damage in the open field.
Owen Daniels (TE, Houston Texans)
If Owen Daniels can stay healthy, he'll be a beast for Houston's prolific offense.
Daniels missed eight games in 2009 and five games in 2010. In 2009, he was on pace for 1000+ yards and 10 touchdowns.
He signed a four-year, $22 million contract about three weeks ago, so Houston obviously believes in Daniels' ability to open up the passing game even further. He serves as a nice option in the middle of the field and makes things easier on Andre Johnson.
Michael Crabtree (WR, San Francisco 49ers)
Although he scored more touchdowns than his 2009 campaign, Crabtree actually didn't improve much in 2010. He only played 11 games in 2009, but finished about 100 yards short of his 2010 mark.
For this young talent to thrive, San Francisco must find consistency at quarterback. Apparently, Alex Smith is not the answer and hopefully new coach Jim Harbaugh finds one soon.
San Francisco can't afford to let Crabtree be ineffective, as he is one of college football's all-time great talents.
Luckily he's only a third-year pro, and if the 49ers can get a quarterback like Carson Palmer, Crabtree will play well in 2011.
Brandon Pettigrew (TE, Detroit Lions)
Mark my words: Detroit will have a top-five passing offense with a healthy Matthew Stafford in 2011. Brandon Pettigrew will benefit greatly from a healthy Stafford, too.
He reeled in 71 catches and 722 yards to go along with four touchdowns in 2010. Pettigrew is huge and finds a way to get open, as he had some great games last year.
If Jahvid Best is healthy and keeps the running game steady, Stafford will turn Pettigrew into a star. The fact that Calvin Johnson is double-teamed every play makes things easier for him, too.
Jimmy Graham (TE, New Orleans Saints)
Graham is the sleeper pick on this list.
With Jeremy Shockey finally released, Drew Brees expressed his desire to implement Graham into the offense.
Brees looked for Graham in the red zone quite often last season, including during a crucial Week 16 game against Atlanta.
Graham has great playmaking ability and he'll assume the starting role at tight end this season. He may not pile up tons of yards, but 10 touchdowns is not out of the question for him in 2011.