There are many different things than can make a player someone to watch this season. It could be someone who is a breakout candidate, a player who is poised to bounce back from a disappointing season or even someone who simply has the physical tools to make him an intriguing late-round flyer in fantasy drafts. NFL Nation reporters identify the players worth keeping an eye on.
Cole Beasley caught a career-high four touchdown passes last year and emerged down the stretch as a Tony Romo favorite. So far in training camp, Beasley has not been defended. His quickness in the slot makes him a matchup nightmare. Cornerbacks just can’t stay with him and he has built-in options that whatever the defender guesses will be wrong. In an offense with Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, it will be hard to get a huge amount of opportunities, but with how camp is shaking out, Beasley looks like he should have a 50-55 catch season. -- Todd Archer
Running back Shane Vereen could have a significant role for the Giants. They signed him as a passing-down back because of his ability to catch the ball, but they also see him as an excellent pass protector at running back. The Giants have significant question marks at both tackle positions and could struggle in pass protection. If they do, Vereen could be on the field more than expected out of necessity, as the priority will always be to keep Eli Manning upright. Vereen will be a popular pick in points-per-reception leagues, as he was in New England. But he could end up playing a bigger role. -- Dan Graziano
It would be overstating it to compare rookie wide receiver Nelson Agholor to last year’s rookie star, Odell Beckham Jr. But in the preseason, Agholor showed flashes of that kind of playmaking ability. All of the Eagles’ skill-position players should put up solid numbers, but Agholor could make an immediate impact. -- Phil Sheridan
The Redskins know they must be a heavy run-based offense to help quarterback Robert Griffin III, and Alfred Morris has looked good this summer. He’s comfortable in a power-based scheme because of his footwork and patience. The line should be improved in its run blocking. Along with that will come a heavy dose of play-action passes, which means DeSean Jackson could have another big season with downfield catches. He led the NFL with 13 pass plays of 40 yards or more. However, it’s hard to imagine him getting a whole lot more than the 56 catches he had a year ago. -- John Keim
Eddie Royal. His value just skyrocketed in the wake of Kevin White's potentially season-ending shin injury. Royal can play all three wide receiver positions and he has a built-in relationship with Jay Cutler. I’d be surprised if Royal doesn’t exceed the numbers he put up last year in San Diego (62-778-7). -- Jeff Dickerson
There are many enticing players to pick on the Lions, including rookie running back Ameer Abdullah, but Matthew Stafford should be a guy to pay attention to here. Stafford has the full complement of weapons, something he didn’t have that often a season ago. He also is in the second year of the offensive scheme devised by coordinator Joe Lombardi and has looked extremely sharp throughout most of training camp. If he has a healthy Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate the entire season, he should return closer to his norm in terms of yards and touchdowns after a down 2014 -- critical for fantasy players. -- Michael Rothstein
The Packers are going to find different ways to get the ball to third-round pick Ty Montgomery. Although he’s a receiver by trade, don’t be surprised if he breaks a long kick return or two, and he could even carry the ball on an end around or a reserve. He’s a multi-dimensional player who might be the Packers’ most impressive rookie. -- Rob Demovsky
Charles Johnson emerged as Teddy Bridgewater's favorite receiver late last season and has been the team’s starting split end all through training camp. He should get opportunities in an offense that likes to target receivers on post plays and he caught 25 passes in the team’s final seven games. The Vikings will spread the ball around this season, but Bridgewater looked for Johnson enough late last season that he’s worth remembering as a possible breakout candidate. -- Ben Goessling
No one figured Leonard Hankerson would emerge as a fantasy target based on his career numbers in four seasons with the Redskins. Hankerson has just six touchdowns in 31 career games (123 targets). Injuries have hampered his progress, but a healthy Hankerson has a legit chance to be a secondary threat behind Julio Jones. Hankerson already showed he could be a scoring target with a 2-yard touchdown reception from Matt Ryan in a preseason matchup against the Jets. -- Vaughn McClure
Wide receiver Devin Funchess. The rookie out of Michigan steps into the spotlight for the No. 1 receiver role as Kelvin Benjamin is out for the year. At 6-foot-4, 228 pounds, he should get a lot of looks in the red zone with teams focused on tight end Greg Olsen. -- David Newton
Brandin Cooks should emerge as New Orleans’ No. 1 playmaker this year, but the sleeper candidate that might not be on everyone’s radar is fellow second-year receiver Brandon Coleman. The 6-foot-6, 225-pounder seems to have emerged as New Orleans’ No. 3 receiver this summer (despite the fact that he hasn’t produced in preseason games yet). Coleman, an undrafted rookie from Rutgers in 2014, uses that big body to shield smaller defenders and make tough catches in traffic. He’s drawn a ton of comparisons to a young Marques Colston. He could start making an impact this year, especially in the red zone. And he could be especially valuable in keeper or dynasty formats. -- Mike Triplett
Second-year tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins had only 21 catches as a rookie, but that was largely because he was dealing with an assortment of injuries. Seferian-Jenkins is healthy now and the Bucs believe he can turn in 60 or more catches. New offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter likes to use the tight end in the passing game as evidenced by what he did with Tony Gonzalez in Atlanta. -- Pat Yasinskas
John Brown was having a great rookie season (five touchdown catches by Week 10) until he hit the so-called rookie wall. He felt it physically and his stats showed it. Brown added 10 pounds of upper-body muscle and stopped eating fast food in an attempt to break through that wall this season. Brown will have a larger role in the offense this season and it helps that he’s one of Carson Palmer's favorite targets. -- Josh Weinfuss
Vernon Davis. Say what? Coming off a 13-TD catch season in 2013, Davis was a forgotten man in the Niners' offense last year. He was not targeted in the red zone once after kickoff weekend. So why should we keep an eye on the 10th-year tight end this season? Because he is in a contract year, he was re-dedicated to the team this offseason – he did not “hold out” from OTAs and minicamps this summer as he did last year – and the Niners not only promised he would be a bigger part of the offense this year but, well, they need him. It has the makings of a perfect fantasy storm for the Niners ... in good way. -- Paul Gutierrez
It's easy to overlook Russell Wilson from a fantasy football standpoint because he isn't as prolific of a passer as some of the game's other top quarterbacks. But he makes up for that with his rushing ability. Wilson's 849 rushing yards were tied for 16th most among all players last season, and he scored six rushing touchdowns. That makes him one of the better fantasy quarterbacks even in the absence of big passing numbers. -- Brady Henderson
For the Rams and fantasy purposes, it’s actually 11 players to watch. Namely, the defense. After a few years of high expectations with middling results, this group looks poised for a breakout season that could result in plenty of sacks, takeaways and even touchdowns. The defense returns all 11 starters, though it lost cornerback E.J. Gaines for the season to foot surgery, and has Gregg Williams back for a second season as coordinator. Add linebacker Akeem Ayers and defensive tackle Nick Fairley and the depth is better, too. -- Nick Wagoner
The Bills' top two backs -- LeSean McCoy and Fred Jackson -- are set in stone, but the competition for carries behind those players is still ongoing. Anthony Dixon, who missed almost all of training camp with a calf injury, is one option, but I was particularly intrigued by rookie Karlos Williams before he was hospitalized in mid-August. Williams is a tall, hard-charging runner who was productive in the Bills' intrasquad scrimmage and their first preseason game before being sidelined for an unspecified medical procedure. The Bills should run the ball enough that a third running back could register on the fantasy radar, so once Williams returns, I wouldn't discount him for that role. -- Mike Rodak
Keep an eye on new Dolphins tight end Jordan Cameron. Many fantasy owners are writing Cameron off after a down 2014 -- just 24 catches -- because of multiple concussions with the Browns. However, Cameron fits Miami's offense and Ryan Tannehill targeted tight ends 124 times last season. That means Cameron, who made the Pro Bowl in 2013, should get a lot of opportunities if he stays healthy. -- James Walker
If he stays healthy, and that has been an early obstacle in training camp, keep an eye on veteran tight end Scott Chandler. The Patriots signed him to a two-year deal and Chandler, after five seasons in Buffalo, has teamed up with Rob Gronkowski to form a hard-to-miss tandem that features an unusually large catch radius – Gronkowski is 6-foot-6, 265 pounds and Chandler is 6-7, 260. Before Chandler missed time in training camp, it was commonplace to see him, Gronkowski and Tom Brady separating on a different field during special teams drills to focus on red zone work. -- Mike Reiss
Chris Ivory is primed for a career year. He’s had his best camp since being traded to the Jets in 2013, mainly because he’s healthy. In the past, he was nagged by leg injuries in camp. It’s a contract year for Ivory, so there’s plenty of motivation. This year, his role could expand in the passing game. He’s not a dangerous receiver out of the backfield, but his receiving numbers could be up because Fitzpatrick likes to throw to his checkdown options. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he catches three or four balls per game, which would give him about 20 touches per week. -- Rich Cimini
The trendy pick is Maxx Williams, the second-round pick who was the first tight end taken in the draft. But Crockett Gillmore is the starting tight end and he’ll be on the field much more than Williams. Gillmore is known more for his blocking, but he came on as a receiver toward the end of the 2014 season. Joe Flacco likes throwing to his tight ends, whether it’s Todd Heap, Dennis Pitta or Owen Daniels. Gillmore has a good shot at being the Ravens’ best sleeper pick. -- Jamison Hensley
There are so many different directions we could go here, but let’s pick A.J. Green. In a testament to how diverse and dynamic the Bengals’ offense will be this year, Green’s name has somehow flown under the radar in offseason and preseason fantasy projections. It’s because Tyler Eifert and Marvin Jones are viewed as possible steals because of their abilities to stretch a short field. Jeremy Hill also appears a trendy pick because of how well his rookie season ended. But how can we completely forget Green? Fantasy owners who had the Pro Bowler last season may have been upset when he missed parts of six games with toe and head injuries. Despite injuries, he still had 1,000 yards receiving in what Green called a disappointing season. He vowed all offseason to make up for his choppy past year, and so far this preseason, appears serious about that. In practices, he has still looked like the best player on the roster. -- Coley Harvey
The uncertainty about the team’s running back situation lingered through camp, but it never removed the team’s hopes for rookie Duke Johnson. The Browns loved what they saw in Johnson in the offseason, to the point they entered camp hoping he would take the starting job. The hope remains for the regular season — along with the hope that Johnson stays healthy. Johnson isn’t a definite; he might not even be a mid-round fantasy pick. But as a late-round flier, he’s definitely worth the risk. -- Pat McManamon
Markus Wheaton. For all the hype surrounding Martavis Bryant – and that hype is warranted, given his enormous skill set – Wheaton has rapport with Ben Roethlisberger and is one of the Steelers’ most versatile players. He’s grown into the slot position but is just as effective outside because of his speed. He gets plenty of looks in the red zone off quick passes. Bryant might have more big-play ability but Wheaton helps move the chains – worst case, he should be good for about 50 yards per game. -- Jeremy Fowler
Tight end Garrett Graham is a player to watch on the Texans’ offense. The Texans’ tight ends had trouble getting open last year, and consequently Houston targeted tight ends less than any other team in the league. That was a surprising fact because of how tight end-friendly Bill O’Brien’s offense has been in the past. Graham looked impressive in camp, getting open with regularity, and it bodes well for his season. -- Tania Ganguli
Dwayne Allen will be featured more in the red zone, but Coby Fleener is a sleeper this season. The Colts are so stacked in their skill positions that Fleener likely will be matched up against the opposing team’s weakest linebacker or defensive back on passing plays because the focus will be on receivers T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson and Donte Moncrief. Fleener has the speed (quarterback Andrew Luck called him one of the fastest players on the team) to beat linebackers and size advantage against defensive backs. -- Mike Wells
When Marqise Lee was healthy, he looked smooth and explosive. Unfortunately, he wasn’t healthy for long and suffered a hamstring strain on Day 5 that kept him out of camp and the preseason for multiple weeks. Because of his penchant for getting hurt, Lee is too much of a risk to consider being part of your main rotation of receivers. However, he is worth a late-round gamble or a waiver-wire pickup after the first few weeks because the Jaguars believe that if stays healthy he can be a big part of the offense. -- Michael DiRocco
Marcus Mariota is unlikely to qualify as a fantasy starter at this early stage of his career. But his play will, obviously, heavily influence the production of other Titans. He has good rapport with Kendall Wright, which bodes well for the guy who should be the team’s top receiver. Mariota spreads the ball around, though, which may mean no one target gets especially big numbers. Mariota will run by design, run out of option plays and be a good scrambler. That wouldn’t prompt me to start him as a quarterback, though he could be an interesting guy to have on the bench for a while. Defenses will have to account for him as a running threat, which means running backs should get a little extra advantage. -- Paul Kuharsky
Keep an eye on Cody Latimer. While Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are each coming off 100-catch seasons and should be the top two targets in the offense, Latimer is a player who Gary Kubiak has said, almost from the moment he got the job this past January, he wants to get more involved. Latimer’s strength, both coming into the 2014 draft and during this preseason, is his ability to work in a crowd. He’s a reliable target on 50-50 balls and usually wins those contested situations. -- Jeff Legwold
The Chiefs will expect bigger numbers from Alex Smith. He threw for under 3,300 yards and 18 touchdowns last season and those stats aren’t enough for a quarterback who started 15 games. The Chiefs added Jeremy Maclin, upgraded their offensive line and promoted Travis Kelce into the starting lineup all in an effort to improve their passing game. Don’t look for Smith to lead the league in passing, or to even come close. But it’s a huge disappointment if his numbers aren’t better than in 2014. -- Adam Teicher
Rookie tight end Clive Walford. The third-round pick from Miami wowed coaches in offseason workouts, although he has been hampered by a hamstring injury much of training camp. He showed strong field-stretching capabilities. He is a favorite to start early in the season and he could rack up impressive numbers as a rookie. -- Bill Williamson
Stevie Johnson signed with the Chargers in free agency to help fill the void left by Eddie Royal's departure, and so far has looked rejuvenated in San Diego’s offensive system. Johnson’s developed a good rapport with Philip Rivers and will be used both in the slot and on the perimeter. He has a shot at 50 receptions and at least four touchdowns. -- Eric D. Williams