10 Notable NFL Players on the Hot Seat

We’re less than a week away from Week 1 of the NFL season, and there are a number of household names on the hot seat with their respective teams.

Whether it’s competition for work from teammates or silencing injury concerns, the following players have something to prove, and in some cases it needs to happen in short order.

10 Notable NFL Players on the Hot Seat

Trey Lance, QB, San Francisco 49ers

As if Lance wasn’t already a question mark given his limited experience as a starting quarterback. The pressure is on with San Fran trading at just +1600 at various sportsbooks to win Super Bowl LVII, and the 49ers and backup signal caller Jimmy Garoppolo restructuring a one-year contract to keep him with the team this season.

Garoppolo led the Niners to the NFC Championship Game last season and the Super Bowl in 2019, and his 47 career starts position him as one of the most experienced No. 2 quarterbacks in the league.  

If Lance doesn’t hit the ground running and prove he’s capable of leading an NFL offense, Garoppolo has shown he can take the 49ers deep in the postseason.

Mitchell Trubisky, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

While head coach Mike Tomlin remains steadfast on withholding who his Week 1 starting quarterback will be, it’ll probably be Trubisky behind center to start the year and not rookie Kenny Pickett. 

Trubisky completed 24 of 34 attempts for 283 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception, and by all accounts did nothing to lose the starting gig.

Still, Pickett is a consensus +900 and among the favorites to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award at major sportsbooks, so bookmakers are obviously anticipating him to see plenty of action this season.

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

The 27-year-old rusher has had his two worst statistical and PFF grades the past two years for the Cowboys, while versatile running back Tony Pollard is coming off his best showing, including grading as the fourth-best halfback in the NFL according to PFF.

Add in the long-term loss of eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith due to an avulsion fracture in his left knee, and Elliott’s outlook is even murkier. FanDuel Sportsbook moved Elliott's rushing yards prop from 850.5 to 800.5 following the announcement of Smith’s injury.

Barring injury, Elliott is going to be an important part of the Dallas offense, but his touches and targets could take a hit if Pollard proves to be the better option out of the backfield.

Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams

While Akers returned to practice Monday, the last year-plus hasn’t been kind. An offseason Achilles tear kept him out of action until Week 18 last season, and he missed a lot of time during training camp with an undisclosed injury.

When Akers was on the field last year, he rushed for just 2.6 yards per carry across four games. Yet, he’s still +100 to rush for over 895.5 yards at DraftKings Sportsbook.

The Rams have running backs Darrell Henderson and rookie rusher Kyren Williams to cut into Akers’ workload, and head coach Sean McVay might turn to a committee-backfield approach more frequently to keep his running back corps healthy.

After all, Henderson has also missed plenty of time throughout his career, including during training camp this summer with an undisclosed injury.

Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots

Coming off a breakout 15-touchdown showing last season, Harris is a surprising inclusion on this list. However, he’s in the final season of his rookie contract and has been featured in trade rumors. 

New England also has second-year back Rhamondre Stevenson to turn to, and he rushed for an impressive 470 yards at a 4.8 YPC clip through his final seven games of the 2021 campaign.

The two rushers project to split the backfield workload to start the 2022 campaign, and DraftKings has a unique prop that the duo will combine for Over 1,500.5 rushing yards at +125. However, if Stevenson ends up receiving the majority of touches, it would take an ever larger toll on Harris’ final stat line. 

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Devin Singletary, RB, Buffalo Bills

Being attached to an elite offense can be a cushy gig, and Singletary totalled a career-high 1,098 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns last year. Buffalo is the favorite (+600) to lead the NFL in scoring this season at Caesars Sportsbook.

The problem for Singletary: Buffalo drafted running back Zack Moss in the third round of the 2020 draft, then doubled down by taking RB James Cook in the second round last April. 

Singletary projects to see the most touch and target volume to start the season, but this has the potential to morph into a three-back committee as the season progresses. Singletary will need to duplicate last season’s success to maintain a sizable chunk of the workload.

Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Running backs Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell were already competing for playing time with Sanders, so the Eagles claiming 2021 third-round pick Trey Sermon off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers adds even more uncertainty to the position for Philly.

Sanders missed considerable time during training camp with a hamstring injury, but returning to practice Thursday is encouraging for him opening the year as Philadelphia’s top rusher.

However, he’s handled just 73 career red-zone carries, and after catching 50 passes for 509 yards as a rookie, he has 54 receptions for just 355 yards the past two seasons. Sanders’ role has increasingly consisted of working primarily between the 20s, while Gainwell, Scott and quarterback Jalen Hurts cut into his opportunities.

Interestingly, Sanders’ touchdown prop total is 5.5 at Caesars, with the Under trading at -190.

Marquise Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Eyeing a golden opportunity with No. 1 wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins suspended the first six games of the season, there will be a lot of pressure on Brown to click with his new team immediately. 

Arizona has a daunting opening schedule with the Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Rams on the docket the first three weeks. Quarterback Kyler Murray will likely be looking Brown’s way plenty while trying to keep pace with those three high-scoring offenses, and Brown is listed at +190 at FanDuel to score a touchdown during the Week 1 matchup against the Chiefs.

Not only are the Cards likely in early trouble if Murray and Brown don’t hit the ground running, but Brown’s target share projects to shrink once Hopkins returns in Week 7. Being arrested for speeding in early August wasn't ideal, either.

Treylon Burks, WR, Tennessee Titans

It’s been nothing but peaks and valleys all offseason for Burks. The Arkansas product missed time due to asthma and poor conditioning during offseason programs, then dealt with multiple injuries during training camp.

Burks still flashed the game-breaking potential that made him the 18th overall selection in April’s draft, and he caught a touchdown pass in the preseason finale. 

Considering his odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award are as low as +1400 at FanDuel, Burks remains an intriguing prospect heading into his first NFL season. He just needs to stay on the field consistently and solidify himself as a top target in the Tennessee passing attack.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

There’s competition for targets in the Chiefs offense behind tight end Travis Kelce and No. 1 wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster – and after an underwhelming four-year stint with the Green Bay Packers, Valdes-Scantling could be facing a make-or-break season in KC.

Adding an element of urgency is the fact that the Chiefs have two additional speedy wide receivers in Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore. Hardman has flashed potential since being selected in the second round of the 2019 draft, and Moore could prove to be a versatile weapon for the Chiefs. Moore was also selected in the second round of this year’s draft and is listed at +1200 to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year at FanDuel. 

Valdes-Scantling is listed second on the wide receiver depth chart, though, so it appears he’ll be given another opportunity to cash in on his plus-athleticism.

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