The 2016 season has provided the NFL with breakout players such as Dak Prescott, Carson Wentz and Ezekiel Elliott, but for every new star, there is a disappointing player that hasn’t lived up to the hype.
Here are the 10 most disappointing players at the NFL’s midseason mark:
QB Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
The third-year quarterback was expected to lead Jacksonville’s charge back to relevancy in 2016. Instead, the Jaguars must now be wondering what they actually have at the game’s most important position. After eight games, Bortles ranks 27th in the NFL in passer rating at 80.3—and his passing mechanics look worse now than when he entered the league as a rookie.
At 2-5, the Jaguars are one of the most disappointing teams of the season. Bortles can’t be considered anything more than the king of garbage time.
QB Brock Osweiler, Houston Texans
Apparently $72 million doesn’t buy what it used to. The Texans might be 5-3 after eight games, but Osweiler—Houston’s prized free agent signing—hasn’t been the reason why. In fact, Houston is winning despite poor quarterback play. Among the NFL’s 32 qualified quarterbacks, Osweiler ranks 32nd in yards per attempt (5.79), 30th in passer rating (73.1) and 27th in completion percentage (59.3).
As an offense, the Texans rank 31st in points scored per game at 17.1. While there is always an adjustment period when a quarterback changes teams, no one in Houston expected Osweiler to struggle this badly to start 2016.
QB Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Flacco’s red-hot run through the 2012 postseason feels like it was ages ago. After tearing his ACL and missing six games last season, Flacco has returned with a poor start to 2016. He is averaging just 5.96 yards per attempt (30th in the NFL), with five touchdowns, six interceptions and a 75.4 passer rating (29th).
The Ravens, who are scoring just 19.0 points per game, have lost four straight games after a 3-0 start—with Flacco throwing just two touchdowns during the losing streak. Baltimore needs its Super Bowl MVP quarterback to navigate out of his current tailspin.
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets
The holdout that dominated the offseason news cycle looks so ridiculous now. Fitzpatrick and the Jets eventually settled on a one-year, $12 million deal before camp, but it only took the veteran quarterback six games to play himself onto the bench. He threw a league-leading 11 interceptions during New York’s 1-5 start, including a six-interception disaster in Kansas City.
Fitzpatrick is back as the starter, but only out of necessity. He currently ranks dead last in the NFL in passer rating (68.3) and completion percentage (56.1); and he’s only on pace for 14 touchdown passes after throwing 31 last season.
RB Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams
There’s no doubting Gurley’s ability, but even the most talented players can struggle to overcome certain circumstances. Opposing defenses are loading up to stop Gurley, who—after seven games—is averaging just 3.0 yards per rush and 57.6 rushing yards per game. His longest run in 2016 so far went for just 16 yards.
Gurley has produced some big plays in the passing game, but he has been unable to build on a rookie season that saw him rush for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns over just 13 games. After seven games in 2015, Gurley had 709 rushing yards—over 300 more than his current total (403) in 2016.
RB Jeremy Langford, Chicago Bears
The Bears moved on from Matt Forte in the offseason, which left behind a fantastic opportunity for Langford. Despite a number of big games in Forte’s absence in 2015, the second-year running back has failed to take advantage so far this season.
Langford did score in back-to-back games to open 2016, but injuries and the emergence of rookie running back Jordan Howard have once again relegated him to a supporting role in the Bears offense. Many expected Langford to take the job and run with it, but Howard is now the clear No. 1 option for John Fox in Chicago.
WR Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
Injuries and a struggling offense have stifled what many expected to be a breakout season for Lockett, Seattle’s third-round pick in 2015. He’s dealt with knee and thigh issues, but even after seven games, Lockett has just 17 catches for 197 yards and no touchdowns.
While the Seahawks still lean on his dynamic return abilities, most believed Lockett would take a big step forward with Russell Wilson and the Seattle offense in 2016. So far, that hasn’t materialized—likely due to injuries limiting Wilson, and the Seahawks offense still trying to find its stride.
WR Nelson Agholor, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles’ 2015 first-round pick caught a touchdown from Carson Wentz in the season opener, but it’s been downhill ever since. Agholor has just 21 catches for 216 yards over seven games, and he made waves this past week when he downplayed Philadelphia’s drops during a loss against the Cowboys.
There was some hope that Agholor’s disappointing rookie season was only a bump in the road, but he doesn’t look like a difference-making player. His career-high in receiving yards after 20 career games is 64.
WR Julian Edelman, New England Patriots
The Patriots are rolling at 7-1, but the always productive Edelman has really struggled to get going in 2016. He has 41 receptions for just 358 yards and one touchdown through eight games, and is averaging significantly fewer receptions (5.1), yards per catch (8.7) and yards per game (44.8) than his previous three seasons.
Even the return of Tom Brady hasn’t brought Edelman’s season to life. Over the last four games, Edelman is averaging just 40.5 receiving yards—and he still hasn’t cracked 80 yards in a single game in 2016. For comparison’s sake, consider that Edelman had 61 catches, 692 yards and seven touchdowns in just nine games in 2015.
CB Darrelle Revis, New York Jets
Revis sure looks like he’s starting to feel the wrath of Father Time. Arguably the best cornerback of this generation, Revis has been burned over and over in 2016. He gave up several long touchdowns to start the season, and hit a new low point this past Sunday when converted receiver Terrelle Pryor racked up over 100 receiving yards in the first half on Revis Island.
Few positions in sports are as physically demanding as cornerback, and it looks like Revis has finally lost a step or two at age 31.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
