2022 NFL Breakout Candidates: NFC South

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Each and every year, opportunities for a breakout arise on NFL teams. This may be due to a few different factors. The depth chart may be thinner in spots, compared to the year before. Elsewhere, the raw talent or technical refinement cannot be denied in a short span. With that in mind, let’s take a quick look at the NFC South.

Last year’s division winner was unable to repeat as Super Bowl champions. Though, an exit against the eventual Super Bowl LVI champion could give them more motivation than they already had to come back for the NFC crown. Another contender has a fresh face at head coach for the first time since 2006. Whereas with the other two squads, the near future looks bleak, as they hope to get out of their respective rebuilds down the road.

So far, we have completed our breakout candidate articles for five other divisions here at Full Press Coverage. You can read the previous ones by clicking on each division: AFC East, NFC East, AFC North, NFC North, AFC South

Let’s now dive into the NFC South breakout candidates. Kicking things off, is a wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta Falcons- WR Olamide Zaccheaus

One of the more inexperienced and bare wide receiver rooms in the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons are looking for anyone to step up. First-round pick Drake London could see a high amount of targets as a rookie. Atlanta took a flier on former Raiders’ draft selection, Bryan Edwards. Can he possibly grow and prove that he can stick with the Falcons moving forward? Sure, this team has intriguing options at other positions, like Kyle Pitts and Cordarrelle Patterson, for example. All eyes should be on Olamide Zaccheaus, nonetheless.

Zaccheaus is coming off of a season in which he set new single-season career highs in receptions (31), receiving yards (406) and receiving touchdowns (three). Those numbers will not necessarily blow anyone away. But, it was the ways in which Zaccheaus provided production that stood out immensely.

He can flash short area burst on quick passes or on over routes. His quick twitch cutting ability within his route running leaves defensive backs guessing. Moreover, Zaccheaus can take the top off of a defense and is able to eat up the defensive back’s cushion immediately on deep routes. With head coach Arthur Smith‘s ability to get creative, Zaccheaus has a shot to surprisingly be one of the top receiving leaders for the Falcons in the NFC South.

Carolina Panthers- WR Terrace Marshall Jr.

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The Carolina Panthers have been on a never-ending roller coaster since Ron Rivera was fired as head coach a few years ago. Matt Rhule appears to have his back against the wall as the current head coach. Does he make it to the end of the season? Some people are not so sure. Meanwhile, the quarterback position has been in constant flux since Cam Newton appeared in just two games during the 2019 season. That year saw Kyle Allen play in 12 games, with Will Grier making starts in the other two. 2020 was mostly filled by Teddy Bridgewater, along with a lone appearance of PJ Walker. Finally, Sam Darnold appeared in 11 games last year. Newton returned as a free agent midseason, also appearing in five games. Walker once again had one game that he started in.

There is some fine young talent in spots on this team. Yet, the constant turnover in key spots has held others back. This has been felt heavily in the pass catching room. One wide receiver hoping for more balance in 2022 is Terrace Marshall Jr. As a rookie second-round pick last year, the LSU product battled inconsistent usage, very few crisp catch opportunities and minor injuries. He made just 17 catches for 138 receiving yards in 13 games, managing a measly 8.1 yards per reception and 4.6 yards per target.

So, why should fans keep Marshall Jr. in mind this time around? For starters, Carolina is looking for a more stable presence from the slot receiver position. Marshall Jr. is already leading the way as the starting candidate there. Moreover, his distinct height and speed combination is something that is unmatched by most other depth options in the Panthers receiving room. If he can show more comfort and steadily increase the production, Marshall Jr. could be a major difference in Carolina stealing some games this season.

New Orleans Saints- DE Marcus Davenport

A lot is riding on a make-or-break season for Marcus Davenport. At the same time, he could be primed for a breakout on the New Orleans Saints defense. The former first-round pick in 2018 has played in just 48 games in his first four seasons. Injuries and inconsistent performance have continued to put him on a stop and start type of path, so to speak. Now entering his fifth season, Davenport is looking to build off of his most productive season.

In 2021, he registered 39 combined tackles, 16 quarterback hits, nine sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. All of those were either new single-season career highs or tied for previous single-season career highs. It was easy to notice the power and length that Davenport utilized against opposing blockers. He simply overwhelmed opponents with his reach and tenacious style.

Now in 2022, Davenport could push to be a double-digit sack performer. With questions surrounding the Saints offense, it could be up to the New Orleans defense to keep games close. They were mostly successful with that last year. Perhaps, that leads to another strong year from Davenport, as it is once again crucial for him to come through.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers- WR Russell Gage

Not many teams have a better wide receiver duo than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are bona fide WR1s on the same team. On the other hand, Godwin experienced a tough injury late last season, forcing him to miss the Buccaneers’ 2021 playoff run. Even still, his 98 receptions last year were a new single-season career high in 14 games. Imagine what he could do, if he is back to full strength.

As for Evans, he has produced at least 1,000 yards receiving in all eight seasons of his career so far. He has had at least eight receiving touchdowns in six of his eight campaigns. Overall, Evans’ 75 career receiving touchdowns are the most in the NFL since 2014 (his rookie season), narrowly edging Davante Adams‘ 73 receiving touchdowns during that span.

As if they did not already have enough talent at wide receiver, Tampa Bay made a shrewd addition this offseason in Russell Gage. Gage remains in the NFC South, coming over from Atlanta. Despite playing behind those top two receivers, Gage could complement each of them thoroughly with efficient production. He proved that he can be an explosive play threat while with the Falcons. Gage is shifty and creates separation quickly at the top of routes. With Tom Brady throwing him the ball, this wideout could eclipse the 1,000 yard-receiving plateau for the first time with the Buccaneers.

Be on the lookout for more 2022 NFL offseason articles and analysis here at Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.