National Football League

The 24 NFL players who will influence the '24 season the most

Published Sep. 6, 2024 9:00 a.m. ET

By now, you've probably read through dozens of best-player lists and predictions for the 2024 NFL season that is finally upon us. It's the same names in semi-varying order that are designed to get the conversation going.

This list isn't that.

This list is about those conversations and which players are going to dominate them no matter the team you root for or the city you're in. This is a list that combines talent, situation and star power to give you the 24 players who will influence the 2024 season the most.

This can be because of their infectious personalities, their flashy play style or the market/situation they're in, but these are the brightest stars of this coming season, according to us at FOX Sports.

24. Jaylon Johnson, CB, Chicago Bears

The Bears offense gets all the publicity, but a successful turnaround in the Windy City is going to hinge just as much on the defense. Enter Johnson, the 25-year-old All-Pro who is already one of the game's best (and highest-paid) corners. Johnson and his defensive teammates toiled in obscurity last year, but if the Bears hit their lofty new goals, he figures to become a household name in short order.

23. T.J. Watt, EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers

Watt already has a Hall of Fame resume, but he'd undoubtedly like to add some postseason success to his list of accomplishments. Regardless of who plays quarterback for the Steelers, their defense is going to have to do a lot of the heavy lifting. As the unquestioned face of this franchise, a lot of Pittsburgh's hopes in 2024 will lie with Watt.

22. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers

It's funny to think that Aiyuk was an unsung hero at this time last year. Not any longer, after the 49ers' wideout became one of the focal points of this entire offseason. After a lengthy, confusing contract dispute, Aiyuk is now a $30 million receiver. It's safe to say he won't be flying under the radar this year as he seeks to help San Francisco reach another Super Bowl.

21. Roquan Smith, LB, Baltimore Ravens

Just how much can Roquan Smith do for a defense? We're about to find out. Of course, the guy has already proven himself as one of the best defenders in football, but Smith lost a lot of help this year. His All-Pro linebacker partner, Patrick Queen, is in Pittsburgh. Jadeveon Clowney is in Carolina. And half the Ravens' defensive coaching staff departed for promotions. The scary thing is that Smith just might be good enough to offset all of that and keep Baltimore's defense at the top of the NFL.

20. Trent Williams, OT, San Francisco 49ers

Offensive linemen typically don't get enough credit, but Williams is making sure he changes that. Arguably the best left tackle in football, the 36-year-old has been a critical part of the 49ers' success — so much so that he sat out of training camp in search of a reworked contract, which he finally received. If Williams misses any time this season, it could have an enormous effect on the league's best offense.

19. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Barkley was already one of the NFL's biggest stars, but that's about to kick into overdrive. For starters, he's playing on a star-studded team with Super Bowl aspirations. Even more importantly, that new team is a division rival located just 100 miles down the highway from his old team. Barkley's 2024 campaign is going to draw a lot of attention — and for a lot of reasons.

18. Sauce Gardner, CB, New York Jets

We already know Sauce Gardner as one of the league's best corners and most visible defenders. And remember: he has accomplished all of this despite playing for a Jets team that has struggled to a 14-20 record during his NFL career. If (and maybe it's a big if) the Jets can field a competent offense and get themselves into playoff contention, it's going to come with a big helping of Sauce.

17. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

On a team with as much personality as the 49ers, it's impressive that Kittle stands alone. He's not only one of the league's best tight ends, but he's crucial in San Francisco for the energy, confidence and overall vibes. The 49ers are facing as much pressure as any team in the NFL this season, and they'll need to deliver — results on the field, as well as the vibes off of it.

16. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have to be hoping Lamb has been stretching those hamstrings. Their All-Pro receiver finally got his $136 million extension, but the price was a holdout that cost him all of training camp. Lamb says he'll be ready to go, and the Cowboys need him to be. The 25-year-old accounted for 38 percent of their passing offense last year, and they need him to do it again if they're going to make another run at the playoffs.

15. Myles Garrett, EDGE, Cleveland Browns

On most playoff contenders, the face of the franchise is a quarterback or at least an offensive skill player. Not the case in Cleveland, where Garrett is set to defend his title as the NFL's best defender from 2023. The Browns defense was good enough to help them reach the playoffs despite using five different starting quarterbacks last year. What can Garrett & Co. do for an encore?

14. Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens

King Henry has been plugging along as a great back on a bad team for the last couple of years, but that's about to change in his age-30 season. Henry is easily the biggest addition to a Baltimore team that hosted the AFC Championship Game last year. And with all due respect to Ryan Tannehill, the two-time NFL MVP in Lamar Jackson is a bit of an upgrade. Here's guessing the King is going to swing fantasy matchups across the country — and perhaps help the Ravens get over the hump.

13. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers

The debate about Purdy has raged since he took over for Jimmy Garoppolo midway through the 2022 season, and it doesn't figure to stop anytime soon. How could it when San Francisco is primed and ready for another deep playoff run led by its unassuming quarterback and his insane 81 percent winning percentage? If you thought the conversation about Purdy was loud before, just wait until this year, when his looming contract negotiations come into focus.

12. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

You'd think a second NFL MVP award would erase all the doubts about Jackson's ability, but this is the NFL. The Ravens are just 2-4 in the playoffs with Jackson as their starter, and scoring 10 points at home in the AFC Championship Game still feels like a missed opportunity. Until Jackson helps the Ravens reverse that trend, the debates will continue.

11. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

At this point, watching Tyreek Hill feels like following a baseball slugger chase a home-run record. Can he become the first receiver in NFL history to reach 2,000 yards in a single season? He came close in 2023, but he tailed off in the final month of the season. With the Dolphins expected to have one of the league's best offenses once again, we'll be on Cheetah Watch in 2024.

10. Micah Parsons, EDGE, Dallas Cowboys

It's not just that Parsons is looking to distinguish himself as the league's best defender, he's also gunning for a historic payday. Heading into his fourth season, it's a good bet the Cowboys' youngest star will try to become the NFL's highest-paid defender in 2025. Not only will Parsons be trying to help the Cowboys reach the playoffs, but every sack might raise his asking price.

9. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

More so than perhaps any other premiere quarterback, it's all riding on Allen's shoulders this fall in Buffalo. Stefon Diggs is in Houston, and the Bills are asking a ton of young weapons to step up in his place. The glue holding them all together is Allen. If the Bills are going to continue their dominance of the AFC East, he might need to turn in his best season ever.

8. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

When will the Bengals' superstar receiver show up? Is he willing to miss games to earn a new contract? Chase is currently one of the most important figures in the NFL. It's not just that he's trying to break the bank. But if he's willing to sit out to get that contract, it could severely affect Cincinnati's ceiling in a year when the Bengals have very real Super Bowl expectations. For so many reasons, Chase's presence (or lack thereof) will be such a massive storyline this fall.

7. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

Few people should be watching the Ja'Marr Chase situation more closely than his quarterback, who heads into 2024 with monster expectations. Burrow looked like he was rounding into playoff form last year when a wrist injury ended his season in mid-November. Now fully healthy for the first time in several years, can Burrow resume his role as the only active quarterback to foil Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs?

6. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

The walking argument for why running backs matter, there might not be a more important piece of Kyle Shanahan's offense or the 49ers' Super Bowl hopes. McCaffrey was a first-team All-Pro and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, and we still probably didn't talk enough about how impactful he was. Now, can he do it again? The 49ers' championship hopes — not to mention the hopes of fantasy managers around the world — could be riding on him.

5. Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears

You only see a perfect storm like this every so often in sports. A rare quarterback prospect, drafted No. 1 overall by a team with a much better roster than might be expected, in an enormous market that's been starved for football success for the better part of 40 years. Caleb Williams is going to dominate conversations this season in a way that even most No. 1 overall picks don't. The Bears haven't had a winning record in six years, and they've never had a 4,000-yard passer in their 105-year history. Can Williams change that? It's safe to say we're excited to watch him try.

4. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

Prescott plays quarterback for the most polarizing football team in the world, which is reason enough for him to be one of the NFL's most discussed figures. In 2024, that intrigue might ratchet up another notch. Prescott is also in the last year of his contract, and with the season-opener approaching, it's not currently clear if the Cowboys want to commit to him beyond 2024. With nothing stopping him from hitting the market in March, Prescott just might be auditioning to be the biggest free agent in league history, in addition to trying to help the Cowboys finally reach another Super Bowl.

3. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

Get ready for another campaign from the NFL's favorite Swiftie. We already know how much excitement and attention to expect from Kelce's relationship with Taylor Swift, as we got a long look last year. Let's not lose sight of Travis himself, though. With Kelce celebrating his 35th birthday during Week 5 of this season, it's fair to wonder how much longer the perennial All-Pro will play. An eighth 1,000-yard season, and — more importantly — a fourth championship would give him a great case to be called the greatest tight end ever before he begins a new era.

2. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Mahomes has already achieved football immortality, but this season might have a big say in how high he climbs in the pantheon of legendary quarterbacks. For starters, only three quarterbacks in history have won more than Mahomes' three Super Bowls. But more importantly, no one in the Super Bowl Era has ever won three in a row. If Mahomes can guide Kansas City to a third-straight championship, it will put him alone on the mountaintop in terms of sustained dominance. And with a fourth championship before the age of 30, it would set him up nicely to chase Tom Brady's seven rings in the second half of his career. Whether he and the Chiefs can pull this off will be the central theme of this 2024 season.

1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, New York Jets

Maybe you like him, maybe you don't. The bottom line is that we're going to be talking about Aaron Rodgers this season. Remember that this is the guy who turned his recovery from an Achilles tear into a season-long storyline. Now Rodgers is back, and the expectation is that he can guide the Jets to the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Whether he exceeds those expectations or falls woefully short, his performance is going to dominate the conversation in 2024.

Carmen Vitali is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.

David Helman covers the NFL for FOX Sports and hosts the NFL on FOX podcast. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team's official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing "Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion" about the quarterback's time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.