Stock Movement For NFL Stars
Now that my post-NFL depression is over, I’m ready to talk about some of the biggest stars in the game. Free agency has started and the draft is right around the corner. While we won’t be actually watching football, this is the most exciting time of the off-season. Mock drafts and trade proposals are littered across social media and every fan is starting to talk themselves into their team being a contender.
With all the excitement for next season, I want to briefly go over some performances from this past season. Through both the regular season and playoffs we saw some players take their game to the next level. Some players were already established stars that upped their game, while others skyrocketed themselves into stardom with their performances in 2024/2025. On the other hand, there were players that underperformed this season as well. Here at Biasedly Unbiased Sports, we don’t like to focus on the negative. However, not every NFL star ended their season on a high note. The league is fluid so stock up players can plummet while stock down players might find their groove. That, my friends, is why we can’t get enough of the NFL.
Stock Up
Saquon Barkley
Barkley became the 9th player to every rush for 2,000 yards this season (2,005) in his first season with Philadelphia. After this historic season, it seemed impossible for his stock to go higher. Think again, pal! Saquon continued that momentum into the playoffs and was a main catalyst for the that Eagles’ playoff run. Highlighted by 3 rushes of 60+ yards during the playoff run, he was nearly unstoppable. So much attention went to Barkley that it helped open up the explosive passing game for Philadelphia. It would be a mistake if I didn’t mention Saquon’s backwards hurdle which I still can’t quite comprehend. Barkley’s historic season not only boosted his stock but also the stock of running backs in free agency. Thanks to Barkley, along with Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry, I think the running back market has skyrocketed. These backs proved having a top tier back is still a major advantage in today’s passing era of the NFL. After winning a Super Bowl and eclipsing 2,000 yards, Saquon’s stock has never been higher. He cemented himself as the best tailback in the league and will only look to continue his success in Philly moving forward.
Ja’Marr Chase
Chase represents someone that didn’t make the playoffs, but still had a career season. The Cincinnati pass catcher won the coveted triple crown with receiving stats. For those who don’t know, that means Chase led the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), and receiving touchdowns (17). Simply put, Chase was impossible to guard this past season. The former LSU star is one of the best route runners in the NFL and plucks the ball out of the air. To go along with his route running, Chase is a dynamic run after the catch receiver. With a deep repertoire of routes, Ja’Marr can even make a screen pass dangerous. Despite a relatively slight frame, he is tough to bring down. The Bengals star can bounce off of a tackle attempt and take it to the house. Teaming up in Cincinnati with college teammate Joe Burrow has quickly helped make this combination one of the most deadly in the NFL. Chase’s already high stock has gone through the roof. Now it’s just time to see when Ja’Marr gets that contract extension he deserves.
Jayden Daniels
The undisputed OROY might have the highest stock price in the NFL. So high that you’re taking out a second mortgage, selling your house, or going on a strict budget just to get a piece. After an incredible rookie year, the career outlook for Daniels is promising to say the least. Another LSU Tiger on this list, he won the Heisman after an up and down first season in Baton Rouge. An electrifying athlete, Jayden has always been a threat as a runner. His throwing ability was the question mark, to which he quickly answered as he boasted over a 70% completion percentage through the first month of the season. The scary thing for the league is that Daniels was a home run threat with his legs but also operated with pinpoint accuracy as a passer. To top this all off, Daniels led the Commanders to the NFC Championship game as a rookie. He threw for 250+ yard in all 3 playoff games and only threw one interception in those high pressure situations. I always try to prevent from overreacting on young players, especially quarterbacks. That’s great in theory, but it’s hard not to be head over heels for Jayden Daniels. He is looking to be a dominant quarterback in the NFL for the next decade.
Aidan Hutchinson
Hutchinson was on pace for a career season and was looking like the favorite to win DPOY. The Lions pass rusher had 7.5 sacks in just 5 games. Unfortunately for Detroit and for football fans, he suffered a gruesome injury that ended his season. Like other young players, Hutchinson is adding to his bag year after year. His pass rush moves are getting better each season. His pure size already make him a problem. When you add in his speed and pass rush moved, it makes the Michigan alum nearly unstoppable. All those tangible skills and measurables are among the best in the NFL. My favorite part about Hutch is intangible. The mindset and motor on this guy is incredible. If you watch him play, his big plays often come on a 2nd or 3rd move. Hutch is relentless which is why I have no doubt he’ll come back from this injury next season and be better than ever. To anybody praying on his downfall, don’t hold your breathe. The big guy has a State Farm commercial and is still only 24, he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
Jalen Hurts
Can we finally put some respect on Jalen Hurts’ name? Through the Philadelphia ups and downs in recent seasons, Hurts took the brunt of the blame. After an up and down start to the season, Hurts really flipped that narrative. While a lot of the credit is deservedly going to Barkley, you can’t simply bypass the play of Jalen Hurts. He was vital to this season’s Eagles team. Philadelphia only lost 2 games all season that Hurts started and finished. He has one of the most talented offensive units supporting him, but he’s the engine the makes the Eagles fly. His rushing ability as a dual threat quarterback mixed in with his precision passing (when he’s firing on all cylinders) makes him second to none. I know his ability to squat 600+ pounds gets brought up way too much, but it’s a huge reason why the tush push is so dominant. Hurts really represents the identity of these recent Eagles teams. What helped improve his stock the most this season was his passing ability. The numbers might not tell that story but the eye test says different. When the moments were the brightest, Jalen was able to accurately deliver down the field. Simply put, how can the Super Bowl MVP not be at an all time high in terms of stock?
James Cook
The Bills star running back is another player that I think flew under the radar this year. Cook is in the shadow of Josh Allen but I honestly think the Bills offense goes as far as Cook takes them. It almost seems like the Bills were saving him for the postseason at times during the regular season. His carrier per game were down this season, but he still managed to surpass 1k yards on the ground. Unfortunately, they didn’t really stick to the plan of leaning on the former Georgia running back in the playoffs. He only topped 20 carries and 100 yards in one of their three playoff games. Yet he still managed to average 5.1 yards per carry throughout the playoffs, including 6.5 in the AFC Championship Game. I truly believe if the Bills would have given Cook the rock more that they would have been facing Philadelphia in the Super Bowl. Cook is a quick running back that can excel both on the edge and in the middle. He outruns defenders on the edge and can accelerate through any open crease. While the numbers are slightly misleading, James Cook had another dynamic season in 2024 and will look to continue that positive momentum into 2025. I don’t know whether it’ll be career highs in the regular season or putting his team on the back in the playoffs, but Cook will have his signature moment sooner rather than later.
Patrick Surtain II
Even though Surtain was one of the most well-known corners in the NFL, he really elevated his play and notoriety in 2024. Surtain II earned his 2nd appearance on the All Pro team and was voted to the Pro Bowl for the 3rd time. The success of the Denver Broncos this year added national visibility to what Pat has been doing since his rookie season. This culminated to Surtain II deservedly winning the NFL Defensive Player of The Year. Although awards and accolades are important, we don’t base our opinions on them alone. Our opinions are rooted in what happens on the field, which is where he dominates each and every week. Patrick Surtain II is a combination of size and speed that is rarely found at the cornerback position. This allows him to be physical with receivers but also the speed to keep up with faster receivers. Despite his elite physical abilities, the most impressive thing about Surtain is intangible. Few cornerbacks can diagnose plays and react as quickly as the Broncos star. He had 4 interceptions, including an incredible 100 yard pick six to showcase his knowledge of the game this season. As his stock price soars just know one thing, don’t throw in the direction of #2.
Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh is the first coach of this post and deservedly so. A year after winning a National Championship at Michigan, Harbaugh made a triumphant return to the NFL. He took lead of a team that was quite frankly floundering in Los Angeles. The Chargers have quite a bit of high-end talent, but outside of their best players it wasn’t pretty last year. Harbaugh had to truly get the Chargers to take on his identity for the team to be successful. Los Angeles did that and then some in 2024. Their new coach led them to the playoffs and helped them improve from 5 wins in 2023 to 11 in 2024. Two areas where the Chargers were lacking talent were the wide receiver and running back rooms. Harbaugh counteracted this by running a lot of multiple tight end/ full back sets to ensure they could establish the run. This took pressure off star quarterback Justin Herbert, who was used to throwing the ball 35-40 times a game under the previous regime. I expect the Charger front office to bulk up the supporting roles around their stars like Herbert, Alt, Mack, and James as they look to compete in the competitive AFC West. As all this happens, it’s safe to say that Jim Harbaugh reintroduced himself as one of the best coaches in the NFL.
Stock Down
Jordan Love
Just because a player’s stock is down now, does not mean it’s forever down or that this player is bad. Jordan Love is a perfect example of this. People were very premature to crown Love as the next great Green Bay quarterback after just about 10 high quality games. We’ve seen two very different versions of Jordan Love through his two years as a starting quarterback. The potentially elite version is the one we saw carve up the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs two seasons ago. On the other hand, we saw him throw 3 interceptions and no touchdowns in the Wild Card Round this year against the Eagles. Love was dealing with an injury to start the season, but he was also the league leader in interceptions for the first half as well. Things looked like they were following a similar script as last season. Love would struggle to start the season but then look elite once the calendar turned to November. Unfortunately for him, the debacle in Philly disproved that pattern. I am by no means ruling out Love as an elite or potential Super Bowl winning quarterback. His stock price is just down compared to last year where people may have got a little ahead of themselves. If he can clean up the turnovers and be more consistent, then we will be talking about Love as an elite quarterback in no time.
Travis Kelce
I’m going to preface this by saying that Travis Kelce is one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the NFL. He just simply isn’t the same player as he once was, which is expected for a player is his mid 30s. Kelce remains a highly productive player, he’s just now in a different phase of his career. It’s also important to note that 97 catches for 823 yards and 3 touchdowns is a career year for most players. For Kelce it is his worst statistical season since 2015. At the peak of his powers, he was open on nearly every play and his connection with Mahomes was second to none. The duo had an unspoken language. Defenses knew the ball was going to Travis in key situations and they still couldn’t stop it. The Kelce situation is the reverse of what I spoke about with James Cook earlier. The numbers tell a different story than the tape does. Watching the Chiefs this past season, there just wasn’t the same fear of Travis as there’d been in the past.
Jerod Mayo
It’s never easy following in the footsteps of a legend. That’s what Jerod Mayo had in front of him as he was Bill Belichick’s replacement in New England. Entering the 2024 season, Mayo was handpicked by owner Robert Kraft to be the next Patriots head coach. As someone who had been on the Patriots staff for a few years already, it was assumed it would be a smooth transition. Mayo was also an All Pro linebacker and Super Bowl champion during his playing days in New England. Taking a chance on a first time head coach is always a risk, but a majority of people thought Mayo would carve out a successful tenure in New England. Unfortunately for Mayo, that is not what happened. After a tumultuous 4-13 season, he was fired after just one year. There was a lack of talent on the team, but some of the decisions made by Mayo and his staff were head scratchers. I hate to see a career stock plummet like this for a head coach, but Mayo is young enough to turn his coaching career around.
Justin Herbert
Saying that stock is down for Justin Herbert truly hurts my heart. I immediately became enamored with the Chargers gunslinger dating back to his first NFL start in 2020. I’ve mentioned Herbert a few times on here and how impressive his playmaking ability is. Unfortunately, Herbert has played 5 years in the NFL and won a grand total of zero playoff games. His two playoff games include choking a 27-0 lead against the Jaguars and then getting wrecked by the Texans in the playoffs this year. The Texans loss included Herbert throwing 4 interceptions and under 50% completion percentage. As a Justin Herbert defender, I would say that not all those interceptions were on him and that the Chargers wide receivers were subpar last season. While both things might be true, a franchise quarterback needs to perform better in the playoffs. It was his first year in a new system and their roster left a lot to be desired. I am by no means out of the Justin Herbert business. Herbert just needs to perform better in the playoffs for his stock to soar again.
Stock Neutral
Lamar Jackson
People really like to make their opinion clear on the Baltimore quarterback. I view Lamar’s stock as pretty steady from years previous. He had another MVP caliber regular season to pair with a early playoff exit. Everyone knows Lamar as the electrifying dual threat quarterback in Baltimore. He has shown so much growth as a passer during his NFL tenure. We’ve seen his yards and touchdowns increase, turnovers decrease, and passer rating also increase throughout his career. While his progress cannot be overlooked, the Ravens are still waiting on him to take that next step. After having his best statistical regular season, it wasn’t the same old story during the playoffs. Despite throwing 2 early interceptions in the Divisional Round against Buffalo, Lamar really turned it on late. Ultimately, the stellar play of Lamar put the Ravens in a position to win. As we all know, Andrews dropped the 2 point conversion and Baltimore fell short. We’d all like to see Lamar win the big one, but I don’t think the 2024/2025 season and playoffs hurt his stock. Jackson is unquestionably a Top 5 quarterback in the NFL and I’m intrigued to see what his next steps are.
Mike Tomlin
The head coach of the Steelers has not won a playoff game since 2016. He has been the head man in Pittsburgh since 2007 and some people are beginning to say his welcome is being worn out. Let’s slow our roll on these Tomlin takes. The man has been the coach since 2007, won a Super Bowl, and most impressively never had a losing season. That’s right, in the 18 seasons Tomlin has coached in Pittsburgh, his winning percentage has been .500 or better each year. The Anti-Tomlin mob will say something about .500 records with no playoff success mean nothing. In most scenarios I would agree with that statement, but please look at the quarterbacks Tomlin has had since 2016. We’re looking at late career Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, and the ghost of Russell Wilson. No disrespect to any of those quarterbacks, but the Steelers haven’t been rich at the quarterback position. Simply remaining above .500 with those quarterbacks is phenomenal in itself. You would like to see Tomlin pull some strings and get a recent playoff win, but not all the blame falls on him. Tomlin remains one of the best coaches in the NFL and will prove that again when he has a competitive roster around him.
Caleb Williams
The first overall pick from 2024, had all the momentum in the world going into his rookie season. The Bears surrounded him with offensive weapons and were featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks this summer. Williams was supposed to take the NFL by storm and lead Chicago to the promise land. The preseason hype mixed with the superior performance of the second overall pick, Jayden Daniels, resulted in many people being down on the former Heisman winner. What Chicago didn’t realize was that their offensive line was atrocious and that is very important for the development of a young quarterback. Additionally, a solid coaching staff is important and that was also not provided. Despite the drop in public hype, Williams still had a solid rookie season. He passed for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just 6 interceptions. Mix in 489 yards on the ground and that’s a solid rookie season. Caleb has generational arm talent and is a relentless competitor. Those are traits that I will choose to believe in. The Bears hired an elite offensive mind in Ben Johnson and have improved their offensive line, giving Williams a chance to have a breakout season in 2025/2026. People may be down on Williams but he still has all the potential to be an elite quarterback in this league.
There is without a doubt, countless players and coaches on this list that I missed. Throughout the season, momentum caused public opinion on our favorite stars to rocket or plummet. Once the season ends, narratives and takes start flying off the hook. While I am very anti-hot take, I always want to share my opinion with some stats/ evidence to back it up. On a side note, I know this list if full of “J” names. That was not intentional but I guess those players were really jumping off the screen this season. While I enjoy the other sports that are in full stride, a part of me still misses football. So the brief mental escape to football season while I constructed this list was incredibly enjoyable. Next time I see you all, we’ll be talking NFL draft. I hope you all are ready!