CBS Sports names NFL sleepers who could swing the 2026 season
With 50 days to kickoff, Zachary Pereles spotlighted overlooked veterans and risers who may decide how the NFL year unfolds.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
DJ Turner, Joey Porter Jr. and Ja'Quan McMillian are among the names CBS Sports says could matter far more than their national buzz suggests when the 2026 NFL season opens.
CBS Sports writer Zachary Pereles marked 50 days until kickoff by listing 50 under-the-radar players he believes could help shape the year. Pereles said the exercise focuses on internal growth and supporting pieces rather than the flashier offseason staples: blockbuster trades, big-money free agents and draft headliners.
The list comes with guardrails. Pereles excluded quarterbacks, rookies, recent first-round picks from the past three drafts and players who made a Pro Bowl in either of the past two seasons. He also left out anyone who appeared on CBS Sports' earlier ranking of the 100 most important players for 2026.
Cornerbacks lead the early buzz
Turner, the Cincinnati Bengals cornerback, landed at No. 1 in the group of players Pereles framed as ready for a leap. According to CBS Sports, Turner led the NFL in pass breakup percentage last season at 18.9% and ranked fourth in completion rate allowed at 43.9% while playing on a struggling Bengals defense.
Porter, the Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback, also featured near the top. CBS Sports said he allowed a 41.4% completion rate as the primary defender in 2025, second among 134 players with at least 50 passes defended. Pereles noted Porter’s physical coverage style, five pass interference penalties and tackling as the areas that could define whether he turns into a Pro Bowl-level player.
Denver Broncos defensive back Ja'Quan McMillian was highlighted after a 2025 season that included a rare game against Patrick Mahomes: CBS Sports said McMillian became the first player to sack Mahomes twice and intercept him once in the same matchup. Pereles also pointed to McMillian’s overtime interception against the Bills in the playoffs and his four sacks on the season.
Receivers and linemen get their moment
Indianapolis Colts receiver Josh Downs appears set for a bigger role after Michael Pittman Jr. was traded to the Steelers, according to CBS Sports. Pereles wrote that Downs’ yards per catch dropped from 11.2 across his first two seasons to 9.8 last year, but he expects the slot receiver to be heavily used while Daniel Jones returns from a torn Achilles.
Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Parker Washington made the list after topping 100 receiving yards in three of Jacksonville’s final four games, including the playoffs, according to CBS Sports.
Steelers center Zach Frazier was another name Pereles singled out. CBS Sports said Frazier ranked among the top five centers in ESPN’s Pass Block Win Rate and was graded No. 6 at the position by PFF last season. With Isaac Seumalo gone in free agency, Pereles wrote that Pittsburgh will lean on Frazier inside.
Comeback cases and new addresses
The bounce-back section includes Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Jalen McMillan, who CBS Sports said returned from a preseason neck injury and later produced a seven-catch, 114-yard game in his third contest back. The Buccaneers are expected to feature him more after Mike Evans’ departure, according to Pereles.
Other rebound picks include Giants receiver Darnell Mooney, Bears tackle Braxton Jones, Titans tackle Dan Moore Jr. and Raiders tackle Kolton Miller. CBS Sports noted Moore allowed 46 pressures in 2025, second most in the league, while Miller played only four games last year.
Among second-year players, Pereles highlighted Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson, Buccaneers cornerback Jacob Parrish, Falcons safety Xavier Watts, Texans receiver Jaylin Noel and Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker. CBS Sports said Watts had five interceptions, 92 tackles and 11 passes defended as a rookie.
The “known face, new place” group brings a heavy Dallas flavor: safety Jalen Thompson, linebacker Dee Winters and cornerback Decobie Durant all made the cut after joining the Cowboys. Pereles also included Vikings receiver Jauan Jennings, Ravens guard John Simpson, Panthers tackle Rasheed Walker and Bears center Garrett Bradbury among the veterans whose new roles could carry weight.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.