Predicting the Breakout Player for Each AFC North Team Ahead of 2026 Season
Shedeur Sanders, Dexter Lawrence, Trey Hendrickson and DK Metcalf are the four players to have a breakout year in 2026 for the respective teams.
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Shedeur Sanders (Image via IMAGO)
Even though a section of football analysts considers the NFC the tougher conference, as NFC teams have won the last two Super Bowls, the AFC is still tricky to win, especially the AFC North, a division that boasts the Ravens, the Steelers, the Bengals, and the Browns.
Sure, the Browns have historically been bottom feeders, but their roster always boasts one or two notable players. Myles Garrett held that position for a long time. Now that he’s gone, fans view Shedeur Sanders as the next big breakout star.
On that note, the Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals also have several big-name players, and a few poised to register a career-defining season in 2026. Among them are Steelers WR DK Metcalf, Bengals tackle Dexter Lawrence, and Ravens edge Trey Hendrickson.
DK Metcalf (wide receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers)
At the end of his six-year tenure with the Seattle Seahawks, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of the 2025 season. Metcalf replaced George Pickens as the Steelers’ WR1 and the de facto main target for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
In 15 appearances, Metcalf caught 59 passes from 99 targets for 850 yards and scored 6 touchdowns. He was suspended for the final two games. His absence was felt by the Steelers offense. On the final day of the regular season, the Steelers needed a missed field goal from the Ravens’ kicker to qualify for the playoffs.
The good news is that Rodgers is ready to assume his QB1 role for another year. Metcalf usually makes his mark known during his second year at a club. Even though he will be sharing targets with Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson, and Germie Bernard, Metcalf is touted to have a better year compared to 2025.
Dexter Lawrence (nose tackle, Cincinnati Bengals)
The New York Giants drafted nose tackle Dexter Lawrence 17th overall in 2019. Lawrence registered 341 combined tackles, 30.5 sacks, 103 quarterback hits, 15 passes defended, and forced five fumbles in seven seasons with the G-Men.
In April 2026, the Giants traded Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals after failing to find common ground in contract negotiations. Lawrence signed a one-year contract worth $28 million. The Bengals are basically saying to Lawrence that he has to prove himself to earn a bigger contract.
Last year wasn’t very fruitful for the 28-year-old defensive lineman. He only registered 0.5 sacks and 8 QB hits in 17 games. That’s bound to increase on the Bengals’ setup. He will be the leading tackler with Trey Hendirckson’s departure.
Trey Hendrickson (linebacker, Baltimore Ravens)
Hendrickson’s situation was similar to Lawrence’s. He requested that the Bengals pay him according to his output on the field. The front office told him to look for a trade partner. After failing to find one deal, Hendrickson opted to hold in, and in August, the Bengals restructured his contract, bringing the maximum value to $30 million. Hendrickson started the first seven games, recorded 16 tackles and 5 sacks.
After the season ended, he entered free agency. In March, the Ravens signed Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million contract.
The Ravens operate a far better defense. Despite missing the playoffs last year, the Ravens boasted the 10th-best rushing and the 11th-best third-down defense in the league. He will be playing with Pro Bowl-caliber players like Roquan Smith, Nnamdi Madubuike, and John Jenkins.
Shedeur Sanders (quarterback, Cleveland Browns)
If there’s one player whom most football fans want to see take a giant leap in 2026, its Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. As the story goes, Sanders fell to the fifth round despite having a first-round grade on him. He was stuck behind Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel on the depth chart. He didn’t see first-team football until Flacco was out of Cleveland and Gabriel lost his place on the team.
Sanders showed brief moments of spark in his seven starts, posting a 3-4 record. He threw 120 completions for 1400 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Later, the NFL invited him to the Pro Bowl after others declined to compete.
In year two, Sanders is competing with veteran Deshaun Watson for the starting job. However, fans in Cleveland want to see Sanders get the nod, as evident from the jersey sales from his rookie season.
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Ishan Misra
(5263 Articles Published)