Four players who need to get involved more this season
Several NFL teams have talented weapons sitting too much on the sidelines or underused in key situations. As the season continues, it is time for coaches to lean on these young stars. These are four players who need to get involved more, including Trevyon Henderson, Keon Coleman, Matthew Golden, and Colston Loveland. Each has shown the ability to make plays but has not been featured the way their teams expected.
TreVeyon Henderson is one of the notable players who need to get involved more
The New England Patriots selected TreVeyon Henderson with the 38th overall pick, and fans were excited after seeing his elite speed and athleticism in the preseason. Many expected him to add explosive plays to a young New England offense, but that has not happened yet. Henderson has only 43 rushing attempts for 153 yards and a touchdown. Rhamondre Stevenson continues to handle most of the workload, leaving Anderson with limited touches.
New England drafted Henderson for his breakaway ability and home run speed. Instead of letting that talent sit behind an average back, the Patriots should at least split carries between the two. Other rookie runners such as Ashton Jeanty, Woody Marks, Quinshon Judkins, Omarion Hampton before his injury, and Cam Skattebo have already become major contributors. The Patriots should follow that trend and get Anderson more involved as the season goes on.
Keon Coleman also needs to get involved more in Buffalo
Keon Coleman, the former Buffalo Bills second-round pick, remains a young and raw receiver at only 22 years old. He has not yet refined his route running, but his athleticism and size make him a mismatch. So far this season, he has only 24 receptions for 237 yards and two touchdowns. For a player drafted this high, that level of involvement is not enough.
Buffalo’s offense spreads the ball around, which limits opportunities, but when a team spends early draft capital on a receiver, they should make him part of the weekly plan. Coleman posted 29 catches for 556 yards and four touchdowns in his rookie year. Despite the Bills rumored to be looking to trade for another receiver near the deadline, they should still focus on featuring Coleman more often and see what he can do with a heavier workload.
Matthew Golden is a rookie who needs to get involved more
Green Bay Packers first-round pick Matthew Golden entered the league with high expectations. Outside of a solid 86-yard performance against the Bengals, he has not topped 60 yards in any other game this year. Golden has just 18 receptions for 249 yards and no touchdowns. For a first-round talent, that output feels underwhelming.
Like Buffalo, Green Bay’s passing game spreads the ball around, but the offense needs to design more touches for Golden. He has shown the ability to create separation and has great hands. Like other young receivers across the league, he cannot display that talent without consistent targets. The Packers need to prioritize getting him the ball more often.
Colston Loveland joins the list as another rookie who needs to get involved more
The Chicago Bears used the 10th overall pick on tight end Colston Loveland, yet he has only eight catches for 78 yards. Fans expected far more involvement after the team invested such a high pick. While Cole Kmet has seen more work, Ben Johnson and the Bears need to find creative ways to get Loveland on the field.
The Bears should use him in a similar way to how the Indianapolis Colts use star rookie tight end Tyler Warren by moving him around, scheming short routes, and letting him create mismatches with play action. Loveland has the size, hands, and agility to become a key piece of Chicago’s future offense, but that starts with making him a bigger part of the passing attack now.
Main Photo: [Bob DeChiara] – Imagn Images
The post 4 offensive players who need to get involved more appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.