Eight most surprising NFL players having Pro Bowl seasons
Midway through the 2023 NFL season, there have been plenty of surprise performances and breakout players. Here’s a look at eight players who are unexpectedly putting up Pro Bowl-caliber numbers:
Sam Howell, QB, Washington Commanders
Yes, Howell is on track to break David Carr’s record for most sacks taken in a single season. But it’s not his fault the Commanders stuck him behind a dreadful offensive line and told him to figure it out. If anything, Washington’s O-line issues further prove why Howell is deserving of a Pro Bowl nod.
Among QBs to play in eight or more games, Howell is the sixth-most pressured (37.3% of dropbacks) but he leads the NFL in pass attempts (353) and completions (235), and he ranks second in passing yards (2,471), seventh in touchdowns (14) and 13th in completion percentage (66.6). He’s also tied for the fifth-most touchdown passes of 20 or more yards (five) and the seventh-most completions of 20 or more yards (15).
D’Andre Swift, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Cast away like an afterthought after the Detroit Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall in April, the Eagles landed Swift on the cheap, giving up fourth- and seventh-round picks in 2025 for the Georgia alum.
Through nine games, Swift ranks third in the NFL in rushing (614) and eighth in yards from scrimmage (780). He’s just three yards away from setting a new career high in rushing yards and he has the third-most yards from scrimmage among running backs behind only San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey and Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne.
Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
When the year began, no one would have been surprised if Robert Woods, John Metchie and rookie Tank Dell all were higher on the depth chart than Collins. But eight games into the year, Collins ranks 10th in the NFL in receiving yards (631) and his 17.5 yards per catch is fifth-most among WRs with 20 or more receptions.
Collins, who leads the Texans in all major receiving categories, has already set new career highs in receiving yards and touchdowns (four), and he’s just two receptions away from setting a new career best in that category as well.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, New York Giants
Though Thibodeaux had a solid rookie season (45 pressures, four sacks), he didn’t have the kind of impact the Giants were likely expecting from a fifth overall pick. This season, in a time when the Giants have seemingly nothing going for them, Thibodeaux has been their lone bright spot.
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