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Best NFL Players to Watch in 2022-23

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We’re aboard the on-ramp to the NFL season, as all 32 teams are deep into training camp and about to be playing preseason games. Fantasy football draft season is afoot, and whether you’re picking your own team or just trying to derive some extra enjoyment from actual NFL games, it’s a great time to get up to speed for the 2022–23 season.

Of course, the players are the ones responsible for making the NFL worth watching. There will be something like 2,000 of them on rosters over the course of the season—32 teams with 53 players each, plus whoever rotates in and out with injuries and transactions. Part of the fun every season is that No. 1,999 on that list will have a chance to change a game at some point or another.

But we got selective and picked out seven who are worth preseason attention no matter how you choose to consume the sport.

1. Lamar Jackson, Ravens QB

Jackson is always worth watching closely, because if you don’t, you’ll miss him. The NFL has never had a running QB quite like him, and he makes some absurd throws from time to time, too. This year, he’s also worth tracking from a contractual perspective. Jackson is entering the last year of his rookie deal with Baltimore and representing himself in contract negotiations. It feels unthinkable that Jackson could play out that deal without a long-term extension to stay in Baltimore, but each week that passes without an agreement makes it more possible that Jackson plays on a one-year franchise tag in 2023 and ultimately winds up somewhere other than Baltimore. Either way, if he’s healthy, expect both a lot of highlights and a lot of fantasy points from him over the course of the 2022 campaign.

2. Javonte Williams, Broncos RB

The second-year tailback out of North Carolina looks set to share the Broncos’ backfield with veteran Melvin Gordon. But Williams showed a lot of juice as a rookie, and if you take a fantasy lens to the NFL, Williams looks like one of the most attractive breakout candidates of the year. Denver already slightly prefers to hand the ball to him than to Gordon, and Williams has a lot of room to grow as a receiver—growth that seems quite possible now that Russell Wilson, rather than Drew Lock, is his quarterback.

3. Davante Adams, Raiders WR

Adams is the best receiver in the NFL, and he’s also the best player who will be debuting with a new team. In order to get Adams on the field with QB Derek Carr, the Raiders gave the Packers first- and second-round draft picks, then gave Adams a five-year contract with nearly $66 million guaranteed. It might not be possible for Adams to keep up quite the production levels he reached with Rodgers, with whom he was almost a mortal lock for the mid-1,000-yard range and double-digit touchdowns for about a half-decade. But he should still be great, and he should change the equation on offense for a Raiders team that was already decent enough to sneak into the playoffs in 2021.

4. Ikem Ekwonu, Panthers OT

Ekwonu was the first offensive lineman drafted in April, when Carolina took him sixth overall. He’s going to have a big job in front of him. The Panthers have struggled with protection, and while their QB position is nominally the subject of a battle between Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, common sense would suggest that Mayfield will win the job. Mayfield got repeatedly pounded into the turf in Cleveland last year, in a season that was bad enough that the Browns basically chased away their former No. 1 overall pick. If Mayfield is going to recover some of his value and be Carolina’s QB for the long term, the Panthers will need to keep him standing. Much of that job will fall to Ekwonu, the rookie, at left tackle.

5. Travon Walker, Jaguars EDGE

Walker is fairly anonymous for a No. 1 overall selection, but that’s how it goes when the Jaguars get the first pick two years in a row. They spent the first one on a quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, leaving other holes to fill the second time around. Walker was one of a handful of superstars on Georgia’s national title-winning defense a year ago. He rose up draft boards as he posted dominant workout numbers. How the Jaguars deploy him will be fascinating. UGA didn’t always use Walker as a conventional pass rusher, which resulted in sack numbers that looked weirdly low for a No. 1 pick. Will the Jaguars put Walker in a position to chase QBs all the time, or will he shift toward the interior to plug run lanes and attract double teams? The likeliest answer is that Jacksonville will do a bit of both.

6. Roquan Smith, Bears ILB

If you like the soap opera element of the NFL, Smith is the man of the hour. He’s awesome—one of the best inside linebackers the league has seen in a long time. However, the Chicago Bears don’t seem to want to pay him, so Smith has moved to the “demanding a trade via a statement to a reporter during training camp” phase of his Chicago career. Smith will be a star in 2022 no matter where he’s playing, but one of August’s great dramas is whether that will be next to Lake Michigan this year or somewhere else. Either way, his days in Chicago are numbered barring a dramatic shift in his circumstances.

7. Trevon Diggs, Cowboys CB

Diggs easily led the NFL with 11 interceptions in 2021. It was one of the most prolific cornerback seasons of all time. But Diggs was also a controversial player, because analysts who looked closely at his technique found a cornerback who sold out and took high risks to get those interceptions, and who got badly burned when things didn’t work out. Nobody will force anyone to take a side in the holy war over Diggs’ true value as a cornerback, but it’ll be interesting in 2022 to see if Diggs maintains his aggressive play style and high interception totals or adjusts his game in a more conservative direction.





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10 Best Porters to Drink Right Now

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A bottle of Deschutes Black Butte Porter




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Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

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Barbell Back Squat


The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.

“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.

If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.

Directions

Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.

Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

Circuit 1

Marius Bugge

A. Barbell Back Squat

Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts renegade row
Marius Bugge

B. Renegade Row

Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side

Circuit 2

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing renegade row Dumbbell Bentover Row in gym
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bentover Row

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 
Marius Bugge

B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 

Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 3

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat

Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Marius Bugge

B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift

Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Circuit 4

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing pullup
Marius Bugge

A. Pullup

Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Marius Bugge

B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press

Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 5

A. Dumbbell Pushup

Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps

B. Biceps Curl

Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps


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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout

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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout




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