David Bernard Law Montgomery, Parker Washington, and Kwity Paye are the AFCs Week 1 Secret Superstars

Superstars would possibly most likely smartly smartly additionally lead the dialogue by means of gadget of good fortune within the NFL, however most of the time, it’s the guys you slightly know who will fabricate the performs sought after when they’re sought after. Such avid players can also be underrated for a wide variety of causes. Maybe they’re taking part in in a smaller marketplace, and the media isn’t accurately trumpeting their exploits. Maybe they’re hidden in a intensity chart at the back of greater names who would possibly most likely smartly smartly additionally not be doing as a lot. Or, it’s steadily imaginable {that a} wayward trainer hasn’t quite learned that one man wants elevation to convey upper results to the workforce.

Without reference to the purpose, we at SB Country steadily need to convey the underrated names to you with the offseason Hidden Gemstones and in-season Secret Superstars series.

And with that during thoughts, listed here are our AFC Secret Superstars for Week 1 of the 2026 neatly-liked season. And when you occur to haven’t however, obtain the brand new SB Country app, in order that that you simply could be able to smartly additionally upper learn our stuff anywhere that you simply could be able to smartly also be!

If there’s something that you simply could be able to smartly not search information from from Sunday’s Week 1 circulate, it’s the Houston Texans’ coverage giving up 409 yards, 20 first downs, and 36 sides to any workforce, even Josh Allen’s Buffalo Expenses on a heater. However that’s what took jam to the 2025 coverage that ranked 2nd in DVOA at the back of simplest the Seattle Seahawks in Buffalo’s 36-31 secure.

What stored the Texans within the recreation as long as they had been changed into as soon as something else we didn’t check out lots from the 2025 Texans — a host of touchdowns from a running again. However old-fashioned Detroit Lions again David Bernard Law Montgomery, who signed a two-one 12 months, $16.5 million contract in March, changed that stunning staunch now. Vaulting over an area of backs who scored a complete of 10 dashing and receiving touchdowns within the 2025 season, Bernard Law Montgomery won 60 yards on 20 carries with two dashing touchdowns, along aspect 3 catches on 3 goals for 19 yards and one different get.

Not simplest did Bernard Law Montgomery grow to be the main participant in Texans historical past to score 3 touchdowns in his first recreation with the workforce, he additionally tied a story for essentially the most touchdowns by means of any participant in a fundamental recreation with a brand new workforce within the Well-known Bowl generation. The overall participant to score that changed into as soon as Saquon Barkley in his debut with the Philadelphia Eagles on September 6, 2024. Now, Barkley went directly to blow the NFL gadget with 2,857 yards from scrimmage and one in all essentially the most dominant running again seasons ever. The Texans aren’t looking ahead to that from Bernard Law Montgomery, however as head trainer DeMeco Ryans mentioned on Monday, Bernard Law Montgomery’s addition fills a style of holes in a Texans velocity recreation that changed into all however once more of an afterthought than a concern ultimate twelve months.

“I might deal with cherished to offer David a recreation ball; first Texan to originate up his debut with 3 touchdowns,” Ryans mentioned. “I assumed it changed into as soon as a no doubt impressive recreation by means of him – discovering a style to catch within the discontinuance zone. The offensive line blocked it no doubt effectively; staunch no doubt inspired with what he brings and what he presents our offense. You communicate a couple of man who can also be an explosive runner, physically runner. After we sought after yards, he changed into as soon as able to catch specific yards even if the velocity would possibly most likely smartly smartly even deal with been blocked for 0. He changed into as soon as able to catch 4 and 5 yards on runs.

“That speaks to David and staunch how he performs the game. He’s added lots to our offense. I know our guys ran the ball no doubt effectively, beginning with the offensive line, how they completed their blocks, our tight ends, how they blocked. Jointly, we did a really true task running the football. We threw the ball effectively, too. C.J. did a real task. We threw the ball effectively. We had our gadget offensively the style the ones guys moved the ball up and down the willpower.”

The intensive conception for the 2026 Texans is for the offense to be staunch true good enough to let the security prepare dinner dinner as it did ultimate season. Well, Bernard Law Montgomery’s addition allowed the offense to score larger than that. Now, it’s up to that coverage to recover from the sudden.

Ultimate season, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ receiver idea did no longer shuffle as expected.

The basis changed into as soon as that Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter would possibly most likely smartly smartly be the celebs up excessive, however between Hunter’s accidents and Thomas’ mysterious 2nd-one 12 months ineffectiveness, head trainer and offensive shot-caller Liam Coen needed to improvise as issues went along. The November 4 trade for old-fashioned Las Vegas Raiders receiver Jakobi Myers helped lots, however the ascent of 2023 Jaguars sixth-round come to a decision Parker Washington changed into as soon as staunch as monumental a deal.

In his first two-and-a-half of NFL seasons, the Penn Speak alum changed into as soon as on no memoir larger than a work participant… after which, issues grew to become around with shameful energy. He first blew onto the radar in Week 16 of the 2025 season, when he stuck 6 passes on 9 goals for 145 yards and a touchdown in opposition to the Denver Broncos’ at the basic constricting coverage, and from there by means of draw of the Jaguars’ Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Expenses, Washington changed into as soon as one in all the NFL’s most efficient receivers… quite out of nowhere.

In that four-sport stretch, Washington ranked 5th within the league in goals (28), 5th in receptions (19), 2nd in receiving yards (347, at the back of simplest Puka Nacua’s 348), and tied for 1/3 with two receiving touchdowns.

Someone who idea that changed into as soon as a fluke or a blip changed into as soon as taken to the woodshed by means of the results of Jacksonville’s 34-10 Sunday secure over the Cleveland Browns. Washington led all receivers on each groups with 5 catches on 6 goals for 83 yards and a touchdown, and as changed into as soon as the case within the 2025 season, the 5’10”, 212-pound Washington changed into as soon as sizable from any place within the formation.

“Heck of a play,” Coen mentioned of Washington’s 30-yard diving touchdown acquire. “Had guy coverage, [and] he had start air leverage. I pass judgement on he dove down and ran a really true direction. Were given the nickel to dive down and undercut him [on the route]. He ended up being gorgeous start and made an enormous acquire. [Quarterback Trevor Lawrence] had no doubt true coverage, no doubt all day. Was once as soon as homosexual with how we stared like a flash, in particular getting Parker going early.”

Now, Washington is in line for a brand new contract, however as Lawrence mentioned postgame, he doesn’t let that impact what happens at the willpower.

“That you’ll smartly probably not even know that’s going on staunch the style he carries himself. He’s been the an identical man. Truthful involves paintings on a daily basis, does the whole thing the moral gadget. So, yeah, you wouldn’t even know that’s going on within the background. Actually staunch inspired with how he’s treated that, however not bowled over. He’s a worker and he’s a stud. Had an enormous day not too long ago.”

With extra sizable days like this, Parker Washington is going to catch significantly paid by means of someone — and previous than later.

Within the 2025 season, the Las Vegas Raiders tied for the NFL’s seventh-lowest sack overall with 37, and their 174 quarterback pressures had been the league’s third-lowest, previous than simplest the Carolina Panthers (162) and the New York Jets (165). Consider what would deal with took jam if the Maxx Crosby trade had took jam, as Crosby changed into as soon as to blame for 10 of the ones sacks, and 46 of the ones pressures.

As a exchange, with a happier and fitter Crosby on board, new defensive coordinator Rob Leonard additionally had the addition of old-fashioned Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman Kwity Paye on board, by means of draw of the three-one 12 months, $48 million contract with $31.238 million confident the six-one 12 months old-fashioned signed this offseason.

The Raiders had a reasonably simple gig in Week 1 of the 2026 season with the roster-barren Miami Dolphins as their opponent, however you level-headed will have to reveal up and play the video video games. And Paye did that to an shameful point in his Raiders debut. He had a profession-excessive (for a unmarried recreation) 3 sacks and 8 overall pressures in Las Vegas’ 27-13 secure, and when Paye and Crosby had been at the willpower jointly, it caused the kind of disruption this coverage hasn’t created in a while. Crosby had two sacks and 8 pressures of his have — no surprise there — and total, the Raiders had been true for 5 sacks and 16 pressures.

Lifestyles changed into as soon as not sizable for Miami quarterback Malik Willis, and Paye changed into as soon as a fundamental purpose. Moreover, the 6’2”, 265-pound Paye did his factor from a wide variety of gaps.

”I pass judgement on as a workforce, as a coverage, we carried out effectively,” Paye mentioned postgame. “I no doubt really feel just like the prep going into the week changed into as soon as wonderful. Cry out to Robbie [Rob Leonard] in the beginning. Cry out to Trav [defensive line coach Travis Smith], relate out to [defensive assistant] Steve Ferentz, relate out to Okay-Jack [assistant defensive line coach Kenyon Jackson]. Those guys within the D-line room, they’ve were given us moral. We had 5 sacks this night. I no doubt really feel like that’s a testomony to their laborious paintings on a daily basis. Those indy [individual] drills execute, however it all paid off not too long ago.

“I mentioned as soon as to one of the vital principal blokes, ‘This is doubtlessly the hardest offseason I had with a workforce.’ however the real groups, they have got laborious offseasons, on memoir of that willingness to will have to secure is there. We hit the bottom running first day of OTAs, and it staunch confirmed not too long ago.”

Unnecessary to coach, Paye is beautiful thrilled to deal with Crosby because the epicenter of the shuffle velocity.

“I were given extra one-on-ones not too long ago, for glaring. The high-tail changed into as soon as clear of me, however I no doubt really feel like Robbie schemed it up on the subject of. Cry out to Trav all however once more, and Okay-Jack and Steve and all the ones guys for the prep going into the week, and I will’t thank the ones guys good enough.”

The value of laborious paintings, and having the moral teammates around you? Seems like the moral recipe those Raiders deal with been suffering to look out for quite a while now.