Kyle Monangai, Osa Odighizuwa, and Tyler Owens are the NFCs Week 1 Secret Superstars

Superstars would most likely probably lead the dialogue when it comes to good fortune within the NFL, however extra generally than now not, it’s the fellows you slightly know who will affect the plays needed when they’re needed. Such avid players may even be underrated for all sorts of causes. Possibly they’re taking part in in a smaller marketplace, and the media isn’t as it’s going to be trumpeting their exploits. Per chance they’re hidden in a intensity chart within the once more of larger names who would most likely probably now not be doing as worthy. Or, it’s regularly that you’d most likely probably probably pronounce {that a} wayward trainer hasn’t relatively learned that one guy desires elevation to bellow larger effects to the team.

No topic the purpose, we at SB Country regularly fancy to bellow the underrated names to you with the offseason Hidden Gem stones and in-season Secret Superstars assortment.

And with that during guidelines, listed here are our NFC Secret Superstars for Week 1 of the 2026 routine season. And must you haven’t but, download the brand new SB Country app, so that you’d most likely probably probably larger study and reveal on our stuff anyplace you might be!

Chicago Bears head trainer Ben Johnson hasn’t ever purchased the credit score score he merits for designing one of the fully and maximum various traipse video games within the NFL.

This was the case when David Bernard Legislation Sir Bernard Law and Jahmyr Gibbs have been working wild with Johnson since the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator in 2022 thru 2024, and it’s the case now. Everybody wishes to speak about Caleb Williams’ explosive passing plays and overall development, and that’s understood, however Johnson is lawful up there with Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay and whoever else as a traipse recreation genius, and that was by no means extra obvious than in Chicago’s 59-37 demolition of the Carolina Panthers’ coverage in Week 1.

Not fully did the Bears pronounce a franchise report for mainly essentially the most facets ever in a season opener — lovely spectacular when your franchise has been spherical in a single make or one different since 1920 — however they additionally participated in probably the most best-scoring Week 1 recreation in professional soccer historical past. Sure, Williams was spectacular in the course of the air, finishing 21 of 29 passes for 269 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer score of 124.1.

All well and factual, but it surely with no doubt was the Bears’ traipse recreation that gave the Panthers suits, with 39 carries for 291 yards (7.5 yards according to elevate), and SIX speeding touchdowns. D’Andre Swift was the primary guy with 18 carries for 129 yards and 3 ratings, however when it comes to explosiveness, it was second-year guy Kyle Monangai who with no doubt pronounce the tone. He gained 100 yards on 10 carries, and averaged a really perfect 8.4 yards after touch. Maximum of that got here on his 61-yard landing traipse unhurried within the 3rd quarter, however you may gaze it at some stage of the tape.

The methods wherein tight stop Cole Kmet, as well to receivers Jahdae Walker and Luther Burden III, blocked at the play informed you each and every factor you must understand about how worthy one and all within the developing values that traipse recreation.

“I observed Jahdae chasing down and making sure that wasn’t factual a considerable play, however a landing,” Raymond stated postgame. “I imply, it’s a considerable play for Kyle, however Jahdae’s available in the market taking guys to ensure it occurs. I imply, it is going from a considerable play, a most important the entire method right down to a landing. That’s a testament to the fellows blocking off. I believe Lu had a considerable block too … so factual the full stuff operating in combination, and that’s what you get to the bottom of on, particularly for the backs we occupy.”

And the schemes they occupy were given. Bears warring parties already know what others are factual waking as so much as take pleasure in — that Ben Johnson can be nice if all he did was to taste the ground recreation.

Ultimate season, the 49ers’ motion traipse splits with and without Slit Bosa, who neglected the general 14 video games of the 2025 routine season with a torn ACL have been about what you’d quiz.

With Bosa at the self-discipline (65 opposing dropbacks faced):

With Bosa off the self-discipline (569 opposing dropbacks faced):

This wasn’t factual a testament to Bosa’s greatness; it was additionally an depressing statement with reference to the rest of that line of defense. Bryce Huff led the team with 5 sacks and 46 overall pressures, and completely Huff and fellow edge defender Sam Okuayinonu had greater than 30 overall pressures. San Francisco’s inner line of defense was particularly problematic from a motion traipse stage of view — Jordan Elliott, Alfred Collins, CJ West, Kalia Davis, and Kevin Givens combined for 4 sacks and 55 pressures, and when your overall guts of your motion traipse is that mild, it’s a over the top compile 22 scenario.

Which is why in March, the 49ers traded a 2026 draft disappear for ex-Dallas Cowboys inner disruptor Osa Odighizuwa and the four-year, $80 million contract he signed in 2025. Odighizuwa is a relative cut price on a $5.122 million cap hit in 2026, however the tasks shoot as so much as $23.407 million in every and every 2027 and 2028 if he’s peaceful at the roster.

According to what the 6’2”, 280-pound Odighizuwa did in his 49ers debut as his new team clocked the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 in Melbourne, Australia, there shouldn’t be any worries about his talent to reside as so much because the deal. Odighizuwa has in general been extra of a person who racks up pressures than sacks — he had 3 takedowns and 52 pressures ultimate season for Dallas’ abysmal coverage — and that carried out out towards the Rams. Whilst Odighizuwa didn’t occupy a sack, all 5 of his quarterback pressures resulted immediately in Matthew Stafford incompletions.

Whilst you had a cornerback who would most likely probably ensure an o-fer from the reigning NFL Maximum Valuable Player every time he was furious by means of a play, that may probably be lovely excellent, no? On this case, it was Osa Odighizuwa’s talent to blow stuff up along multiple gaps that in reality stood out, as long as you have been paying attention to greater than factual sack totals.

How generally does an best possible teams play disappear viral?

With 8:57 left in the primary part of of the Washington Commanders’ eventual 24-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington punted to Philly on fourth-and-18 from its occupy 19-yard line. That gave Commanders protection Tyler Owens the other to blast thru a double team “vice” consisting of receiver Darius Cooper and cornerback Jonathan Jones, and completely blast go back guy Michael Carter II on a 12-yard go back.

It was a heroic effort, and Commanders head trainer Dan Quinn had relatively a little to assert about it on Monday.

“I didn’t gaze the start of it at the self-discipline,” Quinn recalled. “Would most likely occupy stuck fancy the nook the place he beat the vice to motion down the self-discipline, however I did gaze the take on. And he had with no doubt made a play previous on punt as well the place he had a take on in the similar connect the place he had beat a vice and went the full method inner. So, that’s the galvanize of a factual gunner once they’re making an attempt to vice you.

“It was one of the proudest plays for me of him, even though. He’s a person who’s pace and pressure is regularly there, however to seem for that one design in combination, it was factual superior. And it was so him, fancy, ‘Oh, thank you, guy. That’s what I am getting. ’ You understand, fancy it was fancy no really extensive deal. And as well you’re fancy, ‘Guy, here is a really really extensive deal. ’ It was a really cool play, and I were given to seem for it probably fancy one and all else did from the neighborhood feed afterwards. And it was one in all my licensed plays in a really very very long time on particular teams with no doubt.”

Owens did certainly occupy the similar play previous within the recreation. With 7:42 left in the primary quarter, the Commanders punted on fourth-and-10 from their occupy six-yard line, and this time, Owens went across the vice to discontinuance returner Britain Covey for a one-yard loss.

Everybody loved what the 2024 undrafted unfastened agent defensive once more from Texas Tech did.

Owens has factual 67 habitual-season defensive snaps in his NFL occupation, but if he keeps dominating on particular teams fancy this, he’ll absolutely stick and discontinuance as a treasured part of Washington’s roster.