By Ian Wharton
Everything about an NFL season can change within an instance. A sudden change of direction, an accidental move, or a mistimed hit can force franchises to re-evaluate their season in a heartbeat. Every season we see some of the most impactful NFL stars miss a significant chunk of the season due to an injury.
The 2021 season was no different than previous years. A list of established veterans and young stars succumbed to the injury bug. Fantasy managers notice this more than most fans, especially if your top pick missed half of the season or more.
After scrubbing through the extensive list of injured playmakers returning to action in 2022, we’ve ranked the nine most impactful NFL players who we’ll see this fall. Each of these individuals suffered a season-ending injury or missed the majority of 2021 before returning to the field at less than 100%.
Recent production weighs into our definition of impactful, but so does the importance of the individual to their team’s identity. Some players are more integral to the success of their team than others even if they’re not necessarily more productive in raw stats.
Let’s dive in.
Chase Young, Edge, Washington Commanders
The NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020, Chase Young emerged as a playmaker for Washington as soon as he stepped onto the field in his first season. He quickly amassed 7.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 15 games. Washington had previously invested first-round picks into Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Montez Sweat along the line but it was Young who stood out the most.
Unfortunately, Young didn’t get the chance to make the most out of the momentum he created as a rookie. He tore his ACL in November after producing just 1.5 sacks in nine games. Washington’s defense started the year well below expectations despite boasting a feared group of trench athletes.
By the end of the season, the Commanders’ secondary gelled and the unit was playing more cohesively despite Young being out. It’s easy to be optimistic about adding a premier pass-rush presence to a unit that has speed and playmaking at every level.
Commanders head coach Ron Rivera has already said Young will miss at least Week 1 of this season. Young should benefit from the extra time and patience from the organization. But when he’s ready, expect for the Commanders to see a noticeable bump in performance from their defense.
Tre’Davious White, CB, Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills produced the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense and passing defense in 2021 despite having zero Pro Bowlers. The lack of recognition should certainly change in 2022. Getting former All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White back from a torn ACL and adding superstar pass-rusher Von Miller further raise the ceiling of this unit.
White is one of the best zone cornerbacks in the NFL, if not the best. He played in 11 games last year, totaling 41 tackles, one interception and six pass deflections. According to Player Profiler, White finished his campaign with the third-best passer rating allowed and the seventh-best coverage rating and catch rate allowed.
With 16 career interceptions and a history of being a force in the run game, White is a stabilizing presence in this talented secondary. Buffalo added first-round pick Kaiir Elam across from White, giving the Bills more flexibility to play more man coverage than in previous seasons. Alongside star safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, this might be the best secondary in the NFL in 2022.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
We haven’t seen Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey at his peak powers since his All-Pro season in 2019. Injuries have limited him to just 10 games over the last two seasons. After producing 2,392 total yards and 19 touchdowns in 2019, McCaffrey has amassed 1,159 total yards and eight scores in the two years since.
Various injuries to his ankle, thigh, hamstring and shoulder have continued to pile up. Despite playing in all of his first 48 games, he’s played in just 10 of his last 33 possible contests. McCaffrey turned 26 this summer but it’s hard to not feel like this is a make-or-break season for the rest of his career.
The good news is McCaffrey appeared to regain his previous explosiveness in the seven games he played last year. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry and a career-high 9.3 yards per reception. With Baker Mayfield now challenging for the starting quarterback job in Carolina, McCaffrey should benefit from a more talented passer being present.
With his All-Pro potential leading the Panthers’ offense, the playmaking trio of McCaffrey, D.J. Moore and Robbie Anderson are one of the more young, dynamic groups in the NFL.
Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The NFL’s second-best scoring offense and top-ranked passing attack will of course miss their leading receiver for any amount of time. Star quarterback Tom Brady quickly took to Chris Godwin as a favorite. The slot specialist finished 2021 fourth in the NFL with 26 red zone targets, 10th in receptions and third in yards after the catch despite missing three games.
A torn ACL on December 19 put his start to the 2022 season in jeopardy but he returned to practice for the first time last week. The Buccaneers will likely take the long-term approach with Godwin in order to protect him. They signed him to a three-year, $60 million extension this past offseason.
Tampa Bay didn’t sit on their hands knowing Godwin might take time to get back to full health. Veterans Russell Gage and Julio Jones were added to a unit that was otherwise filled with young, less proven talent. They’ll help fill the void until Godwin is back, but make no mistake that he’ll return as the No. 1 playmaker for Brady.
Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints
A string of ankle injuries caused one of the best overall playmakers in the NFL to see his career derailed for 18 months. New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was off to a Hall of Fame pace in his first 70 games. His peak season came in 2019 when he caught 149 passes for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns as he averaged 107.8 yards per game.
We haven’t seen Thomas since his 2020 season ended just seven games in. Since then, Drew Brees retired and Sean Payton resigned. Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael is still in charge of the offense and Jameis Winston will return as the quarterback after suffering a torn ACL in Week 8 last year.
Thomas was best-known for dominating on slant routes with Brees as the signal-caller of the unit but his role will likely change with Winston’s vertical passing prowess. He’s also surrounded by a better group of receivers than what the Saints have had in previous seasons. Rookie Chris Olave and veteran slot specialist Jarvis Landry give the unit a well-rounded core.
At his best, Thomas is a dominating 6’3″, 212-pound presence capable of carrying a unit to elite output. If he’s 100% healthy for 2022, the Saints’ offense can push this team into a serious playoff threat.
Marlon Humphrey, CB, Baltimore Ravens
The 2021 Baltimore Ravens suffered one of the worst bouts of widespread injuries across their roster as any team in recent years. Of their key injuries, star cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey (torn pectoral muscle) and Marcus Peters (torn ACL) missed a combined 21 games. It shouldn’t be a surprise the normally-stout Ravens defense fell to 32nd in passing yards allowed considering these injuries.
Humphrey is one of the most dominant and physically-imposing man cornerbacks in the NFL. Even as the Ravens’ defense underachieved last year, Humphrey ranked fourth in coverage rating, 13th in target separation and fifth in catch rate allowed. The 26-year-old had posted even better numbers earlier in his career as the ecosystem around him was stronger.
New Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald will need Humphrey to be in his best form for the defense to get back into the top five. There’s not another defensive unit in the NFL with as much cornerback depth as the Ravens but having their playmaking stars is crucial. With nine interceptions, 64 pass deflections and 12 forced fumbles over his career, Humphrey is certainly a playmaking star presence.
Khalil Mack, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers
The biggest trade this offseason not involving a quarterback was one of the earliest deals announced. As the Chicago Bears started their fire sale of veteran talent, the Los Angeles Chargers wisely swooped in to grab Khalil Mack. The 31-year-old saw his 2021 campaign end just seven games into the season due to a foot injury.
When healthy, Mack has been one of the most feared and distinguished edge-rushers in the NFL since being drafted fifth overall in 2014. The six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro still had six sacks last year. Adding him to a defense with Joey Bosa, Derwin James and J.C. Jackson could push the Chargers into the Super Bowl in 2022.
Besides his outstanding pass-rush, Mack is a stellar run defender thanks to his incredible strength at the point of attack. His 23 career forced fumbles and 22 pass deflections are also rare for someone at his position. If he’s healthy, Mack’s Chargers tenure could push him into the Hall of Fame.
Jameis Winston, QB, New Orleans Saints
It’s hard for most positional players to compete with quarterbacks when it comes to impact. There’s not a more important position on the field and it’s most obvious when the quarterback is playing well or not. Jameis Winston isn’t the most talented player on our list but his play in 2022 will determine whether the Saints are Super Bowl pretenders or contenders.
The 28-year-old tore his ACL after a promising start through seven games. His first season in New Orleans in 2020 didn’t go as expected as he backed up Taysom Hill and only attempted 11 passes. He earned the starting job last year and showed a much-improved ability to take care of the football.
Known for being a volatile passer with a penchant for throwing interceptions at an abnormally high rate, Winston cut his interceptions down to a career-low 1.9% last year. With Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, Jarvis Landry and Alvin Kamara surrounding him this season, it’s fair to expect one of Winston’s finest seasons yet as a professional.
There’s no question Winston is talented. He led the NFL in passing yards with 5,109 in 2019 before Tampa Bay signed Tom Brady. He also led the NFL with 30 interceptions to go with 33 touchdowns.
If New Orleans can continue to balance Winston’s aggression with good decision-making, he’ll be their franchise quarterback for years to come. They could also prove to be a darkhorse Super Bowl threat in the immediate future. The rest of the Saints roster is ready to compete at that level.
Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
There’s not another running back in the league built like Derrick Henry, both literally and metaphorically. The massive 6’3″, 247-pounder has been the face of the Tennessee Titans since earning the lion’s share of carries in 2018. Since then, Henry has led the NFL in rushing yards twice and was set to do so again in 2021 before missing nine games with a broken bone in his foot.
Henry returned in the NFL Wild Card Round against the Cincinnati Bengals and ran 20 times for 62 yards and one touchdown. Although he ultimately came back to the field last season, Henry admitted he was still doing physical therapy this offseason. Thus, he still qualifies as a player returning from injury.
The Titans aren’t the same team without Henry bulldozing through opponents. His ability to handle such a large workload and remain efficient and explosive is unparalleled. He ranked second in juke rate, third in evaded tackles and 12th in breakaway runs last year despite being so massive and playing in a power-run scheme that doesn’t manufacture spread defenses.
Henry will again challenge for the NFL’s leading rusher crown in 2022. Now 28 years old, Henry will look to push conventional norms once again and continue his dominance as he nears 30.
