Five NFL Players With The Most To Prove in 2024

Every offseason, regardless of sport, athletes come into training camp with a chip on their shoulder.

Whether they feel like they were slighted during contract negotiations or a part of a bad trade, some athletes will use whatever they can as motivation to perform even better on the field. Maybe they’re trying to earn that next pay day. Perhaps they believe they are the missing piece to their team’s championship puzzle.

Regardless of what the reason might be, let’s rank the top five NFL players with the most to prove in 2024.

Tua Tagovailoa

This one could be a little premature, as Tagovailoa could very well be extended before the start of the NFL season. At times last season, he looked like an MVP candidate.

But against upper-echelon talent, it seems like Tua fades. He’s still yet to win a playoff game, and that needs to happen this season regardless of his contract status.

Mike McDaniel repeatedly stands behind Tua. He has all of the weapons to win this first career playoff game. His stats in October will not matter as much as his results in late December.

Dak Prescott

Let’s stick with the quarterback position for one quick moment.

Prescott is entering his ninth NFL season and it still seems like the Dallas Cowboys are hesitant to commit to him fully. We almost never see quarterbacks hit the unrestricted free agent market, but Prescott presumably will in 2025 after Jerry Jones halted contract talks.

If Prescott has an MVP-caliber season, he puts Jones and the Cowboys in an uncomfortable but familiar position. As long as he plays well, which we know that he can, he’s in line for a monster paycheck. 

Christian McCaffrey

It almost feels wrong to put McCaffrey on a list like this. However, after he inked a $38 million extension during the first week of June, he needs to live up to those dollar signs.

By now, everyone knows the knock on McCaffrey. He’s really good when available, but he’s often injured. Last season he started 16 games for the San Francisco 49ers. If he does that again, that contract almost looks like a bargain due to his surefire production as both a running back and receiver.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

Sure, we’re not above putting a rookie on this list.

Maserati Marv (that nickname still stinks) was unbelievable in his final year at Ohio State with Kyle McCord as his quarterback. Now, he’s tasked with elevating the play of Kyler Murray. 

Almost everyone expects Harrison Jr. to be the greatest Arizona Cardinal receiver since Larry Fitzgerald, and that all starts with having a baller rookie year.

L’Jarius Sneed

The Tennessee Titans were able to land one of the best corners in the NFL for a third round pick. That’s because they had to pay him an absolute bag, specifically, over $76 million for the next four seasons.

Sneed is a player that the Titans expect to overhaul their defense. At just 27 years old, he already has 10 interceptions.

The AFC South has some talented receivers, now including Houston’s Stefon Diggs. Sneed will need to make a difference to give the Titans a shot at the postseason.