Won’t You Be My Nabers: X-Factors for Every NFC team

Williams, a third-round receiver from Clemson, will play primarily in the slot for the Commanders and provides quick game and yards-after-catch ability.

Austin Booker is critical to the Bears pass rush; when on the field last year, he accounted for 29% of Chicago's pressures and 27.3% of quarterback hits, second only to Montez Sweat.

Booker didn't play consistently coming off his knee injury last year and didn't play much in his rookie year, raising questions about his ability to step up as the Bears' number two edge.

If Booker has double-digit sacks, the Bears defense will likely be good because the secondary is talented, but the team didn't add to pass rush in free agency or the draft.

Blake Miller on the right side of the Lions offensive line is a concern; if the offensive line falls apart, it will likely be on that young right side.

The Panthers have a big decision looming with Bryce Young, but the front office has made solid moves elsewhere on offense.

Cade Mays is the X-factor on the Lions offensive line as the centerpiece at center; a good center would help the two young guards and is critical to the line's success.

Downs is the X-Factor for the Cowboys defense and the answer to many of Dallas's defensive problems, particularly in run defense and zone coverage.

Downs is a phenomenal run defender who should help limit explosive runs; Dallas gave up 51 15-yard-plus runs (only Giants were worse) and ranked 31st in second-level run defense.

Downs excels at putting people in the right position to play football and is an excellent communicator, which should help fix Dallas's zone coverage issues (32nd in EPA per play, 32nd in yards per play).

Downs can play multiple positions including nickel and post safety, giving Christian Parker flexibility in how to deploy him based on matchups and down-and-distance situations.

Godwin's target rate against man coverage dropped significantly in the second half of the season (from 31.4% to 18.8%), as defenses keyed on him and corners were able to push him around.

Godwin is excellent against zone coverage and has great spatial feel and quarterback-friendly hands, which should help him thrive in the new offensive scheme.

Analyst is optimistic about Godwin's outlook under new offensive coordinator Zach Robinson, who has a plan to get him more open and play to his skillset in underneath areas.

Buccaneers plan to use Godwin more as a Z receiver and move him around rather than as an outside X receiver asked to win man coverage, which should better suit his skillset.

Despite early season success being somewhat misleading and later season struggles being unfair, the analyst still believes Godwin's arrow is pointing up and he is incredibly talented.

Olave is part of a Saints offense that is trending positively with the addition of Tyson and improved offensive line, making the team a potential contender in the NFC South.

When Christian Watson is on the field, the Packers offense ranks second in yards per attempt, first in yards per play, fourth in EPA per play, and third in first down rate—a top-four offense.

When Christian Watson is off the field, the Packers offense drops to 16th in yards per play, 19th in first down rate, 13th in yards per attempt, and 19th in EPA per play.

If Christian Watson plays all 17 games, that's probably enough to feel good about the Packers offense despite concerns about the offensive line and Tucker Kraft.

Christian Watson is the long outside vertical threat that is explosive and critical to the Packers' identity; he clears room for the rest of the offense when on the field.

The Grenard trade indicates the Vikings believe in Dallas Turner, especially with Kyler arriving and the team no longer in a rebuilding phase.

Turner has explosive get-off and closing speed but his pass rush repertoire is still underwhelming; continued development is critical or the Vikings will regret trading Grenard.

Turner feasted on bad competition in the second half of the season, raising questions about the sustainability of his production gains.

This is Turner's year three and a critical breakout moment; if he doesn't step up, he won't get the big money contract he needs.

Lloyd signed with the Panthers at a much cheaper deal than expected, making it a good value addition to the defense.

Luvu will serve as the pass rusher in the Commanders' new linebacker group alongside Stiles and Chanel.

Tesla's development is important for the Lions philosophically because it reflects how much they want to run 11 personnel versus the 12 and 13 personnel that new OC Drew Petzing prefers.

The Giants signed Isaiah Likely as a tight end/big receiver option, but he cannot replace Nabers' impact if the star receiver is unavailable.

Coker was incredible last year and is one of the analyst's favorite players, suggesting the Panthers offense should be well-structured.

Thompson was signed by the Cowboys to complement Caleb Downs in the secondary.

Walker is the number one pass rusher on Atlanta's depth chart and will likely move around the front more while utilizing his versatility, which was previously underutilized.

Walker had an impressive rookie season with 5.5 sacks and 2 strip sacks, and Atlanta believes they were too conservative with him last year and plan to move him around more on the defensive line.

Analyst is very optimistic about Walker, noting he flashed traits he liked as a prospect at Georgia including instincts, athleticism, and plays really hard.

With James Pierce Jr. unavailable, Walker's expanded role and weaponized versatility will be critical to the Falcons defense, which was surprisingly 12th in DVOA last season.

Phillips had 31.2% of the Panthers' pressures last year but only 14.9% of sacks, and he must convert those pressures into sacks to justify his contract and be a major impact player for the defense.

Phillips' contract at $30 million per year is justified given he is better than other edge options on the market, and he is a good fit for Evero's defensive scheme from the Fangio tree.

Phillips is a top-tier edge rusher and good run defender who is underrated due to lack of sack production, and if he hits his ceiling, the Panthers defense becomes at minimum average, which is a significant improvement.

The Lions don't want to take Jameson Williams off the field at all, creating a push-and-pull with their offensive philosophy around personnel usage.

Daniels was still really good last year and a healthy version of him makes the Commanders offense significantly better.

Jalen Johnson is part of a talented Bears cornerback group that could be awesome when all players are healthy, though they missed significant time last year.

Jordan Love is an aggressive quarterback with no hesitation to push the ball downfield, and his combination with Christian Watson works out so well that it makes the Packers offense highly efficient.

Tyson is an excellent fit for the Saints offense and quarterback Sheckel, who has a willingness to throw the middle of the field and intermediate routes that Tyson excels at.

Kyler Gordon is part of a talented Bears cornerback group that could be awesome when all players are healthy, though they missed significant time last year.

Nabers is the X-Factor for the Giants offense; his presence is critical to helping young QB Jackson Dart achieve success, as the receiving group is weak without him.

Nabers suffered a torn ACL and torn meniscus in late September last year and there are concerns about his readiness for Week 1, with Adam Schefter implying he might not be available.

Nabers had an incredible breakout rookie season with elite target share (30.7%), route participation (31%), and air yards share (41.6%), showing top-10 receiver potential before his injury.

Nabers required a second surgery to clean things up, raising questions about when he will be fully healthy and able to perform at his peak level.

Matthew Golden came alive at the end of the season for the Packers, but the offense is very different when Christian Watson is not on the field.

Micah Parsons might not be ready until October, which is deeply concerning given he is one of the more load-bearing players in the NFL.

Montez Sweat accounted for 28.9% of the Bears' pressures last season (ranked 13th), with the next highest Bear being Gervin Dexter at 20.3%, showing heavy reliance on Sweat.

Cross, age 25, is part of the Commanders' youth infusion on defense, brought in as part of their defensive overhaul.

Oweh is a reclamation project who was okay in Baltimore before breaking out in LA with improved pass rush production, but there's uncertainty about whether that success will continue.

Stiles is the X-Factor for the Commanders defense, exemplifying the team's defensive overhaul and positioned as a versatile centerpiece linebacker who can play multiple roles.

Stiles' presence should help open up what the Commanders defense can do with new pieces and a new scheme, with his safety background allowing him to work well in coverage.

With Stiles as the centerpiece, the Commanders could have one of the best linebacker groups in the league, pairing him with Leo Chanel and Frankie Luvu.

McLaurin was injured or not fully healthy last year, and his connection with Jaden Daniels in limited snaps wasn't fully established.

With a full offseason and workouts together with Daniels, McLaurin should improve his connection with the QB; he has been a pretty healthy receiver outside of last year.

Tucker Kraft's health and availability are critical to monitor; he was the focal point of the Packers offense and his absence forces them to evolve their identity.

Robinson was the primary volume eater for the Giants after Nabers went down but is now gone, traded to Tennessee.