With many teams playing earlier this week, there is only a handful of games in the NFL for this Sunday’s list, but who are the standout players to watch this weekend?
Another weekend of NFL is upon us, with the Thanksgiving festivities still very much in full force ahead of Sunday and Monday’s matchups.
With 11 games set to take place, including some huge matchups across the league, who will be the players that you need to keep an eye on throughout the next two days?
1. Saquon Barkley
Philadelphia Eagles (@ Baltimore Ravens)
This choice is pretty much as self-explanatory as it could be.
Barkley is enjoying the best season of his NFL career with the Eagles. He has already rushed for 1392 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.
Last week, Saquon had his best game in his career in the Eagles’ 20-37 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. He achieved 302 all-purpose yards, with 255 of them being rushing yards. He also scored two rushing touchdowns as he led his team to an important victory.
The 27-year-old’s dual-threat ability makes him one of the hardest players to defend in the NFL, and the Ravens are going to have a difficult evening if he gets anywhere close to the freedom he had last week.
2. Mike Evans
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@ Carolina Panthers)
After a spell on the sideline with injury, Mike Evans returned to action for the Buccaneers in their big win over the New York Giants.
Evans still leads his team in receiving touchdowns despite his time away from the team, and his return could help save the Buccs season after they lost four straight games after he was injured.
They face a Panthers team on a good run of form but still a team with a much weaker roster than themselves. It presents a good opportunity for the Buccaneers to build more momentum on the back of last week’s result.
It has been evident that Tampa struggle without Evans, and his return this week could see him have a massive game in order to send them back to the top of the NFC South.
3. Ja’Marr Chase
Cincinnati Bengals (H, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, Chase has had yet another fantastic season despite the Bengals losing record.
With 12 touchdowns and over 1000 receiving yards already to his name this season, his connection with fellow LSU alumni quarterback Joe Burrow has been the only real bright spark in their season.
Chase is a serious contender for the Offensive Player of the Year award this season, which is a monumental achievement considering the Bengals’ poor form this season.
With another tough matchup this week against a fantastic Steelers team, Chase may be the only hope for the Bengals to keep their playoff hopes alive this week.
4. Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills (H, San Francisco 49ers)
Arguably the best team in the AFC after their win over the Kansas City Chiefs before their bye week, the Bills are a team on the rise, and Josh Allen is the leader of this rise.
Allen is leading the MVP race at the minute, and there are absolutely no surprises as to why. With 2543 passing yards and 18 passing and five rushing touchdowns, he has been electric.
The Bills have now won six straight games and have a 9-2 record, giving them the third-best record in the NFL. They need to keep winning if they want to contend for the first seed in the AFC with the Chiefs.
They face a tough primetime test against the 49ers this week, but Allen will be keen to prove why he has been getting all the plaudits in the last couple of weeks.
5. Bo Nix
Denver Broncos (H, Cleveland Browns)
After many claims throughout the draft process that Nix was not a first-round prospect, he has quickly proven his critics wrong.
Nix has been excellent for the Broncos since his arrival, throwing for 16 touchdowns and 2548 yards whilst leading his team to a 7-5 record.
With the playoffs in sight when many expected this team to end with a losing record, Nix has helped this team to be a lot better than anyone expected. The rookie has thrown six touchdowns in his last two games and is in the form of his life.
A tough game against an inconsistent Cleveland Browns side on Monday Night Football this week could be his time to yet again show the world what he is capable of.
*All Statistics correct as of 30/11/24 via SofaScore*