2026 NFL Studs and Duds: Who’s Surprising, Who’s Struggling and Who’s Exactly as Expected
Twenty years ago this month, Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green delivered one of the most memorable postgame press conferences in NFL history.
His Cardinals had just blown a 20-point halftime lead to the undefeated Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. They lost 24-23 despite a Chicago offense that failed to score a single touchdown, and Green was understandably furious.
Then he absolutely lost it when a reporter asked about his team's defensive performance, a tirade that ended with:
“If you want to crown them, then crown their asses! But [the Bears] are who we thought they were. And we let 'em off the hook!”
There was plenty more yelling leading up to that moment. Green's hand slapped on the podium, and his raw emotion made the clip an instant classic.
Two decades later, it's still one of the funniest and most frequently quoted coaching meltdowns in NFL history.
One reason is that there's always been something particularly amusing about Green's insistence, to the point of rage, that he had the Bears figured out. Because if there's one thing the NFL's taught us over the years, it's that we're rarely as good at predicting these things as we think.
There's a reason this league prides itself on parity and unexpected surprises.
Last year's division doormat can become this year's contender, and a team that looked unstoppable in September can look completely lost by Halloween. Even the most carefully constructed Super Bowl favorite is never more than a few injuries, a struggling quarterback, or a questionable coaching decision away from watching the playoffs from home.
And that's entire teams. Players can be even harder to figure out.
Every season, some overlooked draft pick becomes a star, while a supposedly can't-miss prospect struggles to make an impact. Even guys who've shown success in the past can lose their on-field mojo, falling into slumps that cause fans to question their hearts.
So far into the 2026 NFL season, we've already seen players exceed expectations, others fall well short of them, and a few who remind us why we thought so highly (or so little) of them in the first place.
So, with a nod to the late Dennis Green, we're sorting some of the season's most interesting individual performances into three categories: the Studs, the Duds, and the guys who turned out to be exactly who we thought they were — for better or for worse.
NFL Studs … So Far
Kenneth Walker III, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Apparently, the Chiefs can run the football, too.
Kansas City brought in Walker to bolster a rushing attack that had long played second fiddle to Patrick Mahomes. But few expected this kind of production.
Through five games, the reigning Super Bowl MVP leads the NFL with 665 rushing yards, averaging a ridiculous 6.3 yards per carry. He's topped 100 yards four times, including 128 yards and two touchdowns against the Chargers in Week 6.
Suddenly, the undefeated Chiefs have another offensive weapon opponents have to respect.
Christian Watson & Matthew Golden, WRs, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay entered 2026 with questions at receiver. Christian Watson's injury history was concerning, while Matthew Golden was coming off a disappointing rookie season.
Six weeks later, they're among the NFL's most productive receiving duos.
Watson has 538 yards and six touchdowns, including two games topping 140 yards. Golden’s added 501 yards, already surpassing his entire rookie-year output.
Together, they've given Jordan Love two dangerous downfield targets and opposing secondaries a serious headache.
Isaiah Likely, TE, New York Giants
Turns out, Isaiah Likely just needed a little room to grow.
After four seasons sharing tight end duties with Mark Andrews in Baltimore, Likely has become a centerpiece of the Giants' passing attack. His 39 receptions rank him second among NFL tight ends, while his five touchdown catches are tied for the league lead at the position.
He's also delivered three consecutive productive outings, including an 11-catch, two-touchdown performance. Needless to say, Likely’s become a Fantasy Football darling so far this season.
Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
Malik Nabers was supposed to be good. But producing at this level with New York's revolving door at quarterback? That's another story.
The former sixth overall pick has 41 catches for 494 yards through six weeks, including three consecutive 100-yard performances. His latest was a 12-catch, 165-yard effort against New Orleans.
Opposing defenses know he's the Giants' most dangerous receiving threat, yet Nabers continues finding ways to get open and produce, regardless of who's throwing him the football.
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy’s “Mr. Irrelevant” days are well behind him.
After an injury-shortened 2025 season, questions surrounded San Francisco's offense entering 2026. Purdy answered by leading the 49ers to a 6-0 start, throwing 14 touchdowns against only two interceptions while completing nearly 70% of his passes.
The Iowa State product’s done this despite another round of injuries to key offensive players, reminding everyone that his previous successes were hardly a fluke.
NFL Duds … So Far
Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers expected Hampton to take a big step forward after a promising rookie season. Instead, he's averaging 3.6 yards per carry, down from 4.4 last year. And he’s already lost two fumbles.
His rushing production has dropped from 94 yards in Week 2 to only 18 against Kansas City in Week 6, while backups Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell are competing for opportunities.
Hampton's struggles are another headache for an already winless Chargers team.
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Remember when Ashton Jeanty was supposed to transform the Raiders' running game?
The former sixth overall pick rushed for 975 yards as a rookie, setting expectations considerably higher for Year 2. Instead, he's managed only 313 yards on 98 carries, averaging a miserable 3.2 yards per attempt.
His first rushing touchdown didn't come until Week 6.
As a silver lining, Jeanty’s contributed 251 receiving yards. However, the Raiders were expecting a game-changing runner, and they haven't gotten that out of him yet.
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Denver Broncos
A fresh start in Denver was supposed to revive Jaylen Waddle's career, especially with Bo Nix throwing him the football.
So far, though, they haven’t made much of a combo. Waddle’s caught only 22 passes for 228 yards and one touchdown through six games.
Even more concerning is that 138 of those yards came in Week 2, meaning he's produced only 90 receiving yards across his other five appearances. That's hardly the impact Denver envisioned when it brought in the former Dolphins star.
Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks
What a difference a year makes.
Darnold helped lead Seattle to a Super Bowl championship last season, seemingly putting his reputation for inconsistency behind him. Those old concerns are resurfacing in 2026, however.
Through five starts, he's completed just 60.4% of his passes, with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. His 77.4 passer rating is a steep drop from his championship season, and Drew Lock has already won twice in relief.
Suddenly, Seattle has a quarterback controversy nobody expected in September.
Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
Herbert was supposed to be the guy who could elevate the Chargers into contention. Instead, he's leading the NFL with eight interception against only five TD passes.
Los Angeles is currently winless at 0-6, and Herbert’s been sacked 21 times behind an injury-ravaged offensive line. He's also completed just 59.4% of his passes.
The protection problems are real, but so are the turnovers. For a quarterback of Herbert's caliber, this has been an awfully disappointing start.
A.J. Brown, WR, New England Patriots
New England made a major offseason investment in A.J. Brown, hoping the three-time Pro Bowler would become Drake Maye's go-to receiver. Instead, an ankle injury has limited him to two games and six catches for 53 yards.
His Week 6 return against the Jets was particularly ugly: three receptions on 10 targets, three drops, and a botched onside-kick recovery.
Injuries explain much of his disappointing start, but the Patriots are still waiting for their prized acquisition to make an impact.
Players Who Are Who We Thought They Were
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
After a dominant 2025 season, Jahmyr Gibbs hasn’t slowed down one bit this year.
The Lions' electric running back’s already piled up 747 total yards and nine touchdowns through five games this season. This includes 151 rushing yards and two scores against Arizona in Week 5.
He's averaging more than 149 yards from scrimmage per game and has scored at least once in every outing. So far, Detroit’s gotten the superstar they expected.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Houston Texans
When Arizona traded Marvin Harrison Jr. to Houston after only four games, it was a pretty remarkable admission that things hadn't worked out. But it’s also consistent with a lukewarm career that’s caused players and fans to lower expectations for the former fourth overall pick.
After all, Harrison’s production has never matched the hype he brought with him from college. Through six weeks of 2026, he has only eight catches for 119 yards and a touchdown.
Perhaps a change of scenery could still revive his career. So far, though, the disappointment’s become predictable.
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
New head coach, same Josh Allen.
Buffalo's franchise quarterback has accounted for 17 touchdowns through six games, including eight on the ground, while leading the Bills to a 5-1 record.
His 121-yard rushing performance against the Rams in Week 5 was another reminder that defenses can spend all week preparing for Allen and still have no idea how to contain him.
So far, Allen’s firmly in the MVP conversation again, which is exactly where everyone expected him to be.
Kyle Pitts Sr., TE, Atlanta Falcons
Ah, Kyle Pitts. Another season, another round of wondering whether this will finally be the year.
The former fourth overall pick entered 2026 with plenty of believers still expecting a breakout. Instead, he's been largely invisible in Atlanta's passing game.
So far, Pitts has 15 receptions for 169 yards through six weeks. He did score twice against Chicago in Week 6, offering another tantalizing glimpse of his potential. But after years of inconsistency, he’ll need to put together dominant back-to-back-to-back performances before fans are likely to get too excited.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Jaxon Smith-Njigba entered 2026 as one of the NFL's premier receivers. Six weeks later, he's making a convincing case for being the best.
The Seahawks star leads the league with 717 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, topping 100 yards in five of his six games. That includes a 155-yard, three-touchdown explosion against Arizona and 134 yards against Denver in Week 6.
And he’s done all this with inconsistent play at quarterback.
Who Will They Be by Season’s End?
Six weeks is a small sample size in a league built on surprises. Some of this year’s Studs will cool off, a few Duds will figure it out, and the guys who are exactly who we thought they were could still find a way to prove us wrong. That uncertainty is hat keeps every Sunday interesting for football fans, and it’s what makes collecting so much. Whether you want to grab a rising star before his breakout becomes old news, buy low on a struggling player you still believe in, or add a proven superstar to your collection. Pristine Auction has autographed helmets, jerseys, cards and more from many of the players and teams in this story. Just don’t crown anyone yet. As Dennis Green would remind us all, the season has a way of showing teams and players for who they really are.