The leadup to the 2026 NFL season is officially upon us, as we are roughly one month away from the Hall of Fame game to open the preseason.

That game will feature a battle in Canton between the Panthers and Cardinals, and will take place on Thursday, August 6th.

ESPN.com has an article out that is surely to pique the interest of all fans, highlighting breakout stars-to-be on all 32 NFL squads.

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Here's a look at the projected breakout stars for our area teams according to ESPN:

Denver Broncos

Eyioma Uwazurike, DL

He had a resurgent 2025 season after a 2023 season-long suspension for gambling threw a massive halt in his developmental arc. More of a true defensive tackle than Franklin-Myers, Uwazurike has a mean bullrush and a hot, hot motor that helps him make cleanup plays in muddy pockets.

Kansas City Chiefs

Nohl Williams, CB

He took his rookie lumps last season, but he had plenty of splashy moments against legitimate NFL receivers. I'd go so far as to say Williams' work as a rookie was part of the reason the Chiefs felt so comfortable letting McDuffie and Watson out of the building. He's the next man up.

Chicago Bears

Luther Burden III, WR

Burden was largely a screen-and-shot player to start the 2025 season, but he started to get more opportunities on crossers and underneath routes as coach Ben Johnson grew to trust him with the ball in his hands. With DJ Moore gone and Rome Odunze working back from a foot injury, the door is wide open for Burden to grab more targets -- targets designed especially for him as a terrifying yards-after-catch threat. The sky is the limit here.

Detroit Lions

Roger McCreary, CB

McCreary was a rookie starter -- and a productive one at that -- for the Titans in 2022. He can play inside and out, though his lack of length makes him better suited for slot work (and will likely always limit his on-ball production). Still, he's smart in zone coverage, physical enough to survive against the run and plenty sticky when asked to play man-to-man. 

Green Bay Packers

Anthony Belton, G

Belton has the size, flexibility and power to be a defining force in the running game -- something the Packers desperately need, as they typically run the ball from shotgun and need big-time vertical displacement.

Minnesota Vikings

James Pierre, CB

This offseason, they snagged Pierre in free agency after he made some strong spot starts with the Steelers. Pierre had only 219 coverage snaps last season, but his passer rating allowed of 49.8 was second only to Jamel Dean among cornerbacks last season. (Dean, ironically, is who the Steelers signed in free agency).

Source: 2026 NFL season: Picking breakout candidates for all 32 teams - ESPN