4. Preston Williams, WR, Miami Dolphins
Early in the season when it did appear that the Miami Dolphins could go 0-16 on the season, one of the lone bright spots was undrafted rookie wide receiver Preston Williams. He emerged as arguably the best and most consistent pass-catcher in the offense early in the season.
Despite not being a draft pick, Williams started in seven of eight games played in the 2019 season, catching 32 of 60 targets for 428 yards and three touchdowns. What was more remarkable is that he was far more consistent than expected, coming in with over 60 yards four times and with over 40 yards six times over that stretch of the season.
Williams’ rookie season was ended prematurely due to a torn ACL but it does feel as if he’ll be a key part of the offense upon his return to the field in 2020. His big-bodied playing style fits well with the receivers currently on the roster and he can be a weapon for whoever is playing quarterback.
3. Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins
Whenever Penn State Mike Gesicki went to the NFL Combine, he simply owned it. At 6-5, 247 pounds, the Nittany Lions product ran a 4.54-second 40, jumped 41.5 inches in the vertical, jumped 129 inches in the broad and ran the 3-cone drill in 6.76 seconds. For good measure, he also had 22 bench press reps as well.
That type of performance and athletic potential led to him being the No. 42 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. As a rookie, however, he wasn’t very present in the offense. He played in all 16 games but had only 22 receptions for 202 yards and no scores. Last season, however, he started to emerge with 51 catches for 570 yards and five scores.
Most impressive about Gesicki is that he came on strong in the second half of the season. 36 of his receptions along with 417 yards and all his touchdowns came in the final nine games of the season. If he can continue that trajectory, he can be a real weapon for the Dolphins offense for quite a while.