With Week 4 of the NFL calendar rapidly approaching, it's only fair to suggest that numerous key storylines defining the early part of the season will be irrelevant in the coming months. A bulk of the September slate is misleading, as players and staff attempt to acclimate to the current landscape.
We've already dissected hot starts bound to flame out, but what about those struggling out of the gate bound to turn their fortunes around? Here are three stars who will see a dramatic bump in production in the near future.
3 slow starts bound to improve
Bo Nix (QB) - Denver Broncos
The second-year slump for Bo Nix has delayed the Denver Broncos' ascension into being a viable Super Bowl contender early in the campaign. Nix currently has the worst PFF grade amongst qualified starting signal-callers, while sporting a negative EPA per play.
With J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey providing necessary juice in the backfield and clear improvement from young pass catchers Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims, Nix has a better supporting cast to spark a resurgence. With four of his next five games against sub-.500 teams with bad defenses, Nix is in a position to burst out of this slump.
Ashton Jeanty (RB) - Las Vegas Raiders
The sixth pick in April's draft, Ashton Jeanty, has struggled to transform the Las Vegas Raiders' rushing attack. It's not like Jeanty is in an advantageous position to succeed—he has rushed for 145 yards after contact, which is more than his 144 yards of total output.
The tape shows an offensive line that is completely inept at creating any push and routinely gets blown up in milliseconds. The fact that Jeanty is even able to muster up positive gains is a testament to his elite skill set. It's just hard to fathom that this young front continues to be so destructive, and eventually, they should be able to create enough lanes for Jeanty to produce some gaudy numbers.
Drake London (WR) - Atlanta Falcons
After showing some promise his first two years in Atlanta, Drake London finally broke out in 2024, even with enduring a quarterback change midway through the season. His instant chemistry with Michael Penix Jr. seemed sustainable, but London had difficulty getting out of the blocks.
Even with dominating the Falcons' target share, London only has 159 yards and has yet to find the end zone. Penix's shaky tenure under center and London suffering a shoulder sprain have derailed the entire operation. Once London gets a little healthier and Penix further acclimates himself to the pro level, his arrow will be firmly pointed back in the right direction.