NFL teams bank on player development and progression every single year, but having breakout stars can completely accelerate the timeline for any given team.
There are breakout players every year around the NFL, and we're going to dive into which players are candidates to do just that in the NFC North for the 2026 season.
Whether these players are promising rookies set for big roles or just young players finally getting an opportunity to play extensive snaps, these breakout candidates around the NFC North could end up propelling their respective teams to a division title...or better.
NFL Predictions: 2026 breakout player candidates for every NFC North team
1. Chicago Bears: Luther Burden, wide receiver
The Chicago Bears knew they struck gold in the playmaker department during the 2025 NFL Draft when they landed Colston Loveland in the 1st round and Luther Burden in the 2nd.
Burden was a projected 1st-round pick for most of the year leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, and the Bears were sure enough about his development that they traded DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills this past offseason.
Now that we're entering the second year of the Ben Johnson era for Chicago, it seems almost a certainty that we're going to see progression from the entire young core of players for the Bears offensively. And we could be in line for breakout years for not only Luther Burden, but maybe also Rome Odunze.
Without Moore on the roster, those two guys will get a ton of targets. It wouldn't be shocking to see them both close in on 1,000 yards, but Burden's abilities after the catch could make him the featured weapon.
As a rookie with the Bears, Burden had some big games, but his involvement was somewhat sporadic. He had 47 catches for 652 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
2. Detroit Lions: Isaac TeSlaa, wide receiver
Isaac TeSlaa caught just 16 passes for the Lions last season, but six of them went for touchdowns. The third-round pick out of Arkansas was exactly what folks hoped he could be coming out: A big play threat.
The Lions targeted him 27 times last season at nearly 13 yards of average depth per target.
The downfield passing game is expanded because of TeSlaa, and his opportunities should naturally increase entering his second season. Detroit had the 8th-most pass attempts of any team in the NFL last season, and there are plenty of targets to go around. The stars of the Lions' passing attack -- Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams -- are going to command the most attention.
TeSlaa is going to make teams pay for giving him single coverage, especially in the vertical passing game.
3. Minnesota Vikings: Dallas Turner, edge rusher
You could make a pretty reasonable argument that the 2025 season was the true "breakout" year for Dallas Turner with the Minnesota Vikings, but I'm going to argue that there's another level he can reach as a player.
Turner will be an unquestioned starter this year with Jonathan Greenard being shipped off to the Eagles, even though he already logged more snaps last season than either Greenard or Andrew Van Ginkel. He started 10 out of 17 games last season for the Vikings, but Van Ginkel and Greenard only appeared in 12 games each last season.
Turner had 8 sacks and 4 forced fumbles for the Vikings last year, but the sky is the limit for what we might see from him in the 2026 season, especially if he proves himself to be capable on early downs against the run. The former first-round pick out of Alabama can make the jump from an impressive year two to All-Pro or Pro Bowl status in year three.
4. Green Bay Packers: Matthew Golden, wide receiver
Our third wide receiver on the list might be in line for the biggest year of them all.
The Green Bay Packers have one of the clearest paths to a huge percentage of their target share of any team in the NFL. With Romeo Doubs leaving for the Patriots in free agency and Dontayvion Wicks being traded to the Eagles, 2025 1st-round pick Matthew Golden could be in line for a massive 2026 season.
Golden had 410 yards from scrimmage last season in 2026, but only 29 receptions and 39 touches total. He's got the ability to be a dynamic threat at every level of the field, and considering the fact that he was the first receiver the Packers took in the 1st round of the NFL Draft since Javon Walker in 2002, they're going to make sure they get return on the investment.
Golden was known coming out of Texas for his strong hands and playmaking ability, and he could emerge as Jordan Love's favorite target this season.
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