First-round picks are penciled in as starters in almost every case, but opportunities to compete are not as concrete beyond the initial round. There were 39 non-first-round picks who played at least 300 snaps in the NFC last season, according to TruMedia, including Saints quarterback Tyler Shough and Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori.
One consideration is the team's quality. Lower-quality teams will provide more opportunities for young players to compete because, in theory, their rosters should not be as talented. For example, Arizona had four players who met the criteria and that team finished 3-14.
Who will those contributors be this year? After surveying depth charts and taking into account each player's strengths and weaknesses, CBSSports.com has devised a list of ten prospects who should earn roles for the upcoming season.
IOL Chase Bisontis, Cardinals
The offensive line had been a priority for the Cardinals heading into the draft, but they could not turn down the talent of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall. The team's need for linemen would have to wait until later in the event.
Bisontis heard his name called early on Day 2, and the franchise rewarded him with the first fully guaranteed contract given to a second-round pick. He is penciled in as the starter at right guard opposite Isaac Seumalo.
TE Oscar Delp, Saints
New Orleans has a few veterans at the tight end position -- Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant -- but Delp has a well-rounded skill set and can grow on the same timeline as quarterback Tyler Shough. Johnson had 77 receptions and nearly 900 receiving yards last season, but will turn 30-years-old as the 2026 season kicks off. It is easy to envision Delp receiving more opportunities as the season progresses.
Additionally, the Saints utilized two-plus tight ends on the sixth-lowest rate (23.9%) in 2025, per TruMedia. However, Kellen Moore's Chargers and Eagles offenses the prior two years ranked in the top half of the league in usage rate. New Orleans did draft a few wide receivers, so the team's tight end usage may not skyrocket to the top of the league, but one might wager it will move closer to the mean (33.2%).
WR Malachi Fields, Giants
Admittedly, I was not as high on Fields as the consensus, but there are a few factors working in his favor to see the field early. First, Malik Nabers is expected to be ready for Week 1, but is returning from a serious injury, and Wan'Dale Robinson is no longer on this roster. The organization bolstered the room with veterans like Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin and Odell Beckham Jr.
Second, Fields' strengths complement the roster and offensive system. He is a bigger body that can win at the catch point down the field, but is also willing to engage and seal as a blocker in space; a vital assignment in a physical Harbaugh system.
LB Jake Golday, Vikings
Minnesota had a hole at the off-ball linebacker position and Golday is a big, fast and aggressive prospect for Brian Flores' defense. A Flores defense is going to be able to attack from all angles and one of Golday's most endearing qualities is his ability to rush the passer. In 2025, he had a 25.4% pressure rate on 71 pass rush snaps, according to TruMedia.
EDGE Joshua Josephs, Commanders
Washington has three edge rushers on the roster with a combined 20 years of experience. Dorance Armstrong has become a physical run defender. Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson have shown growth in that regard over the course of their own careers after being profiled as twitchier players in the draft. The latter two finished among the top-35 in pressure rate among players with at least 200 pass rush snaps in 2025, per TruMedia.
Josephs is not going to begin his career as an every-down player, but his presence can be felt on passing downs. Last season, he produced pressure on 18.9% of pass rush snaps, according to TruMedia. As Washington deploys its NASCAR package (the personnel it feels can pressure the quarterback quickest), Josephs is likely to have a spot on that unit to help the defense get off the field.
DL Chris McClellan, Packers
The Packers needed help along the defensive line after watching T.J. Slaton depart in free agency a year ago and trading Kenny Clark to the Cowboys. McClellan is a classic Packers space-eating interior player. The team did sign Javon Hargrave in free agency, but, at this stage of his career, he is expected to be more of a rotational piece than a workhorse. McClellan is going to be a part of that rotation as well, particularly on early downs.
EDGE Derrick Moore, Lions
Detroit has cycled through veteran edge rushers opposite Aidan Hutchinson in recent years: Za'Darius Smith, Marcus Davenport, Al-Quadin Muhammad, etc...They did so again this off-season with the signings of Payton Turner and D.J. Wonnum, but they supplemented the room with youth. Moore comes in as a Day 2 pick with big expectations. The hope is that he can be long-term solution at a problem area through his contributions in both the run and pass games.
TE Eli Stowers, Eagles
Philadelphia is entering another year of "will this be Dallas Goedert's last year with the organization?" The NFC contender has been down this road before transitioning from Zach Ertz to Goedert. Can Stowers become the heir apparent at the position?
Until 2023, Stowers had been a quarterback. Although blessed with elite athleticism, he is still developing at the tight end position, particularly in the run game. As he continues to grow into his role as a run blocker, Stowers' capabilities in the pass game should be spotlighted. Incoming offensive coordinator Sean Mannion comes from Green Bay, where they ranked top-10 in two-plus tight end usage, according to TruMedia. Philadelphia now has the personnel to orchestrate a similar model.
WR Antonio Williams, Commanders
Eight wide receivers were drafted before Williams, but few have a more immediate path to competition. Williams played 92.4% of his 2025 snaps out of the slot, according to TruMedia. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end Zach Ertz played a nearly 650 combined snaps in the slot last season, first and second most on the team. Neither of those players is currently on the roster. Williams' biggest returning competition would be last year's fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane and 2024 third-round pick Luke McCaffrey.
Williams had been explosive and productive in his time with the Tigers. He tied Mike Williams for the fourth-most touchdown receptions in Clemson history. There is nuance to his game in how he can flatten routes across the field and snap off comeback routes. The South Carolina product is immediately one of the three best receivers on that roster.
S Zakee Wheatley, Panthers
Carolina's depth chart is susceptible to secondary players coming in and making an impact. The Panthers drafted a few who can compete for immediate playing time: Texas A&M cornerback Will Lee III and Wheatley.
The expectation was that Wheatley would have been taken much earlier and the franchise was happy to land him where they did. Nick Scott and Tre'von Moehrig are roadblocks to him seeing the field more often. Wheatley has good size and recorded six interceptions over the past four years.
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