The NFL Players Association has released its Rising Stars list for 2022, a list that “identifies top Rookies and Veterans poised to have breakout seasons, gain fan support and ultimately rank among the top-sellers of all officially licensed player merchandise,” according to the union.
The Denver Broncos don’t have any rookies on the list this year (which isn’t surprising considering they did not have a first-round draft pick), but they do have a veteran on the list: second-year running back Javonte Williams.
The only other AFC West player on the Rising Stars list this year is Las Vegas Raiders slot receiver Hunter Renfrow.
“The magic of this list is that it pulls from a variety of data including player sales, fan bases, social media engagement and even fantasy football popularity,” NFL Players Inc. president Steve Scebelo said in a statement. “Combined with their diverse personalities and exciting on-field performances, we forecast players best positioned to move the needle for products and marketing in the upcoming season.”
After totaling 1,219 yards from scrimmage and scoring seven touchdowns as a rookie last season, Williams is expected to take a big step forward in Year in 2. The players’ union seems to be buying into the hype.
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