NFL · Breakouts · Week 8
NFL Breakout Watch: 5 Players Surging Into Week 8
Five players who look like different players lately. Same names on the depth chart, very different box scores.
We compared every NFL running back, wide receiver and tight end's scrimmage yards in Weeks 1-4 with Weeks 5-7, using nflverse game logs through Week 7. These are the biggest jumps among players averaging at least 60 scrimmage yards a game over the recent stretch. No hype, just the box scores.
The leaderboard
| Player | Team | Pos | Weeks 1-4 avg | Weeks 5-7 avg | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braelon Allen | NYJ | RB | 34.8 | 118.0 | +83.2 |
| Malik Nabers | NYG | WR | 52.0 | 132.3 | +80.3 |
| Chig Okonkwo | WAS | TE | 10.5 | 64.5 | +54.0 |
| Woody Marks | HOU | RB | 29.5 | 82.3 | +52.8 |
| Mike Evans | SF | WR | 53.2 | 103.5 | +50.2 |
Scrimmage yards = receiving plus rushing. Small samples swing hard, so treat a three-week jump as a signal to watch, not a verdict.
Braelon Allen, New York Jets
Braelon Allen (RB) averaged 34.8 scrimmage yards a game in Weeks 1-4 and 118.0 in Weeks 5-7, a jump of 83.2 yards per game.
Recent games: 116 vs CLE, 104 vs NE, 134 vs MIA.
The volume moved with it: 10.0 touches per game early, 23.7 lately, so this looks like a bigger role, not just a few long plays.
What to watch: whether the Jets keep feeding him when the game script changes. Recent role changes tend to show up in the snap and target counts before the yardage.
Malik Nabers, New York Giants
Malik Nabers (WR) averaged 52.0 scrimmage yards a game in Weeks 1-4 and 132.3 in Weeks 5-7, a jump of 80.3 yards per game.
Recent games: 121 vs WAS, 165 vs NO, 111 vs HOU.
The volume moved with it: 6.5 targets plus carries per game early, 14.7 lately, so this looks like a bigger role, not just a few long plays.
What to watch: whether the Giants keep feeding him when the game script changes. Recent role changes tend to show up in the snap and target counts before the yardage.
Chig Okonkwo, Washington Commanders
Chig Okonkwo (TE) averaged 10.5 scrimmage yards a game in Weeks 1-4 and 64.5 in Weeks 5-7, a jump of 54.0 yards per game.
Recent games: 60 vs NYG, 69 vs SF.
The volume moved with it: 3.5 targets plus carries per game early, 6.5 lately, so this looks like a bigger role, not just a few long plays.
What to watch: whether the Commanders keep feeding him when the game script changes. Recent role changes tend to show up in the snap and target counts before the yardage.
Woody Marks, Houston Texans
Woody Marks (RB) averaged 29.5 scrimmage yards a game in Weeks 1-4 and 82.3 in Weeks 5-7, a jump of 52.8 yards per game.
Recent games: 85 vs TEN, 81 vs JAX, 81 vs NYG.
The volume moved with it: 9.2 touches per game early, 19.0 lately, so this looks like a bigger role, not just a few long plays.
What to watch: whether the Texans keep feeding him when the game script changes. Recent role changes tend to show up in the snap and target counts before the yardage.
Mike Evans, San Francisco 49ers
Mike Evans (WR) averaged 53.2 scrimmage yards a game in Weeks 1-4 and 103.5 in Weeks 5-7, a jump of 50.2 yards per game.
Recent games: 113 vs SEA, 94 vs WAS.
The volume moved with it: 6.0 targets plus carries per game early, 7.5 lately, so this looks like a bigger role, not just a few long plays.
What to watch: whether the 49ers keep feeding him when the game script changes. Recent role changes tend to show up in the snap and target counts before the yardage.
How we built this
Every number comes from the nflverse weekly player stats file for the 2026 regular season, through Week 7. We split each player's games into Weeks 1-4 and Weeks 5-7, averaged receiving plus rushing yards, and kept players with at least two games in each window and at least 60 yards a game recently. Then we sorted by the size of the jump.
This method rewards players who started slow, so a rookie who earned a bigger role or a veteran back from an early injury will show up here. It does not know about injuries to teammates, which are often the real reason a role grows. Check the team's injury report before reading too much into any one name.
The quick version
- Volume-driven jumps (more targets and carries) tend to be stickier than big-play jumps.
- Three games is a small sample. One long touchdown can move an average by 20 yards.
- Opponents matter. A hot stretch against weak defenses can cool off quickly, and our defense vs position tables show who those defenses are.
Building a slip around any of these names? Run it through Slip Surgery first to see its real chance of hitting. Model reads only, never locks.
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- nflverse weekly player stats, 2026 season · all yardage and volume figures, Weeks 1-7