It is finally time for us to get back to spending our entire weeks watching football and speaking about the games with our friends. There are quite a few games in Week 1 NFL action that can be considered intriguing ones, but all of them should be viewed as must-watch television due to football being back. Amid the first week of the season, there are countless wide receivers that are going to garner the attention of fans.
When it comes to the wide receiver position, you wouldn’t be considered bold for saying that Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill, or DeAndre Hopkins are going to explode in Week 1. Besides the big-name wideouts in the NFL, there are plenty of wide receivers that could catch the attention of fans to begin the season.
All that being said, here are three wide receivers that will surprise in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season.
Christian Kirk, Arizona Cardinals
As previously mentioned, Hopkins is viewed as a wide receiver that is going to consistently produce gaudy numbers for the Arizona Cardinals. However, while some may believe A.J. Green is going to be the No. 2 target in Arizona’s offense, I believe Christian Kirk is primed for a breakout season. Despite being a huge fan of Green, he’s a shell of his former self. Kirk on the other hand is a speedy vertical threat that fits exactly what Kliff Kingsbury wants in a wide receiver that plays alongside Hopkins.
The good news for Kirk is that he gets to face a Tennessee Titans team that has a new-look secondary with Janoris Jenkins and rookie Kristian Fulton starting. There could be fireworks between the Cardinals and Titans, and Kirk could be one of the main beneficiaries in the game, building a nice rapport with Kyler Murray.
Parris Campbell, Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts will be without T.Y. Hilton for at least the first three weeks of the season, leading to more opportunities for other guys on the roster. I’m a firm believer that Michael Pittman Jr. is going to have a stellar campaign in the 2021, but so could Parris Campbell. Campbell has been hampered by injuries in his career thus far.
That being said, he’s been healthy throughout the offseason and he’s primed for a key role in the offense with Carson Wentz under center. The playmaking wideout out of Ohio State will take on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season, who doesn’t exactly have a daunting secondary. We could see a few big plays from Campbell as the Colts deploy a new-look offense that wants to push the ball down the field more often.
Quez Watkins, Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are hoping for Devonta Smith to emerge as their No. 1 wideout in 2021 as a rookie. While I expect Smith to be the leading wide receiver in the offense, Quez Watkins — and not Jalen Reagor — could be the second-year receiver in the offense that shows improvement this season. Throughout the offseason, Watkins has been running with the starting offense and has proven to be an effective deep threat for the Eagles.
Even with Jalen Hurts under center, Watkins could be a home-run hitter in Philadelphia’s offense. There’s a chance we see Watkins haul in a big play or two when the Eagles square off with the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1. In another game that could be high-scoring, Watkins could put together one of the best games of his young career to begin the 2021 NFL season.
