10 unheralded players set to make major impact in Week 8

There seems to be a surplus of former first-round busts making an impact with new teams this season.

From a corner in New Orleans that found himself completely out of the defensive rotation with the New York Jets last season to a defensive tackle in Oakland that fell out of favor in the desert, it surely looks like new beginnings hasn't just been a theme, but a reality around the league this year.

In looking at unheralded players that will make an impact in Week 8, you will couple a few of these type of players included.

In addition to that, a couple young performers that are currently on the rise will continue to prove their worth.

1. Kyle Wilson, cornerback, New Orleans Saints

One of a couple former early-round draft busts included in this article that seem to have found their way in new cities. Playing pretty much exclusively out of the slot in his first season with New Orleans, Wilson has been darn good this year.

While Wilson hasn't seen a ton of action in nickel situations behind Brandon Browner and Delvin Breaux, he has stepped into the role seamlessly. Playing an average of about 30 snaps per game, the former New York Jets first-round pick has yielded a 26.2 quarterback rating when targeted.

Considering the New York Giants have continued to move Odell Beckham Jr. around throughout the season, it stands to reason that Wilson will find himself on the talented young receiver a few times on Sunday. If so, he can play a big role in a game that provides New Orleans with an opportunity to reach the .500 mark on the season.

2. Kawann Short, defensive tackle, Carolina Panthers

Selected by Carolina in the same 2013 draft class that saw the team exhaust a first-round pick on fellow defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, Short had played second-fiddle to his counterpart in the two seasons prior to 2015. Not this year, as Short is coming off earning the NFC Defensive Player of the Month award for October.

Entering Week 8, Pro Football Focus has Short graded out as the top defensive tackle in the NFL, ahead of the likes of Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh. Equally as good at stuffing the run as he is at getting to the quarterback, this Purdue product has an opportunity to be a major difference maker against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday.

Andrew Luck has struggled in his career with pressure coming from the inside. It has caused numerous bad throws and turnovers for the fourth-year quarterback. With 21 quarterback hurries and five sacks through six games, Short has a chance to force Luck into the same mistakes that have derailed his season thus far. This will be key for Carolina's hopes of remaining undefeated.

3. Stefon Diggs, wide receiver, Minnesota Vikings

After being inactive for the Vikings' first three games, this rookie fifth-round pick has jumped on to the scene as Teddy Bridgewater's favorite target over the past three games, racking up 19 receptions for 324 yards and a touchdown. That's simply amazing for a mid-round pick that wasn't good enough to be on the game-day roster for nearly the first month of the season.

With a matchup against a veteran in Tracy Porter that has yielded a 103.1 quarterback rating when targeted this season, Diggs has yet another opportunity to put up another big game. After all, he has put up a minimum of six receptions and 87 yards in each of his first three NFL games.

4. Charcandrick West, running back, Kansas City Chiefs

After Jamaal Charles went down with a torn ACL in Week 5, many expected West to hit the ground running the following week. He was picked up a ton on fantasy football waiver wires, only to tally 33 yards on nine attempts against the Minnesota Vikings.

It now appears that this former Abilene Christian star has found his rhythm after putting up 129 yards and a touchdown on 24 touches against the Pittsburgh Steeles last week.

Now taking on a surprisingly struggling Detroit Lions defense that ranks in the bottom 10 of the NFL against the run, West should be able to put up another solid outing. That's only magnified by the presence of two stellar run-blocking interior linemen in Mitch Morse and Ben Grubbs opening up holes for the running back in Kansas City.

5. Michael Floyd, wide receiver, Arizona Cardinals

After putting up over 1,000 receiving yards as a sophomore in 2013, Floyd struggled a great deal last year. He caught less than 50 percent of the passes thrown in his direction and ended up taking a backseat to then rookie John Brown.

After failing to do much in the first five games this year with Brown breaking out big time, Floyd has tallied eight catches for 109 yards and two scores over the past two games. With Brown potentially sitting after not practicing this week, Floyd could very well find himself receiving more targets against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. If so, the expectation here has to be that he will put up some good numbers.

6. Terron Armstead, offensive tackle, New Orleans Saints

When New Orleans made Armstead a second-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft, some questioned whether it made much sense. After all, the transition from Arkansas Pine-Bluff to the NFL was expected to be difficult.

After starting just two games as a rookie, the young left tackle has started all 19 games in which he has appeared over the past two seasons. In five games this year (missed two with a knee injury), Armstead has been among the best pass-protecting left tackles in the NFL. He's yielded zero sacks and just one hit in 380 offensive snaps.

If Armstead is able to continue this dominating play Sunday against the Giants, it will go a long way in helping his team move to .500 on the season.

7. Chris Conley, wide receiver, Kansas City Chiefs

Even with Jeremy Maclin slated to be back after missing last week's game with a concussion, the expectation has to be that this rookie receiver will continue to see a nice amount of action. With Maclin out last week, Conley caught six of the seven passes thrown in his direction for 63 yards and a score. He's also seeing an average of 52 snaps over the past four games.

Now taking on a Detroit Lions secondary that is yielding a 77 percent completion rate to wide receivers on the season, there's little doubt that Conley will produce if he's given a chance.

8. Dan Williams, defensive tackle, Oakland Raiders

Never really panning out in Arizona after the Cardinals made him a first-round pick in 2010, Williams has found himself a home in Jack Del Rio's defense with the Raiders. In fact, Pro Football Focus has Williams graded out as the eighth-best defensive tackle in the NFL through seven weeks.

This former Tennessee standout is going to be an important figure for a Raiders team that's looking to get to over .500 on the season. One of the primary keys for Oakland's defense will be stopping a running in Chris Ivory who is averaging 115 total yards per game this year.

If the Raiders are able to keep Ivory in check, it will force Ryan Fitzpatrick to beat their defense over the top. With the improved play of T.J. Carrie at corner and presence of Charles Woodson in center field, that could lead to some turnovers for the road team.

9. Trai Turner, guard, Carolina Panthers

Turner is one of the primary reasons that a previously questionable Panthers offensive line has turned the corner this year. Not only has this second-year player done a good job in pass protection, he's among the best run-blocking guards in the NFL heading into Week 8.

The key here for Turner and the Panthers will be to avoid pressure up the middle. If they are able to give Cam Newton a clean pocket, there is little doubt that Carolina will be able to come out on top against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night.

10. Aaron Lynch, linebacker, San Francisco 49ers

The last time we had Lynch included in this series of articles, he put up eight quarterback hurries and four hits on Eli Manning. Overall, this second-year pass rusher has put up 27 quarterback pressure in seven games. This has him among the most-productive 3-4 outside linebackers in the NFL.

Now taking on a St. Louis Rams offensive line that has been atrocious in pass protection this season, Lynch should find himself in Nick Foles' face all game long. After all, Rams left tackle Greg Robinson has been among the worst players at his position thus far this season.

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