5 NFL superstars who are stuck on terrible teams feat. Saquon Barkley

Somewhere buried underneath an NFL team's terrible record is a player attempting to shine through the muddied water. Unfortunately for the said player, they'll be forced to once again put up eye-popping numbers on a squad that's going nowhere fast.

In most instances, those very players receive little to no fanfare. With their season often resulting in simply gaudy numbers on a horrific team, the spotlight is almost never shone upon them, until now.

Follow along as we highlight some of the league's most talented players that are stuck on horrific teams.

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#1. DK Metcalf

DK Metcalf is among the best receivers in the NFL currently

DK Metcalf’s incredible physique and intimidating frame has him on the edge of NFL superstardom. Well, at least, that’s what it seemed.

In what amounted to a breakout 2020, Metcalf’s play was nearly flawless. In total, the former Pro Bowl receiver racked up 1,303 yards and 10 scores. As an encore this past season, Metcalf registered just 967 yards and 12 touchdowns, numbers that weren’t exactly up to snuff.

In part, Metcalf’s decline can be attributed to Russell Wilson’s injury-filled 2021. Now, however, with the former Super Bowl-winning QB now suiting up in Denver, Metcalf will attempt to get adjusted to life with Drew Lock throwing him the football.

Overall, while Metcalf is a once-in-a-lifetime talent, without the help of an accurate QB, his numbers will decline and the Seattle Seahawks will struggle in the win column.

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#2. Saquon Barkley

Among the best running backs in NFL, Saquon Barkley undoubtedly features prominently

Don’t be fooled by his declining production, Saquon Barkley is every bit the superstar running back many make him out to be.

Of course, Barkley’s claim to fame came following his ridiculously productive rookie season. In short, Barkley was practically unstoppable as he went on to rush for 1,307 yards and 11 scores. But since then, Barkley has struggled with both consistency and injuries.

The biggest impediment to Barkley returning to form, outside of his current quarterback Daniel Jones, is his horrific offensive line. Unless the New York Giants make a few major changes, Barkley’s star will continue to dim.

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#3. DJ Moore

DJ Moore would be hoping for a better NFL season with Baker Mayfield as a teammate

The past few years have been brutal for the Carolina Panthers. Still, while they’ve continued to struggle to pick up wins, there has been one overarching bright spot: the development of DJ Moore.

Despite tenuous quarterback play, and regardless of the Panthers having little to nothing on the defensive side of the ball, Moore has continued to dominate. In three consecutive seasons, Moore has racked up at least 1,100 receiving yards, placing him amongst the league’s best.

As the 2022 league year nears, Baker Mayfield, Carolina’s new starting QB, is expected to lift this moribund franchise into relevance, something we doubt highly. Expect another strong season from Moore but a pathetic year for Carolina overall, despite who their signal-caller is.

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#4. Roquan Smith

Roquan Smith's numbers in the NFL may not be very impressive but he has been effective

Initially, Roquan Smith expected to be with the Chicago Bears for the long haul. And while there’s still a possibility that he will be, it appears more likely that he’ll be playing elsewhere in the near future.

For now, Smith should be viewed as arguably the Chicago Bears' most impactful player. Although the sack numbers for the inside linebacker aren’t eye-popping, registering just 14 in his four-year career, he’s become one of the more impressive players at stopping the run.

In addition to stuffing running backs in their track, Smith is also a terrific all-around player. Last season, despite Chicago’s inability to rack up wins, Smith was incredible, aggregating 163 tackles in 17 games played.

Smith’s suffering in Chicago does appear to be coming to an end soon, as he’s been linked to the Dallas Cowboys.

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#5. Brandin Cooks

Brandin Cooks was a first-round selection in the NFL draft

Brandin Cooks has long been overlooked. Since arriving in the NFL as a highly touted first-round selection, his resume demands that he’s treated as one of the game's best.

In just his second full season, Cooks would go on to record 1,138 receiving yards. Since then, he has registered at least a thousand yards in all but one rocky season in 2019.

The 2021 NFL year, according to most, was expected to be a brutal one for Cooks. With Deshaun Watson refusing to play for the Houston Texans, his Pro Bowl-level numbers were expected to plummet. But even with Watson sequestered on the sidelines, Cooks recorded another thousand-yard season.

This upcoming NFL season, the Texans are being pegged to finish near the bottom of the barrel. Davis Mills, their second-year QB, will have little to work with on the offensive end outside of Cooks’. Grabbing wins won’t happen often for Houston, but expect Cooks to deliver every time he’s on the field.