Jerry Jeudy listed as breakout candidate by CBS Sports

If the new Broncos offense under Sean Payton is going to succeed, it will require a strong year for former first-round pick Jerry Jeudy.

Jeudy was apart of perhaps the greatest wide receiver room in the history of college football on Alabama’s 2019 team. Future top-five pick Tua Tagovailoa took snaps and had Jeudy and three other top-15 picks to throw to: Henry Ruggs, Jaylen Waddle and eventual Heisman winner Devonta Smith.

Plus, they had a couple of guys named Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr. to get work done on the ground when Tua needed a few plays off from passing. It was just an obscenely loaded offense and for a couple years, Jeudy was their leader, going for 1,300 yards in 2018 and then 1,100 in ’19 before moving on to the NFL.

At the pro level, Jeudy’s been solid, and perhaps worthy of a first round pick, but he hasn’t exploded into superstardom quite like Waddle and Smith did a year ago. In 2023, though, CBS sports is calling for a big leap.

“Injuries and inconsistencies have prevented the former No. 15 overall pick from emerging as an elite weapon through three seasons, but we’ve probably lost sight, from a national perspective, of how talented this Alabama route technician still is,” writes Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports in his ranking of 10 players that could have breakout seasons this fall.

He also notes that Jeudy’s young age and the lack of quality quarterback play in Denver thus far makes Jeudy a prime breakout candidate.

“Just 24 and widely written off as a potential trade chip in 2022, consider he’s also spent the last three years catching passes from some combo of Drew Lock, Teddy Bridgewater, Brett Rypien and a yucky version of Russell Wilson,” says Benjamin, who expects much better production with Sean Payton as head coach.

“With Sean Payton in tow, hopefully reverting Wilson at least partially to Seattle form, Jeudy’s got the tools to finally be a justified go-to.”

Fantasy owners and prop bettors, take notice. CBS Sports is calling for a massive year for Jerry Jeudy.

But it’s not like he’s been bad. Jeudy went for just under 1,000 receiving yards in that disastrous season in 2022, finishing at a career-high 972 yards along with career highs in both yards and receptions per game.

Even prior to last season, Jeudy was a solid receiver. He surpassed the 800-yard mark as a rookie, and a relatively young one at that, then played just over half a season in 2021 thanks to a lingering high-ankle sprain but still totaled 467 yards. Now, he’s unfortunately dealing with more injuries at the momet