September rarely tells us everything about an NFL season, but it provides valuable early evidence about individual players during the opening weeks. New teammates start building chemistry, expanded roles become clearer and offseason expectations finally meet meaningful competition.
Several players enter 2026 with intriguing opportunities. Some have changed teams, while others are taking on greater responsibilities within evolving systems. These five enter September with notable roles, supporting casts and early matchups that make their performances worth following.
1. Myles Garrett, Los Angeles Rams
Few offseason moves created more intrigue than Myles Garrett joining the Los Angeles Rams. The former Cleveland Browns star arrives after setting the NFL single-season record with 23 sacks in 2025, giving Los Angeles one of the league's most accomplished pass rushers.
Garrett will not create pressure alone. Aaron Donald's August 30 return gives Chris Shula another decorated interior defender to integrate alongside Garrett, while Trent McDuffie adds proven experience to the secondary. Donald's early workload and form remain important details to watch after more than two years away from regular-season play.
Garrett's experience on the edge and along the defensive front gives Shula flexibility in how he aligns the pass rusher. September should provide the first regular-season evidence of how frequently Los Angeles uses that flexibility and which matchups it prioritizes.
Los Angeles opens against San Francisco in Melbourne on September 10, giving Garrett an immediate test against a familiar divisional opponent. Sacks will draw attention, but pressures, forced fumbles and extra protection could reveal more about his impact.
2. DJ Moore, Buffalo Bills
DJ Moore enters Buffalo with an opportunity most receivers would welcome: catching passes from Josh Allen in a proven passing offense. His vertical threat and ability after the catch give the Bills another versatile weapon at wide receiver for their passing attack.
Moore already has experience working with head coach Joe Brady from their time together in Carolina, but his place alongside Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman still needs to take shape in Buffalo's 2026 offense. September usage will provide the first regular-season evidence of how prominently he features within Buffalo's receiving rotation.
Targets, receptions, receiving yards and red-zone opportunities will provide a clearer picture of Moore's role. Those same categories feature prominently in pro football player props, allowing bettors to compare individual performance expectations as Buffalo's target distribution develops. Early usage can explain a player's role, although that information may already be reflected in the sportsbook's posted line and price.
A September 13 road matchup against Houston provides an early test. One spectacular catch could make the highlights, but consistent targets and production across several games would reveal considerably more about Moore's place in Buffalo's offense.
3. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati already has plenty of star power through Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Chase Brown enters September as Cincinnati's lead running back, giving his workload an important place in the early evaluation of the Bengals' offense. His ability to contribute as both a runner and receiver gives Cincinnati another way to distribute offensive touches.
That supporting talent provides important context. Cincinnati's passing threats can influence how defenses allocate personnel and coverage resources, although Brown's actual box counts will depend on formation, down and distance, game situation and opponent.
Brown also contributes as a receiver, making total touches each week more revealing than rushing yards alone. Samaje Perine remains part of the backfield, while September will show how Cincinnati divides carries, receiving work and red-zone opportunities between its running backs.
The Bengals host Tampa Bay on September 13, offering an early look at Brown's role. Carries, receptions and red-zone opportunities will be worth watching, with consistent involvement potentially revealing more than one standout rushing performance.
4. Dre'Mont Jones, New England Patriots
Dre'Mont Jones offers a different kind of September storyline after changing teams again. After spending time with Tennessee and Baltimore in 2025, he arrives in New England after a career-high seven-sack season and adds experienced depth to a defensive front that already includes several established players.
Jones' experience gives New England positional flexibility along the defensive front, although his exact regular-season deployment remains to be established. His background playing both edge and interior roles gives the Patriots several potential ways to incorporate him.
The supporting cast helps. Christian Barmore, Harold Landry III and Milton Williams give opposing protection schemes several threats to consider, giving opposing offenses several front-seven threats to consider when determining protection and blocking assignments.
New England opens at Seattle on September 9, testing its revamped front against the defending champions. Jones will not need multiple sacks to make an impact; tackles for loss, quarterback pressure and run disruption can show whether his new role is working.
5. Dallas Turner, Minnesota Vikings
Dallas Turner's opportunity comes from development rather than relocation. The young edge defender enters his third season after recording eight sacks and four forced fumbles in 2025, a significant statistical step forward from his rookie year.
Flores' system makes that opportunity particularly interesting. Turner's athletic profile gives Minnesota flexibility to use him in varied assignments within Brian Flores' pressure-oriented defense. September will provide clearer evidence of how those responsibilities are divided in 2026.
That variety demands more than pure athleticism. Turner's processing, discipline and ability to handle different assignments from one defensive play to another throughout games will become increasingly important if his snap share and responsibilities increase within Minnesota's defensive plans.
A September 13 meeting with Green Bay provides an immediate divisional test against a familiar NFC North rival. Snap share, pressures, quarterback hits and sacks will provide evidence of how large a role Turner holds within Minnesota's 2026 defense.
The Early-Season Factors That Could Shape These Players
September performances rarely happen in isolation. Several factors shape how roles develop and provide context for early production. The opening weeks also provide evidence of how players respond when circumstances change.
Key areas to consider include:
- Teammate availability: Injuries and lineup changes can alter roles and opportunities,
- Opponent strength: Matchups can significantly affect workloads and production,
- Role stability: Coaches may adjust rotations as the season develops,
- Game situations: Scorelines can influence opportunities on both sides of the ball,
- System familiarity: New arrivals may need time to settle into unfamiliar schemes.
These factors make September production more meaningful when viewed across several games rather than through one standout or disappointing performance.
September Will Start Turning Expectations Into Evidence
These five players arrive in September by different routes. Garrett and Moore are adapting to prominent new surroundings, Brown and Turner are pursuing larger roles, while Jones has an opportunity to establish himself within a new defensive structure.
September will provide evidence rather than final answers. Workloads, targets, snap counts and disruptive plays provide more context than one standout performance alone. By October, several games will provide a larger sample for evaluating which early roles and performances have persisted and which have continued to change.
*Content reflects information available as of 31/08/2026; subject to change
