NFL’s Breakout Sophomores

Nick Fairley and 5 Second-Year Players Finally Living Up to Their Potential

Nick Fairley and 5 Second-Year Players Finally Living Up to Their Potential

The ever-dreaded sophomore slump is a phenomenon that second-year NFL players like Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley hope to avoid. For the most part, the closest thing to a sophomore slump we have seen from the Year 2 players in the NFL in 2012 has been some struggling from quarterbacks Cam Newton and Andy Dalton. However, Dalton has managed to right the ship, positioning Cincinnati for its second consecutive playoff appearance, while Newton is starting to look more like the Newton of 2011 as the season nears its concluding weeks. But some second-year players have busted out in a big way this season and are now living up to the potential that their high draft picks warranted. Here are five of them, including the aforementioned Fairley.

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