When it comes to success in the NFL, superstars may dominate the conversation, but more often than not, it’s the guys you don’t know who make the plays needed. when is They are needed. Such players can be rated low for all reasons. Perhaps they play in a small market, and the media is not properly reporting their exploits. Maybe they’re hidden deep in the chart behind big names that might not do that much. Or, maybe a coach never knew that someone needed height to get the best results for the team.
Whatever the reason, we at SB Nation always love to bring you the most underrated names. Offseason hidden gems and the then-Secret Superstars series. You can also get AFC And NFC Week 2 Secret Superstars.
Here are the AFC Secret Superstars for week three of the 2026 regular season. And if you haven’t already, Download the new SB Nation appSo you can better read our stuff wherever you are!
Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
In the first two games of the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ running game failed to gas up — at all. They ran the ball 44 times for 149 yards (3.4 yards per touchdown), had just 98 yards per carry (2.2 yards per touchdown), and their EPA per rush was below par at -0.08.
Rico Dowdle, who was sidelined with a toe injury, and Jaylen Warren, who was dealing with a shoulder problem, didn’t have a good time. Because anyone running the ball to Mike McCarthy allowed 3.9 yards per attempt against the Cincinnati Bengals defense, 83 yards after contact (2.2 yards per carry on 38 opponent carries) and a league-low EPA per attempt of -0.24.
Of course, it looked like Dexter Lawrence and his team of enforcers were going to take that running game to the woods.
But on the way to that seemingly inevitable reality, a funny thing happened – injured or not, Warren could have the game of his life. He had 127 rushing yards on 17 carries (7.5 yards per carry), an absolutely ridiculous 8.29 yards after contact average (141 total yards after contact, which meant he had to create behind the line at times), and his EPA per attempt of +0.18 was ahead of expectations behind this particular iron.
Warren caught three balls on four targets for 49 yards, although in the pregame, McCarthy told Aaron Rodgers to remove Warren from the game due to the severity of his shoulder injury.
Between his power, speed and lateral agility, Warren had that predictable Bengals defense on the ropes from the word go.
Imagine the stat line when Warren’s 87-yard run with 7:39 left in the game was not called back due to a DK Metcalf penalty.
“What a tough guy,” Rodgers said after Pittsburgh’s 30-27 win. “I’ve always had respect for him, I’ve played with him, and now I’m his teammate. He’s one of the hardest players I’ve ever played with. I can’t say enough about his energy, his football attitude and the way he cares about his teammates. I’m glad he’s on our team.”
Like everyone else in the Steel City, because Jaylen Warren saved the team from a 1-2 start to the season. It’s a quick turnaround for the Steelers as they prepare to face the Browns on Thursday night, but maybe Warren is ready for a pick.
Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Indianapolis Colts
Before Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans, the 2026 Indianapolis Colts defense closely resembled several large dumpsters, on fire, colliding with each other. The Colts ranked dead last in the NFL in both yards per play (7.25) and EPA allowed per play (+0.245), and were scraping the bottom of the barrel in most other meaningful defensive metrics.
So, Sunday’s 19-17 Texans win was a nice balm for Lou Anarumo’s team. Indy allowed 223 net yards on 51 plays, and his 4.4 YPP and -0.11 EPA/Play were both vastly better than last year’s results. One reason for this is the pass rush – the Colts only blitzed on 12.9% of snaps, but CJ Stroud pressed it 32.7% of the time.
And no one executed the pressure scheme better than Northwestern’s fourth-year and fourth-rounder Adetomiwa Adebayor, with 1.5 sacks and four total pressures on 13 rushing snaps. When the 6’2”, 282-pound Adebauer was on the field, he was an absolute wrecking machine, and he did some nasty things on Texas guards Wyatt Teller and Keelan Rutledge.
And maybe Adebayor must be. Being more on the field – In summer sportsThe Colts allowed 3.67 yards per game and a -0.518 EPA per game when he was out. Without him? 4.67 yards per game and +0.066 EPA per game.
That’s a pretty big difference.
“Yes, I’m trying to work every day, keep getting better, listening to my coaches, my teammates,” Adebauer said on Monday. “So I think it’s only Week 3, so I just keep improving and I feel like there’s a lot to improve on.”
Of course, it helps if you can clear your way next to someone like DeForest Buckner, who had two sacks and three total pressures against the Texans.
“I talk to Buck all the time to try to get his thoughts on the guards we play,” Adebauer said. “So just hearing what he has to say, just watching the film, understanding what the coaches are saying, understanding what kind of guys I’m going against, understanding how to attack them — I think it’s taken my game to another level. But like I said, I still feel like I’ve got to improve. I’ve still got a lot to do.”
Maybe, but at this rate, Adebayor — whose rookie contract expires after the 2026 season — could earn a lot more recognition and money as his career progresses.
Genesis Smith, safety, Los Angeles Chargers
If you’re a Chargers fan, you’ve got to take your cheers somewhere these days.
And there were some encouraging signs in LA’s 24-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Chris O’Leary’s defense took the Buffalo offense that was the terror of the NFL in the first two weeks of the season and loosened it up a bit. Josh Allen was limited to 16 completions for 204 yards on 26 attempts, no touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 54.0. By passing standards, it was the ninth worst game of Allen’s career.And fourth-round rookie safety Genesis Smith was responsible for both interceptions.
Smith was a good deep safety in Arizona…
…But it looks like the Chargers should get a steal with the 131st overall pick. Both of Smith’s interceptions were on plays where Allen was trying to hit wide receiver DJ Moore deep, and the rookie looked like a Pro Bowl veteran on both plays.
With 3:31 left in the first quarter, Moore was running a middle crosser out of a three-receiver set, and Smith did a good job of jumping the route while defending the quarterback in cover-4. It was clear that Moore’s Road made it read all the way through.
Then early in the second quarter, Moore ran a skinny post up the right seam, and it was Smith’s job to track him down as the last line of defense. There is no problem there. This was a cover-4 hidden look where Smith showed the speed and technique to return the ball to the Chargers.
Now, of course, what exactly the Chargers did with the opportunities Smith was given was another matter. Buffalo turned the ball over five times in this game and the Chargers had a +4 turnover ratio. However, they lost the game, making them one of the top three teams since 2013. And of course, the other two teams to do it were… the 2022 Chargers in the wild card against the Jacksonville Jaguars.A 31-30 loss with a 5-0 turnover ratio) and the 2015 Chargers in Week 17 against the Denver Broncos (a 27-20 loss against a 5-1 turnover margin).
All teams losing at this stage are 119-1. in order to, The Chargers continued to make the wrong story..
But hey – at least they have a rookie safety who can make some important plays, in which case they’re ultimately important to the bottom line.
