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 find AFC and NFC Secret Superstars from Week 1.
That all said, here are our AFC Secret Superstars for 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!
Josh Palmer, WR, Buffalo Bills
Much like Josh Allen, the Buffalo Bills’ deep passing game was a bit of a problem heading into the 2025 season. Allen completed 25 of 66 passes of 20 or more for 723 yards, five touchdowns, five interceptions and a passer rating of just 73.0. To put this into perspective, Matthew Stafford led the league with 48 deep completions on 106 attempts for 1,532 yards, 12 touchdowns, one interception and a 125.7 passer rating.
With Allen’s physical gifts, there is no quarterback hardly ever Falling far behind in the vertical game. So far in 2026, however, things are looking very promising. Allen attempted 10 deep passes, completing five for 198 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 135.4, best for any quarterback with at least 10 deep throws this season.
Why the difference? The addition of DJ Moore has helped — he carries one of Allen’s deep touchdowns — but it’s really the way new head coach and longtime offensive playcaller Joe Brady has used veteran receiver Josh Palmer in the passing game this season. The Bills are breaking down opponents who have the dagger concept as applied in phases, where one receiver runs a vertical route, one receiver drills (a 15-yard hard in-cut) and the third receiver runs a shorter corner route to catch linebackers and other nickel/box defenders.
Palmer, who signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Bills before the 2025 season, has been the primary beneficiary of this concept, as Brady and Allen won’t just let him go hard on vertical routes to clear things up for everyone. Instead, the idea is to let Palmer handle the opposing seconds and reap the benefits.
Last season, Palmer had three deep catches on four targets for 100 yards. This season, he has two deep catches for 77 yards on three targets and Allen’s two other big-play touchdowns. And the way known as “the love of the game” has become the key to it all.
Richard Sherman brought this up as the Bills beat the Detroit Lions 41-31 on Thursday Night Football.
The Bills beat the Houston Texans in Week 1.
More All-22 shows how difficult this concept is to cover.
Postgame, Allen explained to Sherman how the play worked against the Lions.
“Yeah — it was a five-man guard, and we got a good chance for it. I called something we hadn’t called in a long time, and I put our guys in a tough spot, but I got back there and Khalil took the safety. Five (Palmer) just kept running. It’s one of those things you like to get, especially at that time, in that situation.
So why is it called the “love of the game” way? I’m glad you asked..
The origin of the name goes back to the game of division between Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers On January 23, 2022, the game was tied at 27-27 with 42 seconds left. Matthew Stafford hit Cooper coup Matt Gay’s 30-yard game-winner on a 44-yard bomb.
In this version of the concept, Kupp runs a vertical seam route, receiver Van Jefferson runs the dig, and tight end Tyler Higbee rushes back to complete the three-step concept and put opposing defensive backs in purgatory. Again, everyone was very concerned about the short and medium things, the deep path was relatively open.
We’re guessing the Bills will spam opponents with him, and both Josh Allen and Josh Palmer will continue to love every time they play.
Kahlil Benson, OT, Kansas City Chiefs
With the Kansas City Chiefs taking Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons with the final pick of the first round of the 2025 draft, it certainly looks like Andy Reid and his staff have added some serious talent to that offensive line. Simmons has all the attributes to lock things down as a blindside linebacker, but injuries have limited him to eight games in his rookie season and he’s recovering from a back strain that sat him out the first two games of the 2026 season.
Unless general manager Brett Veach has a bead on the national champion Indiana Hoosiers and left tackle Kahlil Benson, this will be a problem for the Chiefs. The undrafted Benson got a flier with the Chiefs, and during the offseason no one thought twice about whether Benson could start at left tackle in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos and their quarterbacks.
It wasn’t a problem – the scheme helped somewhat, as Patrick Mahomes only attempted two passes of 20+ yards in Kansas City’s 31-10 win. But Benson, He was considered a top-heavy blocker with some messy tendencies coming out of college.no sacks allowed, one quarterback hit, and two quarterback returns with 34 pass blocking snaps. And when Reid scored in KC’s 33-30 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night, Benson was ready to go, too. Again, he gave up no sacks, one quarterback hit and two quarterback hurries — this time with 52 pass-blocking reps. What’s more, Benson has shown he’s rough and ready in the running game — and that’s saying a lot when he’s increasingly outpaced the likes of DeForest Buckner.
Reid, one of the NFL’s premier offensive linemen, was impressed.
So, what happens to Benson when Simmons is ready to roll? Well, Benson had 835 snaps for the Hoosiers at right tackle last season, and current right tackle Jaylon Moore has been up and down since the team gave him a two-year, $30 million contract through 2025. And given Simmons’ injury history, Benson is a good guy to have on the edge of the bench just like that.
Whatever the short-term plans are, Kahlil Benson has made it clear that he will. is not Ignore it.
Hezekiah Mass, CB, Las Vegas Raiders
I almost went with Raiders receiver Cody White here; Because Clint Kubiak, a former Seahawk import from the Emerald City, caught two targets for two on Sunday and got no respect from the CBS chyron.
Tell us about your secret superstars? At least get the person’s name right!
But I had to go with one of my 2026 draft scraps instead. That’s former Cal cornerback Hezekiah Maces sneaking a death pass for Justin Herbert in a 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers , which has everyone wondering WTF is really going on in their building right now. Either way, the 2-0 Raiders are looking better than they have in eons, and the masses — which somehow lasted until the 175th pick in the fifth round of the 2026 draft — are a big reason why.
Mass coverage skills were evident against Cal last season, but sometimes the league misses a man. That seems to be the case here.
All the 6’1″, 185-pound Mass has done in his first two NFL games is allow 16 yards on seven targets, nine yards per catch, no touchdowns, two interceptions, one pass breakup, and two catches to an opposing passer.
Take it Dean Wormer…
Any cornerback playing at least 20% of his defensive snaps is the NFL’s lowest. Especially against the Chargers, and also against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, Mass showed that no matter what coverage scheme you put him in – press, pass, man, zone, bail, etc. – he nails it.
“Unbelievable start for him,” Kubiak said of Massey after the Chargers game. “I’m proud of him and I’m very proud of how his teammates have supported him because the ball doesn’t go into his hands without great passing speed and great coverage, but I’m also very proud of Zeke.”
As for Mass, he was (reasonably) wondering what all the fuss was about. He has been ready for all this.
Now, the rest of the NFL is scrambling to try and find that reality.
