5 NFL players returning from injury who could star in the 2022 season

These five NFL players had last season ended or didn’t play due to injuries but can be stars as they return in the 2022 season. 

As we see every season in every professional sport, the injury bug can strike any player on any team at any time.

Last year in the NFL was no different, as a multitude of big names missed significant time with various ailments.

With the NFL Draft behind us and the offseason in full swing, it’s time to turn our collective attention to the products on the field that we will see in the upcoming campaign; including those that are set to return from injury in a big way.

NFL: 5 players returning from injury in a big way in 2022

5. New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas

29-year-old Michael Thomas has emerged as one of the best receivers in the game in recent years, headlined by his dominant 2019 season in which he won NFL Offensive Player of the Year and set an NFL record for receptions with 149.

Thomas has scored nine touchdowns three times in his career and has been such an efficient receiver for this Saints club when he’s healthy.

Unfortunately, Thomas has missed significant time in the past few seasons including all of last year. In 2020, he started in five games and made seven appearances overall, making 40 receptions and averaging 11 yards per catch but didn’t score a single touchdown. Injuries and a brief suspension for punching teammate C.J. Gardner-Johnson in practice held him down in 2020.

Last year, Thomas underwent ankle surgery and missed the entirety of the season. Heading into 2022, he still holds the title as the Saints’ No. 1 receiver but if he misses time to injury for a third straight season, that title could be on the line for him.