Under-the-radar AFC players who can be stars in 2023: AFC South RBs, several young TEs and a Patriots WR

Look for these players to play key roles for their teams in 2023

Teams across the NFL are gearing up for the 2023 regular season as mandatory minicamps are starting to open up. This will be one of the first glimpses of entire rosters coming together before training camp kicks off later this summer. Of course, as these teams reconvene, folks will try to identify players who are due for an ascension. This could be a second-year player taking a leap after getting a season's worth of experience under their belt or even a veteran who is in a new situation and looking for a reset.

Below, we're going to look at each AFC team and identify one player who is flying a bit under the radar but could have a massive impact on his club and be a household name by the end of 2023. 

The Bills have Super Bowl aspirations this season, but they'll need strong play by their defense to get over the hump. The AFC is littered with top-tier quarterbacks, so seeing a player like 2022 first-round pick Kaiir Elam ascend in Year 2 would be a welcome sight. The Florida cornerback had an up-and-down rookie year that saw him play just 13 games during the regular season due to injury. However, Elam ended his rookie season on a positive note in the postseason. He had a couple of notable plays in Buffalo's win over the Dolphins during Super Wild Card Weekend and then got the start in the divisional round against Cincinnati. Head coach Sean McDermott, who'll be calling defensive plays for the team this season, called that Miami game a "launching point" for Elam. If he can carry that over into 2023 and be a consistent presence opposite of Tre'Davious White, the Bills will be well-positioned for a Lombardi Trophy.