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Our 10 players to watch range from Ndamukong Suh to Jarryd Hayne

Ndamukong Suh #93 of the Miami Dolphins looks on during a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons at Sun Life Stadium on

Whether it's up-and-comers trying to make an impact or grizzly veterans on mega-contracts, there's a lot to keep your eyes on in the NFL's new season.

There may be no Tom Brady, as it stands, at the start of the season, with him due to miss the New England Patriots' first four games but Sky Sports have compiled a list of the most interesting Stateside characters to entertain you across the gridiron season.

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DeMarco Murray - Philadelphia Eagles

DeMarco Murray #29 of the Philadelphia Eagles stiff arms Micah Hyde #33 of the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter of a p
Image: Murray has moved to the Eagles

Dallas had an unenviable conundrum because of the salary cap - keep Murray or superstar wide receiver Dez Bryant - and it is Dez who will start the season in Texas. So what will become of Murray? Even Bryant was disappointed to watch his partner-in-crime depart.

The Philadelphia Eagles picked Murray up in free agency, acquiring the NFL's rushing leader and a plausible league MVP for last season. The Cowboys may have deemed that he's not as valuable as a game-changing wide receiver in Bryant but Murray, despite his incredible 2014 season, finds himself needing to prove himself all over again.

Jimmy Garoppolo - New England Patriots

Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the New England Patriots
Image: Jimmy Garoppolo is Tom Brady's replacement

Tom Brady's [probable] four-game suspension leaves a massive hole at the heart of the New England Patriots into which Garoppolo must stand, no doubt under the brightest spotlight of his young career.

The second-year quarterback from Illinois is poised to step into Brady's superstar shoes for four games with just six NFL outings in his debut campaign for the Pats in 2014. He completed 19 of 27 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown last year in limited game time.

The Pats have had to give Brady snaps in pre-season, even though they know he might not be available until October, meaning Garoppolo has not been preparing in a completely settled environment - but come September 10 he could well have the entire nation watching him against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Jameis Winston - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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A profile on Jameis Winston from his college days

It might be a long time before we discover what powers Winston really has, but will NFL fans be patient and forgiving?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the Florida State quarterback the No 1 Draft pick in April and, such is tradition, pressure was piled onto his shoulders overnight. Coupled with that, Winston will be throwing to a less-than stellar attacking line-up for the Bucs.

A pre-season defeat to the Cleveland Browns resulted in a sprained ankle and perceptions of a susceptibility to blitzes for the young signal-caller. On top of that, the inevitable comparisons to 2015's No 2 Draft pick Marcus Mariota haven't been favourable for the Bucs' QB but, having excelled in a pro-style offence during his college days, there is hope yet.

Michael Vick - Pittsburgh Steelers

Michael Vick #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers warms up before a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills
Image: Michael Vick has controversially joined Pittsburgh

He may only be the back-up to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger but Vick's arrival at the Pittsburgh Steelers has caused its fair share of controversy.

Despite playing six seasons in the NFL since serving nearly two years of jail time for his part in a dogfighting scandal, the clamour around Vick's crime has clearly not yet settled. His arrival in the Steel City was met with fans' protests and there is a petition for the team to ditch him already.

Yet his ambition of claiming a maiden Super Bowl continues in Pittsburgh after time with the Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets. Now aged 35 and with the excellent Roethlisberger ahead of him in the pecking order, the controversial Vick has already proved during his high-profile arrival at his new team that he can make a drastic impact. Will that extend to the field...if he is ever needed?

Adrian Peterson - Minnesota Vikings

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Adrian Peterson says he's the LeBron James of the NFL

Ask Peterson himself, and he'll tell you that he's the only player to watch in 2015! The small matter of bouncing back from a 15-game ban seems like a non-issue in the ultra-confident mind of the Minnesota Vikings rusher.

A potential future Hall of Famer, question marks do not surround Peterson's brilliance on the field but they surround his ability to showcase it on a regular basis while staying out of trouble. His 10,190 rushing yards and 86 rushing touchdowns rank in the top 10 of all players through eight seasons.

Knee surgery has failed to slow down the powerful running back so will his output for the forthcoming season mirror previous years? With a mega new deal in tow, this could be the year that catapults the edgy Peterson into the status of an all-time great...if he behaves.

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Jarryd Hayne - San Francisco 49ers

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Former Australian rugby league star Jarryd Hayne is quickly becoming one of the NFL's most exciting open-field runners.

He's not the first Australian to play in the NFL and many athletes have successfully competed in two sports, yet there is something about this athletic Aussie that suggests his new life in San Francisco will be a success.

Having turned his back on a rugby league career down under that saw him represent the Parramatta Eels, Hayne jetted Stateside to aim for the stars in his lifelong ambition of playing in the NFL. What was initially a trial for the 49ers has turned into a revelation.

Hayne is far from guaranteed a place on their roster for the upcoming season but his pre-season performances have turned the question into a measurement of where on the field he would most useful. A series of powerful bursts from down the field, honed from his rugby background, have caught the eye and he is already demonstrating the potential to excel as a return specialist, at the very least.

Ndamukong Suh - Miami Dolphins

Ndamukong Suh of the Miami Dolphins
Image: Ndamukong Suh has set a contract record

Would you argue with him over his inclusion? Suh is a lean, mean smashing machine who has controversially overstepped the mark in the past but his record-breaking switch to Miami gives him the chance to show he is far more than just a hothead.

Having spent four years wrecking any opponent in sight with the Detroit Lions, his departure this off-season resulted in the largest ever free agency contract for a defensive player. The Dolphins parted $114m ($60m guaranteed) to sign Suh to a six-year deal and they believe he will become a leader on and off the pitch.

Young defensive linemen like Jordan Phillips and Terrence Fede could benefit from his arrival so Suh's colossal deal is seen as an investment in the Dolphins' future. In the meantime, expect more vicious hits from one of the most aggressive players in the NFL...and probably a couple of fines thrown in for good measure.

Jimmy Graham - Seattle Seahawks

Tight end Jimmy Graham #88 of the Seattle Seahawks in action during the preaseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium
Image: Jimmy Graham (R) could provide Seahawks with the missing piece

The Seattle Seahawks famously lost Super Bowl XLIX in the final moments when, on the goal-line, they opted not to run the ball and history passed them by. Enter Graham for the upcoming season.

Viewed as the answer to the Seahawks' lack of a big target in the end-zone, had Graham made the switch to Seattle earlier than this off-season then the Vince Lombardi Trophy may have their name etched into it by now.

The tight end moved from the New Orleans Saints where his physical ability in the end-zone became renowned and he now will be utilised by the team who needs his skill-set the most - he might even line up as a wide receiver from time to time, having previously lost an argument to be paid as one, not a 'lowly' tight-end.

Amari Cooper - Oakland Raiders

Amari Cooper #89 of the Oakland Raiders in action during their game against the St. Louis Rams at O.co Coliseum on August 14, 201
Image: Amari Cooper in action

The new Raiders recruit is embarking on his first NFL season yet, aged just 21, expectations are remarkably high due to the success of rookie wide receivers like Odell Beckham Jr last season.

Cooper is odds-on to be the prime target for Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who suffered last campaign when he was a rookie due to a lack of viable options out wide. Cooper solves that problem immediately but the fascination is with the multiple ways with which he can do so.

He can receive the ball from outside and from the slot so his versatility means the NFL is gaining an exciting attacking talent. The challenge now is for the Raiders to best utilise him, and they have not always managed to do so with hig-profile draft selections.

Dez Bryant - Dallas Cowboys

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Dez Bryant gets involved in a training ground scuffle with Dallas Cowboys team-mate Tyler Patmon

Bryant has shown enough fight during the off-season to suggest that he has fire in his belly to repeat last year's thrilling campaign that resulted in catching 16 touchdown passes.

A couple of fist-fights with both opposition and his own team-mates prior to the big kick-off demonstrate that Bryant, despite a bumper new five-year contract worth $70 million, is not resting on his laurels. Having closed the gap on Calvin Johnson in recent seasons as the NFL's top wide receiver, Bryant could explode onto another level when the Cowboys kick off.

Such was the desperation to keep the game-changing WR that the Cowboys opted to let DeMarco Murray seek pastures new. Now it's down to the fighting spirit of Bryant to justify that big call.

Watch live coverage of the new NFL season, starting on Friday September 11, live on Sky Sports. 

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