The Philadelphia Eagles are looking good heading into the 2022 NFL Season. Howie Roseman and company worked hard in the offseason to acquire talent wherever and whenever they could. They drafted promising defensemen Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean, while also using a pick to acquire AJ Brown from the Tennessee Titans.

Along with the new additions, the Eagles' core is looking stronger than ever. DeVonta Smith is entering his second year in the league. Meanwhile, 2022 marks the second season of leadership duo Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts.

All the guys mentioned are expected to have star-caliber seasons. However, there's an underdog within the team that could surprise you with a breakout performance this season. Quez Watkins has the potential to be the Eagles' 2022-2023 X-Factor.

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Eagles X-Factor To Emerge in 2022 NFL Season

Where it started

To fully understand Watkins' potential, we have to go all the way back to the beginning of his career. The Eagles selected him in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Since then, he's proven to have much greater potential than teams originally assumed.

The Eagles' first-round pick went to Jalen Reagor, who recorded five games last season with zero or fewer receiving yards.

The team also managed to pick up their franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts in the second round. All three instances prove that the pick a player is chosen with does not always directly correlate to his talent or potential.

First two seasons

Since joining the Eagles in 2020, Watkins has spent the last two seasons finding his place within the team. While earning more opportunities, he's shown immense growth from his rookie year to the end of his sophomore season.

In his first year, Watkins played six games. Targeted 13 times, he recorded seven receptions for 106 total yards and one touchdown.

Flash forward to the 2021-2022 season, Watkins played in all 17 games for the Birds. He recorded 43 receptions for 647 yards and one touchdown. With more opportunities, Watkins increased his catch percentage from 54 percent to 69 percent in just one year.

Where it's going

During Watkins' sophomore season, he gave Eagles fans glimpses of his future. And, it's looking bright. He quickly became a reliable target for Jalen Hurts because of his speed and ability to capitalize on long passes.

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Just take a look at this stunning catch from Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers. He broke coverage, caught the roughly 43-yard pass, and used his speed to gain an additional 46 yards.

Of course, it's no secret that Watkins isn't WR1 or even WR2 in Philadelphia. AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith hold those titles, and Watkins is likely No. 3.

Some may view the addition of Brown as a bad thing for Watkins' productivity. After all, he will likely see the majority of Hurts' targets.

However, it actually does just the opposite. While defenders are busy focusing on Brown and Smith, they'll lose sight of where Watkins is on the field. This allows him to capitalize on long balls and pick up extra yards after the catch. Expect at least 60 receptions and 700 receiving yards from the young receiver this season.