Everyone knows that Tom Brady is important. So important that it's hardly worth talking about.
So are Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and the other veteran franchise quarterbacks. So are big-name/big-play/big-mood receivers like Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., elite pass-rushers like Von Miller and Aaron Donald, and so forth.
This list of the NFL's most pivotal players for 2019 isn't meant to overlook these superstars. Instead, it looks past them to those whose impact and production aren't such a sure thing: the new faces in new places, youngsters taking on bigger roles, guys returning from injuries, etc.