Athletes who will dominate in 2023

While likely to fall short of winning the NFL MVP in 2022, Allen is a budding star whose team is on the cusp as top Super Bowl contenders. The 26-year-old made his second Pro Bowl and has even bigger goals in sight.

The Greek Freak has become one of the most recognizable players in the NBA, with two MVP Awards and a championship. Still only 28, Antetokounmpo continues to up his game with a career-high in points early in the 2022-23 season.

The 35-year-old Benzema remains one of the elite soccer players in the world, winning the UEFA Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or in back-to-back years. While he was forced to sit out the Qatar World Cup due to injury, Benzema has shown little sign of slowing down with his club team, Real Madrid.

Burrow has already won a college football National Championship and appeared in the Super Bowl last year. His star continues to shine as one of the most accurate and productive quarterbacks in the NFL, and he's quickly becoming a perennial MVP candidate.

Doncic leads the NBA in scoring early in the season, shooting better than 50% from the field. The star point guard has become arguably the most impactful player in basketball and a favorite to win his first MVP in 2023.

The 7-foot-4 Edey has clearly become one of the top men's college basketball players in the country, pushing Purdue near the top of the rankings by averaging over 21 points and 13 rebounds per game early in the season. He's been a force both offensively and defensively for the Boilermakers and could make big noise in the NCAA Tournament.

The start of Jefferson's NFL career has been historic, nearing 5,000 yards over three seasons. He's a top candidate to win Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and continues to put up stats in line with the best wideouts ever to play. He should continue to become more of a household name in 2023.

Mahomes will likely win his second MVP Award in 2022, with his third Super Bowl appearance in sight. The Chiefs are building an AFC dynasty with Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid at the helm, and his impact as a spokesman is unavoidable.

With fellow French star Karim Benzema sidelined for the 2022 World Cup, Mbappe stepped up as the face of the team. The 24-year-old continues to develop as one of the best goal-scorers in the world for Paris Saint-Germain.

After struggling in his rookie season, Lawrence has started to show the promise that made him the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. The former Clemson star is quickly developing into a star at the highest level.

Harrison Jr. made an incredible impact for the Buckeyes in his sophomore season, with 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. His speed and body control could make him one of the best NFL wideout prospects in years, but first, he has unfinished business with Ohio State in 2023.

Hurts was the favorite to win the 2022 NFL MVP before injuring his shoulder late in the year. That shouldn't deter the ascending quarterback, who could make a huge playoff run with an excellent Eagles roster around him.

McDavid already has two Hart Trophies to his name and has a solid shot at winning a third this season. He leads the NHL in points for the third consecutive season and should easily set a career-high in goals scored.

The top-ranked male golfer in the world, McIlroy had a strong year in 2022, finishing second at the Masters. He's the top golfer in the world in spite of a drought in major wins but is hoping that changes this year.

Team USA has won back-to-back World Cups, and they're favored to win in 2023, with Morgan leading the way. The superstar turns 34 this summer, continuing to add accolades to her historic soccer career.

It took a historic season from Aaron Judge to deny Ohtani his second consecutive AL MVP in 2022. Still, he had another historic season finishing fourth in Cy Young balloting while also hitting 34 home runs. Ohtani is approaching the final year of his contract with the Angels and could be set for a record-breaking payday following the season.

Parsons will likely fall short of winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, but his impact on the Cowboys' defense over two seasons has been undeniable. He's recording 13-plus sacks in back-to-back seasons and has a high probability of winning the award sooner than later.

Rodriguez easily won AL Rookie of the Year with 28 home runs and 25 stolen bases for the Mariners. He's already a rising star with MVP potential, hoping to lead Seattle back to the playoffs in 2023.

Soto seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the limelight after getting traded from Washington to San Diego last season. The former World Series winner and three-time Silver Slugger is still only approaching his age 24 season, with a chance to anchor a mammoth Padres offense with the addition of Xander Bogaerts and return of Fernando Tatis Jr.

Robertson continues to rise to stardom for the Dallas Stars and is under consideration for the Hart Trophy this season with a strong points pace. He's becoming better knownown as an NHL star with each passing game.

Tatum has shown clear improvement with each season since he was drafted by Boston in 2017. Now 24, he's having a career year in almost every facet and is clearly challenging for the NBA MVP.

Timme has experience plenty of personal success in four seasons at Gonzaga, though the Zags have yet to win a National Championship. He'd like to change that in his senior season, averaging nearly 22 points and eight rebounds per contest early in the season.

The likely top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Wembanyama has a chance to be a force in the league as a 7-foot-2 center with ability to shoot from the outside. The French star should continue to garner more buzz as the draft draws closer.

Some NFL fans are already clamoring for their teams to lose enough to get the top pick in the 2024 draft, with Williams the obvious prize. The quarterback won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and has the dynamic ability and offense to win the award for a second straight year with USC.

Wilson is becoming the face of the WNBA after winning her second career MVP Award. The Las Vegas Aces star has already led Team USA to Olympic and World Cup gold and is in her prime at age 26.