At the end of the day, the common goal among NFL teams is to win, not rack up record numbers. But big victories and long win streaks tend to be accompanied by major individual accolades. That’s evidenced by the amount of superstar standouts who are powering this year’s top playoff contenders. What are the Chiefs without Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce? Or the Bills without Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs? Big-time players lead big-time teams to big-time wins.

With that in mind, which emergent players have not only ensured their teams will be in the playoff mix down the stretch, but also guaranteed they’ll be candidates for big paydays in the offseason? Here’s a look at one player from each of our top 10 Super Bowl contenders who’s already earned a future raise:

JuJu Smith-Schuster

For whatever limitations he may have as a pure playmaker, Smith-Schuster has proven very reliable as Patrick Mahomes’ top possession target aside from Travis Kelce. Despite lingering bumps and bruises, the former Steelers starter is quietly approaching 1,000 receiving yards on a cheap one-year deal. At 26, he should have plenty of looks as a No. 2-type starter around the NFL.

Jalen Hurts

Javon Hargrave, the Eagles’ top interior defensive linemen, is a strong alternative approaching 2023 free agency with a career-high eight sacks. But Hurts has boosted his stock more than maybe any NFL player, thanks to his breakout third season. Just 24 with the mental resolve of a 10-year vet, he’s improved every year since entering as a second-round pick. Already an elite, smart threat with his legs, Hurts has taken an improbably massive leap as a passer, and may well win MVP because of it. Eligible for an extension this offseason, it’s suddenly a matter of when, not if, the Eagles lock him up as the face of the franchise.

Tremaine Edmunds

The Bills sorely missed him during a brief November absence, reinforcing Edmunds’ importance at the center of Sean McDermott’s stingy defense. Just 24 with unteachable physical gifts (6-5, 250), his contract-year leadership and production (78 tackles, six tackles for loss) has drawn praise from coordinator Leslie Frazier, overshadowing up-and-down marks earlier in his career.