PlayerProfiler is home to award winning dynasty rankings and tools. Our Dynasty Deluxe package includes complete Dynasty Rankings, Rookie Rankings, Trade Analyzer, Draft Planner, Mock Drafts, and more. Check it out. Below, Joel Ybarra highlights top performances by NFL rookies in Week 5, as well as key rookie usage trends.
We’ve reached the point in the season where things are going to start getting muddy on team depth charts. It’s important to stay abreast of all key usage trends, especially for rookies, some of whom come on late in the season. Be sure to catch the Key Usage Notes at the end of the article. Other rookies listed here have wasted no time becoming top options in their offenses, rewarding those who had the foresight to draft them.
Rookie Performance of the Week
Brock Bowers | TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Sam LaPorta walked so Brock Bowers could run. Even in a less-than-ideal offensive environment, Bowers is on pace for a historic rookie tight end season. And he’s making it look easy. He’s on pace for a 17-game season of 95 receptions and 1,064 yards, both of which would outdo LaPorta’s rookie season marks. Bowers scored his first touchdown on Sunday, too – a 57-yard catch and run. The rookie tight end earned a team-high 12 targets with Davante Adams out, catching eight for 97.
Other Notable Rookie Performances
Tyrone Tracy Jr. | RB, New York Giants
Devin Singletary was out Sunday with a groin injury. Meanwhile, he may have lost at least part of his job to rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.
Tracy Jr. had one of the most impressive rushing performances of the season so far, taking his 18 rush attempts for 129 yards. He also added two targets and one reception for a yard.
Adonai Mitchell | WR, Indianapolis Colts
Adonai Mitchell recorded four receptions for 38 yards Sunday, but he earned seven targets and also got work rushing and passing. Shane Steichen schemed Mitchell up an end around carry he took for four yards, and a flea flicker on which the rookie receiver hit Tyler Goodson on the opposite side of the field. Goodson took the pass for a 24-yard gain. Mitchell is a decent flex play, especially with Joe Flacco slinging it around the field.
Jordan Whittington | WR, Los Angeles Rams
Jordan Whittington has been the Rams receiver to own the last two weeks. He hit double-digit (10) targets Sunday after earning eight last week. The former Longhorn has the highest targets per route run rate (23.7-percent) of Rams pass catchers with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua sidelined. He caught seven passes against the Packers for 89 yards.
Caleb Williams | QB, Chicago Bears
The Panthers defense was a softer matchup for Caleb Williams, but it was just what the No. 1 overall pick needed to get going.
Williams had 200 yards and two touchdowns in the first half and the Bears were rolling, getting out to a 27-7 halftime lead against the team who traded the Bears the first overall pick that netted Williams. Williams finished the day 20-of-29 for 304 yards and two scores. He also added 34 yards rushing.
Jayden Daniels | QB, Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels had a slow passing day by his own standards, going 14-of-25 for 238 yards, one TD and one INT. He added 82 yards on the ground, however. The rookie signal caller has accrued 300 yards rushing on the year (four TDs). That puts him on a 17-game pace for more than 1,000 yards rushing. He has rushed more than 10 times a game. With his typical efficiency as a passer, he is one of the most dangerous threats in real life and fantasy, where he is a top-five QB and top-10 overall asset.
Jaylen Wright | RB, Miami Dolphins
De’Von Achane went out in the first quarter of Sunday’s matchup with the Patriots with a concussion. That meant Raheem Mostert was left to split backfield touches with rookie Jaylen Wright. Wright made the most of his work, taking his 13 carries for 86 yards. (Mostert had 80 yards on 19 carries).
That’s 6.6 YPC for Wright which did not include a 35-yard explosion up the middle which was called back for offensive holding.
Bo Nix | QB, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix notched another win for the Broncos, going 19-of-27 for 206 yards passing, with two TDs and no interceptions. Nix is a sneaky dual threat QB. He had eight rush attempts in this one for nine yards and a score, but he is averaging six-plus rush attempts and has three TDs on the ground in five games. He’s also not afraid to tell Sean Payton how it is.
Other Key Usage Notes
Theo Johnson | TE, New York Giants – 29 routes (third-most on team), five targets, five catches, 48 yards
Blake Corum | RB, Los Angeles Rams – five rush attempts, 25 rush yards, one catch for eight yards
Luke McCaffrey | WR, Washington Commanders – 20 routes (third-most on team), three targets, three catches, 19 yards
Ja’Lynn Polk | WR, New England Patriots – 35 routes (most on team), six targets including one end zone target he caught but was unable to get two feet down. He ended the day with one catch for 13 yards.
Jalen Coker | WR, Panthers – 26 routes (fourth-most on team), four targets, four catches, 68 yards
Brevyn Spann-Ford | TE, Dallas Cowboys – six routes, three targets, two catches, 20 yards
See all Joel’s PlayerProfiler articles here, including The Rookie Report from every week of the season.
