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 details the best rookie performances from Week 12 of NFL action.
Week 12 of NFL action showcased some late come-from-behind heroics, and also some blowouts. The playoff hunt is heating up, and some NFL teams are putting it together for their playoff runs. Other teams are looking toward next season. In both scenarios, rookies are playing significant parts in their team’s offenses. Let’s take a look at the top rookie performances from Week 12 of NFL action.
Rookie Performance of the Week
Bucky Irving | RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
12-87-1 rushing, 6/6-64 receiving
It’s time to give Bucky Irving his flowers. Irving’s stock fell during the NFL Draft cycle because of his poor Combine testing numbers. But what he showed on tape at Oregon has translated to the NFL. He is one of the shiftiest running backs in the league. You don’t need to be blazing fast when you can find space like Irving (32.8-percent Juke Rate, No. 3). He has seven Breakaway Runs on 96 carries, good for a 7.29-percent Breakaway Run Rate (No. 8 among RBs with at least 50 carries).
Malik Nabers | WR, New York Giants
6/9-64 receiving
It doesn’t matter who the Giants’ quarterback is. Their job is to get Malik Nabers the ball. Nabers had another nine targets on Sunday, even in an impotent Giants offense helmed by Tommy DeVito.
Nabers went over 100 targets for the season on Sunday despite missing two full games. He is No. 1 with a 36.4-percent Target Share, keeping the rookie in the top-10 WRs in PPG scoring.
Caleb Williams | QB, Chicago Bears
32/47-340-2 passing, 6-33 rushing
The Bears’ offense has definitely seen an uptick in production since Shane Waldron was given the boot. The Bears made it interesting against the Minnesota Vikings, but in the end lost a heartbreaker in overtime. Caleb Williams had not thrown a touchdown pass or more than 231 yards since Week 6 against the Jaguars, but he went for 340 and two TDs in this game, helping his team keep pace with the 9-2 Vikings.
Jayden Daniels | QB, Washington Commanders
25/38-275-2 passing, 7-74-1 rushing
Jayden Daniels has been slowed by his ribs injury for the last several games, but he showed he can still do what needs to be done when the game comes down to its final moments. The Commanders started slow, scoring just three points in the first half.
Daniels was 9/16 with 57 passing yards and an interception at half. That means he had a big second half, nearly leading the Commanders to a come-from-behind victory, had Austin Seibert hit the extra point.
Bo Nix | QB, Denver Broncos
25/42-273-2 passing, 1-5 rushing
It looks like all of Bo Nix‘s five years’ experience as a starting quarterback in college paid off. He appears confident commanding the Broncos’ offense against NFL defenses. He is avoiding sacks and getting the ball out quickly to his receivers, throwing for eight TDs and zero INTs in his last three.
Tyrone Tracy Jr.| RB, New York Giants
9-42 rushing, 4/4-28 receiving
Tyrone Tracy Jr. is an efficient back. He has rushed for 5.1 yards per carry on the season – No. 7 among qualified players at his position. He’s a natural as a running back – not bad for a fifth round NFL Draft pick who only started playing the position in his final year of college.
Devaughn Vele | WR, Denver Broncos
6/9-80 receiving
Devaughn Vele has been included as a player to watch in our key usage notes at the end of this article more than once this season. He has been running the most routes for the Broncos other than Alpha Courtland Sutton.
Vele had another nine targets Sunday versus the Raiders, and looks like a fixture on an ascending Broncos offense.
Key Usage Notes
Jaylen Wright | RB, Miami Dolphins – 7-28 rushing
Theo Johnson | TE, New York Giants – 3/6-39
Ja’Tavion Sanders | TE, Carolina Panthers – 3/3-49 (left with neck injury in second quarter)
See all Joel’s PlayerProfiler articles here, including The Rookie Report from every week of the NFL season.
