Rookies are settling into their NFL careers, and that showed in Week 6. Several were making an impact across the league, including two quarterbacks putting their franchises on their backs.
CBSSports.com looks at the top rookie performers from the past week.
1. Caleb Williams, Bears
Fans are starting to see Williams settle in a bit more within the Bears offense. There were a few deflected passes, including one thrown off his lineman’s head, and there is still some PTSD from early season protection issues, but the first-year starter from USC was sensational in London against fellow No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence. Williams does a great job needling the ball into tight windows and giving his playmakers an opportunity to create yards after the catch. His lone blemish was an interception intended for D.J. Moore early in the game. It was the correct read, but he got cute and tried to float it in there rather than flattening it out and allowing Moore to go get it.
Williams threw four touchdowns and rushed for 56 yards. Since 1990, only two others rookie quarterbacks — Deshaun Watson (2017) and Robert Griffin III (2012) — have thrown for four touchdowns and rushed for 50+ yards in a game.
2. QB Jayden Daniels, Commanders
Daniels continues to play at a level more closely resembling a seasoned veteran than a rookie. Even when his pass catchers are covered, they are open, because of Daniels’ ball placement. In fact, Baltimore respects his accuracy so much that the Ravens were in position to record the LSU product’s third interception of the season on an overthrow, but they were not even looking for it, because they assumed it was on target.
3. CB Quinyon Mitchell, Eagles
Mitchell has a fiery spirit that uplifts the rest of that unit. He does a good job of staying in-phase up the boundary, as well as carrying routes across the field. There was certainly an element of ‘well, he’s playing Deshaun Watson’ to Sunday’s game as targets were overthrown and underthrown. Mitchell nearly recorded his first interception of the season, but he collided with safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson on a poor decision by the opposing quarterback.
4. CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Titans
Brownlee did a good job in coverage, breaking up multiple passes intended for Michael Pittman Jr. and Adonai Mitchell, but also attacked the flat to break up tunnel screens and quick outs to the flat. He brought a lot of energy to the secondary.
5. S Tykee Smith, Buccaneers
Smith is everywhere and he plays downhill in run support. It was rookie-on-rookie crime when he forced Saints receiver Bub Means to fumble the ball in the third quarter. Smith has been a consistent performer on a Buccaneers defense that desperately needed new faces to step up.
6. RB Bucky Irving, Buccaneers
Irving has done a really good job running through arm tackles and keeping his balance through contact. His contributions in the pass game have played a role in Tampa Bay becoming one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL. Irving was credited with a 42.9% tackle avoidance rate, according to TruMedia.
7. RB Ray Davis, Bills
Davis stepped in for an injured James Cook on “Monday Night Football” and the Bills offense did not skip a beat. Davis rush for 97 yards on 20 carries, in addition to catching all three of his targets for 55 yards. Davis avoided seven tackles attempts in this game, according to TruMedia, which allowed him to turn his 1.4 yards before carry into his 4.8 yards-per-carry average.
8. TE Brock Bowers, Raiders
It was a high-volume game for the first-round pick out of Georgia. He caught nine passes for 71 yards by settling into zone coverage and having targets manufactured for him across the formation. He does a good job getting turning upfield and getting yardage post-catch.
9. CB Renardo Green, 49ers
Green was exposed to everything this week against the Seahawks and acquitted himself well. He showed good footwork transitioning across the field on a post route in man coverage and the instincts, communication necessary to thrive in zone coverage. There were a few communication/assignment issues with Deommodore Lenoir, but overall, the 49ers have reasons to be excited about that young secondary.
10. OG Dominick Puni, 49ers
Puni does a really good job playing in space and angling his blocks, which has allowed San Francisco to turn its RB3 into the NFL leader in rushing yards. Hand placement could still use some work, but contact balance keeps him in the fight even against bigger defensive linemen like Jarran Reed.
