OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
AMARIUS MIMS - OT / CIN
One of the riskiest players in the 2024 draft class based solely on the fact he barely played in college, Mims was on the field for just 803 snaps in college. That equates to less than a full season’s worth. He started just 8 games for the Bulldogs partially because he was playing behind multiple future pros and dealt with a couple of minor but nagging lower body injuries. With that said, the draft is more about the future than the past and CIN is a team that is all about the long game when it comes to developing their early draft picks. Mims was not supposed to start for the Bengals early on. They had Orlando Brown protecting the blind side and they signed Trent Brown to play right tackle for a year. But a knee injury to Brown expedited Mims to the starter role and there were a few roller coaster weeks as expected.
But that brings me to the physical week 7 matchup against the division rival Browns led by Myles Garrett. Mims allowed just one hurry on 29 pass block snaps, showing a much more developed self-awareness of the range his size gives him. The footwork was clean and he did not abandon his techniques, which was not always the case in the past few weeks. For the first time this season, Joe Burrow’s average depth of target was over 10 yards and he did not have to scramble once. The confidence and trajectory of this offense changes if Mims keeps this up.
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
BEANIE BISHOP - CB / PIT
The most used undrafted free agent in the NFL this season is Bishop. He added 47 snaps to his season total of 294 in the week 7 win over the Jets on a national stage. The next most snaps by an undrafted rookie defender? 137 by Elijah Chatman of the Giants. Bishop has been grabbing the attention of the Steelers brass since training camp and he isn’t letting go. After a 6-year, 3-program college career, the undersized Bishop was overlooked despite immense production. He was a 2nd Team All American after leading the nation in passes defended in 2023.
That production followed him to the NFL, week 7 in particular. Bishop picked off Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers not once, but twice in the Steelers statement-win over the Jets on Sunday night. One of those interceptions ended with a 41-yard return that came up one yard shy of the end zone. Bishop was a very good special teams returner in college as well. Both of his interceptions eventually led to the Steelers scoring touchdowns as well.
QB
Drake Maye / NE (Round 1)
The fourth QB in seven weeks to make the All-Rookie Team, Maye showed tremendous improvement from his first start to his second, throwing for 276 yards and two touchdowns with a 70% completion percentage. Most importantly, zero turnovers. While the footwork woes arise from time to time and he did have multiple interceptions dropped by the Jacksonville defense, there were also multiple drops by the poor supporting cast NE has surrounded him with.
Honorable Mention: Bo Nix / DEN
RB
Bucky Irving / TB (Round 4)
The Tampa Bay backfield was crowded with Rachaad White back in the mix. Irving played 29 of 82 snaps in the loss to Baltimore and gained a total of 77 yards from scrimmage, by far the most among rooke running backs. He scored a touchdown for the second straight week and for the third time in four weeks.
Honorable Mention: Jaylen Wright / MIA
WR
Brian Thomas / JAX (Round 1)
Thomas caught all five targets and four of them went for either a touchdown or first down. The 58-yard reception makes him the only receiver in the league with three catches of 58+ yards this year. This is a credible deep threat that is also impressing underneath and in traffic. He brought in a touchdown for the third time in four weeks.
Honorable Mention: Keon Coleman / BUF
TE
Brock Bowers / LV (Round 1)
We are seven weeks in and Bowers ranks second in the NFL with 47 catches. His 10 catches this week led all NFL rookies and his 93 yards were second most. Chunk gain after chunk gain with the constant yards after catch. Bowers is already a top tier threat at the position league wide and he is passing his tests as a blocker.
Honorable Mention: Ja’Tavion Sanders / CAR
OT
Amarius Mims / CIN (Round 1)
See above
Honorable Mention: Joe Alt / LAC
OG/OC
Mason McCormick / PIT (Round 4)
A late riser it he draft process that stood out at the East/West Shrine with a very good pre-draft workout was actually the third lineman drafted by the club this past spring. He was the only one on the field for Pittsburgh in their primetime win over the Jets. He did not allow a single pressure in pass protection and helped control the point of attack for the running backs that averaged 4.4 yards per carry.
Honorable Mention: Graham Barton / TB
EDGE
Jared Verse / LAR (Round 1)
Nobody in the league hit the QB more in week seven that Verse. He had seven pressures, five of which made contact with the passer. He added four tackles against the run and continues to be the tone setter for their front, an increasingly effective and physical group.
Honorable Mention: Laiatu Latu / IND
DT
T’Vondre Sweat / TEN (Round 2)
The ability to stack and shed has been a huge gain for the Titans defense. They are number one in the NFL in yards allowed and rank fourth in yards per carry allowed. There are multiple pieces to that puzzle including a new scheme, but Sweat’s ability to absorb double teams but also make plays on the ball have been huge. He finshed four tackles, two of which were stuffs at the line.
Honorable Mention: Byron Murphy / SEA
LB
Jaylen Carlies / IND (Round 5)
The former safety is making a case to be considered the best rookie linebacker of the first half of the season. He had four tackles and recorded his first sack as a pro, a first quarter sack of Tyler Huntley near the end zone.
Honorable Mention: Trevin Wallace / CAR
CB
Beanie Bishop Jr. / PIT (UDFA)
See above
Honorable Mention: Jarrion Jones/ JAXX
S
Jaylen McCollough / LAR (UDFA)
There were five safeties that played substantially more snaps than McCollough, but none made a bigger impact. He picked off two passes which gives him the NFL lead among rookies on the season with three tied with fellow safety Calen Bullock.
Honorable Mention: Dadrion Taylor-Demerson / ARI