QB
Kenny Pickett / PIT (Round 1)
Pickett had a clean game, going 20/28 – 174 yards with 32 more yards on the ground. Most importantly, he did not turn the ball over. The standout part of the game to me was what he did in the fourth quarter on what ended up being PIT’s game-winning drive. He went 5/6 for 35 yards and took a 15-yard roughing penalty. Running back Benny Snell later crossed the goal line but it was Pickett who got them there.
Honorable Mention: Skylar Thompson (MIA)
RB
Brian Robinson / WAS (Round 3)
One of the best stories of the 2022 NFL season continues to get better and better. Robinson gained 105 yards on just 18 carries (5.8 avg) and gained another 20 yards on 2 catches, one of which went for a touchdown. The bruiser forced four missed tackles but also had three different runs of 10+ yards.
Honorable Mention: Rachaad White (TB)
WR
Garrett Wilson / NYJ (Round 1)
The Jets make a quarterback change away from Zach Wilson and Garrett Wilson produced in a similar way to what he was doing prior to Zach being inserted into the lineup. He had 5 catches for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns. His 11.4 yards after catch per reception were a season high for the dynamic athlete that they line up both in the slot and out wide. Wilson has not dropped a pass since week 4.
Honorable Mention: Christian Watson (GB)
TE
Jelani Woods / IND (Round 3)
In a struggling IND air attack, Woods stepped up against PIT on Monday night. He led the team with 8 catches and 98 yards on just 9 targets. 5 of those receptions went for a first down and he came away with the one target that was contested. His usage is all over the place and he is turning into a focal point of an offense that is looking everywhere for answers.
Honorable Mention: Jake Ferguson (DAL)
OT
Nicholas Petit-Frere / TEN (Round 3)
It was a rough weekend for the rookie tackles. Petit-Frere did get pushed around in the running game by the CIN front, but he allowed just 1 pressure in 38 drop backs. He also makes up for some sheer power deficiencies by hustling downfield looking for bodies to toss as the ball carries fight for extra yards. The starter from week one has been steady enough and while there is still a little way to go, he is a quality starting right tackle on a playoff-caliber team.
Honorable Mention: Jamaree Salyer (LAC)
OG/OC
Dylan Parham / LV (Round 3)
Parham was a key component to the Raiders’ running game explosion that ended up winning the game in SEA (283 yards). He has stepped his game up in a big way over the last month. He has not been flagged for a penalty since Week 8 and has gone 80 straight snaps without allowing a sack. His lateral speed and suddenness against second level defenders are now a weapon in the LV running game.
Honorable Mention: Ed Ingram (MIN)
EDGE
Kayvon Thibodeaux / NYG (Round 1)
For the second time this season, NYG had a second half lead against the Cowboys. Both instances still resulted in losses, but there was a key highlight to this one. Thibodeaux finished the game with 9 pressures, a season high for all rookies. He hit Dak Prescott 5 times as he continues to inch closer and closer to a multi-sack game. It is coming.
Honorable Mention: George Karlaftis (KC)
DT
Eyioma Uwazurike / DEN (Round 4)
Uwazurike was one of my biggest draft weekend values in the entire league. I thought DEN was an ideal spot for his skill set but up until week 11, he had played just 27 snaps this season. That number doubled against CAR, and he finished with 5 tackles, all of which resulted in wins for the defense. Expect to see the versatile lineman much more often down the stretch.
Honorable Mention: Logan Hall (TB)
LB
Malcolm Rodriguez / DET (Round 6)
Rodriguez was all over the field in DET’s near-upset of BUF. He finished with 6 tackles, 1 TFL, and broke up a pass that turned into an interception for the defense. The gap-stuffer shows good range within the box and did not miss a tackle for the sixth game this season.
Honorable Mention: Jake Hansen (FA)
CB
Martin Emerson / CLE (Round 3)
Bucs receiver Mike Evans went catch-less in the first half of their loss to the Browns. It was Emerson who matched up against him for most of the afternoon, as the 6’2/201 cover man with length and a physical play style was an ideal matchup against the future Hall of Famer. Emerson was targeted 10 times and he broke up 4 passes and allowed just 2 catches.
Honorable Mention: Trent McDuffie (KC)
S
Bryan Cook / KC (Round 2)
KC was matched up against a third string quarterback that was leading an offense missing their number one receiver and lead back. While the opponent was less than stellar, Cook’s role and play style were important to the team’s ninth win of the season and the defense’s best total-yard performance.
Honorable Mention: Reed Blankenship (PHI)