QB
Joe Burrow / CIN – Round 1
Burrow was the only rookie who saw significant snaps in week 6. He eclipsed the 300-yard mark for the fourth time in six weeks, this time on 25 of 39 passing. He didn’t get into the end zone through the air, but he did run one in. Burrow’s interception late was a killer to the team’s comeback chances.
RB
D’Andre Swift / DET – Round 2
Swift has been knocking on the door in DET’s crowded backfield in recent weeks, but he finally burst through and broke out. He rushed for 116 yards on 14 carries, including 2 touchdowns, and added 3 catches in DET’s commanding win over JAX.
WR
Justin Jefferson / MIN - Round 1
For the third time in four weeks, Jefferson brought in over 100 yards of receiving. He was clearly the go-to target for Kirk Cousins as he had over twice as many targets, catches, and yards than any other MIN receiver/tight end. His big play capability is among the league’s best and if he continues this track over the next two thirds of the schedule, he may end up passing the club’s rookie receiving stats set by the great Randy Moss.
TE
Cole Kmet / CHI – Round 2
Kmet’s playing time is starting to creep up more and more. The every down Y-tight end was targeted just twice by Nick Foles and he brought in both, one of which was for a touchdown. His blocking performances continue to grade out well and in an offense that likes to really spread the ball out, expect his role to grow more and more.
OT
Tristan Wirfs / TB – Round 1
The most frequent visitor to the all-rookie team threw yet another shutout as Wirfs’ rookie season continues to impress. He didn’t allow one pressure or one sack against GB in the dominant TB win. The pass sets are looking more controlled and fluid and his run blocking is a big reason why Ronald Jones currently ranks 5th in the NFL in rushing.
OG/OC
Kevin Dotson / PIT – Round 4
The Steelers appear to have found a diamond in the rough along the offensive line yet again. Kevin Dotson was dominant in the passing game and has now made it nearly 100 snaps without allowing a sack. They are now using his athletic burst and ability on the move as a lead blocker in space more often in the ground game.
EDGE
DJ Wonnum / MIN – Round 4
Wonnum earned a spot on the all-rookie team in week 6 partially because it was a quiet week at the position. Nonetheless, his playing time has been increasing as the team is still coping without Danielle Hunter. He finished with 2 tackles, 1 TFL, and 2 pressures in their loss against ATL.
DT
Derek Brown / CAR – Round 1
The Bears averaged just 2.5 yards per carry and Brown’s presence inside was a big reason why. He played 71% of the snaps and finished with 3 tackles, 2 TFL, and 1 QB hit. He is proving to be more than just a run-plug in CAR’s up and coming defense.
LB
Tae Crowder / NYG – Round 7
This year’s “Mr. Irrelevant” earned a starting role in NYG’s young defense that appears to be turning the corner. The twitchy and physical linebacker finished with 10 tackles, second on the team, and scored a touchdown via a recovered fumble. That score ended up being the deciding factor in NYG’s first win of the season. Unfortunately, Crowder hurt his hamstring late and was placed on IR yesterday.
CB
AJ Terrell / ATL – Round 1
One of the few bright spots on the ATL defense finished with 7 tackles and an interception in ATL’s first win of the season against MIN. He matched up against Adam Thielen for most of the game and kept things quiet while also providing solid, physical play in the running game.
S
Jeremy Chinn / CAR – Round 2
The hybrid safety/linebacker continues to soar in his custom-made role within the CAR defense. This is a great example of a defensive scheme that has molded around a versatile player rather than trying to fit a player into an already-existent role. Chinn strengthened his case for Defensive Rookie of the Year with a 5 tackle, 2 pass break up , 1 interception performance in CAR’s loss to CHI.