QB
Kenny Pickett / PIT (Round 1)
Pickett did not have much competition among rookie QBs in week 7. His Sunday night loss in Miami had more bad than good but we are seeing the flashes that we want out of a rookie at the position. He finished with 257 yards on 32/44 while adding 20 yards on 3 carries. He connected with George Pickens for a touchdown but threw three interceptions.
Honorable Mention: Bailey Zappe (NE)
RB
Kenneth Walker III / SEA (Round 2)
There is a new RB1 in Seattle, it is official. 168 yards and 2 touchdowns on 23 carries in SEA’s 14-point road win over the Chargers has caught everyone’s attention. The numbers are there but aesthetically Walker more than looks the part. The fluidity and quick power he is running with should fit in well with what SEA is trying to do on offense in their surprising season.
Honorable Mention: Breece Hall (NYJ)
WR
George Pickens / PIT (Round 2)
Pickens saw just 6 targets, but he made the most of them. He caught all 6, including a highlight-reel touchdown where he barely got both feet down near the boundary. These are the kinds of plays we see from him in spurts and the more they show up, the closer he inches to one of the best draft weekend values of the 2022 class.
Honorable Mention: Chris Olave (NO)
TE
Cade Otton / TB (Round 4)
There wasn’t much to be happy about coming out of their loss to a Carolina team that traded their starting RB and number two WR days before this matchup. As the passing game struggled, Otton stepped up with his best career game. He had 64 yards on 4 catches including 41 yards after the catch.
Honorable Mention: Greg Dulcich (DEN)
OT
Ikem Ekwonu / CAR (Round 1)
Ekwonu continued his high level of play and has cemented himself as the best rookie linemen of the year over the course of this season. He allowed just one pressure in the passing game and was all over the field as a run blocker. The team is using him as a weapon along the second level where he catches guys on angles that most pro tackles cannot work with.
Honorable Mention: Braxton Jones (CHI)
OG/OC
Spencer Burford / SF (Round 4)
There was not much to be happy about in SF’s loss to the Chiefs at home, but Burford was a bright spot on the line. He allowed just one pressure and played sticky in the trenches as a run blocker.
Honorable Mention: Tyler Linderbaum (BAL)
EDGE
Sam Williams / DAL (Round 2)
It was a close race at EDGE, but the victory is given to the one that made the biggest impact plays. In just 14 snaps, Williams recorded 2 sacks and recovered a fumble that he forced on a play where he beat DET right tackle Penei Sewell, one of the best young ones in the game. A strong defense getting another explosive option off the bench like this almost doesn’t seem fair for future DAL opponents.
Honorable Mention: Aidan Hutchinson (DET)
DT
Zachary Carter / CIN (Round 3)
The versatile defensive lineman saw a season high 34 snaps against one of the most run-heavy teams in the league. They held ATL to a season-low 214 yards of total offense and Carter’s 6 tackles were a key reason why. He showed relentless range in and out of the tackle box.
Honorable Mention: Travis Jones (BAL)
LB
Quay Walker / GB (Round 1)
Walker put out his best performance of the season in GB’s loss at WAS. He finished with 13 tackles, 3 pressures, 2 QB hits, and 1 pass break up. He was all over the field and it appears the coaching staff is getting more and more comfortable using him in any kind of role based on the situation.
Honorable Mention: Devin Lloyd / JAX
CB
Ahmad Gardner / NYJ (Round 1)
The Jets defense continues to lead the way for one of the best team-turnaround stories in the NFL. A strong case can be made that Gardner is the #1 player on that side of the ball already. He broke up 3 passes and added 10 tackles. DEN attacked his side of the field in the 4th quarter as they tried to tie it up, but Gardner’s blanket coverage, elite body control, and savvy ball skills sealed the win.
Honorable Mention: Joshua Williams (KC)
S
Jaquan Brisker / CHI (Round 2)
For the third time in four weeks, the CHI defense held the opponent to under 200 yards of passing. Brisker is the key change to their secondary from 2021 that finished fourth worst in interceptions. He picked off Mac Jones on a beautiful one-handed leaping grab that very few players can make. The week 1 starter finished with 7 tackles as well
Honorable Mention: Jalen Pitre / HOU