Welcome to the Rookie Report series. This will be a recurring series that highlights fantasy relevant rookies, how they performed in the prior weeks, and what that means for the future—all done with fun categories! Let’s dive in!
Rookie of the Week:
Dameon Pierce - RB, Texans
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Dameon Pierce had a great game on Sunday, putting up 131 yards on the ground and a touchdown. This was largely due to a 75 yard run but he was still impressive as a consistent runner. Pierce also picked up 6 receptions in this week's game. Pierce seems to be more comfortable in the NFL and is getting the ball more to go with that, as he was the only Texans player to record a rushing attempt in week 4. Pierce has been improving every week and will be impactful down the stretch.
Other Impressive Rookies:
George Pickens - WR, Steelers
George Pickens gained some momentum from his exceptional catch last week, as he put up 6 receptions for 102 yards against the Jets. Pickens was the go-to guy for Kenny Pickett—registering a 38% target share with Pickett under center. Pickens may already be the second option in this passing offense.
Chris Olave - WR, Saints
Chris Olave had a team leading 7 targets this week, catching 4 for 67 yards and his first career touchdown. He also made a fantastic play to help get the Saints into field goal range at the end of the game. Olave has been playing great football and is becoming the number one option in the Saints offense. He looks like a must-start in fantasy.
Breece Hall - RB, Jets
Breece Hall had another solid game for the Jets this week, racking up 78 total yards and scoring the game-winning touchdown. Hall had 17 carries in comparison to Michael Carter’s 9, a change from the previous three games. Hall is taking over as the lead back and, in his first game with Zach Wilson, also saw 6 targets out of the backfield. Hall is able to do everything on the field and is continuing to trend upwards.
Disappointing Rookie of the Week:
Drake London - WR, Falcons
Drake London had a very disappointing week, especially based on the standards he set for himself this season. He has been a great player for the Falcons this year but 2 receptions for 17 yards is not going to get it done. We are used to seeing London produce better numbers and this week he let fantasy players down. The main issue was Mariota’s poor play, something that may continue to be an issue going forward.
Honorable Mentions: Treylon Burks - WR, Titans; Christian Watson - WR, Packers
Keep An Eye On This Rookie:
Rachaad White - RB, Buccaneers
Rachaad White fumbled the ball on the kickoff in this week's game. After getting that mishap out of the way, White played more than he had all season. White had the same amount of carries as Leonard Fournette and he caught 5 balls for 50 yards. White also took the goal line carry and converted it. If the Bucs continue to work in White, he can potentially become an RB2 play.
Very Deep Sleeper:
Trey McBride - TE, Cardinals
Trey McBride saw the most snaps he has seen in his short NFL career this week with 46% of the snaps. He also received 3 targets, catching them all for 24 yards. If this trend continues, I can see him being a very late season potential add.
On The Decline:
Christian Watson - WR, Packers
Another disappointing week for Christian Watson leads to this category. Most people were already out on Watson for the season but he is now also declining in dynasty value. Watson is being outplayed by Romeo Doubs and he can’t seem to find his footing. Watson will have to completely turn things around if he’s going to be relevant for fantasy in the near future.
Run of The Week:
Dameon Pierce 75-yard run vs Chargers
Pierce had a great game this week and a lot of it was thanks to his 75-yard touchdown run. He caught the toss to the outside and quickly turned the corner and turned on his jets leaving the Chargers in the dust. It was an excellent run from Pierce.
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By Gianluca Martini
For a second straight season, I am betting against Mahomes.