Week 2 Rookie Report

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. Let’s dive in! 

ROOKIE(S) OF THE WEEK

Zay Flowers (WR) - Baltimore Ravens

Zay Flowers Week 1 performance is being vastly overshadowed by the unsolicited hype train of a fellow rookie wideout on the west coast. What Puka Nacua did in his first NFL game was impressive. What Flowers did was historic. The Ravens rookie receiver made an immediate impact in his NFL debut, earning an NFL-leading 45.4% target share while catching nine of his 10 targets for 78 yards. Flowers led all Ravens in routes, targets, receptions, and receiving yards as the rookie saw an increased opportunity share sans Mark Andrews. Flowers' 45.4% target share and 46.1% receiving yards share mark the highest totals of any Ravens wide receiver in their NFL Debut.

Puka Nacua (WR) - Los Angeles Rams

A compensatory 5th-round draft pick, Nacua was a relatively unknown name before he stepped on the field and torched the Seahawks defense for 119 yards with 10 receptions on a league-high 15 targets despite playing fewer snaps than Tutu Atwell and Van Jefferson. The Rams rookie encouragingly ran an equal number of routes to his counterparts, exhibiting his monster YPRR profile he boasted from college. Nacua is poised for a big role while Cooper Kupp recovers from a hamstring injury. 

ROOKIE STANDOUTS

Anthony Richardson (QB) - Indianapolis Colts

Anthony Richardson needed just one game before posting a top-5 positional finish in fantasy. Richardson recorded 21.9 points in his first start, throwing for 223 yards and one touchdown while adding another touchdown on the ground to go alongside his 40 yards on 10 carries. Richardson’s athleticism and rushing prowess will help to cover up his early inefficiencies as a passer.

Bijan Robinson (RB) - Atlanta Falcons

Bijan Robinson exemplified his league-winning skill set in Week 1, scoring his first-ever NFL touchdown while lined up as a wide receiver. Robinson led all NFL running backs in targets and target share in Week 1 while tallying 56 rushing yards on 10 carries and 27 receiving yards on six receptions.

Roschon Johnson (RB) - Chicago Bears

The Bears rookie served in an extensive role as an every-down man for the Bears in Week 1. Johnson’s 6’ 0”/225-lbs frame and above-average pass-catching ability allows the young rookie to fill in for any role, supplanting Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman as the most effective and efficient running back on the roster. Johnson caught all six o his targets or 35 yards and one touchdown, adding 20 yards on five rush attempts. His role will certainly increase as the season goes on and if Week 1 is any indication, Johnson has certainly earned the opportunity.

TOP ROOKIE PERFORMERS

QB Anthony Richardson: 21.9 Points - QB4

RB Bijan Robinson: 20.3 Points - RB7

RB Roschon Johnson: 17.5 Points - RB8

WR Puka Nacua: 21.9 Points - WR9

WR Zay Flowers: 17.7 Points - WR16

WR Jordan Addison: 16.1 Points - WR19

TE Sam LaPorta: 8.9 Points - TE8

TE Luke Musgrave: 8.0 Points - TE11

ROOKIE DISAPPOINTMENTS

Bryce Young (QB) - Carolina Panthers

The number one pick of the 2023 NFL Draft struggled to find a rhythm in Week 1 as defenders continuously Bryce Young to the point of attack. Young’s natural arm strength and ball placement were evident but his timing and decision-making will take several weeks to develop. The Panthers' lack of receiving weapons will lend no help towards said development. Expect several shaky starts for Young throughout the season as the Panthers' new franchise quarterback gets acclimated to the speed of NFL defenders.

C.J. Stroud (QB) - Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud faced a similar learning curve to his 2023 draft mate. Stroud showed good pocket presence, extending plays with his legs once the offensive protection broke down. Unfortunately, said protection deteriorated on nearly every play in the face of the Ravens' non-stop Zone Blitz defense. Stroud ate five sacks in his debut, finishing with 242 yards and no touchdowns. The Texans will need to vastly improve the cohesion of their offensive front if they hope to keep their rookie quarterback healthy for all 17 games.

Jahmyr Gibbs (RB) - Detroit Lions

Jahmyr Gibbs was rarely utilized in his rookie debut, conceding snaps and touches to David Montgomery as the Lions gutted out a close win against the Chiefs on the road. Gibbs did, however, flash his explosive and elusive rushing style while accruing six broken tackles on just seven rush attempts. The rookie played just 19 of the team’s 70 snaps and ran a total of 9 routes according to PFF’s Nathan Jahnke. He was the only RB targeted, catching both of his targets for 18 yards. Despite limited opportunity and time on the field, Gibbs finished with 60 yards on 9 touches. It is only a matter of time before the rookie running back breaks out as an elite per-touch producer. It may be frustrating to watch Gibbs climb the PPOxTD ranks without getting an RB1 opportunity share but the fantasy points will surely stabalize once his snap percentages increase.

SLOW STARTS

C.J. Stroud (QB) - Houston Texans : 9.7 Points (QB21) 

Bryce Young (QB) - Carolina Panthers : 9.5 Points (QB22) 

Jahmyr Gibbs (RB) - Detroit Lions : 8.0 Points (RB36)

Tank Bigsby (RB) - Jacksonville Jaguars: 4.3 Points (RB49)

Deuce Vaughn (RB) - Dallas Cowboys: 0.8 Points (RB76)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR) - Seattle Seahawks: 4.3 Points (WR76)

Marvin Mims Jr (WR) Denver Broncos : 2.9 Points (WR86)

Quentin Johnston (WR) Los Angeles Chargers: 2.9 Points (WR86)

NAMES TO WATCH

Josh Downs (WR) - Indianapolis Colts 

The Colts have a clear top-3 rotation of wide receivers and Josh Downs appears to be a staple. Downs has cemented himself as the starting slot receiver playing alongside Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce. The Colts top three wideouts all played at least 79% of offensive snaps with route participations above 76.6%. Depth receivers Juwann Winfree and Isaiah McKenzie only combined for six snaps total. Downs finished with seven targets, the 2nd most on the team, trailing only Pittman and Kylen Granson in receiving yards. The 3rd-round rookie has a clear role and it would be shocking to see him give it up anytime soon. Like with Douglas, expect fewer performances like this for the time being. Rookie WRs, like every position, don’t truly excel until the 2nd half of the season and Anthony Richardson may not throw 37 times a game every week. Thankfully he seems to have the slot role locked up and should earn an ample target share as the season continues.

Tyjae Spears (RB) - Tennessee Titans 

Tyjae Spears led all Titans running backs in snaps and routes run in Week 1. Although Derrick Henry tallied 17 touches, Spears was the favored back in the passing game and on third downs, playing 100.0% of the team's third-down snaps while posting the 6th best pass blocking grade on PFF. Henry would need to get hurt or severely slow down to give up his monstrous role as the team leader in touches Spears is the current heir apparent to the King's throne.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. (RB) - Washington Commanders 

Brian Robinson Jr. dominated touches in a game where the Commanders were in the lead for nearly three entire quarters. Antonio Gibson saw only four touches after yet another costly fumble and was outsnapped by Robinson 43 to 25. Gibson should still keep a healthy workload as a receiver but his utility within the offense is quickly waning. Rookie Chris Rodriguez posted three carries on three offensive snaps, earning a touch on 100.0% of his offensive plays. Rodriguez is a name to watch as the primary rushing replacement should Robinson go down. The Commanders only have three running backs on the roster and Gibson’s rushing workload has been trending downward since the final weeks of the 2022 season. Gibson may still be the lead back on the depth chart if Robinson is hurt but Rodriguez should be on your radar as a potential rookie riser.

Demario Douglas (WR) - New England Patriots 

“Pop” Douglas only played 33 of the team’s 80 snaps but tied JuJu Smith-Schuster in both routes and targets. His 7 targets turned into 4 catches for 40 yards. Douglas showcased some nice separation but will likely still need several weeks of development before performances like Week 1 become the norm. Mac Jones threw a career-high 54 pass attempts and has only exceeded 40 on three separate occasions in 32 games throughout his career. A lower-volume passing attack will not support multiple receiving options but Douglas has the chops to climb the ranks in this depth chart. 

BIG ROOKIE MOMENTS

Jordan Addison First Career Touchdown Catch

Addison corralled one of the more impressive catches of the Week 1 slate, laying out flat for a deep 39-yard touchdown grab on a pin-point missile strike delivered by Kirk Cousins.

Honorable Mention: A little IDP love as we give a shout-out to Lions rookie safety Brian Branch who returned a Patrick Mahomes interception for six points, collecting just the third Pick-Six of Mahomes’ career.

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By Matt Ward & Themi Michalakis