Exciting NFL Rookies to Watch in Week One

Caleb Williams (18) of the Chicago Bears warms up prior to a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Aug. 10, 2024. Rich Barnes/Getty Images

The coming NFL season stacks up as one of the most intriguing in years. The 2024 NFL Draft broke records for the number of quarterbacks taken in the first round—the first dozen overall picks—and there will be first-year quarterbacks starting in a number of cities. This was also a strong year for receivers in the draft, some of whom will look to make an impact early in their careers as well.

We cannot ignore the defensive side of the ball when considering this year’s rookie class. With some injuries and veterans moving to new cities, opportunities are available for some young players to help their teams chase a championship this season.

Here are rookies to keep an eye on in the first week of the NFL season, which kicks off Thursday night with the Ravens and Chiefs.

Offensive Rookies to Watch

The player at the top of every list for the Offensive Rookie of the Year (ORoY) is Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. He walks into a terrific situation in a massively improved Chicago offense that will now feature a trio of superb receivers in veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allan and No. 9 overall pick Rome Odunze.

Another quarterback who will battle for the ORoY this year is 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, who earned the starting job in Washington. The Commanders have reliable receiver Terry McLaurin and several good running backs to take some of the pressure off. However, Washington traded receiver Jahan Dotson to Philadelphia during training camp, so there are some questions about their pass catchers as the regular season begins.

The third rookie quarterback to win a starting job this season is Bo Nix in Denver. He was targeted by Sean Payton in the draft and the former Saints head coach got his man. With a decent group of receivers around him, Nix will look to do his best Drew Brees impression early in his career.

The top receivers on the list are Marvin Harrison, Jr. in Arizona and Xavier Worthy in Kansas City. Both are in great positions with good veteran quarterbacks throwing them the ball. Keon Coleman in Buffalo will have his work cut out for him; the Bills traded their top receiver, Stefon Diggs, to Houston this summer. However, Josh Allen will need someone to catch the ball, which is a terrific opportunity for Coleman.

It might be wise to fade Malik Nabers in New York as a candidate for ORoY. With the struggles of quarterback Daniel Jones, Nabers will need to be great in an offense that will likely struggle.

Defensive Rookies to Watch

On the defensive side of the ball, there are some rookies who will look to establish themselves early this season. EDGE Demeioun “Chop” Robinson will get a lot of opportunities to shine in Miami, with veterans Jaelan Phillips (torn Achilles) and Bradley Chubb (torn ACL) beginning the season on the physically unable-to-perform list.

Similarly, Jared Verse figures to get a lot of snaps for the Rams this season. He rushes the passer exceptionally well and is also good against the run, making him the preseason favorite to win the DFoY award.

One final EDGE who could be an impact player quickly is Dallas Turner in Minnesota. He’ll start the season in a rotation with veterans Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. The Vikings hoped to compete for a division title this year in a suddenly fascinating NFC North, but the loss of rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy for the season may have taken some of the steam out of their hype train. Turner is still an excellent rusher who will have eyes on him in a very good division.

No safety has won the DRoY since Mark Carrier of the Bears in 1990, but Tyler Nubin will look to change that with the Giants this season. In the most attention-getting division and the biggest market in the league, if he can perform as well as he did as a four-year starter at Minnesota, he could be an impact player immediately.

Staying in both the defensive backfield and the NFC East, the Eagles hope two young players can help their secondary quickly. Philly used first, and second-round picks on Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, respectively, and both come in with a great deal of talent. But adjusting to NFL receivers will be a test.

That will also be a test for Detroit corner Terrion Arnold, who played against his share of future NFL receivers in the SEC while starring at Alabama. He also saw plenty of pro talent in practice every day for the Crimson Tide.

If you like watching linebackers, Payton Wilson in Pittsburgh might be your guy this year. A third-round pick out of North Carolina State, he’ll try to make a difference in a city where defense has always been emphasized. And Steelers linebackers have always been great.