The first week of NFL preseason is complete and no one player is a bust or a breakout just yet.
Football fans are understandably starved for live-action snaps to digest and that’s just what unfolded this past weekend with all 32 teams in action, but these performances (and stat lines specifically) should be taken with a grain of salt. Most starters only played a series or two and plenty of players have gone on to have successful careers after duds in their preseason debuts. At the same time, a strong preseason showing by no means guarantees future success.
That said, let’s take a look at a few first-year players who just made their NFL debuts.
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Quiet Showing for First-Round Quarterbacks
The first week of the preseason could have gone better for the first three signal-callers drafted in the 2023 class.
No. 1 pick Bryce Young was relentlessly pressured across three series. He handled the rush well by getting the ball out quickly but he still took a handful of hits and a sack. The Panthers’ offensive line convened after the game to discuss the disappointing performance and left tackle Ikem Ekwonu said, via the team website: “He shouldn't be getting hit at all. That's on us. We just weren't good enough today.” Young finished 4-6 for 21 yards.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, the second pick of the draft, was in for two series, the first of which ended with an interception. After completing his first attempt, Stroud took a 15-yard sack that set up a third-and-long, which is when he was picked off. Stroud’s final stat line read 2-4 for 13 yards.
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson also threw an interception on his first drive. The No. 4 pick completed his first two passes before he turned the ball over deep inside his own territory. Richardson would stay in for two more series and flashed arm strength on a deep shot that receiver Alec Pierce dropped. He ended the day 7-12 for 67 yards and added two carries for seven yards.
Three Rookie Receivers Who Flashed
Tank Dell had a strong debut for Houston, though all of his production came after Stroud left the game. The No. 2 pick was looking for Dell on his first-quarter interception but that was the only time he was targeted by his fellow rookie. Davis Mills, on the other hand, threw seven of his 12 passes in Dell’s direction and they connected five times for 65 yards, including a six-yard circus catch in the end zone. Dell, a third-round pick, is currently behind Nico Collins, Robert Woods and Noah Brown on the Texans’ depth chart but he started Thursday opposite Collins, a 2021 third-rounder.
Rashee Rice also played well Sunday and though he didn’t start, he recorded a few snaps with the starters. The Chiefs’ second-rounder finished with three catches on four targets for 30 yards and he caught passes from both Blaine Gabbert and Shane Buechele. Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson, all returning players, started at receiver for the Chiefs but Rice has a chance to work his way up the depth chart, especially with Kadarius Toney (knee) out.
Saints sixth-round pick A.T. Perry was Jameis Winston’s favorite target Sunday. Perry caught all six of his targets from the veteran quarterback for 70 yards, which included a 29-yard score. Chris Olave and Michael Thomas are engrained as the top two pass-catchers in New Orleans but injuries to Rashid Shaheed (groin) and Tre’Quan Smith (groin) could allow Perry to make his case for a spot on the 53-man roster as preseason continues.
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These First-Year Running Backs Were Heavily Involved
The Dolphins made a concerted effort to get the ball in the hands of their third-round running back. De’Von Achane, who handled a team-high 10 carries, finished with 25 yards rushing and caught all four of his targets for 41 yards. The former all-SEC back also began the game with a 38-yard kickoff return on his first career touch. Achane has been the subject of plenty of offseason hype, largely due to his speed and coach Mike McDaniels’s offensive ingenuity. His debut inspired even more confidence in his ability to carve out a role in an offense where veterans Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. are ahead of him on the depth chart.
The Tank Bigsby big hype train continued as he had a productive preseason showing, which included one snap with the starters early in the game. He finished with nine carries for 52 yards, 48 of which came on a second-quarter scoring drive that he began with a 34-yard run. The third-rounder is not taking anything away from Travis Etienne Jr., who started the game, but he’s certainly earning his spot as the backup.
Bears fourth-round selection Roschon Johnson only saw the field after Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman and Trestan Ebner got involved but he had a strong start. His first touch was a catch for no gain from PJ Walker but he went for 24 yards on his first carry and at least five on his next two. Johnson’s efficiency declined as the game went on, though, and he finished with just 46 yards on 14 touches (12 carries, two receptions).
