Commanders’ Jayden Daniels takes charge as he continues to impress in the NFL. His performance on Monday night, leading Washington to a nail-biting 38-33 victory over the Bengals, marks one of the finest outings for a rookie quarterback in league history.
Daniels completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and threw two touchdowns, while also contributing 39 rushing yards and another touchdown. His remarkable 91.3% completion rate stands as the eighth-highest in any game with over 20 passes, setting both an NFL rookie record and a franchise record for the Commanders.
Typically, games with such high completion percentages rely heavily on short passes, but Daniels averaged an impressive 11.0 yards per attempt. Among the 20 games in NFL history where quarterbacks have achieved a 90% completion rate or better with 20 or more attempts, his performance ranks third in terms of yards per attempt.
As a dual-threat quarterback, Daniels leads all NFL rookies in rushing yards with 171 and is just one rushing touchdown shy of the overall league lead. He is projected to finish the season with 3,762 passing yards, 969 rushing yards, and a total of 28 touchdowns, placing him fourth in passer rating among all NFL quarterbacks.
In Week 9, he will face off against Chicago’s Caleb Williams. Despite Denver’s Bo Nix making strides in the Broncos’ recent game against the Bucs, Daniels is emerging as the frontrunner in this year’s rookie quarterback class.
Steelers‘ Zach Frazier leading rookie OL class
The 2024 NFL Draft showcased a strong offensive line class, and this depth is evident as the season unfolds. Nine rookies have secured their spots as multi-game starters, including tackles like Joe Alt of the Chargers and JC Latham of the Titans, as well as guards like Layden Robinson of the Patriots.
Among these rookies, Zach Frazier stands out as the highest-graded player according to Pro Football Focus, ranking as the No. 6 center. His combination of intelligence and physicality allows him to compete effectively against larger nose tackles, earning accolades from former Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey on Ben Roethlisberger’s podcast.
Pouncey expressed confidence in Frazier’s abilities, stating, “I think he has all the ability — the physical ability, the mental ability — to be a great football player for the Steelers. I’m on board with him 100 percent.”
At tackle, Joe Alt leads the rankings at No. 15, although he is currently sidelined due to a sprained MCL. Latham and Fuaga follow closely behind in the rankings.
Frazier’s impact as a second-round pick highlights the success of mid-round selections, with Robinson, Beebe, and Puni all making significant contributions. Notably, Rams guard Beaux Limmer, a sixth-round pick, played every snap in their recent victory over the 49ers.
NFL’s No. 1 target: Giants rookie Malik Nabers
Giants receiver Malik Nabers made headlines with two touchdown receptions in a recent win against the Browns, showcasing his remarkable ability to attract passes.
If his current pace continues, Nabers is on track for an astonishing 210 targets this season, a record since the NFL began tracking this statistic in 1992. The current record holder is former Jets receiver Rob Moore, who had 208 targets in 1997. Only five players have ever reached the 200-target mark in a single season, with the last being Julio Jones in 2015.
Precocious start for Braelon Allen
Braelon Allen, at just 20 years old, is making waves as he chases the record for most touchdowns before turning 21. He is currently two months younger than JuJu Smith-Schuster was when he accomplished this feat in 2017.
Smith-Schuster holds the record with five touchdowns, while others like Rashaad Salaam, Reidel Anthony, and Brandin Cooks have fewer touchdowns in the same timeframe.
Introducing …
The NFL differentiates between rookies and first-year players, with rookies being those who were in college the previous year. A noteworthy mention is Broncos edge rusher Dondrea Tillman, who made an impressive debut with two sacks during Denver’s unexpected win over the Bucs. At 26, Tillman has an intriguing background, having played at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania and winning three championships with the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL and UFL.
After being cut by the Broncos post-preseason, he returned to the practice squad and capitalized on his first opportunity in the NFL.
Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He previously spent a decade covering the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. Follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.
