Football is officially back, and with a new season comes a new batch of team leaders and star players across the league. Let’s take a look at five players who made their names known in Week 1.
Jordan Love, quarterback, Green Bay Packers
Few players were shrouded in more mystery prior to Week 1 than Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who this week made only his second NFL start after essentially redshirting his first three seasons behind presumed Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Drafted in the first round out of Utah State in 2020, Love was seen as a raw prospect by NFL draft analysts and scouts alike, who lauded his physical traits but expressed concern about how his inconsistent decision-making would translate to the NFL. Given minimal play time during his first three years in the league, what type of player Love would be in 2023 as Aaron Rodgers’ successor was a complete mystery. While a one-game sample size is not a definitive mark for future performance, Love’s Week 1 tape certainly showed reason for excitement.
In his first game as a starting quarterback, Love went 15-for-27 passing for 245 yards, three touchdowns, and a QBR of 73.4, which ranked sixth among all quarterbacks in week one. Love was asked to play point guard in the Packers’ RPO-heavy offense, aligned in the shotgun for the majority of his snaps, taking three or five-step drops, and tasked with getting the ball out quickly. Love executed, showing the ability to get to the top of his drop, read coverages and go through multiple progressions efficiently, and rip difficult throws to his playmakers with accuracy and anticipation, particularly in the underneath and intermediate areas of the field. His first touchdown of the game stands out as a prime example, as he delivered a smooth pump fake to delay the safety on receiver Romeo Doubs, which allowed him to execute his double move and get free under a dime from Love for the Packers’ first score of the day.
Love’s poise and decision-making looked light years ahead of expectations for a first-year starter. While he still has parts of his game he needs to iron out (particularly his adequate deep ball accuracy) his week one tape showed the marrying of the impressive physical tools that made him a first-round pick and the high-level decision-making missing in college. The Packers look to have developed another quarterback, and with more experience and a stronger rapport with his receivers, Love could soon become one of the better passers in the league.
Puka Nacua, wide receiver, Los Angeles Rams
With the Los Angeles Rams in dire need of cheap, young pieces after going all-in on veteran talent to win Super Bowl LVI, many saw the fifth-round selection of wide receiver Puka Nacua out of BYU as simply another late-round dart throw to help fill out their rebuilding roster. After all, Nacua was No. 7 of 14 Rams selections in the 2023 draft, and one of 36 rookies to attend training camp in late July.
Yet Nacua impressed as training camp wrapped and the Rams went through their preseason slate, with reports out of Rams camp indicating that Nacua was emerging as the favorite to secure the Rams WR2 spot.
“He’s doing a great job. I’m a huge fan of him,” Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters in August after the Rams’ preseason loss against the Los Angeles Chargers.
In Week 1 versus the Seattle Seahawks, not only did he win the WR2 spot but actually assumed Cooper Kupp’s WR1 role as the All-Pro receiver sat out with a hamstring injury. Nacua finished the game with 10 receptions for 119 yards on 15 targets, the most ever for a rookie receiver in week one since targets became a statistic in 1992. Used at both wideout spots in Sean McVay’s system, Nacua was asked to leverage all three areas of the field, and quickly earned quarterback Matthew Stafford’s trust with his smooth route running and reliable hands.
More specifically, his understanding of how to gain quick separation on the underneath and intermediate areas of the field, showing good processing to hit his landmarks and settle versus zone coverage and using fakes to shake defensive backs vs man, was incredibly impressive for a late round rookie in his first professional start.
It should be noted that Nacua struggled when pressed, showing below-average strength and hand use to get past cornerbacks off the line. This indicates that he projects as more of a slot receiver or strictly as a “Z” (the non-isolated outside receiver who usually gets the free release) moving forward. With that said, that is a role he could fill perfectly with his route-running prowess and good mental processing upon Kupp’s return. In Nacua, the Rams definitely found their diamond in the rough.
Brian Branch, defensive back, Detroit Lions
Despite being a three-year starter at the University of Alabama and a 2022 First-Team All-American, Brian Branch fell out of the first round of the NFL draft in April due to concerns about his size and projected role in the league. Playing the “star” position in Nick Saban’s defense, a hybrid role that blends the responsibilities of a safety and slot cornerback, scouts expressed doubt that Branch, at 5 ‘11, 190 pounds, would be able to execute first-round play at either position.
The Detroit Lions selected Branch with the 45th overall pick despite having him high on their board. It was uncertain what kind of role Branch would play in Detroit’s defense after the free agency signing of C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but general manager Brad Holmes expressed no concern about Branch finding a role.
“The thing about it is that because we had C.J. Gardner-Johnson slated to kind of be the nickel and we knew that Branch was going to be best as a nickel—he can play safety, as well. But we were just like, ‘Look, if he finds a role, he finds a role. If he doesn’t, then we know he’ll be a dang good special teams player,’” Holmes said in August to NFL Network.
Branch had an impressive week one performance versus the Kansas City Chiefs with three total tackles, one pass defended and an interception returned for a touchdown.
He played as the starting nickel for the Lions, showing the ability to erase slot receivers with good foot quickness, hip fluidity, and speed to cover longer developing routes. In zone, he showed good ability to leverage his area as a hook, curl, and flat defender, showing very good processing to quickly recognize route combinations and the positional awareness to shrink throwing windows.
Branch only played 46% of first downs in Week 1, an indication that the Lions coaching staff does not see him as a plus-run defender at this point in time. With that said, Branch still showed the potential to develop into one of the more versatile coverage players in the league.
Tyler Allgeier, running back, Atlanta Falcons
Tyler Allgeier quietly put together a stellar season in 2022 with 1035 yards on 210 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per carry—No. 12 among all running backs. A fifth-round pick out of BYU in the 2022 draft, Allgeier was drafted to replace veteran running back Mike Davis as the counter punch to the dynamic Cordarelle Patterson. But after stacking good performances on limited touches, he ended the season as the Falcons’ clear RB1. However, the selection of Texas running back Bijan Robinson at eighth overall in April quickly removed Allgeier from the radar of the general populace, who expected Robinson to instantly become the workhorse back in Atlanta.
Yet despite all the attention garnered by Robinson throughout the offseason, it was actually Allgeier who opened the 2023 season versus the Carolina Panthers as the Falcons’ lead back, rushing for 75 yards and two touchdowns. Allgeier showed everything that made him the primary back for the Falcons in 2022, showing good processing and decisiveness in his reads during zone plays, the toughness to generate yards after contact and the good burst and power to hit the hole with explosion.
NFL fans and fantasy players may have expected Robinson to take over the Falcons’ backfield, yet that probably won’t be the case. Since Arthur Smith took over as head coach in 2021, the Falcons have always operated on a running back-by-committee system with two players sharing the spotlight. Allgeier is here to stay as a staple of the Falcons offense, and while he may be secondary to Robinson as the season progresses, he’ll most likely be more of a 1B than a 2. Look for Allgeier to repeat as a four-digit rusher in 2023.
Derek Stingley Jr., defensive back, Houston Texans
Not often are top-five picks as minimally covered as cornerback Dereck Stingley Jr., the number-three overall selection by the Houston Texans in the 2022 draft. While he struggled with injuries the last two years of his college career, Stingley Jr. was regarded as a true blue-chip prospect by draft analysts and scouts alike due to his lockdown man coverage skills. Yet during his rookie year, Stingley Jr. was primarily utilized as a flat or deep zone defender in Lovie Smith’s zone-based defense, not playing to his strengths. This, combined with fellow 2022 first-round cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner’s All-Pro rookie season, caused Stingley Jr. to quickly become an afterthought to the average NFL fan.
With the new season came a new head coach in former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, a former Texans captain in 2011 who led a top-three defense in the league by many metrics in 2022. Regarding Stingley Jr., Ryans told reporters in his opening press conference in February that he would “put [Stingley Jr.] in a position where he can excel and show his talents,” a statement he backed up in Week 1 as Stingley Jr. played the majority of his snaps as a man corner.
Stingley shined in his first game in Ryans’ defense, targeted only twice and allowing one reception for 20 yards. In man coverage, he looked like the stellar lockdown corner he was at LSU, showing elite quickness and hip fluidity to trail receivers, completely shutting down Baltimore Ravens receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman, and winning most duels against rookie first-rounder Zay Flowers. In zone, Stingley Jr. looked decisive, showing good processing and awareness to read route concepts and leverage his area effectively. Look for Stingley to potentially elevate his name into elite cornerback contention by the end of the year under Ryans’ tutelage.