Which 2023 NFL Draft picks and rookies stood out in Week 7 of the NFL season? Quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young were on bye weeks, but there was still plenty of rookie talent and production to go around.
From the current NFL standings to team depth charts to coverage of every game in the 18-week NFL schedule, we have all the news from around the league to keep you up to speed!
NFL Week 7 Rookie Rankings
As a disclaimer, these rankings prioritize the most recent body of work from the latest week of action. It’s not a composite ranking of rookies over the course of the season but instead, a list meant to highlight some of the latest standout performances.
1) Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks
The first cornerback selected in the 2023 NFL Draft is playing like it. Through five games, Devon Witherspoon has a pick, eight pass breakups, and two sacks — reaffirming his tenacious two-phase profile that was so appealing in the months leading up to April.
In Week 7, Witherspoon used his high-energy coverage mobility to help suffocate the Arizona Cardinals’ passing attack, and he also attacked downhill with voracity, snuffing out screens and short passes.
Witherspoon is an absolute tone-setter, with the tools to be a lockdown defender as well.
2) Deonte Banks, CB, New York Giants
Deonte Banks has been one of the better cornerbacks in the league this year. He’s allowing a mere 69.8 passer rating in coverage and had a stellar game in Week 7 — complete with his first NFL interception.
MORE: NFL Week 7 Grades
On a second-down play, Banks recognized Sam Howell’s intent to hit a deep crosser from the right and undercut the throw perfectly with his elite recovery speed. Banks’ athleticism amounts to an astronomical ceiling.
3) Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Puka Nacua had one down week in Week 6, and he quickly decided that was too much for him.
Even with Cooper Kupp back in the fold and demanding targets, Nacua has maintained a major role in the Rams’ offense. In Week 7 against the Steelers, he caught eight passes for 154 yards — including this absurd sideline catch while double-teamed.
Puka Nacua’s got that DOG in him 😮💨
This absurd catch puts him at 6 receptions for 126 yards on the day. WOW 🤯#RamsHouse
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 22, 2023
With less than half of the 2023 campaign complete, Nacua already has 58 catches for 752 yards and two scores. In Sean McVay’s offense, his versatility has been an immediate boon, and his ability to convert at the catch point is matched by few.
4) Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Shane Steichen drafted Josh Downs to be the Indianapolis Colts’ vertical threat and separator, and he’s quickly blossomed within that niche.
Downs had the best game of his career in Week 7, catching five passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, on which he used his explosive athleticism to carve through the Browns’ defense like a pumpkin.
MINSHEW MAGIC 🪄
He finds rookie Josh Downs on a strike on a free play to even things up in Indy!#ForTheShoe
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 22, 2023
Even with Anthony Richardson out for the year on the heels of shoulder surgery, Downs should be able to stay productive with his nuanced playstyle.
5) Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Chicago Bears
The beginning of the year was extremely rocky for Tyrique Stevenson. He’s still growing as an NFL boundary CB, but he played his best game yet in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Raiders couldn’t get anything going in the passing game, and Stevenson was able to lock down his realm with his athleticism and length, recording three pass deflections. That ball production might be a sign of better things to come.
6) Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes passed for over 400 yards and four touchdowns in Week 7, so there was plenty of production to go around. Rookie Rashee Rice got his share, with five catches for 60 yards and a score.
Rice continues to grow as an offensive threat for the Chiefs. Focus drops have been a concern at times, but his explosiveness is undeniable, and his feel for open zones is improving — as he showed on his TD catch.
7) Demario Douglas, WR, New England Patriots
Demario Douglas took his lumps early on in his rookie campaign. But he’s starting to show more as a weapon for the Patriots. In Week 7, he caught four passes for 54 yards and also displayed his versatility on a 20-yard carry.
In his small four-catch sample, the 5’8″, 192-pound Douglas did it all. He made defenders miss after the catch with his agility, separated in the short range, and made clutch catches to keep drives alive, ultimately contributing to an upset win over the Bills.
8) Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Another week, another game where Zay Flowers proves his worth as a big-play generator for the Ravens.
Flowers caught four passes for 75 yards in a 38-6 drubbing of the Lions, and his biggest play of the day helped catalyze Baltimore’s momentum in the blowout. Flowers’ instant explosiveness in the RAC phase is hard to contain.
Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers connect for a HUGE play on the 1st drive of the game! 🔥#RavensFlock
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 22, 2023
Lamar Jackson has been playing at an MVP level this season, but he’s had more help than he’s been accustomed to in recent years. Todd Monken is calling a terrific offense, and Flowers is the game-changing force they need.
9) Jake Bobo, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Both of the Seahawks’ rookie wide receivers — Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo — showed out in Week 7 against the Cardinals, but it was Bobo who was more instrumental in giving the Seahawks the lead and ultimately the win.
Bobo, an undrafted free agent and Shrine Bowl alum, caught four passes for 61 yards and hauled in this incredible touchdown in the corner of the end zone near the end of the first half.
This TD catch by #Seahawks WR Jake Bobo was UNREAL! 🔥
Great catch, but an even better name 🤝
pic.twitter.com/F228dyzFvZ— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 22, 2023
Bobo’s touchdown put Seattle up 13-10 in what would eventually be a 20-10 victory.
Beyond this play, Bobo also showed off his physical RAC ability in the open field. This was his best game yet, and he may be due for more.
10) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
There weren’t many bright spots to take away from the Lions’ 38-6 loss to the Ravens in Week 7, but Jahmyr Gibbs’ performance was one. Taking more volume in place of David Montgomery, Gibbs logged 20 touches for 126 yards and a rushing score.
MORE: NFL Week 7 Winners and Losers
Gibbs’ two-phase versatility has always been a perk of his game, but on Sunday, he got to show it. His touchdown run was a display of searing long-strider speed, but his multifaceted profile is what makes him so valuable and exciting for the future.
11) Nick Herbig, EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Nick Herbig with the vision that he’d be a crucial situational pass rusher for them. And on Sunday, that was the exact role he played, with impressive results.
In a close win over the Rams, Herbig notched his first career sack — a speed rush that put his burst and bend under the spotlight. On money downs, Herbig is starting to make a bigger impact, and that’s big for a Pittsburgh team aiming to stay in the hunt.
12) Garrett Williams, CB, Arizona Cardinals
It’s been a long road back to football for Cardinals’ third-round rookie Garrett Williams, who tore his ACL in 2022. But in his first game back in Week 7, he earned his first career interception — a savvy play made possible by his stellar eye discipline and zone awareness.
Williams was one of the more intriguing sleepers in the 2023 NFL Draft with his two-phase playmaking ability. Arizona took a chance on him even with his injury, and early into his career, he’s paying back dividends.