Week four of the 2023 National Football League regular season is now complete. Here are the top five performances by rookies on winning teams.
5) Josh Whyle
The Tennessee Titans rookie tight end from Cincinnati, Ohio had his first two career NFL catches for 26 yards and a touchdown in a 27-3 thumping over his hometown team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Whyle was the Titans’s fifth round pick, 147th overall, in the 2023 NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati. With the win, the Titans improve to a record of two wins and two losses, and are in a four-way tie for first place in the AFC South.
4) Brandon Aubrey
The Dallas Cowboys rookie kicker from St. Louis, Missouri made all three field goal attempts and all three converts in a 38-3 Dallas thumping over the New England Patriots. The former soccer player who was undrafted, has now made all 13 field goal attempts this season. Dallas is now at 3-1 and in second place in the NFC East.
3) Jaleel McLaughlin
The Denver Broncos rookie running back from Marshville, North Carolina had seven rushes for 72 rushing yards, and three catches for 32 receiving yards and a touchdown catch in a 31-28 Broncos win over the Chicago Bears. McLaughlin’s touchdown began the scoring. It was an 18-yard touchdown catch from Russell Wilson and put the Broncos up 7-0 at the time with five minutes and eight seconds left in the first quarter. Like Aubrey, McLaughlin went undrafted.
2) Puka Nacua
The Los Angeles Rams rookie wide receiver from Las Vegas, Nevada has simply been outstanding to start the 2023 NFL regular season. He leads the entire NFL in receptions with 39. On Sunday, Nacua had nine catches for 163 receiving yards and one touchdown. Nacua’s major score was a 22-yard touchdown catch in overtime as the Rams beat the Indianapolis Colts 29-23. With the win, the Rams improved to a record of two wins and two losses. Nacua was the Rams’s fifth round pick, 177th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft out of BYU.
1) C.J. Stroud
Stroud of Rancho Cucamonga, California completed 16 of 30 passes for 306 passing yards and two touchdown passes in a 30-6 Houston Texans win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Stroud also had four rushes for 16 rushing yards. The second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State has now guided the Texans to two straight wins. Houston also beat Jacksonville 37-17 in week three.
