Things flew off the rails for a few teams in Week 3, as the NFL slate saw some unbelievable margins of victory. Still, the cream of the crop rose to the top, and in this space, our task is handing out awards to the players who performed at an elite level during this jam-packed weekend.
Let’s get right to it, beginning with the rookies and proceeding all the way to the MVP award for the week.
Offensive Rookie of the Week
Amari Cooper, WR Oakland Raiders
Cooper plays beyond his years. The first-round pick from Alabama didn’t get into the end zone during Oakland’s 27-20 victory over Cleveland, but he did virtually everything else that could be done. He caught eight passes for 134 yards on the day, and Cooper’s sheer presence makes the job of QB Derek Carr much easier on a weekly basis. It may not always show up on the stat sheet, given Oakland’s status as a perennial bottom-feeder, but the culture could be changing for the Raiders, and Cooper is at the center of it.
Runner-up: Marcus Mariota, QB Tennessee Titans
Defensive Rookie of the Week
Kwon Alexander, LB Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It wasn’t a great day for the Bucs, but Alexander stood out in a big way. The fourth-round pick from LSU contributed 10 tackles and an interception on the day, and he continues to be a strong performer for a Tampa Bay defense that needs support outside of Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David. Let’s be clear that the defense wasn’t the cause of the 19-9 defeat at the hands of the Texans, and Alexander was quite good in this spot.
Runner-up: Uani’ Unga, LB New York Giants
Next: Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week