NFL Rookie Watch - Week 1

The opening week of the NFL season gave several first-year players an immediate opportunity to make their presence felt. Four rookies stood out enough to earn consideration for Rookie of the Week honors, with big plays coming on both sides of the football. 

Here is a look at the Week 1 nominees and the performances that put them on the early-season radar:

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS LINEBACKER JOSIAH TROTTER

It is easy to see why Buccaneers linebacker Josiah Trotter was nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week. The Missouri product put together the kind of debut that will be difficult to duplicate, even over the course of a long rookie season.

In Tampa Bay's 33-27 road loss to Cincinnati at Paycor Stadium, No. 45 finished with 11 tackles, including four solo stops and one tackle for loss, one sack, one pass defensed, and one interception. He returned that interception 38 yards for a pick-six with 2:16 remaining in the third quarter, cutting the Bengals' lead from 27-13 to 27-20 and putting the Pewter Pirates right back into the contest.

The performance also carried some history. Trotter became the first NFL rookie to record both a sack and a pick-six in his debut and the first Buccaneers player to return an interception for a touchdown in his opening game. He also joined T.J. Watt as only the second player in the last 10 seasons to post a sack, an interception and at least five tackles in his first regular-season NFL game.

The Trotter name should already sound familiar to longtime football fans. His father, Jeremiah Trotter, played eleven NFL seasons, including eight with Philadelphia, where he became a four-time Pro Bowl selection and was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame. He also spent time in Washington and one season with Tampa Bay. Josiah's brother, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., is beginning his third season with Philadelphia.

As impressive as the debut was, Trotter did not receive the most fan votes for Week One. Another rookie ultimately took home the honor.

MIAMI DOLPHINS’ WIDE RECEIVER CALEB DOUGLAS

It is only one game, but the Fish may have found an intriguing piece for their receiving corps. Texas Tech product Caleb Douglas made an immediate impact in his first regular-season NFL appearance.

In Miami's 27-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, Douglas was targeted seven times and finished with five receptions for 94 yards, an 18.8-yard average and a long gain of 30 yards. Three of his catches moved the chains, helping Miami remain within striking distance.

Douglas brings two traits to the party that cannot be coached: size and speed. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, with a reported 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, he has the physical profile to create matchup problems. One game is far too small a sample to project a full season with certainty, but the opening performance offered an encouraging glimpse of what he could become if he stays healthy and earns a consistent role.

Douglas also fell short in the fan voting, but his Week One production gave Miami plenty to build on.

TENNESSEE TITANS LINEBACKER ANTHONY HILL JR.

The word out of Nashville after Week 1 is that the Titans may have a new tackling machine. Texas product Anthony Hill Jr. piled up stops in his NFL debut and immediately showed the activity that made him an intriguing linebacker prospect.

In Tennessee's 23-10 loss to the New York Jets at Nissan Stadium, Hill recorded 16 combined tackles—two solo and 14 assisted—along with two passes defensed and a half-stuff.

Sixteen combined tackles is a significant number for any NFL defender, much less a rookie playing his first regular-season game. Hill finished only one tackle behind Buffalo linebacker Terrel Bernard, who led Week One with 17. It was an impressive introduction for a young linebacker who appears comfortable finding his way to the football.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS WIDE RECEIVER ANTONIO WILLIAMS

The final nominee delivered the performance that ultimately won over the fans. Washington wide receiver Antonio Williams produced against the defending division champions and showed that the bright lights of the NFL were not too much for the Clemson product.

In Washington's 24-22 loss to Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field, Williams caught all four of his targets for 64 yards, averaging 16.0 yards per reception with a long gain of 33 yards. All four catches produced first downs, and Williams also found the end zone.

His final reception was especially important. Williams secured the ball just before it reached the turf with a little more than a minute remaining, giving the Commanders an opportunity to pull even late in the game.

That performance earned Williams the most fan votes and Pepsi Rookie of the Week honors for Week One. Draft Nation will continue tracking the league's top rookie performances each Thursday as the season unfolds.