As we approach the halfway mark of the 2023 NFL season, no more winless teams or unbeaten teams remain. However, there are plenty of teams and players to keep your eyes on, including Week 8’s POTW.
Dalton Kincaid
I remember liking Dalton Kincaid coming out of his college days at Utah, and on Thursday Night Football against the Buccaneers, he flashed the receiving prowess that skyrocketed his draft stock enough to make him a first-round pick. Kincaid had five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, giving the Bills a lead that they never relinquished and turned it into a 24-18 victory.
CeeDee Lamb
It was dominance from the word “go” in the Cowboys’ 43-20 win over the Rams, with Dallas putting up 33 points in the first half. A wildly significant contributor was CeeDee Lamb, who had 12 catches and 158 yards (both career highs) along with a pair of touchdowns. Shoutout to Daron Bland who snagged his third pick-six of this season.
Will Levis
After consulting my big board, I can confirm I had a top ten grade on Will Levis, and his performance against Atlanta this week very much justifies my ranking. In his first NFL start, Levis completed 19 of 29 pass attempts for 238 yards and 4 touchdowns, enough to triple the Titans’ total passing touchdowns this season. Much of the production came from DeAndre Hopkins, but Levis still showcased his top-ten potential en route to the Titans’ 28-23 victory.
Jaylen Waddle
Congratulations to Tyreek Hill for passing 1,000 yards faster than any receiver in the Super Bowl era, which is classed as 1966 onwards. Although, this week’s POTW in the Dolphins’ 31-17 win over the Patriots is his teammate and fellow WR. Jaylen Waddle posted 121 yards and a touchdown on 7 receptions, showing his importance on the field when healthy.
Jordan Addison
Another week, another top showing from a rookie wideout named Jordan Addison. Addison appeared in my top 20, and for good reason. The young prodigy had 82 yards and a touchdown on seven catches in the Vikings’ 24-10 win over the Packers, ultimately reviving the teams playoff hopes. Addison and friends will need to step up in wake of Kirk Cousins’ Achilles tear, but Jaren Hall, or whoever is designated as backup, should sleep well knowing they have a star in Jordan Addison to rely on.
Rashid Shaheed
All Rashid Shaheed did for New Orleans was make big plays. On only three targets, Shaheed posted three catches for 153 yards and a touchdown as the Saints overpowered the Colts 38-27. The second-year undrafted wideout from Weber State is showing legitimate signs of promise as a deep threat this year.
Jermaine Johnson
Jermaine Johnson has been another promising player since his selection in the first round of the 2022 draft. In the battle of New York, the MetLife floodlights seemed to shine on him all game. Johnson had 4 QB hits, pulling off his first 2-sack game in the pros and helping the Jets win their third game in a row in a 13-10 overtime victory over the Giants.
Josh Allen
The Jaguars’ Josh Allen has been stellar all year. By putting up two sacks in the Jaguars’ 20-10 win over the Steelers, he increased his total to nine on the year and put himself in prime position to be the first to cross the double digit sack threshold this year. Oh yeah, did I mention the Jaguars are 6-2 and looking like dark horses for the AFC title?
Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts vs. Sam Howell is looking like it will be a notable QB duel for years to come, much like Mahomes v Allen has proved to be, but in the NFC instead. Hurts won this round, passing for 319 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles beat the Commanders by seven to complete their sweep of Washington, who did still manage to score 31 points in each contest.
Bryce Young
Big congratulations to my QB1 in the last draft for securing his first victory. Bryce Young completed 71% of his passes for 235 yards and a touchdown as the Panthers finally broke their losing streak, conquering Houston 15-13 at home.
Boye Mafe
The Seahawks’ comeback victory marked the continuation of linebacker Boye Mafe’s hot run. He recorded 4 QB hits and 1 sack on the Browns’ PJ Walker, which may not be impressive in a single-game context, but was Mafe’s fifth consecutive game with a sack. One could only hope for the guy to do it again against Lamar Jackson’s Ravens next Sunday afternoon.
JaQuan McMillan
The Broncos secondary has seen mighty improvement in the past few weeks, and the contributions of rookie JaQuan McMillan have certainly been a notable factor. McMillan recorded 2 tackles for loss and secured his first NFL interception as the Broncos completed the upset of the week with a dominant 24-9 win over the Chiefs.
Gus Edwards
It was a big day for Gus Edwards in the Ravens’ 31-24 victory over Arizona. The bruising Rutgers alum rushed for 80 yards and 3 touchdowns on 19 carries, showing the prowess of the Ravens’ rushing unit as they managed to hold off Arizona.
Justin Herbert
Sunday night appeared to be yet another redemption night for Justin Herbert. Passing for 298 yards and 3 touchdowns, Herbert carried the Chargers’ offense to a big 30-13 win over the Bears that keeps their playoff hopes alive.
Jahmyr Gibbs
Under the Monday Night lights, rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs put up insane numbers in the Lions’ 26-14 victory against Las Vegas. Gibbs posted 152 yards rushing on 26 carries as well as 37 yards receiving on five catches, equating to 189 yards on 31 total touches. Plus, Gibbs’ monumental performance was enough to outgain the entire Raiders offense, just by himself.