One rookie each NFL team is thankful for: First-rounders shine for contenders, 5 undrafted players make list

To pay homage to Thanksgiving, let's pinpoint the first-year players NFL teams are thankful for

As we prepare for three glorious NFL games on Thanksgiving, mixed in with gravy-drenched culinary masterpieces, it's time to provide which rookies all 32 teams are thankful for. 

Yes, the Texans are most thankful for C.J. Stroud, and the Eagles are incredibly grateful to have landed Jalen Carter at No. 10 overall in April. The clubs are listed by their current playoff position in their respective conference. We'll start with the NFC.  

NFC

1. Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Carter 

(Round 1, 10th overall)

Carter has an outside chance to earn All-Pro distinction as a rookie -- he's been that dominant on the interior of Philadelphia's already ferocious front. He has 32 pressures on just 236 pass-rush snaps and has been a force at defensive tackle. 

2. Detroit Lions: Sam LaPorta, TE

(Round 2, 34th overall)

LaPorta has been an anchor of the Lions passing offense -- outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown, of course -- in his rookie season. He's actually fifth among all tight ends with 50 receptions and has forced five missed tackles. The Lions are very thankful for defensive back Brian Branch, too. 

3. San Francisco 49ers: Ji'Ayir Brown, S

(Round 3, 87th overall)

Brown will be thrust into an important role after the Talanoa Hufanga injury, and he had a breakout performance in Week 11's win over the Buccaneers with a pair of defended passes and an interception. 

4. New Orleans Saints: Bryan Bresee, DT

(Round 1, 29th overall)

Bresee flashed early on with 12 pressures in his first five NFL games. Since then, Bresee's momentum has stalled for the former top high school recruit in the country. Yet his presence on the interior of the Saints defensive front has been felt in Year 1.

5. Dallas Cowboys: Brandon Aubrey, PK

(Undrafted)

All Aubrey's done as an undrafted kicker is set an NFL record for most consecutive field goals made to start a career. 

6. Seattle Seahawks: Devon Witherspoon, CB

(Round 1, 5th overall)

Witherspoon started his NFL career injured, then exploded onto the scene once he was nursed back to health. In nine contests, the former Illinois tone-setter has 13 pass breakups with a pick and three sacks for Pete Carroll. 

7. Minnesota Vikings: Jordan Addison, WR

(Round 1, 23rd overall)

Where would the Vikings be without Addison, who somewhat miraculously stepped into the WR1 role after Justin Jefferson went down and rocked with Kirk Cousins (and then Josh Dobbs) as Minnesota revitalized its season from an 0-3 start. He has seven touchdowns and nearly 650 yards to date on 48 catches.

8. Green Bay Packers: Jayden Reed, WR

(Round 2, 50th overall)

Altogether, the Packers' much-hyped-in-the-preseason offense has flopped in 2023. Reed's been an exception. The second-rounder is third on the team with 32 receptions, he averages 14.5 yards per snag, and has four scores. Largely, Reed has helped mitigate the sting felt by Christian Watson's Year 2 disappointment. 

9. Los Angeles Rams: Puka Nacua, WR

(Round 5, 177th overall)

In the midst of Cooper Kupp starting the season on the shelf, Nacua helped keep the Rams offense afloat with incredible productivity to begin his NFL career. Even after Kupp's return, Nacua has stayed relevant offensively with 19 grabs for 299 yards and a score in his past four outings. 

10. Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson, RB

(Round 1, 8th overall)

Robinson could probably see the football more -- particularly near the end zone -- but when it's in his hands, he's been as magical as advertised. The super-hyped running back prospect is sixth in the NFL with 31 missed tackles forced on the 21st-most rushing attempts. 

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Christian Izien, CB

(Undrafted)

Undrafted out of Rutgers, Izien has been a pleasant surprise in the Buccaneers as the full-time slot defender. A favorite blitzer for Todd Bowles, Izien has five pressures on 36 pass-rush snaps and two interceptions on close to 400 snaps entering Week 12. 

12. Washington Commanders: Jartavius Martin, DB

(Round 2, 47th overall)

The Commanders have gotten little return from their rookies -- and that's being nice. Martin has been hampered by injuries but has a pair of pass breakups and an interception on the 65 snaps he has played this season. 

13. New York Giants: Tommy DeVito, QB

(Undrafted)

Tommy Chicken Cutlets ate nine sacks against the Commanders but otherwise was stellar in the Giants' surprising win in Washington. The more he's played, the more he's looked comfortable, and the Giants were desperate at quarterback after the Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor injuries. 

14. Chicago Bears: Darnell Wright, OT

(Round 1, 10th overall)

Tyson Bagent's respectable play after Justin Fields' finger injury could've easily gotten him the nod here. I'm picking Wright because he represents a critical part of the future for the Bears. After a concerning start, he has steadied his play over the past month. 

15. Arizona Cardinals: Michael Wilson, WR

(Round 3, 94th overall)

Wilson was a risky top-100 selection because of his vast injury history at Stanford, and ironically, he's injured right now. BUT, when he's been on the field, the 6-foot-2, 213-pounder has been a splash play waiting to happen for the Cardinals, with 435 yards and two scores on 28 receptions. 

16. Carolina Panthers: Jammie Robinson, CB

(Round 5, 145th overall)

Finding positives from the Panthers' 2023 season is a significant challenge. From the rookie class? Almost impossible. Robinson was injured early but has played quality football since making his NFL debut in Week 6 as a do-everything defensive back.

AFC

1. Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers, WR

(Round 1, 22nd overall)

The Baltimore team leader in catches (53) and receiving yards (588), Flowers has injected life into the Ravens previously stagnant offense that desperately needed a serious separator. 

2. Kansas City Chiefs: Rashee Rice, WR

(Round 2, 55th overall)

Rice leads the Chiefs receivers in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns, and although he's almost exclusively been utilized underneath, his thunderous YAC talent he demonstrated at SMU have been apparent in the NFL -- he's forced seven missed tackles. 

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Tank Bigsby, RB

(Round 3, 88th overall)

The Jaguars have been very veteran-reliant this season, and Bigsby has hardly been efficient. However, he's spelled Travis Etienne for 35 carries. Etienne is still tied for second in rush attempts with 174. 

4. Miami Dolphins: De'Von Achane, RB

(Round 3, 84th overall)

Achane averages 11.8 yards per carry. ABSURD! That's a tenth of a yard higher than Ja'Marr Chase's yards-per-reception average. If Mike McDaniel could build a running back for his system in a football laboratory, Achane would come out of the 3D printer. 

5. Cleveland Browns: Dawand Jones, OT

(Round 4, 111th overall)

Jones has been sent from the Ohio Football Gods this season. All-Pro right tackle Jack Conklin out for the year, enter Jones who blanked T.J. Watt in Week 11 and has surrendered a respectable 15 pressures on 321 pass-blocking snaps to date. As an Ohio State alum, he's been an instant cult hero in Cleveland. 

6. Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud, QB

(Round 1, 2nd overall)

Stroud's going to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, and at this rate, he could garner some MVP votes, which would be the first time that's happened since Chris Johnson in 2008. Stroud's been integral to Houston ascending into the AFC playoff bracket currently while riding a three-game winning streak. He's orchestrated two game-winning drive and entering Week 12 leads the NFL with 296.2 passing yards per game. 

7. Pittsburgh Steelers: Broderick Jones, OT

(Round 1, 14th overall)

Jones was slowly worked into the starting lineup, and while the pass protection has been average, he's helped paved massive lanes for Jaylen Warren and Co. on the ground, which in most Steelers game has been the lifeforce of the team's offense. 

8. Buffalo Bills: Dalton Kincaid, TE

(Round 1, 25th overall)

The Bills have made Kincaid a focal point of the offense, especially of late, as the former Utah star has 34 catches for 318 yards with two scores in his last five contests, and he's caught at least five passes in each one of those games. 

9. Indianapolis Colts: Josh Downs, WR

(Round 3, 79th overall)

The bright lights of the NFL have not been too bright for Downs, who's operated precisely how he did at North Carolina. Ultra-quick feet, reliable hands, some YAC. He's second on the team with 43 snags (22 first downs) and tied for the most missed tackles forced with four. 

10. Denver Broncos: Jaleel McLaughlin, RB

(Undrafted)

Turns out it's McLaughlin, not Samaje Perine, who's the favorite pass-catching scatback of Sean Payton. Dynamic with the ball in his hands, the Youngstown State legend has three total touchdowns with a 5.6 yards-per-touch average on the season to date. 

11. Cincinnati Bengals: Charlie Jones, WR

(Round 3, 95th overall)

I originally had wideout Charlie Jones here for the Bengals, but with DC Lou Anarumo recently naming Battle one of the starting safeties moving forward, the former Alabama safety gets the nod. He has a pair of pass breakups and 24 tackles on the season and will have many more opportunities down the stretch for Cincinnati. 

12. Las Vegas Raiders: Aidan O'Connell, QB

(Round 4, 135th overall)

The Raiders look night-and-day different in the early stages of the Antonio Pierce era than they did for the vast majority of Josh McDaniels second stint as an AFC West head coach. And O'Connell's at the core of that. Against the Dolphins, he got the ball out in light speed on most of his throws, just like he did at Purdue. 

13. Los Angeles Chargers: Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE

(Round 2, 54th overall)

Tuipulotu isn't winning as cleanly against NFL offensive tackles as Joey Bosa did as a rookie, but he's currently second on the Chargers in pressures (ahead of Bosa) with 33. Plus, he's only 21. t

14. New York Jets: Xavier Gibson, WR

(Undrafted)

Stephen F. Austin REPRESENT! Gibson's overtime punt-return touchdown is a memorable highlight in this otherwise touchdown-averse season for the Jets. He's also caught five passes for 67 yards as an undrafted rookie. 

15. Tennessee Titans: Will Levis, QB

(Round 2, 33rd overall)

Imagine the state of the Titans organization if Levis hadn't already flashed this season after replacing Ryan Tannehill. Instead, the team's second-round pick in April represents an encouraging future at the most vital position on the field -- he has eight Big-Time Throws in four contests. 

16. New England Patriots: DeMario Douglas, WR

(Round 6, 210th overall)

The rookie from Liberty is the only New England receiver with serious juice. He's third on the team with 30 grabs entering Week 12, and he forced four missed tackles.