Sep 9, 2025 7:01 AM EDT
The first week of the 2025 NFL regular season is officially in the books, and we’ve already seen some stellar performances for this year’s rookie class.
It’s a tall ask to expect big things from any first-year player at the NFL level, especially in their regular-season debuts, but a handful of players wasted no time putting their stamp on the league.
Here are some of the most impressive rookie performances I saw across the NFL in Week 1:
WR Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers
I wrote about Egbuka’s impressive NFL debut at length here, but if we’re talking about NFL rookies in Week 1, we have to start there again.
The No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Egbuka made an immediate splash Tampa Bay, hauling in four passes for a team-high 67 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including the eventual game-winner with a minute left in the game. All the training camp hype looks to be real with Egbuka, who is keeping Baker Mayfield and the Bucs’ passing attack in high gear despite the absence of both Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan due to injury.
Oops! We’re unable to load this content right now.
View directly on 𝕏
His role might shrink a little once those guys are back in the lineup, but this guy’s not going anywhere. He’s already a huge part of one of the most dynamic offenses in the league, and he’s only gonna get more dangerous with more experience.
OT Armand Membou, Jets
Having to line up across from T.J. Watt in your NFL debut isn’t the most inviting scenario, but Membou was more than up for the challenge Sunday.
The No. 7 overall pick out of Missouri handled his business against one of the league’s elite edge rushers, allowing zero pressures on 26 pass-blocking snaps. He dominated in the run game, too, earning an impressive grade from Pro Football Focus:
Oops! We’re unable to load this content right now.
View directly on 𝕏
Membou’s rare combination of elite athleticism and polished technique showed up all over his college tape, which is why he was the No. 4 overall player on my board heading into this year’s draft. If his regular-season debut is any indication, the Jets have landed themselves a perennial All-Pro at a premium position.
TE Harold Fannin Jr., Browns
There was plenty of buzz throughout training camp and the preseason that despite the presence of a valuable veteran tight end in David Njoku, the Browns still had big plans for Fannin right away.
A third-round pick out of Bowling Green, Fannin was heavily involved in the game-plan for Cleveland in Sunday’s narrow loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, hauling in seven of his nine targets for 63 yards, and even adding three yards on one rushing attempt.
Oops! We’re unable to load this content right now.
View directly on 𝕏
I spent some time with Fannin last season, and came away impressed with the dynamic playmaker who somehow led the nation in receiving yards as a tight end. At Bowling Green, he played his best ball against powerhouse programs (go watch his tape against Penn State and Texas A&M), so level of competition should never have been a concern. If he’s going to get this kind of volume on a regular basis, Fannin’s athleticism and versatility will make him a household name in short order.
WR Isaac TeSlaa, Lions
He only got one target in Sunday’s shocking loss to the Green Bay Packers, but that’s all TeSlaa needed to announce his NFL arrival with authority.
A third-round pick out of Arkansas, TeSlaa made the most of his opportunity, making a ridiculous one-handed touchdown grab that featured some of the best toe-drag swag you’ll ever see. The catch was so incredible, the officials couldn’t believe it in real time, initially ruling it an incomplete pass:
Oops! We’re unable to load this content right now.
View directly on 𝕏
TeSlaa generated tons of buzz with his workout at the NFL Scouting Combine, and the Lions clearly saw something special in him, drafting him a few rounds earlier than most analysts expected. His combination of size, speed and athleticism gives him a sky-high ceiling, and you can bet the Lions will reward the small sample size we saw Sunday with more opportunities moving forward.
RB Bill Croskey-Merritt, Commanders
Remember that five minutes where people were freaking out about Croskey-Merritt being RB4 on Washington’s depth chart heading into Week 1?
Yeah, so much for that.
The seventh-round pick out of Arizona needed just 10 carries in Sunday’s season-opener to rack up 82 yards on the ground, leading all NFL rookies in Week 1. He found the end zone for his first NFL touchdown, and looked incredibly comfortable in a scheme that plays to his strengths and experience from the college level:
Oops! We’re unable to load this content right now.
View directly on 𝕏
Sure, Austin Ekeler and Chris Rodriguez Jr. bring more experience to the table, but there’s no denying that Croskey-Merritt just brings a different level of explosiveness when the ball’s in his hands. Don’t be surprised if he keeps getting a larger share of the pie when it comes to how Washington distributes their touches in the backfield the rest of the year.
About the author
NFL Draft analyst
Luke is the NFL Draft analyst for Athlon Sports, with more than two decades of experience covering college football, the NFL, and the NFL Draft.