3 Week NFL Superstars

By: Michael A. Chase Jr.

09/28/2023

We are officially three weeks into the 2023 NFL season and there have already been players providing surprising production. From rookies making an All-Pro impact to young veterans beginning their breakout campaigns, there have been several unheralded standouts. The Unheralded Sports View will look at three players who have had high-level impact through the season's first three weeks. Highlighting the eye-catching numbers these players are posting while discussing how their role and production will sustain moving forward.

James Cook - Running Back Buffalo Bills

For a Bills team who lost their top two running backs in the offseason the duties out of the backfield were now going to fall on 2nd year back James Cook. Being the younger brother of established NFL back Dalvin Cook, he has taken the reigns and provided Buffalo with top-level production in the run game thus far.

Cook who the Bills took 63rd overall in the 2022 NFL Draft is currently 3rd in the NFL in rushing yards with 267 yards. This while averaging an impressive 6.1 yards per carry and hauling in 10 receptions for 67 yards to contribute to the passing game. Cook has been outstanding the last two weeks specifically, posting 123 yards at 7.2 a carry versus the Las Vegas Raiders. Then adding another 98 yards at 6.5 per carry versus the Washington Commanders. He has been arguably the Bills' third most productive offensive player and is providing the balance the Bills have lacked at times the last few seasons. Now he has yet to score a touchdown this year, but this will not be an issue as they look to use him more in the redzone as the season progresses. The fact that Cook adds another weapon to an already elite offense just makes Buffalo more of a danger in the AFC.

Puka Nacua – Wide Receiver Los Angeles Rams

The Rams came into the season with questions of where the receiving production would come from on the roster with the absence of superstar Cooper Kupp. As it turns out a rookie pass catcher has stepped up being one of the most productive receivers through the season's first three weeks.

The Rams took Puka Nacua 177th overall in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft and he has quickly become Matthew Stafford's go-to target in key situations. The 22-year-old pass catcher is currently 2nd in the league in receptions with 30. This while being 4th in yards with 338 yards and 4 catches that have gone for 20+ yards. Like the previously mentioned Cook, he has yet to score a touchdown but has been great as a third-down option and consistently gets open with ease at times. Plus, the fact he recorded at least 10 catches and over 114 yards in each of his first two career games is impressive. The best of his three performances came against an elite 49ers defense as he recorded 15 receptions for 147 yards in their tight 7-point loss. It will be interesting to see when/if Cooper Kupp comes back if Nacua's role maintains or decreases. Either way, this young receiver has burst onto the scene and has become a number-one option for a Rams team awaiting the return of their superstar.

Dennis Gardeck – Linebacker Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have played far more competitive football than most pundits would have thought coming into the year. Their defense has been a huge surprise with several players stepping in to help this unit outperform many projections so far. One unheralded linebacker has emerged as a difference maker and is making a big impact in limited playing time.

Gardeck, 29, the Sioux Falls alumnus was mostly a special teams player his first 5 seasons for Arizona. The undrafted linebacker now being provided more opportunities to play on defense is making an even larger impact than any could have thought. On the season Gardeck has accumulated 10 tackles, 3 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and 5 QB hits. The impressive part is he has done all this while playing less than half the total defensive snaps this season. He has played on average 42% of the defensive snaps over the first three weeks and 31.3 snaps per game on average. He has been consistent as well in his rotational role posting at least one QB hit in each of the first three weeks. He also recorded 4 tackles and a sack in each of his first two games being a constant disruptive force. His best performance though came in Week 1 versus Washington where he tallied 2 sacks, 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble, and 3 QB hits. Gardeck has been one of the most surprising performers for a so far overachieving Cardinals group and it will be interesting to see how much he continues to impact the defense.