Players Of The Week: Preseason Week 1

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NFL

Players Of The Week

Yes, Allen, we’re talking about practice. The preseason is where dreams are made—and broken. Hard Knocks taught us one thing; people love a great underdog story. Week 1 had its fair share of stories. With players taking the field for the 1st time in months, football season has officially kicked off. These were the most impressive players of the week.

Kamalei Correa

The HOF game happened in Week 0, but in this case, we’re going to allow it. Entering the offseason, Correa was in deep water. He failed to make an impact in the thin linebacker core of the Baltimore Ravens throughout the 2017 season.

However, if there were any concerns with whether Correa was on the outside looking in, he has subsided those thoughts after his HOF game performance. Correa made plays all over the field, racking up six tackles, three sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble—yes, you read that correctly. Even if it’s the preseason, you’ll rarely see a stat line that beautiful.

Baker Mayfield

Cleveland choosing Mayfield first overall wasn’t without controversy—being that Mayfield has been compared heavily by analysts to former Cleveland Browns QB Johnny Manziel. The Manziel experiment didn’t work, and he was out of Cleveland only two seasons after they drafted him.

So what makes Baker Mayfield any different? If his performance against the New York Giants Friday was any inclination, then it’s everything. Mayfield finished with a stat line of 11/20, 212 yards, and two TDs (adding three rushes for 13 yards on the ground). However, it wasn’t just the stats that were impressive.

From throwing an incredible sideline ball to Calloway on the run or threading the needle to Njoku for a crafty 10-yard TD, Mayfield looked poised. Mayfield showed the ability to extend plays as well as stand firm within the pocket. Showcasing a strong arm and fast legs, Mayfield will be a treat to watch as he continues to develop.

Chad Kelly

If Mayfield looked good from the pocket, then Chad Kelly looked great. The former EMCC QB turned heads with his incredible performance Saturday. Kelly wasted no time leading the team down the field after an awful performance from projected starter Paxton Lynch.

After his 1st drive, Kelly was 3 of 3 for 67 yards and a TD (Lynch had a mere 24 yards and a passer rating of 22.2). Kelly finished 14 of 21 for 177 yards (adding 38 rushing) and two TDs. The Ole Miss product was electrifying—and even ended the night trending on Twitter. 

Marquez Valdes-Scantling

The fifth-round pick and former USF standout put on a show for the Green Bay Packers in a win against the Tennessee Titans. Valdes-Scantling piled on five catches for 101 yards and a TD, including a beautiful 15-yard toss from Tim Boyle. 

This incredible performance came after star QB Aaron Rodgers called out the young receivers. The 6’4 receiver apparently took that personally, proceeding to put together an incredible showcase—and rounding up the most impressive players of the week.