Ultimate Rookie Report Wildcard Weekend 2025
Rookies don’t stop playing just because the regular season ended! Here’s how our friends did in the first week of the postseason!
Embed from Getty ImagesLos Angeles Rams 34 at Carolina Panthers 31
Tetairoa McMillan finished the season on a high note, catching five passes for 81 yards. His fellow Panthers pals were not so productive. Trevor Etienne had a carry for four yards, as well as a disasterpiece of a time as a punt returner, muffing a punt and almost dropping a second. Mitchell Evans missed his sole target and Jimmy Horn Jr. dropped two passes, including a heartbreaker that touched his hands on the last play of the Panthers’ season. McMillan looks like he will be a stud for the Panthers for years to come. Ryan Fitzgerald ended his season kicking a 46 yard field goal and four extra points.
For the Rams, Terrance Ferguson was inactive with a hamstring injury.
Embed from Getty ImagesGreen Bay Packers 27 at Chicago Bears 31
Matthew Golden had the best game of his young career, catching four passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. That Packers wide receiver corps is just too packed for any player to be consistent by fantasy football metrics. Romeo Doubs is a free agent next season, which may give Golden a little breathing room to grow going forward, but for fantasy purposes, he’s a flyer until he can prove consistency.
The Chicago Bears are the rookie dream team for the playoffs this season. Colston Loveland had an eye popping 15 targets, catching eight passes for 137 yards. Luther Burden had three receptions for 42 yards. Kyle Monangai didn’t have a great game, but contributed 27 yards on the ground and 22 more in the air. It’s actually pretty scary how young the whole Chicago Bears offense is as a whole when you throw Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze in there, too.
Embed from Getty ImagesBuffalo Bills 27 at Jacksonville Jaguars 24
I didn’t realize Frank Gore Jr. was on the Buffalo Bills. Probably because he never does anything. EXCEPT FOR TODAY. He had one catch for six yards. Yay legacy players!
Bhayshul Tuten only carried the ball four times, but ran for 51 yards. There is a chance he takes over the backfield next season with Travis Etienne being a potential free agent. LeQuint Allen is apparently also a rookie running back for this squad. He had one carry for three yards and one reception for nine yards. The most interesting rookie for the Jaguars has been out since week 7 with an LCL injury. Travis Hunter may have lost his job on offense with the Jakobi Meyers trade and Parker Washington catching on fire. The team will be in desperate need of corners though so he will start next year, just probably not for your fantasy team.
Embed from Getty ImagesLos Angeles Chargers 3 at New England Patriots 16
Los Angeles’ offensive output was atrocious, so it’s not shocking the rookies performed poorly. Oronde Gadsden III had three catches for 30 yards and Tre Harris had two for 20. Omarion Hampton only had one carry for the game for a loss of a yard. Next year, with a healthier offensive line, hopefully AT LEAST Hampton can stay on the field and have a solid fantasy season. Key word is hopefully.
TreVeyon Henderson had a quiet day for the Patriots, rushing for 27 yards and collecting one catch for nine. It will be tough sledding next week going against the Houston Texans and their incredible defense. Kyle Williams also managed one catch on the day for seven yards. Andres Borregales was the hero for the Patriots going 3/3 on field goals and an extra point.
Embed from Getty ImagesSan Francisco 49ers 23 at Philadelphia Eagles 19
NO ROOKIES. BOO!
Embed from Getty ImagesHouston Texans 30 at Pittsburgh Steelers 6
Woody Marks had a stellar performance, rushing the ball 19 times for 112 yards and a touchdown. Jayden Higgins caught three passes for 39 yards and Jaylin Noel had a target he didn’t catch. These two rookie wideouts will have to step up next week when they travel to New England if Nico Collins cannot play due to the concussion he sustained in the third quarter.
The average age of the Pittsburgh Steelers skill players who played in this game was 30.2. Maybe they should pick up some offensive rookies in the next draft. Maybe. Kaleb Johnson only had 28 carries on the season and didn’t even play in the last 4 games (including this wildcard matchup).
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There’s still a lot of good rookies out there. See you next week!
@MeLlamoMoron
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