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John Pluym, ESPN 6y

Best rookie performances of Week 14: Trubisky shows promise for Bears

Here's a closer look at how some of the top rookies fared in Week 14:

Chicago Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky

Round: 1

Statistics: 25-of-32, 271 yards, TD; two carries, 5 yards, TD

Analysis: Trubisky played the best game of his young career in Chicago’s 33-7 victory over the Bengals. Trubisky targeted eight different receivers and attempted 32 passes without a turnover. Trubisky completed several important third-down throws to his top two targets, Kendall Wright and Adam Shaheen, who combined to catch 14 balls for 151 yards and one touchdown. At no point on Sunday did Trubisky look rushed or overwhelmed inside the pocket. Trubisky’s accuracy has been an issue this year, but he was on the money with virtually all of his throws. -- Jeff Dickerson

Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey

Round: 1

Statistics: Eight rushes, 35 yards; three catches, 18 yards

Analysis: McCaffrey was overshadowed by running back Jonathan Stewart, who had 103 yards rushing on 16 plays. McCaffrey barely was a factor for much of the day, although he did have a 15-yard catch for a first down on a touchdown drive to start the second half. The Vikings did a good job of taking him out of the flow as a receiver, leaving wide receiver Damiere Byrd open to lead the team with five catches. -- David Newton

Jacksonville Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette

Round: 1

Statistics: 24 carries, 101 yards, TD; four catches, 18 yards

Analysis: This was Fournette’s second 100-yard game in his past five games and he looked like he did earlier in the season before he was bothered by an ankle injury. He ran with power and his burst through the hole was back, so it looks like his injured ankle is feeling a lot better. It also coincided with the fact that he was running behind the offensive line that helped him rush for 596 yards in the first six games before the unit was hobbled by injuries. His last carry was perhaps his biggest: He gained 13 yards off left tackle on third-and-11 with less than a minute remaining to seal the victory. “It’s funny because Blake [Bortles] was like, ‘Man, we need this.’ In the back of my mind I’m like, ‘Man, I can’t let nothing stop me.’ I got the first down and that was it.” -- Michael DiRocco

Detroit Lions LB Jarrad Davis

Round: 1

Statistics: Nine tackles, two quarterback hits, sack, forced fumble

Analysis: This is the type of performance Detroit hoped for when it took Davis in the first round. He has been the middle linebacker all year and was all over the field Sunday. He was active from sideline-to-sideline, continued to be strong against the run and finally got active in the pass rush. He has struggled at points this year, particularly in coverage, and has been taken off the field in passing situations. But games such as Sunday should give Detroit confidence he’s going to be a really strong piece in the middle of the defense for a while. It was his best game in weeks. -- Michael Rothstein

Cleveland Browns QB DeShone Kizer

Round: 2

Statistics: 20-of-28, 214 yards, three TDs, two INTs.

Analysis: Kizer’s day will be defined by his last throw, an ill-advised decision that might have worked in college but won’t work in the NFL. That play turned into his second interception, which set up Green Bay’s game-winning touchdown in overtime. To that point, Kizer had played his best game. He had three touchdowns, he threw confidently and he threw accurately. Had David Njoku not dropped a key third-down throw, the Browns might have been able to run out the clock. On one of his better throws, Kizer showed poise and patience as he found Corey Coleman for 18 yards on third-and-11 in the second quarter. Coleman appeared to be the third or fourth receiver Kizer looked to, and he delivered a pass to Coleman's chest to set up the Browns' second touchdown. The interception was a mistake -- a big mistake -- but Kizer now has played fairly well in three of his past five games. If it keeps up, he may give Hue Jackson and John Dorsey something to discuss in the offseason. -- Pat McManamon

Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt

Round: 3

Statistics: 25 carries, 116 yards, TD; three receptions, 22 yards

Analysis: Hunt went over 1,000 yards, making him only the second Chiefs rookie ever to do so in a season. But more importantly, he did it in a meaningful way. He topped 100 rushing yards for the first time since a Week 5 game against the Texans and scored his first touchdown since a Week 3 win over the Chargers. The Chiefs played better around Hunt than they had for weeks. He was consistently kept clean through the line of scrimmage as opposed to being hit frequently in the backfield, as had been happening recently. -- Adam Teicher

Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp

Round: 3

Statistics: Five catches, 118 yards, TD

Analysis: Kupp was largely responsible for a scoring drive when the Rams badly needed an answer, gaining 64 yards on a catch-and-run and then hauling in a 6-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, with both of those plays coming on third down. Kupp now has 56 receptions on the year, breaking the Rams rookie record that was previously held by Eddie Kennison in 1996 (54). -- Alden Gonzalez

Detroit Lions LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin

Round: 4

Statistics: Four tackles, a half-sack, one quarterback hit, one pass defended.

Analysis: Reeves-Maybin has had an increased role over the past month, often seeing the field in nickel situations in favor of fellow rookie Jarrad Davis. He’s still not great against the run and won’t be an every-down linebacker until 2018, but the speed and coverage ability has been noticeable as the season has worn on. He’s also one of Detroit’s better special teams players. The combination of Davis and Reeves-Maybin could be a good one for Detroit in the middle level of the Lions’ defense for the next few years. -- Michael Rothstein

Los Angeles Chargers DB Desmond King

Round: 5

Statistics: Led the Chargers with 10 combined tackles and also notched his fourth sack of the year

Analysis: The rookie slot defender out of Iowa has developed into an impact player for the Chargers. King has four sacks on the year, tying him with Rodney Harrison (1997 and 1998) with the second-most sacks by a defensive back in a single season in team history. Harrison tops the list with six in 2000. King also has a 90-yard interception return for a score against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. King has been the Chargers' most impactful rookie this season. -- Eric D. Williams

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