Patriots vs. Steelers: Top rookies to watch Week 1 Sunday Night Football

Chase Winovich, EDGE, Patriots

Chase Winovich was put on this earth to play defensive end for the New England Patriots. He is an incredibly tough and hard-working player who shined throughout the preseason by getting consistent pressure on the quarterback and running plays down that he had no business getting to.

Winovich is best-known for his golden locks and being a high-motor player, but do not discount this guy’s athletic ability. He is an impressive edge rusher who gets off of the ball quickly and creates an impressive upfield burst. He shows some nice flexibility when bending around the edge and closes on the quarterback extremely quickly.

Winovich will play an important role for the Patriots this season up front and I am extremely excited to see what he can do in his debut performance.

Isaiah Wynn, LT, Patriots

I cheated a bit here. As a first-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, Isaiah Wynn is technically not a rookie. However, after missing all of last season with a knee injury, Sunday night will be his first regular-season NFL game. Aside from Brady, Wynn is perhaps the Patriots’ single most important player on the roster. They are counting on him to be their left tackle this season and there is not much of a backup plan if he struggles.

Wynn is an incredibly solid offensive lineman who shines in pass protection. As a shorter player, Wynn is built more like a guard, but he had a ton of success as a left tackle in college. Simply put, Wynn always seems to get the job done. Whether that translates to being able to play left tackle in the NFL remains to be seen, making Wynn one of the most important players to watch for either team on Sunday night.

Jakobi Meyers, WR, Patriots

Undrafted rookie receiver Jakobi Meyers has been the most reliable receiver on the Patriots’ roster throughout the preseason. He has an incredible knack for getting open and always catches the ball. Meyers is an extremely reliable target who has found an immediate rapport with Brady. That is extremely rare for any rookie, let alone a guy who went undrafted.

The return of Josh Gordon and the addition of Brown will push Meyers further down the depth chart than we once expected him to be. That being said, with Brown sidelined this week, Meyers will have an immediate opportunity to prove himself against Pittsburgh. Can the rookie quickly establish himself as a premier target in this offense?