Rookie Report: Elliott, Washington, Drake power teams to victory

Each week, Rookie Report provides a running look at first-year standouts, surprises, and Rookie of the Year candidates.

Offense

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

Ezekiel Elliott delivered on his tremendous promise, featuring as the integral part of the Cowboys' offense in a 31-17 victory over the Bears. Elliott rushed for 140 yards on 30 carries, added two receptions for 20 yards, and provided a measure of stability and balance that was lacking for the majority of 2015 in Dallas. The box score did Elliott an injustice, as there's no accounting for the otherworldly athleticism on display here:

DeAndre Washington, RB, Oakland Raiders

Washington led the Raiders in rushing during a 17-10 win over the Titans, rushing for 57 yards on six carries. Most of Washington's yardage came on a 30-yard run, but the fifth-round pick's explosiveness and penchant for big plays is surely endearing him to the Raiders' coaching staff. Washington was a relative non-factor in the passing game, recording one reception for five yards, but the Raiders ought to be pleased with his early return on value nonetheless.

Kenyan Drake, RB, Miami Dolphins

Drake carved out a role for himself within the Dolphins' convoluted backfield, rushing for a team-high 37 yards on nine carries in Sunday's 30-24 win versus the Browns. The Dolphins made Drake their tentative starter for Week 3, and it appears that he's secured the job for now. Drake's top gear is an asset for a team in search of an identity, and the former Alabama star could be in line for more carries next week.

Defense

Karl Joseph, S, Oakland Raiders

Joseph missed the team's first two games, but his debut performance was worth the wait. The 23-year-old led the Raiders with 10 tackles and made a forcible imprint on the game, chasing down opponents relentlessly. Joseph played in 61 of the team's 68 defensive snaps, and won praise from head coach Jack Del Rio.

"My eyes told me that he did some good things,” Del Rio said to Jimmy Durkin of the Bay Area News Group. "I'm sure there will be things that weren’t perfect, but I thought he gave us, throughout the whole week and the way we played and the way the defense played, I thought he gave us a little bit of a spark."

Blake Martinez, LB, Green Bay Packers

Martinez was selected in the fourth round out of Stanford and is making an immediate impact for the Packers just three games into his pro career. The 22-year-old ranks second on the team with 18 tackles and is gaining significant playing time early in the season. Martinez's intensity certainly isn't lacking, as he played through a bloody nose when his stitches opened up during Sunday's win against the Lions. It's early, but he'll be worth monitoring for the whole year.

Jatavis Brown, LB, San Diego Chargers

Brown's excellent game against the Colts was one of the lone bright spots in a 26-22 defeat. The fifth-round pick amassed six tackles (including two for a loss), a sack, and two pass deflections. Brown will almost certainly see increased snaps after linebacker Manti Te'o suffered a torn Achilles, and it's possible that he could prove to be more valuable than the incumbent starter.

Your introduction to ...

Jalen Mills, FS, Philadelphia Eagles

Carson Wentz is rightfully gaining all the national attention, but don't count out Mills as a key performer for the Eagles. He led the Eagles with six tackles in a resounding 34-3 win over the Steelers, and belied his seventh-round-pick designation consistently on Sunday. Mills was criticized for a few lapses against the Bears in Week 2, but recovered against a Pittsburgh offense that was previously lighting the NFL up. For a seventh-round pick, Mills could end up being a steal.