Ja'Marr Chase Named NFL Offensive Player of the Week for AFC
Ja'Marr Chase isn't just setting rookie records on his way to a sure fire Offensive Player of the Year recognition. He's also establishing himself as one of the most dynamic receivers in all of football.
On Wednesday, Chase was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his eight catch, 201-yard performance that included a touchdown in a 41-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens. It was a statement game for the Bengals franchise but also established Chase as one of the premier threats in the game not even halfway through his rookie season.
For the year, Chase has now caught 35 passes for 754 yards and six touchdowns, on pace to shatter former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson's rookie record for receiving yards in a season. With one extra game starting this year, it would be surprising if Chase doesn't set multiple rookie records.
His 21.5 yards per catch leads the NFL with 10 or more receptions and his 754 yards is second only to Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp. Chase is making a great case for not only the Pro Bowl but being an All-Pro selection as a rookie as well, something that only Jefferson and Randy Moss have accomplished in the last 30 years as rookies.
"We have a lot of reps accumulated over the last three or four years," quarterback Joe Burrow said after the game. "We've been together a long time, I've been throwing to Ja'Marr on Saturdays since I was 21 years old. That's what happens when you get all those reps, you understand the kind of throws against leverage. We've thrown back shoulders for three years, over and over and over again. That's what it takes."
