Two more members of the 2024 NFL rookie quarterback class got starts in Week 6, and there was a lot to like about both performances. Drake Maye took the field for the New England Patriots to make his first career start against the Houston Texans, and Spencer Rattler started in New Orleans in place of the injured Derek Carr.
(Offensive Rookie of the Year Betting Odds)
Jayden Daniels (-195)
The winning streak came to an end for Jayden Daniels. But from a quarterback development perspective, his game in Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens might have been his best so far. The favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year has been thriving in a Washington Commanders offense that has been great running the football. But even when the run game disappeared against Baltimore, Daniels still looked good.
Daniels proved that he can be just a passer if that’s what the defense forces. He was 24-of-35 for 269 yards and two touchdowns, and he made a number of big throws into small windows. Keeping up with Lamar Jackson is hard for the most experienced quarterbacks in the league, so there is no shame in losing this one for Daniels. He continues to play like a quarterback well beyond his years.
Caleb Williams (+165)
We are watching Caleb Williams grow as an NFL passer each week, and his win in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars was easily his best game yet. He was 23-of-29 for 226 yards and four touchdown passes. He would have had a fifth, but the receiver was ruled down just short of the end zone.
Williams was also effective running the ball, picking up 56 yards on four carries, and the Chicago Bears were in command of this game from the very beginning, winning 35-16.
Williams has a little work to do in catching Daniels for Offensive Rookie of the Year. But he is getting better each and every week, and Bears fans have good reason for their excitement.
Bo Nix (+2500)
After wide receivers Malik Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Xavier Worthy, Bo Nix is the next rookie on the odds board. He’s the third-most likely rookie quarterback to win OROY, but he’s not very likely at all. Unlike Daniels and Williams, who are getting better each week, Nix is treading water in an overmatched and undermanned Denver Broncos offense.
Sixteen points in the fourth quarter made it look like the Broncos played the Los Angeles Chargers close on Sunday. They did not. It was 23-0 at halftime, and Nix and the Denver offense had three first downs and 60 total yards. Nix was 3-of-10 for 22 yards in the first half, and the game was out of reach by the intermission.
His final numbers on the day were fine (19-of-33 for 216 yards and two touchdowns). But the overall performance was a disappointment.
Drake Maye (+5000)
There were a number of pigskin pundits who thought this was the wrong week to give Drake Maye his first career start. The Patriots were playing a very good Texans team that had just shut down Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, and if New England were to wait a week, they would get a bad Jacksonville Jaguars team in London.
After a quarter of play, those pundits looked right. Maye got off to a rocky start, throwing an interception on his third pass of the game. But the rookie settled down, made a number of very good throws, and New England’s 21 points in the 41-21 loss was a season high.
Maye finished the game 20-of-33 for 243 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions, and 38 yards rushing. Tight end Hunter Henry caught one of Maye’s three touchdowns, and said after the game, “He’s got a ton of talent. I think everybody can see that. We’re all excited to play for him.”
Spencer Rattler (+5000)
After six quarterbacks were taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, we didn’t hear another quarterback’s name called until the fifth round, when the New Orleans Saints selected Spencer Rattler.
Rattler was supposed to be QB3 in New Orleans, and that’s where he was through the first five weeks of the season. But with Derek Carr out with an oblique injury, Saints head coach Dennis Allen skipped over Jake Haener and made Rattler his starter vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It was a forgettable day for the Saints, losing to the Bucs, 51-27. But Rattler showed some athleticism in the pocket that Carr doesn’t have, scrambling for yards and making plays with his feet. He did take five sacks and throw a pair of interceptions, but his first career touchdown pass was on an impressive throw into the back of the end zone.
It’s unlikely we’ll have a QB controversy in New Orleans when Carr is healthy. But overall, the Saints have to be pleased with the way their rookie played.
With over 25 years of experience as a distinguished sports writer for renowned platforms such as Fox Sports and ESPN, Kyle Garlett is a sports betting specialist who has been at the forefront of documenting the global surge in sports betting and online gaming. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kyle hosts an NFL betting YouTube show and podcast. Kyle also has two sports books published by HarperCollins.
Kyle graduated the Azusa Pacific University in 1996 with a B.A. Degree in Communication and Journalism.