These NFL Newcomers Made Their Presence Felt in Week 1

Running back Kenneth Walker III dazzled enough in his Kansas City Chiefs debut Monday to leave just about everyone talking.

Especially his teammates.

While rushing for 173 yards and a 60-yard score to key a 31-10 rout of the visiting Denver Broncos didn’t instantly justify the three-year, $43.05 million contract Walker signed in March, it unified a locker room giddy for more explosiveness – and impact – from Walker III.

“He’s phenomenal, man,” rookie right tackle Kahlil Benson said. “I can’t say enough about that guy. He’s a hell of a runner, and we had a lot of fun.”

Veteran quarterback Patrick Mahomes agreed: “It’s just a special ability to run the ball tough between the tackles and then, when he does bounce it, he has the speed to go all the way. Once he gets the edge, he’s gone.”

Walker III made an ironclad first impression on Chiefs Kingdom after helping the Seattle Seahawks win Super Bowl LX last season. He figures to shoulder an increased load for the offense with Mahomes returning from season-ending ligament surgery on his left knee in December.

Mahomes’ new division rival, Kirk Cousins of the Las Vegas Raiders, started the trend of high-achieving newbies on Sunday.

Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders QB

Seemingly keeping the Vegas attack warm as No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza waits in the wings, Cousins played effectively and efficiently to propel the Raiders to a 27-13 home victory against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1.

Were Cousins’ 160 yards through the air sexy or flashy? Not exactly, and let it be known that he went 1-for-7 for 21 yards and two picks on passes of 10 air yards or more.

But Cousins righted the ship with three scores and a superb showing in the short and intermediate passing game. Two of the scores went to budding standout runner Ashton Jeanty, who figures to feature heavily in the ‘O’ no matter how many more games Cousins starts.

When you have a winning complement to Jeanty doing enough things right when needed, though, what’s the rush in shortening Mendoza’s learning process?

Isaiah Likely, New York Giants TE

Another breakout performance from an offseason acquisition came alongside a similarly relocated coach.

Tight end Isaiah Likely joined the New York Giants on a three-year, $40 million deal while reuniting with John Harbaugh, his former coach with the Baltimore Ravens.

Determined to regroup from a disappointing 2025 that started with a foot fracture in training camp, Likely was a go-to target for Giants QB Jaxson Dart, finishing with eight receptions for 78 yards and a score in a victory against the Dallas Cowboys.

To a grinning Harbaugh, Likely’s breakout debut made fiscal sense.

“I mean, we paid him a lot,” Harbaugh said, laughing. “That’s what we paid him for, and he did it.”

Of course, offseason splashes and a new player’s opening-day heroics aren’t always a one-to-one relationship.

Walker III, Likely and Cousins – albeit in a practical sense – showed that an instant connection remains possible, though.

Now they’ll aim to keep new fan bases happy with more of the same in Week 2.