Elijah Moore wins NFL Rookie of the Week for performance vs. Miami

Elijah Moore earns NFL Rookie of the Week honors

On a day where most give thanks, New York Jets fans certainly have a lot to be thankful for when it comes to rookie wide receiver Elijah Moore.

On Thursday, Moore was named Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Week for his Week 11 performance against the Dolphins. Moore is the second Jets player to receive the award this season, as quarterback Zach Wilson took it home in the team’s Week 4 win over Tennessee.

In Week 11, the 34th overall pick caught eight passes for 141 yards (including a 62-yard touchdown) and rushed the ball once for 15 yards. It was Moore’s first 100-yard performance in his young NFL career.

To win the award, Moore narrowly beat out Dallas linebacker Micah Parsons, who recorded two sacks, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.

Also on the ballot were three AFC East rivals in New England quarterback Mac Jones, Miami wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, and Miami safety Jevon Holland.

Moore’s role in the offense has really opened up after the bye, as he has been targeted at least six times in five straight games. In those five games, he has scored five touchdowns.

Despite not scoring until Week 7, Moore is second in total touchdowns among rookie wide receivers behind only Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase.

Rookie WR leaders

Total TD:
1. Ja'Marr Chase (8)
2. Elijah Moore (5)****
T3. DeVonta Smith (4)
T3. Jaylen Waddle (4)

Total YPG (min. 9 GP):
1. Ja'Marr Chase (88.2)
2. DeVonta Smith (60.4)
3. Jaylen Waddle (56.8)
4. Elijah Moore (50.3)****#Jets

— Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania) November 22, 2021

As if these numbers weren’t shocking enough, Moore is PFF’s second-rated wide receiver over the last four weeks. The only player ahead of him is the Eagles’ Devonta Smith, another rookie. The next three players behind Moore on the list are all established star wideouts: Tyreek Hill, Deebo Samuel, and Justin Jefferson.

PFF's highest-graded WRs over the last 4 weeks

1. DeVonta Smith – 85.8
2. Elijah Moore – 85.0
3. Tyreek Hill – 84.4
4. Deebo Samuel – 82.4
5. Justin Jefferson – 82.0

— Jarad Evans (@PFF_Jarad) November 22, 2021

Through ten games, Moore has quickly established himself as a major threat for opposing defenses. If he can continue to play at this level, Moore could very quickly find himself filling a need the Jets have had for a long time: a star WR1.

With Wilson starting on Sunday for the first time since Week 7, the rookie duo has an opportunity to create some much-needed chemistry as the season winds down, especially since Moore found his role in the offense during Wilson’s absence.