Taylor, Williams Headline NFL’s Week 3 Players of the Week

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams were among six players recognized as the NFL’s Week 3 Players of the Week, the league announced Wednesday.

AFC: Taylor repeats, James breaks through

Taylor once again carried the spotlight on offense, rushing for three touchdowns and 118 scrimmage yards in the Colts’ 41-20 win at Tennessee. His three scores marked the third time in his career that he has hit that milestone, tying him for the second-most such games since entering the NFL in 2020.

For the Colts, the victory secured their first 3-0 start since 2009 and cemented Taylor’s status as a key reason for the team’s hot opening. It also gave Taylor his fifth career Offensive Player of the Week honor and his second straight this season, making him the first Colts player to win in back-to-back weeks.

On the other side of the ball, Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James powered a defensive effort that slowed down Denver in a 23-20 win. James racked up 12 tackles, including four tackles for loss, and added a sack. It was his fourth career game with double-digit tackles and a sack — the most in the NFL since 2018.

The recognition marks James’ first Defensive Player of the Week award, and he becomes the first Chargers safety to earn the honor since Rodney Harrison in 1999. He also joins a select group of Florida State defensive backs to be recognized at the NFL level.

Special teams honors went to Cleveland Browns kicker Andre Szmyt, whose leg salvaged a dramatic 13-10 win over Green Bay. Szmyt drilled both of his field goal attempts — including a 55-yarder as time expired — and hit his only extra point. All four of his kicks came in the final four minutes as Cleveland rallied from a 10-point deficit for its first win of the season.

Szmyt, the former Syracuse standout, earned his first career weekly honor and became just the fifth Browns kicker ever to be named Special Teams Player of the Week.

NFC: Williams shines, Rodgers makes history

Williams continued to show why Chicago drafted him No. 1 overall in 2024. The second-year quarterback completed 19 of 28 passes for 298 yards and matched his career high with four touchdown passes in a 31-14 win over Dallas. He posted a 142.6 passer rating and did not commit a turnover, leading the Bears past one of the NFC’s top defenses.

It was Williams’ first Player of the Week award, and he is the first Bears quarterback to earn the honor since Justin Fields in 2022. He also became the eighth former USC quarterback to win the award.

Defensively, Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers put together one of the most unique performances in league history. In a 48-10 rout of Cincinnati, Rodgers forced two fumbles, returned an interception 87 yards for a touchdown, and later added a 66-yard fumble return score. According to the NFL, he is the first player in history with both an interception return of 85-plus yards and a fumble return of 65-plus yards in the same game.

The outing gave Rodgers his first weekly honor and made him the first Vikings cornerback to win since 2016.

In Philadelphia, defensive tackle Jordan Davis provided the week’s most improbable highlight. With the Eagles trailing late, Davis blocked the Rams’ potential game-winning field goal as time expired, then rumbled 61 yards for the winning touchdown in a 33-26 comeback. At 336 pounds, Davis set a Next Gen Stats record as the heaviest player in history to return a blocked kick more than 50 yards for a score, reaching 18.59 mph on the play.

It was the first Player of the Week award for Davis, who became just the second former Georgia defensive lineman to win on special teams, joining Hall of Famer Richard Seymour.