NFL.com ranks Ja'Marr Chase's NFL debut with Bengals

NFL writer Nick Shook broke down the best rookie performances of Week 1, and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase checks in at No. 3. 

Chase notched five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown in a 27-24 overtime win against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The 50-yard touchdown was likely the first of many connections between Chase and his former LSU teammate and current Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. 

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL became the first Bengals rookie to exceed 100 receiving yards in his debut and just the fourth rookie in the last 10 years to notch at least five receptions, 100 yards and a score in his NFL debut (Will Fuller, Terry McLaurin and T.J. Hockenson).

Chase struggled to hang on to the ball and make plays during the preseason, but that did not stop the Bengals from frequently using him on Sunday. 

“Bengals coach Zac Taylor quickly demonstrated he’d like to get plenty of use out of his team’s first-rounder, making Chase the only Bengal targeted at all four levels of the field (behind the line of scrimmage, short, intermediate, deep) in their overtime victory,” Shook wrote.

The first-rounder out of LSU showed his freakish athleticism on the touchdown play just before halftime, streaking past defensive back Bashaud Breeland along the sideline and outrunning the defender as he walked into the end zone. 

“I’m not gonna say it was easy, but it sure did look like it, you know what I’m saying,” Chase said. “But everything that we practiced, it came real easy to us. But I’ve got to get faster and better on that game speed of course, lining up faster, knowing what I’ve got to do quicker and faster. So that’ll help me to be even more better on the field.”

The Bengals face their second-straight NFC North opponent this weekend when they head to Chicago to take on the Bears. Presumed Bears starting quarterback Andy Dalton will face his old team in the Bengals, and the Bengals offensive line will try to keep Khalil Mack away from Burrow in the backfield. 

The Bears allowed 312 passing yards to new Ram Matthew Stafford last week, and the veteran threw three touchdown passes. Burrow and Chase could have another big afternoon on Sunday if Chicago performs the way they did last weekend in a 34-14 loss.