National Football League

Bengals WR Jermaine Burton headlines 5 rookies making a preseason splash

Updated Aug. 13, 2024 3:41 p.m. ET

The highlight of the opening weekend of NFL preseason might have been the debuts of six first-round quarterbacks, but there were plenty of other rookies who impressed in their first glimpses of NFL action.

We'll even skip over all the attention on first-round draft picks and offer up five later-round rookies who made a splash in their preseason games and will merit a closer look as the 2024 season approaches. If nothing else, they might turn out to be great fantasy sleeper picks.

Jermaine Burton, WR, Bengals

Burton, a third-round pick out of Alabama, had the two biggest offensive plays in the Bengals' preseason loss to the Bucs, and that's with Cincinnati opting to play its No. 2 receiver in Tee Higgins. Burton got behind the Tampa Bay defense for a 37-yard touchdown pass from Logan Woodside, and when the Bengals mounted a final comeback in the final minute, Burton caught another long pass for 38 yards before the rally ended. He finished with three catches for 82 yards — the best average in the NFL for any player with more than two receptions this weekend.

Burton has played at a high level in college, first with two years at Georgia and then his last two at Alabama, hauling in a combined 15 touchdown catches in his two years with the Tide. In a deep class of rookie receivers, he'll have a good chance to pop in Cincinnati, where he'll slide in as their No. 3 with Tyler Boyd moving on to Tennessee. With Higgins playing out this season on the franchise tag but likely to sign elsewhere, it could be an easy promotion next year for Burton to become the No. 2 opposite Ja'Marr Chase as Joe Burrow's top targets in Cincinnati. And with Chase skipping practices at training camp due to a contract dispute, Burton may get his chance even sooner.

Jaylen Wright, RB, Dolphins

Wright, a fourth-round pick from Tennessee, averaged 7.4 yards per carry last season in rushing for 1,013 yards for the Vols, after going for 875 and 10 touchdowns in 2022. He's got 4.38 speed and a 38-inch vertical, and now joins a talented and deep Dolphins backfield. His debut last Friday against the Falcons was impressive, as he went for 55 yards on 10 carries with a 6-yard touchdown.

Raheem Mostert is 32, so the Dolphins will soon shift to younger backs like Wright and second-year pro De'Von Achane, who showed big-play potential in bursts last season. Jeff Wilson has a history with Mike McDaniel, but he mustered only seven yards on five carries on Friday and totaled 188 yards last year, so it's easy to see Wright starting out as the No. 3 back in Miami.

Will Shipley, RB, Eagles

Shipley, a fourth-round pick from Clemson, caught 85 passes in college, so it's no surprise he got the Eagles' first touchdown of the preseason on a pass from Kenny Pickett. Shipley got seven carries on the same drive — for just 23 yards — but also made an impact on special teams, returning two kickoffs for 48 yards and getting a tackle on punt coverage.

Shipley was super-productive in three years with the Tigers, going for 1,182 yards and 15 scores as a sophomore and finishing with 33 total touchdowns in his three seasons. Newcomer Saquon Barkley is indisputably the Eagles' primary running back, but with Kenneth Gainwell entering the final year of his rookie contract, Shipley will compete for backup snaps and could work his way into a larger role in 2025.

Austin Booker, edge, Bears

Booker, a fifth-round pick from Kansas, tied with teammate Daniel Hardy for the NFL lead with 2.5 sacks this past weekend. Booker had five tackles in Chicago's easy 33-6 win over the Bills, continuing where he left off in a breakout 2023 season with the Jayhawks. He had eight sacks last fall, and that came out of nowhere — in two years at Minnesota, he had just two total tackles before a fresh start put him in the spotlight at Kansas.

Booker had only one tackle in the Hall of Fame opener, but he's in good position to earn a spot in the pass-rush rotation, competing for snaps behind returning starters Montez Sweat and DeMarcus Walker.

Micah Abraham, DB, Colts

Abraham, a sixth-round pick from Marshall, had a splash play in the Colts' game against the Broncos, ripping the ball from a Denver running back and returning the fumble 45 yards for a touchdown. It was a busy debut for Abraham, tying for the team lead with six tackles and adding a tackle for loss.

Abraham, whose father, Donnie, had 38 interceptions in nine NFL seasons with the Bucs and Jets, had much the same reputation as a ballhawk at Marshall, finishing his college career with 12 interceptions. He's likely a nickel in the NFL, but his experience playing both corner and safety will help him as he competes for a backup defensive back job in Indianapolis.

Greg Auman is FOX Sports' NFC South reporter, covering the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He is in his 10th season covering the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having spent time at the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.

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