Winner No. 4
Javon Kinlaw - Commanders DT
There weren't many people around the media who thought Javon Kinlaw was worth what the Washington Commanders paid to bring him on board in free agency. They might be thinking a little differently now.
The three-year, $45 million deal with $30 million guaranteed was balked at by those on the outside looking in. Even so, general manager Adam Peters believed there was still some untapped potential remaining.
Kinlaw is keen to repay the faith shown in him by Peters. He displayed dominant traits over training camp to raise optimism. And to say he hit the ground running in Week 1 against the New York Giants would be a massive understatement.
The former South Carolina standout was relentless alongside Daron Payne. Kinlaw finished the day with four tackles, two run stops, two tackles for loss, two pressures, and one quarterback hit. There was nothing the Giants' offensive line interior could do to prevent him from causing havoc. Long may it continue.
Loser No. 2
Josh Conerly Jr. - Commanders OT
Let's start this off by acknowledging that this was Josh Conerly Jr.'s first taste of regular-season action at the NFL level. The rookie right tackle deserved to start, but this was always going to be a baptism of fire against the Giants' ferocious pass rush.
A daunting test awaited Conerly. There were a few promising flashes in pass protection. However, the former Oregon standout looked overwhelmed, especially when going up against Pro Bowl edge force Brian Burns.
Laremy Tunsil had no such issues with Abdul Carter on the other side, so the Giants targeted Conrely heavily. It was a rude awakening for the No. 29 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft — something that should leave him under no illusions about what it takes to succeed in the pros.
The tests keep coming for Conerly. Next up is Thursday Night Football versus the Green Bay Packers, where he'll come up against Micah Parsons, Lukas Van Ness, and Rashan Gary.
Winner No. 5
Marshon Lattimore - Commanders CB
Things didn't go according to plan for Marshon Lattimore after his trade to the Commanders before the 2024 deadline. The cornerback came into the building with a hamstring injury that never fully healed, and his performances dipped accordingly. However, hope was renewed after he arrived in peak physical conditioning this offseason.
Lattimore's heard all the criticism and is eager to silence his doubters. Based on this showing against the Giants, he looks more than capable of reminding the NFL why he was among the premier shutdown players once upon a time.
A lot of Lattimore's good work went unnoticed. However, he was a lockdown on the boundary, comfortably covering anyone who came his way. And when Russell Wilson did attempt a throw in his direction, it was dealt with effectively.
Bigger challenges are coming, but this was a major step in the right direction.