Predicting Week 1 Results For NFL's Most Intriguing Rookies

On opening night, the Denver Broncos lived up to expectations during their 49-27 thrashing of the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. It was a clear reminder that the NFL is now a league generated by the offensive side of the football, specifically involving aerial attacks of respective teams.

Thus, it's only fitting when looking at the most intriguing rookies for Week 1, all four come from the offensive side of the ball. What are realistic expectations for these young players stepping on an NFL field for the first time? Who will produce?

Buffalo Bills QB EJ Manuel

The Buffalo Bills have endured plenty of anxiety regarding their quarterback position this preseason. After first round pick EJ Manuel performed at a high level to open the preseason, he experienced swelling and needed surgery that could potentially result in him missing the first week of the regular season and beyond.

Yet, what appeared to be turning into a quarterback disaster for the Bills finally became solidified when the team announced that Manuel did recover well and would indeed start for Buffalo in Week 1.

He will begin his NFL career by taking on the New England Patriots and future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady. Despite the massive overhaul, the Patriots managed to retool their offense and will be major contenders alongside the Broncos in the AFC.

As for New England's defense? That remains to be seen, as they are still vulnerable in all facets of the game. Whether or not Manuel can exploit those weaknesses on Sunday is the question.

One should expect Doug Marrone to not allow the game to be put into Manuel's hands (at least not early on). He's emphasized the importance of a running game while he was the head coach at Syracuse, and that won't suddenly change at the pro level.

The running game will clearly try to be established, led by CJ Spiller who is a potential breakout candidate in 2013 due to the amount of reps he will receive in the Bills offense.

The Patriots are probably aware of this as well. Vince Wilfork has manhandled interior lineman over the years, and he isn't expected to lose a step over night.

Early on, the Bills and Manuel will stay patient. It's very likely that offensive coordinator Nate Hackett will attempt to get Manuel in a groove through quick, intermediate routes that result in extra yards after the catch. From wide receiver and running back screens, to running plays out of the read option, the Bills will hope to gain yards and ultimately score points while keeping Brady off the field.

How long will they stick to this plan, though? What if the Patriots quickly build up a lead due to a Bills secondary that is very thin at cornerback after the injury to Stephon Gilmore? Then, Buffalo's offense will get out of its comfort zone and Manuel will become more prone to turnovers in his first career NFL start.

Prediction: 323 yards passing, 2 TD's, 2 INT's.  

New York Jets QB Geno Smith

EJ Manuel won't be the only rookie quarterback starting on Week 1 of the NFL season. Geno Smith did indeed receive the nod to start by default due to Mark Sanchez's shoulder injury.

The Jets, however, aren't doing Smith any favors. His first opponent is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who boast a revamped secondary led by former Jets All-Pro cornerback Darelle Revis.

Smith didn't do himself any favors when he said that watching tape on Revis is "necessary".

From the non-player point of view, one could see his point. The first game hasn't even come around the corner and it's a lose-lose scenario for the Jets. Smith's lack of surrounding talent is appalling. His most logical number one target, Santonio Holmes, will only be available on a "limited basis", according to Rich Cimini of ESPN New York. 

Jeremy Kerley is a nice addition as a potential slot man, but relying on him to become the most reliable offensive target in Week 1 is unfair to him and to Smith.

In reality, it isn't going to matter who is at quarterback for the Jets moving forward. It will be interesting to see how Geno performs and whether he can eventually hold onto the starting job for the entire season. Unfortunately, his debut in a Jets uniform won't be pretty.

Prediction: 212 yards passing, 0 TD's, 3 INT's. 

St. Louis Rams WR Tavon Austin

The NFL's most exciting rookie will face a true test to begin his career. Tavon Austin brings a new dimension to the St. Louis receiving corps, and instills hope that he could be the lightning rod necessary to spark the Rams into playoff contenders.

Certainly, that's a lot of expectations for the 5'8" receiver out of West Virginia. But his explosiveness is unmatched. He has a gear that most quarterbacks, including his own, Sam Bradford, aren't used to.

Nonetheless, he will face his match against a very talented Arizona Cardinals secondary. He's likely to face one on one coverage against Patrick Peterson, one of the up-and-coming pass defenders in this league. It's also possible he'll be covered by rookie Tyrann Mathieu in the slot.

The Cardinals won't sugarcoat the situation. They will throw size, speed, and good technique Austin's way. They will force Brian Quick and Jared Cook Jr. to beat them through the passing game on Sunday.

However, what makes Austin extremely tough to defend is how quickly he can turn out of a route when facing him one on one. He could quickly turn for a screen pass, cut to the middle of the field, or become a vertical threat down field. 

In general, the Cardinals are an underrated football team and have one of the game's rising secondaries. They will keep Austin in check to an extent. However, the Rams are going to ensure that Austin gets his touches, and ultimately he will lead the Rams to their first win of 2013.

Prediction: 8 catches, 94 yards, TD.

Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins

Tavon Austin might have been the most talked about wide receiver in this year's class, but he will have competition for best rookie receiver in 2013. His competition will be with Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who is the second legitimate passing target that Matt Schaub needed.

The Texans envision having a similar situation to the Atlanta Falcons, where they draft a young and talented receiver to complement an established receiver who has been elite at his position for quite some time (Andre Johnson).

Fortunately for Hopkins, he is going to quickly see the benefit of getting to play alongside a receiver of Johnson's caliber. The Texans opponent in Week 1 in the San Diego Chargers boast one of the more underrated yet consistent defensive backs in Eric Weddle.

It's very possible that the Chargers will stack its veteran defensive back against Johnson to provide extra coverage. They want to force a rookie wide receiver playing in his first game to beat them rather than the established Pro-Bowl wide out.

It's also possible that they want to challenge a young receiver that has just recently been cleared to play after having a concussion.

Similar to Austin, Hopkins is capable of capitalizing on what is given to him. As Johnson continues to age, Hopkins could capitalize on the deep passing routes that Schaub likes to throw. 

On Thursday night, we witnessed Julius Thomas bursting onto the scene during the Broncos romp of the Ravens. On Monday Night Football, Hopkins is going to show why he might have been the missing piece to a Texans Super Bowl run.

Prediction: 12 catches, 125 yards, 2 TD's.