Week 14 NFL Players of the Week: Most Dominant Rookie Ever?!

 What a week it was for performers. Out of the 14 weeks of the season we've seen so far, this was the best week thus far for standout performers, making the choices that much harder to make. Let's get right into it.

OFFENSIVE Player of the Week: Dalvin Cook, Running Back, Minnesota Vikings

Statline: 27 carries for 205 yards and 2 TDs rushing

The best offensive performance of the week did not even come on Sunday, it came on Thursday night, from a player who was a game-time decision. The way that Dalvin Cook played made it seem as if he had never been injured at all. For the first time all season, we saw a player break over 200 yards rushing! That is just crazy. Playing with a harness, Cook did not appear limited at all and was the key reason the Vikings held on to a crazy game vs the Steelers to keep themselves very much alive in the NFC playoff race. Cook has long been one of the premier backs in the NFL, but playing through constant injury has made his name and value a little bit tainted this season. That performance should change everything. Everyone knows who Dalvin Cook is and how damn good he can be, and he finally put it all together on Thursday for one of the BEST offensive performances all season. 7.6 yards per carry is another stat to mention. He was simply unstoppable for the Steelers defense that is usually great. For the first time this season, Dalvin Cook is your offensive player of the week!
// Last Week's Winner: Jared Goff (QB, Lions)

DEFENSIVE Player of the Week: Aaron Donald, Defensive Tackle, Los Angeles Rams

Statline: 3 sacks, 5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 pass deflection

The 3-time defensive player of the year and certified game-wrecker for the Rams, Aaron Donald, has finally taken home his first defensive player of the week award of this season. It was inevitable. It was BOUND to happen at least once this season, and it did, in possibly the team's most important game of the season to date. The Rams needed a win so badly against the red-hot Cardinals, and with the dominant performance from Donald on Monday Night, they secured that win. He was a one-man wrecking crew all night long. When he wasn't finishing for a sack or deflecting a pass, he was in there, forcing pressured throws and terrorizing Kyler Murray. The first offensive play of the game for the Cards was a sack by Donald. We knew it was going to be one of those nights. While for the first time in a minute, Donald isn't *likely* going to win DPOY, he still is the best defensive player in football. Even when the stats aren't there, his impact is like no other. He creates one on one blocks for his teammates and holes in the line. Then there are just dominant nights like he just had where the stats DO show up. With Donald leading the way, the Rams got a very much needed win and now have new life in the NFC playoff picture! The West is still in reach, thanks to Donald and his first DPOTW of the season!
// Last Week's Winner: TJ Watt (DE, Steelers)

SPECIAL TEAMS Player of the Week: Jakeem Grant, Punt Returner/WR, Chicago Bears 

Statline: 97 yard PR TD, 43.7 yards per PR (3 punt returns) + BONUS: 46 yard receiving TD

What a night it was for the speedster special teamer Jakeem Grant on SNF. Usually nothing more than a chess-piece for the Bears, Grant had the game of his life. It started on offense with a 46-yard TD explosion that broke the game open for the Bears, but we are talking about special teams, that's where the best part of his night came. Green Bay punted it WAAAY back to Grant who field it around the 3-yard line, he danced right, got the whole fielding team to go that way and then cut it all the way back left where he exploded down the sideline where no one would catch him for the longest PR TD of the season! The Bears went on to lose the game, but man was it a game on ST for Grant. Aside from that crazy PR TD, Grant averaged over 40+ yards on returns throughout the game. Just an unbelievable night from the underdog, and he gets recognized with his first ST POTW of the season! Jakeem the Dream they now call him!
// Last Week's Winner: Travis Homer (ST, Seahawks)

ROOKIE of the Week: Micah Parsons, Outside Linebacker, Dallas Cowboys

Statline: 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 3 tackles

For the third time already this season, Micah Parsons is your rookie of the week. What this kid is doing as a rookie is just crazy, and almost unheard of. I won't go as far as some have by naming him not only the future defensive rookie of the year, but ALSO the Defensive PLAYER of the year. Only one time in NFL history as a rookie won the NFL's defensive MVP award and that was Lawrence Taylor years and years ago. Oh yeah, Taylor is also considered by many to be the best defensive player EVER so yeah, there's that. Parsons has a chance to be in company with him and only him. The outside linebacker can do EVERYTHING. Rush the passer, elite. Coverage, near elite. Instincts on D, elite. Creating 4th downs and turnovers, elite. He has done everything right for the Cowboys and might already be their best player on the whole team. On Sunday, in a massive game against Washington, Parsons was the best player on the field. He had 2 sacks and one forced a game-changing fumble that was recovered and returned for a TD. The impact that he has on the game as a singular defender is second almost to none (maybe Garrett and Watt), but mind that he's a damn ROOKIE! I don't know if he goes on to win DPOY, but he's got DROY locked up, and may be the best rookie I've ever seen. Parsons wins rookie of the week...AGAIN, with likely more to come before the season is over.
// Last Week's Winner: Javonte Williams (RB, Broncos)

TEAM of the Week: Los Angeles Rams (9-4)

Beat Cardinals (10-3) by a final score of 30-23

There wasn't really a clear-cut, top team of the week, but with many good options, we went with the star-studded Rams after their big win on MNF. With a crucial game against the division rival Cardinals on Monday night, on the road, the underdog Rams delivered. They've been very inconsistent as of late and were fresh off of snapping a mean losing streak against the Jags a week ago. This win proved that that Jag win was no fluke. Cooper Kupp continues to play out of his mind. He is making a serious run at Calvin Johnson's single season receiving record. Aaron Donald balled out, the defense as a whole for that matter balled out. The Rams led the way pretty much the entire game, nearly blew it at the end, but came out victorious. We will need to see if the Rams can carry this momentum to Sunday against the rival Seahawks where a win would be huge to keep them right there and pushing the Cards for first in the West! The Rams look finally back on track!
// Last Week's Winner: Detroit Lions

Honorable Mentions:
-49ers TE George Kittle
-Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny
-Chiefs CB Mike Hughes
-Packers CB Rasul Douglas
-Chargers QB Justin Herbert
-Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett
-Packers QB Aaron Rodgers
-Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II