NFL 2-0 Secret Weapons: Bills' Walker, Chiefs' Thornton — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Deone Walker (Bills DT, 2025 fourth-round pick) has nine pressures through two games — tied with All-Pro Jeffery Simmons for the most among defensive tackles — and sealed Buffalo's Week 1 win over the Texans by sacking C.J. Stroud on fourth down; the Bills have vaulted from 30th to eighth in yards per carry allowed after finishing last year 30th.
- Tyquan Thornton (Chiefs WR) caught four passes for 86 yards in overtime against the Colts, including a critical third-and-12 grab from Patrick Mahomes; his 22.8 yards per reception since the start of last season leads the NFL (min. 20 receptions).
- Cedric Johnson (Bengals EDGE) has two sacks in two games — both against the Texans in Week 2 — after recording just three sacks across his first two seasons, with a 17.2% pressure rate boosted by the one-on-one opportunities created by Dexter Lawrence's presence.
- Hezekiah Masses (Raiders fifth-round rookie CB) has yet to allow a passer rating above 0.0 when targeted, recording two interceptions against Justin Herbert in Week 2 and a pass breakup against the Dolphins in Week 1.
- Moro Ojomo (Eagles DT) logged seven tackles on successful defensive plays — tied for third-most among defensive tackles — and five pressures through two weeks, highlighted by his stop of the Commanders' two-point conversion attempt in Week 1.
- Nehemiah Pritchett (Seahawks CB, 2024 fifth-round pick) jumped from 8% of defensive snaps last year to 75% this season, recording his first career interception against the Patriots in Week 1 and allowing just 25 yards on six targets as the primary defender.
- Jalen Redmond (Vikings DT, former UDFA out of the UFL) outplayed high-profile free-agent additions Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave last year and posted seven tackles against the run (six for two yards or fewer) and four pressures against the Bears in Week 2.
Why it matters: The Bills and Chiefs both turned low-cost investments into Week 3 assets: Walker, a 2025 fourth-round pick, anchors a Buffalo run defense that jumped from 30th to 8th in yards per carry allowed, while Thornton — signed to Kansas City's practice squad in 2024 — gives Mahomes the deep threat he lacked last season.
Ask SkimNews
