NFL Week 3 All-Stars: Tight Ends Steal the Spotlight

Sunday felt like an unofficial celebration of tight ends, and the numbers backed it up. Across 13 NFL games, tight ends scored 20 touchdowns, the most ever by the position on a single day. That historic surge shaped the tone of Week 3, but the All-Star selections still came down to balancing production, impact and context across the league.

At quarterback, Brock Purdy stood above a relatively quiet field. The San Francisco passer continued his excellent start, throwing for 279 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in a win over Arizona. Through three weeks, Purdy has nine touchdown passes, just one pick and a league-best 133.1 passer rating, a remarkable figure made even more impressive by San Francisco navigating injuries at receiver. Marcus Mariota also deserved mention after stepping in for Washington and delivering three touchdown passes in an upset of Seattle, but Purdy was the clear choice.

The backfield honors belonged to two of the league's brightest young stars. Jahmyr Gibbs powered Detroit with 99 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, then added seven catches for 65 yards and another score against the Jets. Bijan Robinson was just as dominant earlier in the week, piling up 194 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries as Atlanta stunned Green Bay on the road. Kenneth Walker III and Derrick Henry both made strong pushes with two-touchdown outings, yet Gibbs and Robinson delivered the most complete performances.

Receiver was less crowded with obvious choices, but two names separated themselves. Jaxon Smith-Njigba posted 10 catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns, continuing a red-hot stretch that has now reached three straight games with at least 120 receiving yards. Drake London earned the second spot despite not scoring, thanks to a massive 194-yard performance in Atlanta's rout of the Packers. In a week without many huge receiving stat lines, volume and explosiveness carried extra weight.

No position defined the weekend more than tight end, and George Kittle got the nod from a crowded field. He finished with six catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns, leading San Francisco in another big offensive outing. Brock Bowers, returning healthy for Las Vegas, was outstanding with 10 catches for 116 yards and a score, while Harold Fannin also had a two-touchdown day. Still, Kittle combined efficiency, scoring and game importance better than anyone at the position.

Up front, Jacksonville's offensive line turned in the most convincing team performance. The Jaguars' starting five controlled New England in a 35-6 win, helping produce 137 rushing yards on 30 carries while allowing Trevor Lawrence to be sacked only once in 30 dropbacks. In a week with several clean pass-protection performances, Jacksonville's dominance in both phases gave it the edge.

Defensively, Greg Rousseau led the way on the edge with two more sacks, four tackles for loss and three quarterback hits in Buffalo's win over the Chargers. Inside, Mason Graham continued his breakout start with two sacks for Cleveland, giving him four through three games after recording just half a sack as a rookie. At linebacker, Nakobe Dean filled the stat sheet with 12 tackles, a tackle for loss and the game-sealing forced fumble in a Raiders win that further legitimized their strong opening. In the secondary, Talanoa Hufanga delivered the most dramatic finish of the week, producing a late pick-six and then sealing Denver's comeback with an end-zone interception against the Rams.

Special teams mattered too, and Price earned recognition with an 86-yard punt return touchdown that gave Minnesota an early cushion in a tight win over Tampa Bay. In a week remembered for tight end history, that explosive return was another reminder that game-changing plays can come from anywhere.