Stanford in the NFL: Top performances from week two of the 2024 NFL season

Dylan Grausz | Sep 18, 2024

Sep 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) and tight end Zach Ertz (86) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to the game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Week two of the NFL season is now in the rearview mirror, with many memorable moments of action occurring all weekend long. The second week of this young campaign brought on even more excitement, with many players finding their rhythm and putting together big games. This year, many former Stanford Cardinal alums have found themselves on 53-man rosters, where they have been able to live out their dreams of playing professional football. With another week now over, here are the top five former Stanford performers from week two of the 2024 NFL season.

Justin Reid - Kansas City Chiefs

Is it possible that the Chiefs look even better than they did a year ago? Well so far, the Chiefs have looked scary on both sides of the ball, but defensively, they have been able to pull through when it matters most, with Reid being one of the team’s most impactful defensive players through the first two games. In week two against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Chiefs won in a thriller, taking home the 26-25 win against the Joe Burrow led Bengals with Reid making nine tackles, including eight solo tackles, and being in the right place at the right time every time he had the chance to make a play. Now up to 16 tackles this year, Reid’s training camp injury is now an afterthought as the two-time Super Bowl champion looks as good as ever.

Joshua Karty - Los Angeles Rams

Karty is the guy. While the Rams are still yet to win a game this year, Karty has been the definition of consistent to start his NFL career, having yet to miss a kick as he made both of his field goal attempts and both of his extra points in week one against the Detroit Lions while continuing his success in week two against the Arizona Cardinals, making his only field goal attempt from 29 yards and making his lone PAT attempt in the 41-10 loss. Kicker was a position of worry for Los Angeles last year, but Karty’s arrival and early season dominance has put an end to that issue at least for now.

Paulson Adebo - New Orleans Saints

Through two weeks, the Saints have looked like serious contenders, beating the Carolina Panthers in week one 47-10 followed by a dominant 44-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Adebo, who is one the defense’s key leaders, has been dominant in the defensive backfield, making four tackles this past week including recording a 47-yard interception for his first pick of the year. Slowly evolving into a star at corner, Adebo is poised for a breakout 2024 campaign.

Bobby Okereke - New York Giants

The struggles in New York continue for the Giants, who after losing 21-18 to the Washington Commanders in week two, have now started 0-2 and are looking like a team that will be rebuilding yet again. However, the Giants have a gem in Okereke, who has established himself as a key figure on the defense and was named a captain this season. In week two, Okereke made eight tackles while also coming through the line to record a sack, helping the Giants keep things close all afternoon. Coming off of a 99 tackle season last year, which was a career high, Okereke has become one of the league’s best linebackers over the last couple of years.

Zach Ertz - Washington Commanders

He’s baaack. Signing a one-year deal with Washington in the offseason after spending the end of last year on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad, the road back to becoming a key contributor for an NFL offense has been a tough one for Ertz, who has dealt with some injury issues the past couple of years. After a strong training camp, Ertz earned the starting tight end job going into week one and has performed admirably since moving to Landover, with his week two performance of four catches for 62 yards leading the team as the Commanders took home a 21-18 win over the Giants. An established veteran who has put together a very accolade-filled career, Ertz’s presence in Washington has been huge for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who Washington hopes to have at quarterback for a decade plus.