AFC North stock up, down: Kenny Pickett, Joe Burrow get humbled

Week 1 of the 2023 season confirmed some beliefs and brought some surprises as well. Here's a look at whose stock is up and down in the AFC North.

Stock up

Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver: Flowers, the Ravens' 2023 first-round pick, lived up to all the hype and then some in Week 1. The rookie wide receiver, who had drawn comparisons to Stefon Diggs and Antonio Brown in the preseason, had a team-leading nine receptions for 78 yards in Baltimore's 25-9 win over the Texans.

Flowers didn't, however, find the end zone, which has left him hungry with the rest of the season ahead, which may just end in an Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

"I feel like next game it will be way better," Flowers told reporters after the game. "The operation will be smoother. Everybody will be way more comfortable with each other."

T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker: There weren't a lot of positives to take away from the Steelers' 30-7 loss to the 49ers, but Watt was certainly one of them. Watt did his best to keep Pittsburgh in the game with three sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one tackle for a loss and five quarterback hits.

It wasn't enough, but along the way, he tied James Harrison's franchise sack record of 80.5 sacks. The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year may just get his second D.P.O.Y. award if he continues playing the way he did in Week 1.

Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns running back: Chubb has been the definition of consistent for years and that continued in Week 1. The 27-year-old started his 2023 campaign off strong, rushing for 106 yards and posting four catches for 21 yards in the Browns' dominant 24-3 win over the Bengals.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson had some ups and downs as well and Chubb put the team on his back once again. The running back market is crashing but Chubb can do his best to change the league-wide narrative with another strong season where he'll turn 28.

Stock down

Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback: There may have not been more hype around a team this offseason than the Steelers and they fell flat in Week 1. Pickett, who had a great preseason where he posted a perfect passer rating, looked far from perfect on Sunday.

The second-year quarterback was 31-of-46 for 232 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the loss. Pickett was missing wide-open targets and looked flustered for the majority of the afternoon. Of course, there's more blame to go around than just to Pickett. But Pickett, a leader and team captain, didn't do anything to give fans in Pittsburgh optimism for the rest of the year.

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback: After becoming the highest-paid player in NFL history last Thursday, Burrow certainly didn't look the part in Week 1. The 26-year-old had a career-low 82 yards passing and a career-worst 52.2 passer rating.

His early season struggles could be chalked up to his calf injury that he suffered at the beginning of training camp. But if Burrow is fully healthy, there are no excuses for his Week 1 performance. He is now 1-5 in his career against the Browns with their next matchup set for the final week of the regular season.

J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens running back: Dobbins spent the offseason trying to get a long-term extension with the Ravens and now he may have played his last snap for the team. The 24-year-old, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, tore his Achilles on Sunday.

It is the second major injury he has suffered since entering the NFL after tearing his ACL in the 2021 preseason finale. He leaves a major hole in Baltimore's backfield with running backs Gus Edwards and Justice Hill remaining. For now, Dobbins must work his way back once again with the hope a team will give him another shot.