Mike Anderson (38) is a 26-year-old rookie. He spent four years in the Marines before going to college.

PLAYER, STATS	THE SKINNY
Mike Anderson , RB, Broncos vs. Falcons 31 att., 131 yds., 2 TDs 1 rec., 18 yds.	The former Utah star wasted little time making an impact in his first NFL action in the Broncos backfield. Denver marched down the field for a touchdown on its opening possession, a drive that was capped by Anderson's 2-yard touchdown run. Anderson followed with a 20-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that gave the Broncos a 27-0 lead over the Falcons. "His play didn't surprise me," coach Mike Shanahan told the Denver Post. "I really thought he'd play like that. I thought it was a game where our offensive line would give him the opportunity to run the ball effectively." Despite his impressive performance, Anderson will likely find himself relegated to the role of backup when Davis returns to practice this week.
LaVar Arrington, LB, Redskins at Lions 2 tackles	The Penn State product played a more prominent role in the Redskins' defense during their 15-10 loss to the Lions on Sunday. Look for Arrington's playing time to increase with a spot in the starting lineup coming sooner rather than later.
Courtney Brown, DE, Browns at Bengals 1 tackles	Bengals tackle Willie Anderson, who was matched up against Brown, did a pretty good job shutting down the No. 1 overall pick, limiting him to one tackle. After the game, Anderson had the following to say about Brown to the Cincinnati Enquirer: "He's not supernatural, but he comes hard on most downs."
Shaun Ellis, DE John Abraham, LB Jets vs. Patriots 3 combined sacks	Abraham and Ellis were drafted to put pressure on the quarterback and they certainly did that Monday night against the Patriots. The No. 12 and No. 13 overall picks in the draft, each had 1½ sacks, two of them coming on New England's final possession of the game. Abraham, ended the game with a sack, blowing past left tackle Bruce Armstrong virtually untouched on his way to Drew Bledsoe. "As I was leaving the field, I kept thinking about how fortunate we were to draft Ellis and Abraham," coach Al Groh said after the game.
Thomas Jones, RB, Cardinals vs. Cowboys 27 att., 70 yds. 2 rec., 30 yds.	Game 2 of Jones' career was more like what the Cardinals thought they were getting when they made the Virginia grad the No. 7 overall pick. After a disappointing debut (Jones had only 16 yards on 12 carries), Jones was more impressive in the Cards' Week 2 victory over Dallas. Jones gave most of the credit to Arizona's embattled offensive line. "That offensive line deserves the game ball after what they went through this week and how they came out here and got the job done," Jones told the Arizona Republic.
Julian Peterson, LB, 49ers vs. Panthers 4 tackles 1 sack	The 49ers' top draft pick this year, Peterson was impressive in his home debut. He recorded his first career interception while covering tight end Wesley Walls, returning it 31 yards. He also recorded his first NFL sack, and the 49ers' first sack of the season. "When I'm on the field, that's what they expect me to do," Peterson told The Contra Costa Times.
Travis Prentice, RB, Browns at Bengals 8 att., 46 yds., 1 TD 1 rec., 10 yds.	The third-round pick made the most of his first action in the backfield for the Browns. Prentice, who played only special teams in Cleveland's opener, became the first player to score a regular season touchdown in Paul Brown Stadium. "It felt pretty good," Prentice told the Lorrain Morning Journal. "Whenever you get in the end zone, you're blessed." While Prentice will continue to split time with Errict Rhett, look for the Miami (Ohio) product to see plenty of action near the goal line.
Travis Taylor, WR, Ravens vs. Jaguars 4 rec., 80 yds., 2 TDs	The No. 10 overall pick is proving to be a quick learner. After beginning training camp as a holdout, Taylor wasted little time working his way into the starting lineup. Then Sunday, because of an injury to Qadry Ismail, Taylor found himself switched from flanker to Ismail's spot at split end, a position he had never played as a Raven. The Florida alum responded with his first two NFL touchdowns. "He showed he's not the typical rookie," quarterback Tony Banks told the Baltimore Sun. "To be able to play a position he hasn't played and play it as well as he did, he made some great plays to help us get this win. Hopefully, we won't have to put him in this position again, though."
Peter Warrick , WR, Bengals vs. Browns 3 rec., 80 yds.	The first regular-season game for Warrick was a mixed bag, with more bad than good. He showed his talent, making a highlight-reel grab with one hand in the fourth quarter that was good for 46 yards. However, the Bengals lost the game and the Florida State grad dropped three passes in the process. "I just dropped them. I took my eye off the ball," Warrick said. "That's something I've worked on my whole life. I could've gotten something big out of it, too."

Peter Lawrence-Riddell is the assistant NFL editor for ESPN.com.