• Jayden Daniels retains the highest spot: The Commanders’ rookie quarterback has earned an 88.8 PFF grade this season.
• Jared Verse continues to impress: Verse has registered 68 whole pressures via 16 weeks.
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Estimated studying time: 5 minutes
After 16 weeks of NFL motion, the league’s rookies are making their mark with standout performances. Among the many top-graded first-year gamers are a mixture of extremely touted first-round picks and spectacular Day 3 picks, showcasing expertise from throughout the draft spectrum.
Listed below are the highest-graded first-year gamers after 16 weeks of motion.
1. QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
PFF Grade: 88.8
Daniels delivered three big-time throws within the Commanders’ come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday and is beginning to construct a fame for his performances in clutch moments. The rookie quarterback has been remarkably constant this season, as he is completed with a single-game grade under 65.0 simply 3 times.
2. RB Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PFF Grade: 87.8
Irving is simply 80 yards shy of a 1,000-yard dashing season as a rookie, having pressured 47 missed tackles on 168 carries. He’s additionally been a harmful weapon within the passing recreation, incomes a formidable 90.4 PFF receiving grade via 16 weeks.
3. EDGE Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams
PFF Grade: 86.2
Verse stays the highest-graded rookie defender this season and is simply two pressures away from hitting 70 on the season. Of his 68 whole pressures, 20 have been sacks or quarterback hits. Nonetheless, a missed deal with price of 27.0% has been a major blemish on his in any other case stellar rookie marketing campaign and a key issue retaining him from the highest spot on this checklist.
4. TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
PFF Grade: 85.8
Bowers returned to kind in dominant style after a pair of quieter outings in Weeks 14 and 15. In opposition to the Jaguars, he averaged a formidable 2.54 yards per route run and has maintained a stellar 2.9% drop price on catchable passes this season.
5. G Dominick Puni, San Francisco 49ers
PFF Grade: 83.3
Puni has been dependable in go safety this season, incomes a 68.3 PFF pass-blocking grade whereas permitting 30 whole pressures. Nonetheless, he’s been much more spectacular within the run recreation, boasting an 84.4 PFF run-blocking grade via 16 weeks.
6. WR Malik Nabers, New York Giants
PFF Grade: 82.9
Nabers is simply 31 yards shy of reaching 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie after one other sturdy efficiency within the Giants’ loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He has been remarkably constant, having put up simply two single-game grades under 65.0, and he has averaged a formidable 1.90 yards per route run via 16 weeks.
7. CB Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia Eagles
PFF Grade: 80.9
By means of 16 weeks, DeJean has allowed a mean of simply 7.4 yards per catch and has excelled each in protection and in opposition to the run. Thriving close to the road of scrimmage, he has recorded 19 defensive stops this season.
8. WR Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
PFF Grade: 79.8
Thomas set a career-high with 132 receiving yards on Sunday within the Jaguars’ loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The rookie has been a dynamic playmaker, averaging 2.36 yards per route run and a formidable 14.9 yards per reception. He has already surpassed 1,000 receiving yards on the season.
9. WR Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
PFF Grade: 79.5
McConkey is on the verge of surpassing 1,000 receiving yards, needing simply 40 extra to achieve the milestone. He has averaged 2.32 yards per route run and has recorded 12 contested catches via the primary 16 weeks of the season.
10. T Joe Alt, Los Angeles Chargers
PFF Grade: 78.5
Alt has been an NFL-ready go blocker since taking the sector in Week 1 and has allowed 19 whole pressures from 515 pass-blocking snaps. He has earned PFF grades above 75.0 as each a pass-blocker and a run-blocker.
11. CB Andru Phillips, New York Giants
PFF Grade: 77.8
Phillips struggled within the Giants’ loss to the Falcons on Sunday however has had a formidable rookie marketing campaign. Incomes PFF grades above 74.0 each in opposition to the run and in protection, he has registered 29 defensive stops.
12. CB Tarheeb Nonetheless, Los Angeles Chargers
PFF Grade: 77.4
Like Phillips, Nonetheless had a troublesome outing this previous week however continues to impress total in his rookie season. He has earned a 77.5 PFF protection grade, permitting 37 receptions on 61 targets whereas recording 4 interceptions and 4 go breakups.
13. WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
PFF Grade: 76.3
Harrison has had an up-and-down rookie season however averages 1.57 yards per route run. He has been focused on 36 contested throws via 16 weeks, securing 15 of them, and has dropped simply 1.9% of his catchable targets.
14. LB Payton Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
PFF Grade: 76.2
Wilson has stood out in protection for the Steelers as a rookie, incomes a 76.3 PFF protection grade via 16 weeks. He has allowed simply 23 receptions throughout 261 snaps in protection and has recorded 21 defensive stops.
15. C Zach Frazier, Pittsburgh Steelers
PFF Grade: 75.5
Frazier has been regular, if unspectacular, as a go blocker this season, permitting 11 pressures and incomes a 63.5 PFF pass-blocking grade. Nonetheless, he has excelled within the run recreation, posting a 78.1 PFF run-blocking grade via 16 weeks.
