NFL1000: Rookie Review from Week 3

They say inside linebackers are a dying breed in the NFL, but you'd never know it based on this week's Rookie Review.

San Diego's Jatavis Brown, Atlanta's Deion Jones, Washington's Su'a Cravens and Chicago's Nick Kwiatkoski all finished in the top 15 overall this week, and that's no statistical fluke. Brown, Jones and Cravens were in our overall top 30 last week with strong performances, and Kwiatkoski put up a solid showing against the Cowboys on Sunday night in his first NFL start. Filling in for Danny Trevathan, Kwiatkoski didn't have huge stats, but he fought through the best offensive line in the NFL to make an impact.

Brown has been on our radar for a while, and he had a strip-sack against the Indianapolis Colts to further prove he's a potential do-it-all guy at the NFL level. Jones had an interception that he returned 90 yards for a touchdown against the Saints on Monday night, adding two passes defensed and eight solo tackles.

Cravens? Well, all he did was run a perfect coverage for the interception that won the game for the Redskins over the Giants last Sunday. With one minute, nine seconds left in the game, Cravens diagnosed the Texas (angle) route Eli Manning was throwing to running back Shane Vereen and jumped the throw. That was that. Cravens has been playing with more and more authority this season, and he could be the most physically gifted of the new wave of hybrid safety/linebacker "Moneybacker" guys.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is our top rookie this week after an efficient performance against the Bears in which he completed 19 of 24 passes for 248 yards and his first NFL touchdown pass. Prescott and Philly's Carson Wentz are fitting into their offenses more adeptly than one would normally expect of first-year signal-callers.

Add in strong performances from Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliot and Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood, and you have two highly intriguing rookie backfields in the NFC East. Might they reach the heights Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris did in 2012, when Griffin won the Rookie of the Year award and Morris gained 1,613 yards? That's a tall order, but so far, so good.

Wentz dropped a few spots in our rankings this week only because of play design—he had more screens and not as many "wow" throws this week, but he played well within the system. Kudos to Patriots rookie Jacoby Brissett, who helped New England beat the Houston Texans with a game plan that maximized his mobility and kept the passing game quick—most of Brissett's passing yards came after the catch.

It was a great week for many of the NFL's first-year players. Here's how we saw their performances.

Biggest Movers Heading into Week 4

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars

How do you quantify the effect of the low-drafted or undrafted star? How do you chart the progress of those rookies who are struggling to make their way regardless of their draft position? With the weekly NFL1000 Rookie Review, we'll look to do both of those things while keeping track of the stars of the 2016 draft. Part of that process is to align players with their draft positions relative to their on-field performance.

It's what NFL teams do, and it's what we'll do.

Our Week 3 Rookie Review reveals a number of players who have taken major steps forward in their professional development. Jalen Ramsey allowed four catches on six targets...for a grand total of 15 yards and an opposing quarterback rating of 70.1. For the season...

1. Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars

2016 Draft Position: 5 (first round, fifth pick)

Rank Last Week: 50

Rank This Week: 9

What Happened: Ramsey put himself on Steve Smith's list with some denigrating comments about the veteran, but on the field against the Ravens, it was Ramsey who looked like the vet. He got schooled a bit in the first two weeks, but he's starting to look like the kind of player who can back up everything he says. He has the length, strength and recovery speed to deal with any receiver, and he could be special as he gets the hang of the little things.

2. Karl Joseph, S, Oakland Raiders

2016 Draft Position: 14 (first round, 14th pick)

Rank Last Week: NR

Rank This Week: 18

What Happened: It was a bit surprising when the Raiders took Joseph 14th overall, but the mystery solves itself when you realize that the West Virginia alum was tied for the FBS lead in interceptions last year when he suffered an October knee injury. Against the Titans on Sunday, he showed the range and tackling ability Oakland hoped to see. He was strong against the run and allowed one completion into his area. 

3. Jatavis Brown, ILB, San Diego Chargers

2016 Draft Position: 175 (fifth round, 38th pick)

Rank Last Week: 27

Rank This Week: 3

What Happened: The Akron product and former MAC Defensive Player of the Year has been a bright spot in a struggling Chargers defense. He was exceptional against the Colts, recording a strip-sack of Andrew Luck by taking a great angle and jumping over the blocking back. He's versatile enough to play the run well and has good coverage instincts, and with Manti T'eo out for the rest of the season, Brown will get more chances than ever to shine. 

4. Nick Kwiatkoski, ILB, Chicago Bears

2016 Draft Position: 113 (fourth round, 15th pick)

Rank Last Week: NR

Rank This Week: 11

What Happened: Chicago's defense had enough problems before Danny Trevathan suffered a thumb injury, robbing defensive coordinator Vic Fangio of one of his finest players. But Kwiatkoski filled in well in his first NFL start (and first NFL snaps). He was thrown to the ground by Cowboys center Travis Frederick on the first Dallas offensive play but recovered immediately to be a consistent factor in run defense and pass rush against the league's best offensive line.

5. Kenny Clark, DT, Green Bay Packers

2016 Draft Position: 27 (first round, 27th pick)

Rank Last Week: NR

Rank This Week: 21

What Happened: Clark was limited at the start of his NFL career due to UCLA's late graduation schedule, but he's seen his snaps increase in each of his first three games, and against Detroit last Sunday, he added a ton of toughness to Green Bay's defensive front. The 6'3", 314-pounder is a natural nose tackle and a real problem for centers and guards with his understanding of leverage and his ability to generate consistent power.

Top 50 Rookies Overall from Week 3

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Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

Our Week 3 Top 50 Rookie Rankings are based on Week 3 performances, and we can now see how they shake out against preseason grades and expectations. Here's how things stand for the 2016 rookie class. 

It was a great week for rookie inside linebackers with four ranking in the top 10. Jatavis Brown led the way with six tackles, one sack and a forced fumble against the Colts. 

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	NFL1000 Score	LW	Moving
1	Dak Prescott	QB	DAL	135	81	15	↑
2	Jatavis Brown	ILB	SD	175	80	27	↑
3	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	DAL	4	79	16	↑
4	Deion Jones	ILB	ATL	52	78	21	↑
5	Cody Whitehair	C	CHI	56	77	4	↓
6	Ronnie Stanley	OT	BAL	6	77	19	↑
7	Su'a Cravens	ILB	WAS	53	77	6	↓
8	Jalen Ramsey	CB	JAX	5	77	50	↑
9	Wil Lutz	K	NO	UDFA	77	49	↑
10	Nick Kwiatkoski	ILB	CHI	113	76	NR	↑
11	Taylor Decker	OT	DET	16	76	1	↓
12	DeAndre Washington	RB	OAK	143	75	23	↑
13	Carson Wentz	QB	PHI	2	74	2	↓
14	Andy Janovich	FB	DEN	176	74	12	↓
15	Alex Lewis	OG	BAL	130	74	35	↑
16	Ryan Kelly	C	IND	18	74	5	↓
17	Karl Joseph	SS	OAK	14	74	NR	↑
18	Jordan Howard	RB	CHI	150	73	24	↑
19	Derrick Henry	RB	TEN	45	73	28	↑
20	Kenny Clark	DT	GB	27	73	NR	↑
21	Antonio Morrison	ILB	IND	125	73	NR	↑
22	Kevin Byard	FS	TEN	64	73	NR	↑
23	Keanu Neal	SS	ATL	17	73	NR	↑
24	Wendell Smallwood	RB	PHI	153	72	NR	↑
25	Sterling Shepard	WR	NYG	40	72	13	↓
26	Emmanuel Ogbah	OLB	CLE	32	72	33	↑
27	Blake Martinez	ILB	GB	131	72	34	↑
28	Will Parks	SS	DEN	219	72	NR	↑
29	Riley Dixon	P	DEN	228	72	NR	↑
30	Vadal Alexander	OT	OAK	234	72	NR	↑
31	Cory James	ILB	OAK	194	71	NR	↑
32	Jack Conklin	OT	TEN	8	71	3	↓
33	Laremy Tunsil	OG	MIA	13	70	8	↓
34	Vincent Valentine	DT	NE	96	70	31	↓
35	Sean Davis	SS	PIT	58	70	46	↑
36	Joe Thuney	OG	NE	78	69	32	↓
37	Maliek Collins	DT	DAL	67	69	NR	↑
38	Eli Apple	CB	NYG	10	69	NR	↑
39	Dwayne Washington	RB	DET	236	68	43	↑
40	Michael Thomas	WR	NO	47	68	39	↓
41	Tyreek Hill	WR	KC	165	68	NR	↑
42	Hunter Henry	TE	SD	35	68	NR	↑
43	Yannick Ngakoue	DE	JAX	69	68	NR	↑
44	Darron Lee	OLB	NYJ	20	68	9	↓
45	Derrick Kindred	SS	TB	129	68	22	↓
46	Lachlan Edwards	P	NYJ	235	68	NR	↑
47	DeForest Buckner	DE	SF	7	67	NR	↑
48	Vernon Butler	DT	CAR	30	67	41	↓
49	Vernon Hargreaves	CB	TB	11	67	10	↓
50	Kentrell Brice	FS	GB	UDFA	67	NR	↑

Quarterbacks

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

Jacoby Brissett was the big story in Week 3. He played Thursday night and had a long touchdown run that made Foxborough explode. Although the touchdown run was good, Brissett as a whole was limited. Head coach Bill Belichick schemed around him, and Bill O'Brien's defense looked lost in response to what Belichick was doing. Although Brissett got credit for the victory, he was mostly a passenger as the Patriots defense and particularly special teams led the team to an unlikely win.

Carson Wentz made the most impressive play of any rookie quarterback in Week 3, continuing his impressive start to his rookie season. Wentz escaped into the flat under pressure and found Darren Sproles for a huge touchdown run with a precise pass. Besides that play, Wentz was mostly executing simpler throws from a clean pocket. Over 70 of his yards in the first half came on screens; head coach Doug Pederson continues to show off his excellent play designs to protect his rookie from dangerous throws.

While Dak Prescott hasn't been as impressive as Wentz overall, his display in Week 3 eclipsed his fellow rookie. Prescott was phenomenal. His accuracy improved dramatically over previous performances, and his timing within the offense, often against pressure or from tighter pockets than normal, was exemplary.

Prescott's best throw was a dart to Terrance Williams on a post route. Williams fumbled the ball away at the end of the play, but regardless it was still a great throw from the quarterback. He displayed his rushing value too when he forced his way into the end zone for one touchdown and made an unlikely escape past two defenders who had angles on him for a first down at a later point in the game.

Prescott was unlucky not to get his first passing touchdown when he threw a dart to Jason Witten early in the game, but later he perfectly placed his touchdown throw to Dez Bryant.

Cody Kessler made a disastrous start in his debut for the Cleveland Browns. He mishandled a snap and then pump-faked three times on a screen that led to a strip-sack, quickly ending his first drive at this level. Kessler settled down after his initial struggles and made some smart plays. His arm looked livelier than it did in college, and he reacted well to pressure on occasion. Still, the Browns limited him purposely by relying on Wildcat formations with former quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Grading Scale

Acc: Accuracy (Graded out of 25)
Arm: Arm Strength (Graded out of 25)
Press: Pressure/Run Threat (Graded out of 20)
Dec: Decision-Making (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Ovr: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie QB Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Acc	Arm	Press.	Dec.	Pos	Ovr	LW	Trend
1	Dak Prescott	DAL	19	20	16	16	10	81	2	↑
2	Carson Wentz	PHI	18	18	13	15	10	74	1	↓
3	Cody Kessler	CLE	15	18	10	13	10	66	NR	↑
4	Jacoby Brissett	NE	12	15	14	13	10	64	3	↓
5	Trevone Boykin	SEA	13	15	10	10	10	58	NR	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Paxton Lynch: insufficient snaps
Jared Goff: insufficient snaps
Connor Cook: insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances

Dak Prescott

Week 3 Stats: 19-of-24, 248 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT

This was the first sign of growth from the rookie. In his previous two games, he had run a simplified, often protected passing game that allowed him to focus on taking care of the ball at all costs. In this game he was more aggressive at attacking coverages downfield, and he proved to be proficient in the process.

 

Carson Wentz

Week 3 Stats: 23-of-31, 301 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT

Wentz's consistency has been his greatest strength so far. He's being set up for success and hasn't yet faced a strong defense, but what he's been asked to do, he has been done. You can't ask for much more from a rookie starter.

 

Trevone Boykin

Week 3 Stats: 7-of-9, 65 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Boykin's debut is notable because he looks likely to play again this year. Russell Wilson has myriad health issues right now, even though he expects to play against the New York Jets this week. Boykin flashed his ability at times in a game where he was basically a caretaker watching over a victory that had already been wrapped up. However, he also allowed the defense to read his eyes for an easy interception, as the passing game became predictable as soon as he stepped on the field.

Running Backs

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

Week 3 marked breakout performances for many rookie running backs. The headliner—Ezekiel Elliot—went off against the Bears on Sunday Night Football. While I would still like to see more dynamic open-field runs from Elliot, he did flash the power and explosion the Cowboys were looking for when they drafted him so high. He punished Chicago defenders all night long, finishing with power and running through contact.

He was excellent.

Eagles rookie Wendell Smallwood also had a breakout performance. He was excellent inside the tackles, hitting the hole with an explosive burst and getting to the second level of the defense before the Steelers could blink. He also had his first career touchdown on a goal-line carry.

After Jalen Richard busted out for the Raiders the first couple of weeks, fifth-round pick DeAndre Washington got into the action with 57 yards and a big 30-yard gainer. He was superb against a good physical Tennessee Titans front.

Jordan Howard impressed against the Cowboys, showing speed, vision and the ability to get to the edges of the defense. He should continue to see carries as the season progresses.

Derrick Henry had a solid day against the Raiders, making guys miss and running through the initial defender. He deserves more carries, but DeMarco Murray has been sensational so far through three weeks.

Grading Scale

In: Inside Running (Graded out of 25)
Out: Outside Running (Graded out of 25)
Rec: Receiving (Graded out of 20)
Blk: Blocking (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Ovr: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie RB Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	In	Out	Rec	Blk	Pos	Ovr	LW	Trend
1	Ezekiel Elliott	DAL	21	19	16	17	6	79	1	-
2	DeAndre Washington	OAK	19	18	17	15	6	75	2	-
3	Jordan Howard	CHI	18	18	15	16	6	73	3	-
4	Derrick Henry	TEN	18	18	15	16	6	73	4	-
5	Wendell Smallwood	PHI	19	17	15	15	6	72	NR	↑
6	Dwayne Washington	DET	16	18	14	14	6	68	9	↑
7	Josh Ferguson	IND	14	14	16	16	6	66	8	↑
8	Devontae Booker	DEN	15	13	16	15	6	65	5	↓
9	Jalen Richard	OAK	14	15	16	14	6	65	6	↓
10	Kenyan Drake	MIA	14	16	14	15	6	65	NR	↑
11	Alex Collins	SEA	15	14	15	15	6	65	NR	↑

 

Notable Omissions

C.J. Prosise: inactive
Tyler Ervin: insufficient snaps
Kenneth Dixon: inactive
Paul Perkins: inactive
Jonathan Williams: insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances

Ezekiel Elliott

Week 3 Stats: 30 carries, 140 yards, 0 TD, 2 receptions, 20 yards

Zeke had his best game as a pro in front of the country on Sunday Night Football. He dominated in every area of the game. He was dominant between the tackles, wearing down the Bears defense with his physical nature and hard finishing runs. He got stronger as the game went on. For the No. 4 overall pick, you would still like to see more dynamic runs, but he looks like he is getting closer to breaking home run plays.

 

Wendell Smallwood

Week 3 Stats: 17 carries, 79 yards, 1 TD

Smallwood's first heavy action in a game was well worth the wait for Philly fans. He was fast, explosive and quick downhill. He carried the Eagles on a touchdown drive with multiple big runs up the gut and a nice goal-line score. He also bounced off tackles, displaying excellent body and balance on contact. 

 

DeAndre Washington

Week 3 Stats: 6 carries, 57 yards, 0 TD

Washington was fantastic against a good Titans front seven. For a small back, he is good between the tackles. His vision and burst through the hole are excellent, and he reached the second level of the Titans defense quickly. He did a great job of finishing runs on contact and gaining extra yards.

 

Jordan Howard

Week 3 Stats: 9 carries, 45 yards, 0 TD, 4 receptions, 47 yards

Howard had his breakout game against the Cowboys on Sunday night. With Jeremy Langford banged up, Howard flashed the ability to be a starter in the NFL. He was excellent between the tackles, running hard and showing an explosive burst. He was also quick to get to the edges of the defense, moving the chains multiple times for a terrible offense.

Fullbacks

Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

Andy Janovich, Denver Broncos

It was a quiet week for the rookie fullbacks. Andy Janovich continues to be consistently good on contact. He is a physical run player and is excellent at adjusting in space. The Chargers run game took a step back Sunday, but Derek Watt continues to show he belongs in the NFL. He was physical on Melvin Gordon's touchdown run.

Grading Scale

Blk: Blocking (Graded out of 50)
Run: Running (Graded out of 25)
Rec: Receiving (Graded out of 15)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Ovr: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie FB Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Blk	Run	Rec	Pos.	Ovr	LW	Trend
1	Andy Janovich	DEN	40	18	12	4	74	1	-
2	Derek Watt	SD	38	16	9	4	67	2	-

 

Notable Omissions

Dan Vitale: practice squad

 

Notable Performances

Andy Janovich

Week 3 Stats: 1 carry, 2 yards, 0 TD, 1 reception, 13 yards

Janovich continues to be one of the better rookies in the NFL despite little fanfare. He was fast and physical Sunday. He was a natural at locating Bengals linebackers in the second level and staying connected. He was always a threat when he leaked into the flat. He was up for the challenge in a playoff-level game. 

Wide Receivers

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Sterling Shepard, New York Giants

Sterling Shepard and Michael Thomas continue to enjoy strong starts to their NFL careers. Shepard caught a beautiful touchdown on a seam route early in the game. He ran a perfect pattern, selling the slot cornerback on a slant route and then breaking vertically, securing a contested pass by outjumping the defender at the high point for the touchdown. He did have one drop later in the game on a shallow crossing route that impacted his numbers for the week.

Thomas was also quietly impressive in New Orleans’ loss to Atlanta on Monday night, running solid routes and showing impressive hands on his touchdown catch, making a diving catch as he fell into the end zone.

Grading Scale

Rte: Route Running (Graded out of 25)
Hds: Hands (Graded out of 25)
YAC: Run-after-catch ability (Graded out of 20)
Blk: Blocking (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Ovr: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie WR Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Rte	Hds	YAC	Blk	Pos	Ovr	LW	Trend
1	Sterling Shepard	NYG	19	18	13	13	9	72	1	-
2	Michael Thomas	NO	16	19	13	11	9	68	4	↑
3	Tyreek Hill	KC	17	17	14	11	9	68	10	↑
4	Tajae Sharpe	TEN	17	17	13	10	9	66	5	↑
5	Ricardo Louis	CLE	17	15	11	12	9	64	NR	↑
6	Will Fuller	HOU	17	16	11	10	9	63	3	↓
7	Tyler Boyd	CIN	16	16	11	10	9	62	6	↓
8	Malcolm Mitchell	NE	15	14	12	11	9	61	11	↑
9	Rashard Higgins	CLE	14	14	11	11	9	59	13	↑
10	Chris Moore	BAL	14	15	10	10	9	58	9	↓
11	Trevor Davis	GB	15	13	10	11	9	58	NR	↑
12	Aaron Burbridge	SF	13	13	10	11	9	56	12	-

 

Notable Omissions

Corey Coleman: injured
Josh Doctson: inactive
Braxton Miller: inactive
Leonte Carroo: insufficient snaps
Demarcus Robinson: insufficient snaps
Jordan Payton: insufficient snaps
Charone Peake: insufficient snaps
Laquon Treadwell: insufficient snaps
Pharoh Cooper: injured

      

Notable Performances

Sterling Shepard

Week 3 Stats: 5 receptions (7 targets) for 73 yards and a touchdown

Shepard had another impressive game, catching a touchdown on a red-zone seam route. He did have a drop later in the game on a shallow crossing route that depressed his numbers this week.

           

Michael Thomas

Week 3 Stats: 7 receptions (11 targets) for 71 yards and a touchdown

Thomas was effective for the Saints in their Monday night loss to Atlanta. He caught seven passes on 11 targets, including a touchdown on a slant route that required a tough diving catch to execute.

Tight Ends

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Hunter Henry, San Diego Chargers

The NFC rookie tight ends were pretty quiet this week. David Morgan with the Vikings was inactive this week with an injury. Austin Hooper and Tyler Higbee were both active, but neither saw a target and both were used primarily as blockers in the running game.

Hunter Henry got the start in San Diego, where he put up decent numbers in place of the injured Antonio Gates, but a lost fumble on the Chargers’ final drive put a blemish on what otherwise would’ve been a respectable game from the rookie.

Grading Scale

Rte: Route Running (Graded out of 25)
Hds: Hands (Graded out of 25)
YAC: Run-after-catch ability (Graded out of 20)
Blk: Blocking (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Ovr: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie TE Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Rte	Hds	YAC	Blk	Pos	Ovr	LW	Trend
1	Hunter Henry	SD	15	18	12	17	6	68	2	↑
2	Austin Hooper	ATL	10	12	10	18	6	56	1	↓
3	Tyler Higbee	LA	10	12	10	16	6	54	3	-

 

Notable Omissions

David Morgan II: injured
Rico Gathers: insufficient snaps
Nick Vannett: injured
Jerell Adams: insufficient snaps
Temarrick Hemingway: inactive

        

Notable Performances

Hunter Henry

Week 3 Stats: 5 catches, 76 yards, 0 TD, 1 fumble

The veteran Gates was sidelined this week due to a hamstring injury, so Henry got the start. Henry more than held his own and showed he could be more than just a cog in this offense, hauling in five passes. However, he lost a fumble on San Diego's final drive that sealed the loss for the Chargers. He learned a tough lesson about how easy it is to get the football stripped from behind when running after the catch.

Offensive Tackles

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Taylor Decker, Detroit Lions

In Week 3, Jack Conklin yet again was the lone rookie right tackle who started, but unlike the previous two weeks, Conklin would be joined in the participation column by the likes of Vadal Alexander, who came into the game for Oakland and played significant snaps. Week 3 proved to present some challenges for Conklin in pass protection facing the likes of Khalil Mack and other explosive Oakland edge-rushers. Alexander was thrown into the fire mid-game and held his own.

Grading Scale

OT: Left or Right Tackle designation
Pass: Pass Protection (Graded out of 25)
Run: Run Blocking (Graded out of 25)
Pwr: Power (Graded Out of 20)
Agl: Agility (Graded Out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Ovr: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie OT Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	OT	Pass	Run	Pwr	Agl	Pos	Ovr	LW	Trend
1	Ronnie Stanley	BAL	LT	18	18	16	17	8	77	3	↑
2	Taylor Decker	DET	LT	16	21	16	15	8	76`	1	↑
3	Vadal Alexander	OAK	RT	17	18	14	15	7	71	NR	↑
4	Jack Conklin	TEN	RT	16	18	16	14	7	71	2	↓

              

Notable Omissions

Le'Raven Clark: insufficient snaps
Jason Spriggs: insufficient snaps
Spencer Drango: insufficient snaps

           

Notable Performances

Taylor Decker

Week 3 Stats: 2 Sacks Allowed

Despite giving up two sacks, Decker played an above average first three quarters. As the game went on, and some obvious pass situations presented themselves to the defense, Decker's weight distribution and patience dropped off in his pass protection and allowed defenders to get the best of him. Overall, Decker still has shown that he is improving.

Offensive Guards

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Alex Lewis, Baltimore Ravens

With a couple of the rookie guards who normally would start still banged up, only four first-year players got snaps this week, including a newcomer. While this section is slowly turning into an injury report rather than a rookie report, there were some interesting tidbits this week. 

Grading Scale

Pass: Pass Protection (Graded out of 25)
Run: Run Blocking (Graded out of 25)
Pwr: Power (Graded out of 20)
Agl: Agility (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Ovr: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie OG Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Pwr	Agl	Pos	Ovr	LW	Trend
1	Alex Lewis	BAL	18	16	16	17	7	74	3	↑
2	Laremy Tunsil	MIA	15	16	15	17	7	70	1	↓
3	Joe Thuney	NE	16	15	14	17	7	69	2	↓
4	Joe Haeg	IND	13	12	13	16	7	61	NR	↑

               

Notable Omissions

Ted Karras: insufficient snaps
Parker Ehinger: injured
Christian Westerman: insufficient snaps
Cole Toner: insufficient snaps
Connor McGovern: insufficient snaps
Joshua Garnett: insufficient snaps

         

Notable Performances

Joshua Garnett

Week 3 Stats: None

Even after Anthony Davis retired this week, the 49ers' first-round pick is still not a factor, only playing a couple of special teams snaps.

 

Alex Lewis

Week 3 Stats: 57 snaps, 0 sacks, 1 QB hit allowed

Lewis had the best week of any rookie guard by far, showing off impressive mirroring ability and quick feet yet again. 

Centers

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Cody Whitehair (left), Chicago Bears

Both of the NFL's rookie starting centers had challenges to face in Week 3. Ryan Kelly of the Colts did well against San Diego's defensive front, and Chicago's Cody Whitehair was a whiz when diagnosing and attacking Dallas' A-gap blitzes Sunday night. Each of these players has had three games to prove themselves in their young careers, and both Kelly and Whitehair have accepted that challenge with impressive results.

Grading Scale

Pass: Pass Protection (Graded out of 25)
Run: Run Blocking (Graded out of 25)
Pwr: Power (Graded out of 20)
Agl: Agility (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Ovr: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie C Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Pwr	Agl	Pos	Ovr	LW	Trend
1	Cody Whitehair	CHI	17	21	17	16	6	77	1	-
2	Ryan Kelly	IND	18	16	17	17	6	74	2	-

         

Notable Omissions

Evan Boehm: did not play
Nick Martin: injured
Max Tuerk: did not play
Austin Blythe: did not play
Joey Hunt: did not play

           

Notable Performances

Cody Whitehair

Week 3 Stats: 65 snaps, one hurry allowed

For the second straight week, Whitehair displayed the positive characteristics that mark the best centers in the NFL. A tackle and guard in college, the rookie showed exceptional agility, balance and strength at the point of attack and impressive accuracy with his targets on the move. Considering the position change and level of competition, his consistency is remarkable.

            

Ryan Kelly

Week 3 Stats: 72 snaps, one hit and one hurry allowed

The Alabama alum continues to look like he's been playing center at the NFL level for half a decade. Kelly has the strength to move people out of his gap and the natural movement skills to guard more aggressive defenders all the way to the back of the pocket in pass protection. 

3-4 Defensive Ends

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

DeForest Buckner (right), San Francisco 49ers

There's really only one rookie who stands out at this position. DeForest Buckner isn't just a starter for the 49ers, he's a contributor and continually stands out among veterans. He's already a solid NFL player, but the flashes really get you excited.

Jihad Ward of the Raiders is the only other guy who plays significant snaps, but he hasn't made much of an impact yet. He's collected a few tackles and rerouted a couple runs, but nothing jumps out yet.

Grading Scale

Exp: Snap Explosion (Graded out of 15)
Pass: Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)
Run: Run Defense (Graded out of 30)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie 3-4 DE Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Exp	Pass	Run	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	DeForest Buckner	SF	12	12	19	18	6	67	1	-
2	Jihad Ward	OAK	8	11	17	14	6	56	3	↑
3	Chris Jones	KC	10	13	15	11	6	55	2	↓
4	Jonathan Bullard	CHI	8	13	16	12	6	55	5	↑
5	Adolphus Washington	BUF	9	11	16	12	6	54	6	↑
6	Adam Gotsis	DEN	8	10	16	13	6	53	NR	↑
7	Dean Lowry	GB	8	10	17	12	6	53	NR	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Carl Nassib: inactive
Robert Nkemdiche: inactive

 

Notable Performances:

Jihad Ward

Week 3 Stats: four tackles

Ward is one of the few rookie defensive linemen getting consistent snaps. Against the Titans, he recorded four tackles and two 'Wins' as a run defender.

 

DeForest Buckner

Week 3 Stats: eight tackles

Buckner was all over the place again this week and not in a disruptive, run-stuffing way, but he shows veteran awareness, along with hustle, and he finishes every play. He's chasing guys across the field to make tackles. You get the occasional pressure on the QB and you can see his upside there. 

4-3 Defensive Ends

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Yannick Ngakoue, Jacksonville Jaguars

Again, Yannick Ngakoue is the only noteworthy rookie defensive end. For the second week in a row, Ngakoue had a very impressive sack and forced fumble. He ran the arc beautifully not with just athleticism, but his hands allowed him to cleanly win early, and his awareness to strip the ball made him look like a veteran. I think we have a good one here.

Grading Scale

Pass: Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)
Run: Run Defense (Graded out of 25)
Exp: Snap Explosion (Graded out of 20)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie 4-3 DE Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Exp	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Yannick Ngakoue	JAX	17	13	16	15	7	68	1	-
2	DaVonte Lambert	TB	11	16	11	13	7	58	NR	↑

 

Notable Omissions

Shaq Lawson: injured
Shilique Calhoun: insufficient snaps
Charles Tapper: insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances:

Yannick Ngakoue

Week 3 Stats: one tackle, one sack, forced fumble

Ngakoue is making an early impact as a pass-rusher, and when you watch him, it's hard not to be reminded of Cam Wake. From the first step, hands, size and balance, Ngakoue looks like a young stud pass-rusher-in-the-making.

Defensive Tackles

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers

Vincent Valentine and Maliek Collins, who starred together at the University of Nebraska, had impressive nationally televised games. Valentine dominated the Houston Texans in the first quarter of their Thursday night bout. Maliek Collins had a handful of impressive plays against the Chicago Bears and showed off nifty footwork and impressive athleticism. 

Grading Scale

Exp: Snap Explosion (Graded out of 15)
Pass: Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)
Run: Run Defense (Graded out of 30)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie DT Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Exp	Pass	Run	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Kenny Clark	GB	18	16	20	13	6	73	NR	↑
2	Vincent Valentine	NE	17	14	20	13	6	70	2	-
3	Maliek Collins	DAL	17	15	18	13	6	69	NR	↑
4	Vernon Butler	CAR	17	16	16	12	6	67	3	↓
5	Jarran Reed	SEA	16	15	15	12	6	64	1	↓
6	Darius Latham	OAK	16	13	16	11	6	62	NR	↑
7	Michael Pierce	BAL	15	13	17	11	6	62	NR	↑
8	Hassan Ridgeway	IND	16	12	15	12	6	61	7	↓
9	A'Shawn Robinson	DET	16	13	14	10	6	59	NR	↑
10	D.J. Reader	HOU	15	11	15	12	6	59	NR	↑
11	Adolphus Washington	BUF	13	12	16	10	6	57	NR	↑
12	Javon Hargrave	PIT	15	13	13	10	6	57	6	↓
13	David Onyemata	NO	13	12	12	9	6	52	4	↓

 

Notable Omissions

Sheldon Rankins: injured
Robert Nkemdiche: injured
Quinton Jefferson: inactive
Austin Johnson: inactive
Sheldon Day: insufficient snaps
Adam Gotsis: insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances:

Kenny Clark

Week 3 Stats: four tackles

With Letroy Guion out for a significant period of time, Kenny Clark has been tasked with leading the Packers' stifling run defense, and he's answered the call. Clark plugged holes versus the run all game long against the Lions while flashing his trademark power and athleticism that made him so highly thought of coming out of Nebraska.

 

Vincent Valentine

Week 3 Stats: three tackles

Valentine continues to impress for the Patriots. He was dominant in the first quarter of the Thursday night game versus the Texans, and he played well into the second half as the Patriots used Malcom Brown and Alan Branch a bit more. Through three weeks, Valentine looks like a steal for the Patriots.

 

Maliek Collins

Week 3 Stats: two tackles

Maliek Collins turned in a solid performance against the Chicago Bears. He made some flashy plays knifing through the Bears' interior and causing disruption versus both the run and pass.

3-4 Outside Linebackers

Dylan Buell/Getty Images

It was a tough week for rookie outside linebackers. Emmanuel Ogbah has been the most consistent of the bunch, but the lack of depth in the class becomes even more obvious when the other top picks—such as Leonard Floyd and Kevin Dodd—have quiet games. Every week, it seems Ogbah figures out a little more about playing the edge in the NFL.

The same can't be said about Floyd, who is struggling to make the most of his early opportunities. The ninth overall pick is still such a raw player, and he desperately needs to add strength and a plan for setting up NFL offensive tackles. It isn't time to panic yet, but Floyd's first three games have been underwhelming.

Meanwhile, Dodd failed to build on his impressive Week 2 performance, and Joe Schobert still looks like a rookie who simply isn't ready to play a significant number of snaps. Kyler Fackrell delivered his first NFL sack by beating Lions tackle Taylor Decker, but Detroit picked on him in the running game.

Grading Scale

Pass: Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)
Run: Run Defense (Graded out of 25)
Cov: Coverage (Graded out of 15)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 25)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie 3-4 OLB Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Cov	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Emmanuel Ogbah	CLE	18	19	11	17	7	72	2	↑
2	Matt Judon	BAL	15	17	9	17	7	65	3	↑
3	Kyler Fackrell	GB	17	11	10	18	7	63	4	↑
4	Kevin Dodd	TEN	14	16	9	17	7	63	1	↓
5	Joe Schobert	CLE	13	17	10	16	7	63	6	↑
6	Leonard Floyd	CHI	14	14	8	18	7	61	5	↓

 

Notable Omissions

Aaron Wallace: inactive
Curt Maggitt: insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances:

Emmanuel Ogbah

Week 3 Stats: three tackles, one TFL, one PD

Ogbah is still searching for his first NFL sack, but improvements to his game are happening every single week. While he sometimes makes mistakes, he also makes instinctive plays. Ogbah's best sequence in Week 3 came when he single-handedly destroyed a screen pass; first disrupting Ryan Tannehill's throw and then making the tackle for loss. He also diagnosed a designed receiver screen and jumped into the passing lane to deflect the pass. His ability to pressure the quarterback is trending in the right direction, making it likely his first sack will come soon.

 

Kyler Fackrell

Week 3 Stats: two tackles, one sack

Fackrell actually played more snaps than Julius Peppers in Week 3, which was the result of the score, the Packers wanting to keep Peppers fresh and the absence of Clay Matthews and Datone Jones. The rookie notched his first sack in the second half, when he used a power move to create leverage and get around Lions rookie tackle Taylor Decker.

It was good to see, as Fackrell's game has been speed and little else to start 2016. Still, Fackrell was a liability in the run game. With Nick Perry destroying one side of Detroit's line, the Lions made the adjustment and started running right at Fackrell whenever he was in the game. He needs to get much tougher at the point of attack.

4-3 Outside Linebackers

Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

Darron Lee, New York Jets

Though this week features the addition of New York Jets rookie Jordan Jenkins, many of the rookie linebackers are still being held out of competition. Jaylon Smith and De'Vondre Campbell once again find themselves on the bench due to injury, while Antwione Williams joins them in his first week without a grade because of injury. Lastly, Myles Jack is being kept off the field for whatever reason, despite the Jaguars linebacker play being abysmal outside of Telvin Smith.

Darron Lee has topped the list of rookies for the second week in a row. Granted, there is not much competition to knock him off that spot, but he holds the crown nonetheless. Lee took a bit of a step back this week, though. The Kansas City Chiefs tested Lee in coverage a bit, and he struggled to hold up. Tight end Travis Kelce gave him fits when the two matched up.

Aside from his coverage struggles, Lee was still a positive impact in the run game, once again proving he could quickly fill gaps and hold rushing plays to minimum gains. The other two rookies, Jordan Jenkins and Josh Forrest, only got snaps as the strong-side linebacker in base sets, but both of them did a fine job of handling their assignments and avoiding disaster when their numbers were called.  

Grading Scale

Cov: Coverage (Graded out of 25)
Run: Run Defense (Graded out of 25)
Pass: Pass Rush (Graded out of 15)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 25)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie 4-3 OLB Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Cov	Run	Pass	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Darron Lee	NYJ	13	21	9	19	6	68	1	-
2	Jordan Jenkins	NYJ	14	16	8	17	6	61	NR	↓
3	Josh Forrest	LA	14	16	7	15	6	58	2	↓

 

Notable Omissions

Jaylon Smith: injured
Antwione Williams: injured
De'Vondre Campbell: injured
Myles Jack: Insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances:

Darron Lee

Week 3 Stats: six tackles, 0.5 sacks

Lee proved his worth again this week. In addition to his half-sack, Lee racked up a half-dozen tackles and made plays all over the field. Head coach Todd Bowles has gotten Lee heavily involved in the defense early on, and it has paid dividends for the Jets.

 

Jordan Jenkins

Week 3 Stats: five tackles

After not playing the first two weeks, Jenkins made his first real appearance this week. Though he only saw base snaps, Jenkins found a way to be around the ball and locked down the perimeter as a tackler and presence. It's going to be interesting to see how Bowles increases his role in the defense.

 

Josh Forrest

Week 3 Stats: no tackles

Forrest did not make an appearance in the box score this week, but he did his job on the field. Forrest, as the strong-side linebacker, was largely asked to redirect plays back inside and stop big plays going out to the edge, and he did just that. Forrest did nothing flashy, but he did his job.

Inside Linebackers

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Jatavis Brown (right), San Diego Chargers

Multiple rookies saw heavy action in Week 3, and they're continuing to take advantage of those opportunities. Green Bay's Blake Martinez is steadily improving as he gets more live reps and can develop in coverage. Martinez is at his best in the box, playing stout against the run and asked to do little in coverage. The Packers' big lead against the Jaguars affected Martinez's style of play, and he showed impressive ability to remain effective.

Manti Te'o's injury opened the door for Jatavis Brown to play the most snaps of his career, and he didn't skip a beat. Injuries are never something to root for, but the Chargers defense should improve with the athleticism and versatility of Brown. Additionally, Denzel Perryman and Brown complement one another well, and their combined speed will help in underneath coverage.

The Chicago Bears are looking for a starter next to Jerrell Freeman after Danny Trevathan's injury, and Nick Kwiatkoski earned the job Sunday night. Kwiatkoski's first game was against an elite Dallas offensive line, and he showed no fear in aggressively taking on blocks. He'll need more playing time to acclimate to the speed of the NFL, but his first game was a positive.

Overall, rookies are showing that, as expected, their play is close enough to that of the veterans that they ought to be earning playing time. Injuries and poor play are giving multiple players a chance to earn starting roles, and they've rewarded their teams with quality play. The variability in playing styles of rookie linebackers is high, but teams are utilizing their respective rookies well, leading to continued improvement.

Grading Scale

Cov: Coverage (Graded out of 25)
Run: Run Defense (Graded out of 35)
Pass: Pass Rush (Graded out of 15)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 15)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie ILB Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Cov	Run	Pass	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Jatavis Brown	SD	22	27	13	12	6	80	3	↑
2	Deion Jones	ATL	21	30	9	12	6	78	2	-
3	Su'a Cravens	WAS	23	25	11	12	6	77	1	↓
4	Nick Kwiatkoski	CHI	16	30	11	13	6	76	NR	↑
5	Antonio Morrison	IND	17	30	9	11	6	73	NR	↑
6	Blake Martinez	GB	18	28	9	11	6	72	4	↓
7	Cory James	OAK	17	28	8	12	6	71	NR	↑
8	Josh Forrest	LA	16	27	8	10	6	67	NR	↑

 

Notable Omissions

B.J. Goodson: insufficient snaps
Elandon Roberts: insufficient snaps
Tyler Matakevich: insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances:

Su'a Cravens

Week 3 Stats: one tackle, one interception

Another week and another strong showing for Cravens. He's continuing to develop as a run defender, and his coverage skills are quickly backing up his draft spot. Cravens is comfortable covering tight ends, running backs and slot receivers for the Redskins defense and has owned his role as the "Moneybacker." With more time on the field, Cravens should get comfortable with the techniques he'll have to master to take on 300-pound offensive linemen in the run game.

 

Jatavis Brown

Week 3 Stats: five tackles, one sack, one forced fumble

Brown earned playing time after Te'o's injury and performed well. He's comfortable in coverage and had a strip-sack on Andrew Luck, proving he's more than just a coverage linebacker. Brown's athleticism jumps out at you and is more than enough to keep him on the field while he works to deal with NFL size and speed of offensive linemen and running backs.

 

Nick Kwiatkoski

Week 3 Stats: one assisted tackle

Kwiatkoski's stats aren't the reason he's being noted for his Week 3 performance. Kwiatkoski filled in for an injured Danny Trevathan and played his first regular-season game against a loaded Dallas Cowboys offensive line. That's no easy task. Nonetheless, Kwiatkoski was aggressive in run support and showed power in his play. It's an encouraging sign from the rookie linebacker.

Cornerbacks

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Artie Burns (right), Pittsburgh Steelers

More rookies found their way onto the field in Week 3, as Cleveland Browns cornerback Tracy Howard and New England Patriots corner Cyrus Jones each earned playing time. Both played a majority of their time in the slot for their respective teams, and only one reception was allowed between the two. Jones was particularly impressive, as he may have jumped Justin Coleman on the depth chart after just two games.

The AFC star rookie cornerback was Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey has had a solid start to his career to this point, with Week 3 his best game yet. He gave up two receptions, both in off-coverage, and only one first down. More importantly, his physicality in Cover 2 looks helped set the tone for the Jaguars defense. He was also responsible for a tipped pass that became an interception late in the fourth quarter, where he covered more ground than most of his peers could dream of in mere seconds. 

There weren't any standout performances from the NFC rookie CB class in Week 3, as the majority of them just weren't tested enough. It's a shame Eli Apple's day was cut short due to a hamstring injury because he was on his way to a good day in coverage for the Giants. The two CBs who were tested were Carolina's James Bradberry, who shadowed Stefon Diggs of the Vikings, and Vernon Hargreaves from Tampa Bay.

In Bradberry's case, it's a lot to ask a rookie to follow the other team's No. 1 WR, but he did just that. Bradberry held his own, even though he surrendered three of five catches, with two of them being first downs. In Hargreaves' case, he missed a tackle and was flagged for a penalty. In coverage, he surrendered five of seven catches, but he was out of position for only two of them, and they went for first downs.

Grading Scale
Cov: Coverage (Graded out of 30)
Rec: Reaction/Recovery (Graded out of 30)
Slot: Slot Performance (Graded out of 20)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 10)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie CB Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Cov	Rec	Slot	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Jalen Ramsey	JAX	23	25	16	6	9	77	5	↑
2	Eli Apple	NYG	20	20	14	6	9	69	11	↑
3	Vernon Hargreaves	TB	20	18	15	5	9	67	1	↓
4	James Bradberry	CAR	19	16	14	6	9	64	2	↓
5	Daryl Worley	CAR	17	16	14	6	9	62	6	↑
6	Cre'von Leblanc	CHI	17	17	13	6	9	62	NR	↑
7	Artie Burns	PIT	15	16	15	5	9	60	8	↑
8	Rashard Robinson	SF	16	15	14	5	9	59	12	↑
9	Xavien Howard	MIA	16	13	13	7	9	58	10	↑
10	Tavon Young	BAL	14	15	14	4	9	56	13	↑
11	Cyrus Jones	NE	14	13	15	5	9	56	NR	↑
12	Jalen Mills	PHI	14	13	11	5	9	52	4	↓
13	Tracy Howard	CLE	13	11	14	4	9	51	NR	↑

 

Notable Omissions
William Jackson III: injured

 

Notable Performances

Jalen Ramsey

Week 3 Stats: four receptions allowed on six targets

Ramsey's ability to play press man, zone and in the slot has been valuable for the Jaguars defense. His playmaking talent was also on display this week, as he earned one run stop and a critical pass breakup that led to an interception.

 

Artie Burns

Week 3 Stats: three receptions allowed on five targets

The Pittsburgh Steelers have started to ease first-round pick Artie Burns into their cornerback rotation. In order to maximize the amount of talent in their secondary, the Steelers shift veteran William Gay to the slot, then use Burns opposite of Ross Cockrell as a boundary cornerback.

Free Safeties

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Kevin Byard, Tennessee Titans

Kevin Byard was the top rookie free safety this week. He did the little things well for Tennessee. He stayed over the top of deep routes most of the time, not falling for one double move in the second quarter. The throw was off target, but had it been more accurate, Byard might have contested the throw or at least been in position to make the tackle and save the first down. He did bite on an underneath route in the fourth quarter and left his corner outside one-on-one with Amari Cooper, but fortunately, the ball was overthrown.

Saints rookie Vonn Bell struggled, which was disappointing after being given the opportunity for more reps in the absence of Kenny Vaccaro. He was caught with his eyes in the backfield on a play-action bootleg, leaving a receiver to run free. He also struggled to get off blocks and work through traffic to the ball-carrier.

T.J. Green's role has been reduced with Clayton Geathers' recovery from injury, but he's failing to make the most of his limited opportunities. Playing as the single deep safety, he was slow to read a few deep balls. On one particular play, the Chargers sent their tight end on a corner route. Green sat in the middle of the field and didn't realize the ball had been thrown until it was about halfway, maybe more, to its target. Slow reads prevented him from staying over the top of too many routes, which is the primary job of a free safety.

Grading Scale
Cov: Coverage (Graded out of 30)
Rec: Reaction/Recovery (Graded out of 30)
Slot: Slot Performance (Graded out of 10)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie FS Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Cov	Rec	Slot	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Kevin Byard	TEN	20	22	7	16	8	73	4	↑
2	Kentrell Brice	GB	19	17	7	16	8	67	NR	↑
3	Vonn Bell	NO	18	19	5	15	8	65	2	↓
4	T.J. Green	IND	14	15	5	16	8	58	NR	↑

 

Notable Omissions
Justin Simmons: inactive
Darian Thompson: inactive
Kavon Frazier: inactive
DeAndre Houston-Carson: insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances

Kevin Byard

Week 3 Stats: four tackles

Byard kept in position over the top of most deep shots, suggesting solid eye discipline, which is key for young safeties. He did bite on one underneath route but was bailed out by a bad throw. He filled well in the run game throughout, forcing early cutbacks or making tackles for minimal gains.

 

Vonn Bell

Week 3 Stats: three tackles

Bell caught up in traffic on a few run plays and took too long to diagnose some play-action passes. He needs to speed up his mental process and react quicker to ensure he doesn't leave receivers running open on play-action.

 

T.J. Green

Week 3 Stats: four tackles

Green is too slow to react to deep balls, preventing him from staying over the top and being in position to make tackles should they be completed. He was late to react to the tight end corner route and couldn't stay over the top of a deep shot to Travis Benjamin in the fourth quarter. He did break well on one pass to Benjamin, but he took a bad angle that took him out of the play, and he couldn't recover.

Strong Safeties

Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

Karl Joseph (left), Oakland Raiders

We finally got to see the two first-round safeties in action this week, and both had solid debuts. Karl Joseph unsurprisingly took reps from Keith McGill in Oakland, while Keanu Neal saw some snaps for the Falcons on Monday night against the Saints. Joseph was all over the field with 10 total tackles, working off blocks from tight ends and receivers to get to the running back and on one occasion closing distance from deep to make a tackle and bail out his teammate who let the runner escape.

Neal, meanwhile, played well without being spectacular. He did register four tackles and a pass breakup. He was in zone coverage for that pass breakup, reading as tight end Coby Fleener spotted up underneath him. Neal closed the gap quickly and arrived just after the ball, but the force of his hit knocked the ball loose.

He was just a fraction of a second off a number of plays, which is to be expected for a rookie in his first game back from injury. The positive is that he was reading correctly and not biting on play-action, which is one concern I had when I watched him in college.

Second-round defensive back Sean Davis has worked primarily at corner since being drafted by the Steelers. But after an injury to starting safety Robert Golden, Davis was asked to kick inside to safety and did a solid job. He looked comfortable staying over the top of routes and playing in the deep middle of the field.

His major blunder came on Darren Sproles' touchdown, taking a bad angle down to Sproles. He should have been showing Sproles to the sideline to force him out of bounds, but instead, he got too close to the sideline himself and allowed Sproles to cut back inside on his way to a touchdown.

Grading Scale
Cov: Coverage (Graded out of 25)
Rec: Reaction/Recovery (Graded out of 25)
Slot: Slot Performance (Graded out of 20)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 20)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie SS Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Cov	Rec	Slot	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Karl Joseph	OAK	19	17	16	16	6	74	NR	↑
2	Keanu Neal	ATL	18	18	16	15	6	73	NR	↑
3	Will Parks	DEN	18	18	15	15	6	72	NR	↑
4	Sean Davis	PIT	18	18	14	14	6	70	NR	↑
5	Derrick Kindred	CLE	17	18	14	13	6	68	1	↓

 

Notable Omissions
Marqui Christian: inactive
Deon Bush: insufficient snaps
Miles Killebrew: insufficient snaps
KJ Dillon: insufficient snaps
Jayron Kearse: insufficient snaps
Clayton Fejedelem: insufficient snaps

 

Notable Performances

Karl Joseph

Week 3 Stats: 10 tackles

Joseph looked natural working in traffic and getting off blocks to make tackles in the run game. He made one strong tackle coming from deep to bail out a teammate, but also missed a tackle in a similar situation because he went for the big hit instead of wrapping up like he did previously. He wasn't often out of position despite the Titans' various formations and misdirection plays. It will be interesting to see him against a team that challenges his coverage skills more.

 

Keanu Neal

Week 3 Stats: four tackles, one PBU

Neal had a number of quick reads, but his body wasn't quite quick enough to react. He read a run on a delayed handoff, but couldn't react quickly enough to get around the block of the left tackle. In the fourth quarter, he read a flat route and broke on it well, but couldn't get there in time to save the first down. Should speed up once he's fully recovered from injury and adjusted to NFL speed. His hits have power behind them—he broke up a pass to Fleener with a big hit just after the ball arrived.

 

Sean Davis

Week 3 Stats: seven tackles

Davis wasn't fooled by the tight end leaking out on a play-action pass and stayed on top of it, taking it away. He was the first to read a deep over route by the tight end later on and made the tackle shortly after the ball arrived. He got beaten twice by Sproles on a touchdown, taking a bad angle initially and allowing Sproles back inside. Sproles then went back outside toward Davis, who got fully turned around and failed to make the tackle. 

Special Teams

Norm Hall/Getty Images

Roberto Aguayo, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kickers

Wil Lutz of the New Orleans Saints continues to improve after a tough Week 1 performance. Lutz was perfect on the day, including a monster 57-yard field goal at the end of the first half. While he still needs to establish consistency from week to week and refine his mechanics, Lutz is showing an NFL-caliber leg that has surpassed my expectations, and he is proving that he at least belongs in the conversation as an NFL kicker.

While Roberto Aguayo's early struggles have been frustrating for fans, rookies do not always have a straight path to success. Adam Vinatieri, Steven Hauschka and Stephen Gostkowski all struggled as rookies, but they were given time to work through their mechanical issues to become some of the top kickers in the game. Aguayo's two misses to the left were reminiscent of the struggles we saw from him in his final college season, and he will need to continue to work on the natural draw his ball has in order to improve.

Kicker Grading Scale
Pwr: Kick Power (Graded out of 40)
Acc: Kick Accuracy (Graded out of 40)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 10)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

Rookie Kicker Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Pwr	Acc	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Wil Lutz	NO	35	34	5	3	77	1	-
2	Roberto Aguayo	TB	32	13	5	3	53	2	-

 

Notable Performances

Wil Lutz

Week 3 Stats: 1-1 FG, 3-3 XP

Lutz has a big leg, but his mechanics are still a little wacky. It's working for him for now, but he'll need to improve his kicking mechanics to find consistency. He has a lot of moving parts through his kicking motion.

 

Roberto Aguayo

Week 3 Stats: 0-1 FG, 2-3 XP

Aguayo's hips keep coming through too early, which is the same problem he had in college. Off to an erratic start, Aguayo needs to drastically improve to live up to being a second-round selection.

 

Punters

Riley Dixon took a step forward this week, displaying average distance and hang time and placing the ball at an above-average level for the first time in his young NFL career. Dixon has a tall task in replacing Britton Colquitt for the Denver Broncos, but if they can get production similar to this week from him, he should prove to be adequate for this year. His upside is still likely capped due to his leg strength, but if his placement skills are for real, he can be a viable option.

Lachlan Edwards showed the same strong leg he featured in Week 1, but he gave up his ability to place the ball in order to do so. Edwards has been stronger than I anticipated, though his leg strength in the NFL has been much better than anything he displayed over long periods of time in college. He is somewhat of a wild card but appears to be fairly raw, and it may simply take some time for him to develop the consistency he needs.

Drew Kaser continues to be the most frustrating of the bunch, as he continues to have one or two shanks per week that are simply unacceptable on a regular basis. Kaser has every tool necessary to be one of the top punters in the league, but focus and execution have been lacking thus far. San Diego can afford to let him develop, as the arsenal he showed throughout the preseason was such that he can be a massive advantage in field position if he can regain his form.

 

Punter Grading Scale
Dist: Kick Distance (Graded out of 20)
Hang: Kick Hang Time (Graded out of 20)
Acc: Kick Accuracy (Graded out of 45)
Tkl: Tackling (Graded out of 5)
Pos: Positional Value (Graded out of 10)
Overall: Top Possible Score of 100
LW: Rank Last Week

 

Rookie Punter Rankings Week 3

Rank	Player	Team	Dist	Hang	Acc	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Riley Dixon	DEN	15	15	36	3	3	72	2	↑
2	Lachlan Edwards	NYJ	18	16	28	3	3	68	1	↓
3	Drew Kaser	SD	10	16	27	3	3	59	3	-

 

Notable Performances

Riley Dixon

Dixon had average power this week and much better accuracy than any prior week. We'll have to look to see if he displays again on regular basis.

 

Lachlan Edwards

Edwards had a strong leg for the second time in three weeks, but ball placement was below average here. Very raw in development.

 

Drew Kaser

Another week, another shank. Kaser simply cannot have those issues on a weekly basis at this level. Better punter and needs to show it.

 

All advanced stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus.