NFL Week 2 Rookie Rankings: Surveying Rookie Class Post-Week 1

First impressions can be tough to break, but that might be a good thing for some NFL rookies, such as Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin and New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who started their professional football careers off right with outstanding performances in their teams’ 2014 regular season openers. 

Throughout the season here at Bleacher Report, I’ll be tracking which rookies stand out above their peers each week. The top five NFL newcomers at each position, and top 50 overall, will be highlighted.

The rankings will be determined based upon each rookie’s cumulative performance over the course of the regular season. Players who stand out on the field will be ranked highly, regardless of what their draft positions were, while those who fail to meet expectations might not be ranked at all.

Last week’s rankings covered which first-year players stood out most in the preseason. Throughout the slideshow, you will be able to see how the standing of each player included in this week’s rankings stacks up with where each stood at the end of the exhibition session.

That said, last week’s rankings weren’t given much weight in putting together this week’s rankings. While the preseason shines a light on which players are ready to contribute, and provided a more accurate view than draft position of which first-year players could be immediate standouts, it’s been rendered largely meaningless now that the regular season has begun.

As the NFL season progresses deeper, players will have to stand out more to move up the rankings, and those who have a bad week or miss a game will be less likely to plummet down the board. This week, however, we simply take a look at which rookies have played the biggest roles for their franchises and had the best starts.

Top 50 Overall

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Kelvin Benjamin has established himself as the No. 1 wide receiver in Carolina and also the best rookie of the NFL's opening week.

Rookie wide receivers are often over-hyped and fall short of expectations, but if the start of the season is any indication, this year’s class of first-year wide receivers looks as though it could really be special.

Three pass-catchers—Kelvin Benjamin, Brandin Cooks and Jacksonville Jaguars undrafted signee Allen Hurns—stole the show among the 2014 rookie class in Week 1. Each of them had strong play throughout the preseason, then proved on Sunday that they could keep being key contributors in games that matter.

As you’ll see below and in the wide receivers slide to come, those three aren’t the only passing targets who appear to be in line to make a big impact this year, but they were the most spectacular first-year performers on opening weekend.

Disclaimer: A player moving up or down the rankings this week might not be indicative of how that rookie performed in Week 1. Unlike the oft-criticized polls in college football, these rankings are taking a clean slate into the regular season. In future weeks, the movement on the board will be more indicative of which players earned their way to a higher spot or struggled their way to a lower place on the ladder.

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Kelvin Benjamin	WR	Panthers	1.28	3	Up
2	Brandin Cooks	WR	Saints	1.20	10	Up
3	Allen Hurns	WR	Jaguars	N/A	23	Up
4	Anthony Barr	OLB	Vikings	1.9	9	Up
5	Calvin Pryor	S	Jets	1.18	7	Up
6	Aaron Donald	DT	Rams	1.13	11	Up
7	Joel Bitonio	LG	Browns	2.3	14	Up
8	Corey Linsley	C	Packers	5.21	45	Up
9	Terrance West	RB	Browns	3.30	NR	Up
10	Jason Verrett	CB	Chargers	1.25	NR	Up
11	Jerry Attaochu	OLB	Chargers	2.18	NR	Up
12	Zack Martin	RG	Cowboys	1.16	2	Down
13	Derek Carr	QB	Raiders	2.4	8	Down
14	Ryan Shazier	ILB	Steelers	1.15	25	Up
15	Chris McCain	OLB	Dolphins	N/A	NR	Up
16	Bradley Roby	CB	Broncos	1.31	16	Same
17	E.J. Gaines	CB	Rams	6.12	35	Up
18	Carlos Hyde	RB	49ers	2.25	31	Up
19	Dontae Johnson	CB	49ers	4.29	NR	Up
20	Bene Benwikere	CB	Panthers	5.8	NR	Up
21	Marqise Lee	WR	Jaguars	2.7	41	Up
22	Khalil Mack	OLB	Raiders	1.5	40	Up
23	C.J. Mosley	ILB	Ravens	1.17	6	Down
24	Jack Mewhort	LG	Colts	2.27	NR	Up
25	Russell Bodine	C	Bengals	4.11	NR	Up
26	Ja'Wuan James	RT	Dolphins	1.19	13	Down
27	Weston Richburg	LG	Giants	2.11	20	Down
28	Devonta Freeman	RB	Falcons	4.3	24	Down
29	John Brown	WR	Cardinals	3.27	4	Down
30	Mike Evans	WR	Buccaneers	1.7	26	Down
31	Zach Kerr	DE	Colts	N/A	37	Up
32	T.J. Carrie	CB	Raiders	7.4	NR	Up
33	Sammy Watkins	WR	Bills	1.4	50	Up
34	Cody Parkey	K	Eagles	N/A	NR	Up
35	Justin Britt	RT	Seahawks	2.32	NR	Up
36	Jimmie Ward	CB	49ers	1.30	12	Down
37	Ha Ha Clinton-Dix	S	Packers	1.21	42	Up
38	Chandler Catanzaro	K	Cardinals	N/A	NR	Up
39	Aaron Lynch	OLB	49ers	5.10	39	Same
40	Gabe Jackson	LG	Raiders	3.17	18	Down
41	Isaiah Crowell	RB	Browns	N/A	NR	Up
42	Deone Bucannon	SS	Cardinals	1.27	19	Down
43	Lamarcus Joyner	CB	Rams	2.9	NR	Up
44	Chris Kirksey	ILB	Browns	3.7	NR	Up
45	Jeremy Hill	RB	Bengals	2.23	28	Down
46	Jordan Matthews	WR	Eagles	2.10	32	Down
47	Kyle Fuller	CB	Bears	1.14	NR	Up
48	Austin Seferian-Jenkins	TE	Buccaneers	2.6	NR	Up
49	C.J. Fiedorowicz	TE	Texans	3.1	NR	Up
50	Alfred Blue	RB	Texans	6.5	NR	Up

Houston Texans outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 player in the post-preseason rankings, suffered a knee injury in Week 1 that is expected to sideline him four to six weeks after arthroscopic surgery.

Quarterbacks

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Quarterback Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Derek Carr	QB	Raiders	2.4	2
2	Blake Bortles	QB	Jaguars	1.3	1
3	Teddy Bridgewater	QB	Vikings	1.32	3
4	Jimmy Garoppolo	QB	Patriots	2.30	4
5	Johnny Manziel	QB	Browns	1.22	5

 

Derek Carr was the only rookie quarterback to see playing time in Week 1, so he moves to the top of the signal-caller rankings by default.

Carr’s debut was far from spectacular—he averaged just 4.7 yards per passing attempt as the Oakland Raiders dropped their season opener, 19-14, to the New York Jets.

That said, it is tough for any rookie quarterback to thrive right off the bat, and he was turnover-free in his first game. He played well enough that the Raiders shouldn’t be having any second thoughts at this point about starting Carr over struggling veteran Matt Schaub.

It’s not imminent that any of the other quarterbacks will join him as starters or even get on the field in upcoming weeks. The three first-round picks should all get shots to play at some point, but Chad Henne (Jacksonville Jaguars), Matt Cassel (Minnesota Vikings) and Brian Hoyer (Cleveland Browns) all played well enough in Week 1 to keep their jobs for now.

Running Backs

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Running Back Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Terrance West	RB	Browns	3.30	NR
2	Carlos Hyde	RB	49ers	2.25	4
3	Devonta Freeman	RB	Falcons	4.03	1
4	Isaiah Crowell	RB	Browns	N/A	NR
5	Jeremy Hill	RB	Bengals	2.23	2

 

When starting running back Ben Tate went down with a knee injury in Cleveland’s season opener Sunday versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, Browns rookies Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell took advantage of the opportunity for increased playing time.

West, a big, physical runner who set a Football Championship Subdivision record at Towson last year with 2,509 rushing yards, showed his ability to gain consistent yardage Sunday by working his way to a 100-yard game on 16 carries. Crowell, meanwhile, found the end zone on two of his five carries, on which he totaled 32 yards.

As the only rookie running back to even top 50 yards in Week 1, West was the clear-cut leader of the pack at his position. Perhaps the most impressive back on a per-touch basis, however, was Carlos Hyde, who displayed his toughness and burst as he gained 50 yards and scored a touchdown on just seven total carries.

Devonta Freeman and Jeremy Hill saw limited opportunities in their debuts but took advantage of their chances, as the Atlanta Falcons rookie gained 33 yards on four touches while Hill took his four carries 19 combined yards.

Wide Receivers

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Allen Hurns is already making it look as though NFL teams made a mistake by letting him go undrafted.

 

Wide Receiver Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Kelvin Benjamin	WR	Panthers	1.28	1
2	Brandin Cooks	WR	Saints	1.20	3
3	Allen Hurns	WR	Jaguars	N/A	5
4	Marqise Lee	WR	Jaguars	2.7	9
5	John Brown	WR	Cardinals	3.27	2

 

As mentioned previously, Kelvin Benjamin, Brandin Cooks and Allen Hurns were all standouts this preseason, and each of them put their skills on full display in Week 1, giving each a case for being the best rookie player to start the year.

The Carolina Panthers need Benjamin to be the star of their completely rebuilt receiving corps, and he’s delivering thus far. The large wideout has been more than just a big target, as he has shown reliable hands and good route-running skills.

Even though the Panthers were without injured starting quarterback Cam Newton in Week 1, Benjamin still caught six passes for 92 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown, from Derek Anderson as the Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Cooks, the fastest wide receiver at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine, according to NFL.com, is already emerging as a versatile threat in the New Orleans Saints offense. His primary role is to play from the slot, but he can also beat defensive backs outside and gain yardage as a runner. He had seven catches for 77 yards, including a three-yard touchdown, as well as an 18-yard run on an end-around in New Orleans’ season-opening loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Hurns didn’t even get selected in this year’s draft yet was arguably the most productive rookie of the opening week. Starting in place of injured veteran Cecil Shorts on the Jacksonville Jaguars offense, Hurns caught four passes for 110 yards, including touchdown plays of 34 and 21 yards.

The stars at the top have pushed many other promising talents down the board at what looks thus far to be the strongest position group in this year’s rookie class.

Marqise Lee, who started opposite Hurns for Jacksonville in Week 1, had a dropped pass but also caught six balls for 62 yards. John Brown was as hyped as any player all summer and he had a game-winning touchdown for the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football, but the standout performances of some of the other receivers pushed him down to fifth this week.

The two wide receivers selected in the top 10 picks, Sammy Watkins of the Buffalo Bills and Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have each shown promise as downfield playmakers but have not yet established themselves as the premier receiving talents in their rookie class.

Tight Ends

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Tight End Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Austin Seferian-Jenkins	TE	Buccaneers	2.6	4
2	C.J. Fiedorowicz	TE	Texans	3.1	5
3	Jace Amaro	TE	Jets	2.17	3
4	Troy Niklas	TE	Cardinals	2.20	NR
5	Eric Ebron	TE	Lions	1.10	2

 

There were six tight ends selected in the first three rounds of this year’s draft, but none of them were able to live up to immediate expectations in their NFL debuts.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who might be the rookie class’ most complete tight end at this point, was the leading receiver among rookies at his position with one 26-yard catch in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' loss to the Carolina Panthers.

The only other two rookie tight ends to catch passes in their Week 1 debuts were Jace Amaro and Miami Dolphins undrafted signee Harold Hoskins; both had seven receiving yards.

Fiedorowicz, Niklas and Ebron didn't catch a pass, but each of them rated positively as a run-blocker in their openers, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Last week’s No. 1 tight end, Richard Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, missed time in his debut with a neck injury, did not have any passes thrown his way and struggled with blocking responsibilities when he was in the game.

Offensive Tackles

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Offensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Ja'Wuan James	RT	Dolphins	1.19	1
2	Justin Britt	RT	Seahawks	2.32	5
3	Jake Matthews	LT	Falcons	1.6	2
4	Seantrel Henderson	RT	Bills	7.22	3
5	Taylor Lewan	LT	Titans	1.11	4

 

There were four rookie starting offensive tackles in Week 1, and all of them had their shares of struggles.

Ja’Wuan James allowed four quarterback pressures in his debut game, according to Pro Football Focus, but he still looks like a real upgrade at right tackle on a Miami Dolphins offensive line that allowed the NFL’s most sacks in 2013.

Justin Britt looked overmatched at times (especially when he was up against Green Bay Packers star outside linebacker Clay Matthews) in the Seattle Seahawks’ Thursday night season opener, but he had an overall solid performance while playing a tough position.

The only rookie starting left tackle, Jake Matthews, left the Atlanta Falcons’ season-opener with an ankle injury but might not necessarily miss any games.

Seantrel Henderson had a rough first game for the Buffalo Bills, in which he gave up one sack and four total pressures, but he should retain his starting job at right tackle after a strong preseason campaign.

Taylor Lewan is not expected to start at all as a rookie, but he did see one series of playing time in place of Michael Roos at left tackle late in Tennessee’s season-opening win against the Kansas City Chiefs. All indications thus far have been that Lewan should be ready to play this year if he is needed.

Offensive Guards

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Offensive Guard Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Joel Bitonio	LG	Browns	2.3	2
2	Zack Martin	RG	Cowboys	1.16	1
3	Jack Mewhort	LG	Colts	2.27	5
4	Weston Richburg	LG	Giants	2.11	4
5	Gabe Jackson	LG	Raiders	3.17	3

 

Joel Bitonio and Zack Martin were each named as immediate starters on their respective offensive lines, and both have made their teams look smart for doing so by delivering solid play right off the bat.

Bitonio, an agile lineman for the Cleveland Browns, performed well as both a run- and pass-blocker in his debut and picked up zero penalties. Martin had one penalty for illegal use of hands but was otherwise solid.

Week 1 was a mixed bag for Jack Mewhort, Weston Richburg and Gabe Jackson, who were each pushed into starting left guard jobs due to injuries on their teams' offensive lines.

Mewhort played very well for the most part in the Indianapolis Colts' Sunday night season opener versus the Denver Broncos, but he was called for two penalties. Richburg did not allow any quarterback pressures against the Detroit Lions on Monday, according to Pro Football Focus, but he struggled as a run-blocker. Jackson allowed just one quarterback pressure and had no penalties but didn't do as much damage leading the rushing attack as expected.

Brandon Linder also started in Week 1 at right guard for the Jacksonville Jaguars but struggled mightily. Two other players who could contend to be on these rankings as their playing time increases are Carolina Panthers right guard Trai Turner and St. Louis Rams second overall pick Greg Robinson, who both saw snaps off the bench in their first NFL games.

Centers

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Center Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Corey Linsley	C	Packers	5.21	1
2	Russell Bodine	C	Bengals	4.11	2
3	Jonotthan Harrison	C	Colts	N/A	3
4	Luke Bowanko	C	Jaguars	6.29	4
5	Travis Swanson	C	Lions	3.12	5

 

During NBC’s broadcast of the Green Bay Packers’ Thursday night season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, much attention was given to the fact that the Packers had to turn to Corey Linsley, a rookie they selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft, to start at center with JC Tretter sidelined by injury.

Linsley looked unfazed by the pressure in his debut. He was consistent in pass protection, did a great job turning outside from the middle to pick up run blocks and was not flagged for any penalties. Aside from one first-half miscommunication with quarterback Aaron Rodgers that forced the Packers to burn a timeout, Linsley was rock solid.

The other rookie starting center, Russell Bodine, was not as consistent and reliable as Linsley was in his debut. Still, the Bengals’ fourth-round pick did his job Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens without any major gaffes, and he appears firmly entrenched as the team’s first-team player in the middle of its offensive line.

No other rookies saw playing time at center in Week 1. Among the rest, the most likely to see time in the lineup in the near future could be Luke Bowanko, as Jacksonville’s first-week starter at center, Jacques McClendon, was graded by Pro Football Focus as the league’s worst player at his position for Week 1.

Defensive Ends

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Defensive End Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Zach Kerr	DE	Colts	N/A	2 (DT)
2	Timmy Jernigan	DE	Ravens	2.16	NR
3	Scott Crichton	DE	Vikings	3.8	NR
4	Stephon Tuitt	DE	Steelers	2.14	2
5	Justin Ellis	DE	Raiders	4.7	NR

 

There were no rookie starters at the defensive end position in Week 1, but there were a number of players who came in off the bench to make impacts.

The most notable among them was Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman Zach Kerr, who possesses a combination of size, strength and athleticism that enables him to play either nose tackle or defensive end. He went surprisingly undrafted but looked like a steal for Indianapolis all season and continued to play solidly in its season-opening loss against the Denver Broncos.

Timmy Jernigan played just 14 snaps in Baltimore’s season-opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to Pro Football Focus, but he immediately showed some run-stopping prowess in the Ravens’ 3-4 defense, with two assisted tackles.

Scott Crichton recorded a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit, but both of his plays came fairly meaninglessly on the final defensive series of a blowout win by the Minnesota Vikings over the St. Louis Rams.

Neither Stephon Tuitt nor Justin Ellis made much notable impact in their first regular season games, but both are solid 3-4 defensive ends who appear to be in line for rotational work all season.

Defensive Tackles

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Defensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Aaron Donald	DT	Rams	1.13	1
2	Beau Allen	DT	Eagles	7.9	3
3	Anthony Johnson	DT	Dolphins	N/A	NR
4	Caraun Reid	DT	Lions	5.18	NR
5	Shamar Stephen	DT	Vikings	7.5	NR

 

The clear standout among rookies who will be playing with their hands in the dirt this year, St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald immediately put his explosive athleticism and ability to penetrate on an interior line on display Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

Donald recorded two tackles for loss, including a stop of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson that apparently took him just 1.19 seconds to make, and four total tackles in a 31-snap debut. The Pittsburgh product has not yet been inserted into a starting role, but he’s already showing how he can be a difference-maker in a rotational capacity.

No other rookie defensive tackle made a significant impact for any team in Week 1.

Beau Allen has intriguing versatility and recorded one tackle this week, but it came well downfield on a run by Jacksonville Jaguars running back Toby Gerhart. Anthony Johnson, Shamar Stephen and Caraun Reid haven’t played enough to show anything but make the list by default as the other three defensive tackles to see playing time in their rookie debuts.

Linebackers

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Linebacker Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Anthony Barr	OLB	Vikings	1.9	1
2	Jerry Attaochu	OLB	Chargers	2.18	NR
3	Ryan Shazier	ILB	Steelers	1.15	4
4	Chris McCain	OLB	Dolphins	N/A	NR
5	Khalil Mack	OLB	Raiders	1.5	9

 

Much like offensive counterpart Kelvin Benjamin, Anthony Barr was viewed as a raw prospect coming out of college, yet ended up being a first-round pick because of his upside. Already, as the top-ranked defensive rookie for Week 1, he looks like he could prove his doubters wrong.

Barr’s ability to explode out of his stance and bring pressure as a pass-rusher had been well-noted even while he was still at UCLA, but the athletic No. 9 overall pick is establishing himself better than expected as a run defender and in coverage. He recorded seven total tackles in the Minnesota Vikings’ season opener against the St. Louis Rams.

Two of Barr’s fellow top-15 draft choices, Ryan Shazier of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Khalil Mack of the Oakland Raiders, have had their fair share of ups and downs dating back to the preseason, but both have taken on immediate starting roles and shown they can make an impact. Shazier recorded six total tackles (one for loss) and a pass deflection this past weekend, while Mack also had six total tackles (two for loss) and, according to Pro Football Focus, two quarterback pressures.

Neither Jerry Attaochu nor Chris McCain saw a large chunk of playing time in each of their season openers, but both made big impacts on their respective games. The San Diego Chargers second-round pick and the Miami Dolphins undrafted rookie each recorded both a punt block and a sack. (Attaochu also forced a fumble on his sack and recorded four total tackles.)

With only five spots for linebackers, a number of arguably deserving players got left off these rankings. C.J. Mosley is an active inside ‘backer for the Baltimore Ravens who recorded seven tackles in Week 1. San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aaron Lynch displayed some playmaking ability as a pass-rusher against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Cleveland Browns inside linebacker Chris Kirksey recorded a sack and played a majority of snaps over starter Craig Robertson in Cleveland’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As previously mentioned, Jadeveon Clowney was also pushed out of the top-five linebacker rankings as a result of his first game being ruined by an injury that could keep him off the field until midseason.

Cornerbacks

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Cornerback Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Jason Verrett	CB	Chargers	1.25	1
2	Bradley Roby	CB	Broncos	1.31	2
3	E.J. Gaines	CB	Rams	6.12	4
4	Dontae Johnson	CB	49ers	4.29	NR
5	Bene Benwikere	CB	Panthers	5.8	NR

 

Cornerback is another position at which many rookies have already contributed and thrived in their first regular-season games, as nine of the players ranked in this week’s overall top 50 play the cornerback position in some form.

The Week 1 standout of that group was Jason Verrett in the San Diego Chargers’ Monday night loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Matched up mostly against fellow rookie John Brown of the Cardinals, Verrett displayed the quick feet, physicality and consistency in coverage that made him the No. 25 overall pick.

Another first-round cornerback to make a name for himself on national television in Week 1 was Bradley Roby of the Denver Broncos. He was picked on by the Colts somewhat, as he allowed eight catches for 98 yards, but he came up big in coverage on the Broncos’ final defensive series when he broke two separate passes intended for Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Roby also had seven total tackles and scooped up a muffed punt by Denver teammate Isaiah Burse.

Starting in place of injured cornerback Trumaine Johnson, E.J. Gaines of the St. Louis Rams had a solid debut in which he allowed just three receptions for 25 yards and recorded two pass deflections. Also impressive in Week 1 was Dontae Johnson, who got called upon to play when both Tramaine Brock and Chris Culliver got hurt in the San Francisco 49ers secondary, and he answered the call by allowing just three receptions for 28 yards and recording two passes defensed.

Bene Benwikere, an active slot cornerback who had four tackles, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery in his Carolina Panthers debut, made enough Week 1 plays to seize the final spot at this position. Other players who held a case for a top-five spot at cornerback, however, included T.J. Carrie of the Oakland Raiders and Jimmie Ward of the San Francisco 49ers, who each started their seasons off with strong performances in coverage.

Safeties

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Safety Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Calvin Pryor	FS	Jets	1.18	1
2	Ha Ha Clinton-Dix	FS	Packers	1.21	3
3	Deone Bucannon	SS	Cardinals	1.27	2
4	Jerome Couplin	SS	Lions	N/A	NR
5	Daniel Sorensen	FS	Chiefs	N/A	NR

 

It was questionable whether the New York Jets made the right decision when they chose Calvin Pryor to be the first safety off the board in this year’s draft, but it’s looked like a smart move thus far.

In his regular-season debut against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, Pryor continued to show the impressive playmaking range and coverage ability that made him Pro Football Focus’ top-rated safety of the preseason. Pryor recorded four total tackles and two passes defensed on Sunday.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix also showed impressive range in making a variety of plays in his debut for the Green Bay Packers on Thursday. He recorded five total tackles, including a sack on Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, while he also recovered a fumble. He had some crucial missed opportunities, however, as he missed a number of tackles—twice on plays that ended in touchdowns—and dropped an interception.

Deone Bucannon had some issues in coverage in his debut, allowing four catches in just 22 coverage snaps, according to PFF. That said, he’s another active playmaker from the safety position who looks as though he should play a significant role on his team’s defense this year.

Outside of the three first-rounders, no rookie safeties made significant impacts in Week 1. Two undrafted rookies who saw playing time on both defense and special teams and showed some promise, however, were Jerome Couplin of the Detroit Lions and Daniel Sorensen of the Kansas City Chiefs. Both are intriguing players with the tools to make some plays happen off the bench. 

Specialists

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Specialist Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Cody Parkey	K	Eagles	N/A	1
2	Chandler Catanzaro	K	Cardinals	N/A	3
3	Pat O'Donnell	P	Bears	6.15	5
4	Cairo Santos	K	Chiefs	N/A	4
5	Nate Freese	K	Lions	7.14	2

 

Among the five rookie specialists who handled kicking or punting duties for their teams in Week 1, undrafted kickers Cody Parkey of the Philadelphia Eagles and Chandler Catanzaro of the Arizona Cardinals are the two who really delivered. Both kickers went 2-of-2 on field-goal attempts, with Parkey's long coming from 51 yards out and Catanzaro hitting a 44-yard kick. Both also did well on kickoffs.

Pat O'Donnell was nicknamed "Mega-Punt" during Chicago Bears training camp, but his play in game action has yet to live up to that moniker. He averaged just 40 yards per punt against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 with a long punt of just 45 yards and only one punt downed inside the 20-yard line.

Cairo Santos missed a 48-yard field goal and was underwhelming on kickoffs, so he will need to perform better going forward to keep his job with the Kansas City Chiefs secure, but the rookie specialist who might already be in jeopardy of losing his position is Nate Freese. The Detroit Lions kicker badly missed a 43-yard field-goal attempt with a short, wide left hook on Monday night against the New York Giants, while he already does not handle kickoff duties.

All stats courtesy of NFL.com, unless otherwise noted.

Dan Hope is an NFL/NFL Draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

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