NFL Week 4 Rookie Rankings: Surveying Rookie Class Post-Week 3

Three weeks into the 2014 NFL season, it’s becoming clearer which rookies are capable of being standouts every week and which players might not be able to follow up strong first impressions with consistent performances.

The top standouts include Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin and Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller, who each took advantage of nationally televised prime-time games in Week 3 to put their talent on display for a vast audience.

That said, the stars of the rookie class also include some players who haven't seen much of the national spotlight, such as Cleveland Browns left guard Joel Bitonio and Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack. They may be quietly going about their business, but they have done so with excellence to start their careers.

Throughout the season here at Bleacher Report, I am tracking which rookies are standing out among their peers. The top five first-year players at each position, and top 50 overall, are ranked each week.

The rankings are determined from each player's cumulative performance over the course of the first three weeks of the season. However, it shouldn't be presumed that a slight move up or down the board from Week 2 is indicative of a good or bad week.

As the board is still settling, some players were able to make big leaps up the rankings this week after strong Week 3 performances; conversely, some have moved down the list as their roles have decreased. 

Top 50 Overall

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You might yet be unfamiliar with Joel Bitonio if you’re not a Cleveland Browns fan, but the rookie left guard’s name is one you should get to know.

A collegiate left tackle at Nevada, Bitonio has made a natural transition to Cleveland’s interior offensive line. Possessing both agile feet and impressive power, he has been able to excel as a run-blocker. He also has yet to allow a hit on a Browns quarterback this season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

The aforementioned Khalil Mack, Kelvin Benjamin and Kyle Fuller all rose into the top five this week.

Mack has already become a major playmaker for the Raiders off the edge—he has four tackles for loss—and gave talented New England Patriots left tackle Nate Solder significant trouble in their Week 3 matchup.

After a three-drop game in Week 2, Benjamin bounced back in a big way on Sunday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He caught eight passes for 115 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown on a tough catch in the left front corner of the end zone. He has made it clear that he is the true No. 1 wideout that the Panthers drafted him to be.

Fuller, who started his first game Monday night after Charles Tillman was placed on injured reserve last week, made the most of a prime-time appearance for the second week in a row. After intercepting two passes on Sunday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2, Fuller continued to be a playmaking machine in Week 3 by intercepting New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith once and also forcing two fumbles.

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Joel Bitonio	LG	Browns	2.3	2	Up
2	Khalil Mack	OLB	Raiders	1.5	6	Up
3	Anthony Barr	OLB	Vikings	1.9	1	Down
4	Kelvin Benjamin	WR	Panthers	1.28	9	Up
5	Kyle Fuller	CB	Bears	1.14	11	Up
6	Calvin Pryor	S	Jets	1.18	13	Up
7	Aaron Donald	DT	Rams	1.13	3	Down
8	C.J. Mosley	ILB	Ravens	1.17	16	Up
9	Brandin Cooks	WR	Saints	1.20	10	Up
10	Corey Linsley	C	Packers	5.21	8	Down
11	Jack Mewhort	LG	Colts	2.27	24	Up
12	Jason Verrett	CB	Chargers	1.25	10	Same
13	Terrance West	RB	Browns	3.30	4	Down
14	Chandler Catanzaro	K	Cardinals	N/A	23	Up
15	Ryan Shazier	ILB	Steelers	1.15	5	Down
16	Sammy Watkins	WR	Bills	1.4	7	Down
17	John Brown	WR	Cardinals	3.27	27	Up
18	Mike Evans	WR	Buccaneers	1.7	26	Up
19	Cody Parkey	K	Eagles	N/A	28	Up
20	Seantrel Henderson	RT	Bills	7.22	31	Up
21	Bradley Roby	CB	Broncos	1.31	19	Down
22	E.J. Gaines	CB	Rams	6.12	20	Down
23	Allen Hurns	WR	Jaguars	N/A	18	Down
24	Ja'Wuan James	RT	Dolphins	1.19	25	Up
25	Allen Robinson	WR	Jaguars	2.29	37	Up
26	Isaiah Crowell	RB	Browns	N/A	32	Up
27	Derek Carr	QB	Raiders	2.4	17	Down
28	Zack Martin	RG	Cowboys	1.16	21	Down
29	Weston Richburg	LG	Giants	2.11	38	Up
30	Bene Benwikere	CB	Panthers	5.8	15	Down
31	Ha Ha Clinton-Dix	S	Packers	1.21	39	Up
32	Russell Bodine	C	Bengals	4.11	42	Up
33	Jeremy Hill	RB	Bengals	2.23	24	Down
34	Gabe Jackson	LG	Raiders	3.17	30	Down
35	Deone Bucannon	SS	Cardinals	1.27	33	Down
36	Justin Ellis	NT	Raiders	4.7	44	Up
37	Preston Brown	LB	Bills	3.9	35	Down
38	Jarvis Landry	WR	Dolphins	2.31	NR	Up
39	Zach Kerr	DE	Colts	N/A	45	Up
40	Jimmie Ward	CB	49ers	1.30	NR	Up
41	Jake Matthews	LT	Falcons	1.6	NR	Up
42	Jordan Matthews	WR	Eagles	2.10	NR	Up
43	Justin Britt	RT	Seahawks	2.32	34	Down
44	Trai Turner	RG	Panthers	3.28	41	Down
45	Dominique Easley	DE	Patriots	1.29	43	Down
46	Will Sutton	DT	Bears	3.18	NR	Up
47	Ego Ferguson	DT	Bears	2.19	NR	Up
48	Jace Amaro	TE	Jets	2.17	NR	Up
49	Bashaud Breeland	CB	Redskins	4.2	NR	Up
50	Alfred Blue	RB	Texans	6.5	NR	Up

Players who dropped out of the top 50 from last week were San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Jerry Attaochu (No. 22), San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aaron Lynch (No. 29), Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Marqise Lee (No. 36), San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (No. 40), Cleveland Browns cornerback Justin Gilbert (No. 46), San Francisco 49ers cornerback Dontae Johnson (No. 47), Atlanta Falcons linebacker Prince Shembo (No. 48), Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Chris McCain (No. 49) and New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (No. 50).

Quarterbacks

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Quarterback Rankings

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

 

Derek Carr has started all three Oakland Raiders games this season and has played well enough to hold on to the job for the foreseeable future, but he hasn’t done enough to lead the Raiders to a win yet.

While Oakland’s 0-3 record is as indicative of the still-limited talent around Carr as it is a reflection on his play, the Raiders will need their quarterback to play better if they are going to turn their season around.

Although Carr has completed 63 percent of his passes, he is only averaging 5.4 yards per passing attempt and has the same number of interceptions as touchdown passes (three).

Carr is the only rookie quarterback to start a game so far this season, but that is set to change in Week 4, as both Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles have been announced as starters for their teams’ upcoming contests.

Both Bridgewater, due to an injury to incumbent starter Matt Cassel, and Bortles, in relief of Chad Henne in a blowout loss, saw their first game action in Week 3. Bridgewater completed 12 of 20 passing attempts for 150 yards and rushed for 27 yards on six attempts against the New Orleans Saints, while Bortles completed 14 of 24 passes for 223 yards, ran for 30 yards on two attempts and had two touchdowns and two interceptions.

While both quarterbacks had ups and downs in their regular-season debuts, Week 4 will be much a truer gauge of where both first-round picks are at in their development, as they should able to work with their offenses for a full game.

Manziel also saw playing time in Week 3 and actually made a 39-yard downfield catch on a trick play, but it was called back due to a penalty. 

Running Backs

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Isaiah Crowell was the Cleveland Browns' leading rusher in Week 3.

Running Back Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Terrance West	RB	Browns	3.30	1
2	Isaiah Crowell	RB	Browns	N/A	3
3	Jeremy Hill	RB	Bengals	2.23	2
4	Alfred Blue	RB	Texans	6.5	NR
5	Lorenzo Taliaferro	RB	Ravens	4.38	NR

 

As veteran Ben Tate missed his second consecutive game for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, the rookie running back tandem of Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell continued to impress.

West leads all rookies and ranks 10th among all NFL runners with 204 rushing yards on 47 attempts thus far. That said, he was actually outgained by undrafted rookie Crowell against the Baltimore Ravens this week. Crowell ran for 55 yards on 11 carries, while West had just 36 yards on 12 rushes.

Some analysts, including Dustin Fox of 92.3 The Fan and Brendan Leister of DraftBrowns.com, firmly believe that Crowell is Cleveland’s best back. It will be interesting to see how their carries are split up over the rest of the season, but it is clear that both should continue to have significant roles even when Tate is healthy.

The other rookie tailback in Ohio, Cincinnati Bengals second-round pick Jeremy Hill, has also been productive as a big, between-the-tackles back like West. He had seven carries for 39 yards and a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3.

After back-to-back weeks of lacking production for Carlos Hyde of the San Francisco 49ers and Devonta Freeman of the Atlanta Falcons, both have been passed in the rankings.

Alfred Blue started in place of injured Houston Texans starter Arian Foster on Sunday and averaged six yards per carry on 13 attempts against the New York Giants. Lorenzo Taliaferro, in his first significant opportunity for playing time as Bernard Pierce was sidelined with an injury, took advantage by running for 91 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries against the Browns on Sunday. 

Wide Receivers

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Wide Receiver Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Kelvin Benjamin	WR	Panthers	1.28	2
2	Brandin Cooks	WR	Saints	1.20	3
3	Sammy Watkins	WR	Bills	1.4	1
4	John Brown	WR	Cardinals	3.27	6
5	Mike Evans	WR	Buccaneers	1.7	5

 

There have been many strong performances from rookie wide receivers already, but Kelvin Benjamin has consistently looked like a special talent—despite the three drops in Week 2. The 6’5”, 240-pound receiver is tied for 10th among all NFL players this season with 253 receiving yards, while two of his 16 receptions have been touchdowns.

After an eight-catch, 117-yard performance in Week 2 vaulted Sammy Watkins way up the rankings last week, the Buffalo Bills wideout’s Week 3 game against the San Diego Chargers was a major letdown. He consistently struggled to get open and caught just two passes for 19 yards on eight total targets.

Brandin Cooks and John Brown, who are both diminutive but fast and shifty receivers, have been solid performers for their teams from the slot. Cooks moved up the rankings with an eight-catch, 74-yard game in Week 3, while Brown was boosted by a two-touchdown performance in the Arizona Cardinals’ surprise win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Despite playing on a bad Tampa Bay Buccaneers team with an unstable quarterback situation, first-round pick Mike Evans has been a solid performer thus far, catching 13 passes for 138 yards.

Although he had a 63-yard catch-and-run touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3, Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Allen Hurns fell out of the top five because that was his only reception of the game. Allen Robinson, who has had at least 75 receiving yards and led Jacksonville in receiving in each of the team’s past two games, might be the player to watch going forward. 

Tight Ends

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Tight End Rankings

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

 

The tight end group of rookies has been underwhelming as a whole thus far, but Jace Amaro easily became the most productive first-year player at the position thus far when he caught three passes for 54 yards for the New York Jets against the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

Amaro had a solid all-around performance, including a crucial 4th-and-3 catch during the Jets’ effort to come back on their final drive that ultimately went futile. He hasn’t made much hay as a blocker, but he established this week that he can be a downfield receiving weapon for the New York offense.

The same cannot be said for any other rookie tight end. The only other first-year player at the position to catch a pass in Week 3 was Marcel Jensen of the Jacksonville Jaguars, whose performance was so underwhelming that he was released after just one week on the team’s 53-man roster.

It could be argued that Austin Seferian-Jenkins, despite the fact that he has not played the past two weeks, has been the second-best rookie tight end thus far.

Eric Ebron has failed to distinguish himself as the versatile offensive weapon he was expected to become for the Detroit Lions this year.

C.J. Fiedorowicz has done some solid work for the Houston Texans as a run-blocker but has no catches yet. Troy Niklas has one catch for the Arizona Cardinals but has struggled as a blocker. Nevertheless, he has still been better than the other tight end to see significant playing time, Richard Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, who remains catchless and has failed to provide effective blocking. 

Offensive Tackles

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Offensive Tackle Rankings

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

 

A player who fell to the seventh round of the draft because of character concerns rather than football talent, Seantrel Henderson has stayed out of trouble off the field and performed well on it in his first three weeks as the starting right tackle for the Buffalo Bills.

While Henderson was culpable of allowing one sack against the San Diego Chargers in Week 3, it was a coverage sack by Dwight Freeney that happened because quarterback EJ Manuel stayed in the pocket too long. Overall, Henderson has been steady as a pass-blocker while also opening lanes as a run-blocker. The late-round flier looks as though he could be a staple on the Bills offensive line for years to come.

Ja’Wuan James had some struggles in pass protection against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3, as he allowed his first sack of the year and four total quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, but he has also been a steady fixture on the right side of the Dolphins offensive line. 

The rookie right tackle who really had a rough outing in Week 3 was Justin Britt. Faced with the tough task of going up against star Denver Broncos edge-rushers Demarcus Ware and Von Miller throughout the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl rematch on Sunday, Britt was clearly overmatched by his opponents’ speed and experience.

The only starting left tackle in the rookie class, Jake Matthews, had a solid outing for the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his return from an ankle injury.

Tennessee Titans first-round pick Taylor Lewan is a backup who will likely stay on the bench throughout his rookie season barring injuries, but he was afforded the opportunity to finish the game in place of Michael Roos in the Titans’ blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Offensive Guards

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Offensive Guard Rankings

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

 

While Joel Bitonio has been the star of the rookie crop through three weeks, he hasn’t been the only first-year guard who is playing well in a starting role.

Jack Mewhort of the Indianapolis Colts has been very solid in pass protection and able to generate movement well as a run-blocker. Like Bitonio, Mewhort currently ranks among the top 10 guards in the NFL as graded by Pro Football Focus.

Zack Martin has been a steady upgrade for the Dallas Cowboys in pass protection, but he hasn’t had nearly as much success as Bitonio and Mewhort in the ground game.

Weston Richburg has had an up-and-down season thus far, but he had a tough task of cross-training at both center and guard this summer and was thrust into the starting left guard job unexpectedly when Geoff Schwartz went down with an injury. Considering those circumstances, he has performed admirably on the New York Giants interior offensive line.

Gabe Jackson, the only player among the top five rookies at his position who actually played guard during his senior collegiate season, has played decently for the Oakland Raiders but has not been able to convert his massiveness to run-blocking power as well as expected.

If Trai Turner of the Carolina Panthers eclipses Fernando Velasco into the team’s starting lineup at right guard, he could end up working his way into the top five of the rankings. Jacksonville Jaguars right guard Brandon Linder, who has struggled early but has seemingly improved with each passing week, could also end up ranking as a top-five rookie guard going forward. 

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	Luke Bowanko	C	Jaguars	6.29	3
4	Bryan Stork	C	Patriots	4.5	4
5	Jonotthan Harrison	C	Colts	N/A	5

 

It’s a tough task to expect any rookie to start at center against a Detroit Lions defense led up the middle by star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. So while Corey Linsley struggled more in Week 3 than he did in the Green Bay Packers’ first two games, that’s understandable considering the matchup he faced.

Overall, Linsley has been a steady presence in the middle of Green Bay’s offensive line and looks capable of continuing to start as long as the Packers expect him to, whether that be until J.C. Tretter returns from injury this season or for many years to come.

Russell Bodine has struggled early in his rookie season—Pro Football Focus only gives him a better grade than three other NFL centers who played 25 percent or more of their teams' snaps this year—but his play improved in Week 3. According to PFF, Bodine was not responsible for allowing any quarterback hits in the Cincinnati Bengals’ win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Luke Bowanko got his first chance to start at center for the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and played more than well enough to keep the job going forward. While Jacques McClendon struggled in Jacksonville’s first two games of the year, Bowanko was actually graded out by PFF as the league’s second-best center in Week 3 for his performance, mainly as a run-blocker, versus the Indianapolis Colts.

For the second consecutive time, Bryan Stork saw playing time off the bench for the New England Patriots on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders. It appears as though the Patriots are putting their fourth-round pick in position to eventually take a starting job on their offensive line, which has shuffled frequently to start this season, by the end of the year.

Jonotthan Harrison saw his first playing time of the season at right guard when he briefly filled in for Hugh Thornton on Sunday, but the center position remains his best fit. The Indianapolis Colts are likely to proceed forward with A.Q. Shipley or Khaled Holmes as their starter in the middle, but it looks as though Harrison should remain a priority backup on the interior offensive line.

Defensive Ends

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Defensive End Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Zach Kerr	DE	Colts	N/A	3
2	Dominique Easley	DE	Patriots	1.29	1
3	Cassius Marsh	DE	Seahawks	4.8	NR
4	Kareem Martin	DE	Cardinals	3.20	NR
5	Timmy Jernigan	DE	Ravens	2.16	4

 

There have been no standouts in the rookie crop of defensive ends, but two players who started to show they could make an impact in Week 3 were Cassius Marsh of the Seattle Seahawks and Kareem Martin of the Arizona Cardinals.

Marsh, a 4-3 defensive end who saw playing time in Seattle’s first two games but made minimal impact, had a strong day defending the edge against the run on Sunday, as he recorded four total tackles versus the Denver Broncos.

Martin’s role significantly increased for the Cardinals in Week 3, as he took 39 snaps one week removed from playing just eight. He recorded just one tackle but will be a player to monitor as his role continues to grow.

Zach Kerr has provided solid rotational depth at both defensive end and nose tackle for the Indianapolis Colts, and he recorded his first regular-season tackle for loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Dominique Easley, meanwhile, has displayed significant potential to disrupt plays as an interior pass-rusher.

Timmy Jernigan recorded three assisted tackles in the Baltimore Ravens’ first two games but did not play Sunday due to a meniscus injury.

Defensive Tackles

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Defensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Aaron Donald	DT	Rams	1.13	1
2	Justin Ellis	NT	Raiders	4.8	2 (DE)
3	Will Sutton	DT	Bears	3.18	4
4	Ego Ferguson	DT	Bears	2.19	3
5	Shamar Stephen	DT	Vikings	7.5	2

 

A quick, explosive interior penetrator, St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has shown an affinity for getting into the backfield and blowing up plays, including a five-yard tackle for loss against Dallas Cowboys running back Demarco Murray in Week 3.

Donald is not a starter for the Rams and was not as disruptive on Sunday as he was in the first two games of his rookie year, but his performance remains head and shoulders above the rest of the rookie crop of players considered to be defensive tackles.

Justin Ellis, who was classified with the defensive ends last week, took over as the Oakland Raiders’ starting nose tackle in Week 3 and recorded two tackles.

Possessing ideal size to anchor the middle at 6’2” and 334 pounds while also having enough quickness to be an inside pass-rusher, he’s a good fit for a defense in the midst of a conversion to a 3-4 scheme. He has the versatility to play multiple spots.

While they didn’t stand out like their teammate Kyle Fuller, Chicago Bears second-day selections Will Sutton and Ego Ferguson each had solid performances and showed some disruptive ability on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets.

Sutton received his first career start in the NFL and recorded three total tackles, including one for loss, while Ferguson had two total tackles, including a sack. Both players could continue to rise up the rankings if they build upon their solid Week 3 showings.

Linebackers

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Linebacker Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Khalil Mack	OLB	Raiders	1.5	3
2	Anthony Barr	OLB	Vikings	1.9	1
3	C.J. Mosley	ILB	Ravens	1.17	4
4	Ryan Shazier	ILB	Steelers	1.15	2
5	Preston Brown	LB	Bills	3.9	7

 

While Anthony Barr dropped from the top overall spot in the rookie rankings this week, he continued to be highly productive. The Minnesota Vikings strong-side linebacker—who had a sack, batted a pass and recorded three total tackles against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday—has looked like a far more complete player thus far than expected and every bit worth the No. 9 overall pick Minnesota used to select him.

A strong case could be made for Mack or Barr to be the No. 1 overall player in the rookie rankings this week. Barr has been a stalwart of the Vikings defense all season and has recorded 17 total tackles while showing his mettle as a pass-rusher. Meanwhile, Mack currently has the best Pro Football Focus score of any rookie (9.2, also the third-best overall rating among all NFL 3-4 outside linebackers) and 19 total tackles.

If Mack and Barr continue to perform as well as they have through their first three games as NFL newcomers, they could end up being the top two candidates for this year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Another first-year player who could his work his way into postseason award consideration is Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker C.J. Mosley.

Mosley showed both his range and ability to blitz into the backfield on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, when he had six total tackles, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit. He also had his best game yet in coverage, allowing just two receptions for 15 yards, according to PFF.

Ryan Shazier has been all over the field for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense but suffered a sprained MCL against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday night that will force him to miss at least one game, according to ESPN.com’s Scott Brown.

A fill-in starter in each of the Buffalo Bills’ first three games, Preston Brown has recorded 31 total tackles, the fifth-most among all NFL players.

Those numbers are a bit deceiving of how well Brown has actually played. While he has been an active presence on the Bills defense, nearly all of his tackles have come downfield, and he has struggled in pass coverage.

Nonetheless, Brown has played well enough that Keith Rivers, who missed the past two games with a groin injury, will have to outperform the rookie in order to get back in the starting lineup, according to the team’s official Twitter account. Considering Brown has played every snap for the Bills defense through three games, as noted by PFF, it’s likely he will continue to play a major role.

Cornerbacks

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Cornerback Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Kyle Fuller	CB	Bears	1.14	1
2	Jason Verrett	CB	Chargers	1.25	2
3	Bradley Roby	CB	Broncos	1.31	4
4	E.J. Gaines	CB	Rams	6.12	5
5	Bene Benwikere	CB	Panthers	5.8	3

 

Aside from one significant gaffe—a missed tackle on a 51-yard catch-and-run during the New York Jets’ final possession of the game—Kyle Fuller played about as well as anyone could have expected of the Chicago Bears rookie cornerback on Monday night. With five combined interceptions and forced fumbles over the past two weeks, Fuller has a clear nose for the ball and has emerged as a premier Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate.

Jason Verrett left Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills early with a hamstring injury, according to Michael Gehlken of The San Diego Union-Tribune, but the San Diego Chargers rookie played well when he was on the field. He did not allow a single catch in 20 coverage snaps, per Pro Football Focus, continuing upon a strong start to the season in which he has mostly locked down his competition in coverage.

After being picked on by the Seattle Seahawks in the Denver Broncos’ preseason game against them, Bradley Roby played better on Sunday, allowing just three catches for 29 yards while recording five solo tackles. He has not proved to be a lockdown cornerback in coverage yet but has been a playmaker.

E.J. Gaines’ game Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys did not look impressive in the box score, as he did not record a single tackle or pass defense, but that’s largely because he was only targeted twice, according to PFF. The sixth-round pick has started each of the St. Louis Rams’ first three games as an outside cornerback and has performed surprisingly well.

Bene Benwikere got the year off to a strong start as the Carolina Panthers’ slot cornerback, but he had a rough outing on national television on Sunday night.

He gave up six catches for 59 yards, including three catches for 41 yards and a touchdown to Antonio Brown alone, in just 25 coverage snaps, according to PFF. Brown is one of the NFL’s best wide receivers and a tough matchup for any cornerback, but Benwikere will have to prove he can overcome the bad performance and bounce back in Week 4. 

Safeties

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Safety Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Calvin Pryor	S	Jets	1.18	1
2	Ha Ha Clinton-Dix	S	Packers	1.21	3
3	Deone Bucannon	SS	Cardinals	1.27	2
4	Brock Vereen	FS	Bears	4.31	NR
5	Nat Berhe	FS	Giants	5.12	NR

 

Calvin Pryor has easily made the most significant play-to-play presence of any rookie safety thus far this season. He has been credited with 14 total tackles and two passes defensed for the year. As Bleacher Report’s Cian Fahey noted during the New York Jets’ game against the Chicago Bears on Monday night, Pryor “rarely finishes plays more than 10 yards away from the ball.”

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has only been a part-time player off the bench for the Green Bay Packers thus far, but he recorded his first career interception and was consistent in coverage on Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

Clinton-Dix made a bigger impact in Week 3 than Deone Bucannon, who has shown up fairly well as an in-the-box run defender but has struggled in coverage, despite playing fewer snaps than Bucannon did for the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Brock Vereen was called upon for significant playing time Monday when starting Bears safeties Ryan Mundy and Chris Conte both went down with injuries, and Vereen responded well to the call of duty. He was in great position to force an incompletion on the Jets’ final offensive play of the game and had quality coverage throughout his stint on the field while also having three total tackles.

No other safeties have made a significant contribution defensively yet this season, but Nat Berhe saw some time on the field against the Houston Texans on Sunday when incumbent starting strong safety Stevie Brown was pulled from the New York Giants’ lineup.

Going forward to Week 4, however, it will be Quintin Demps, not Berhe, starting in place of Brown at strong safety, according to ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano.

Specialists

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Specialist Rankings

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

 

Chandler Catanzaro and Cody Parkey have each attempted nine field goals this season and have a long of 51 yards thus far. Parkey had one miss from 38 yards out in Week 2, while Catanzaro has been perfect, but both kickers have been impressive, not only on field goals but also on delivering touchbacks on kickoffs.

The other two rookie placekickers have failed to meet expectations, and one has already lost his job.

Cairo Santos was not asked to kick any field goals on Sunday for the Kansas City Chiefs, but none of his seven kickoffs were downed for touchbacks. He’s still doing better than Nate Freese, however, who was cut by the Detroit Lions earlier this week (in favor of Alex Henery, who Parkey replaced with the Philadelphia Eagles) after making just three of seven field-goal attempts in three games.

Pat O’Donnell’s job as the Chicago Bears punter should be safe for now, but he hasn’t been particularly good in his first few games. His net punting average of 36.2 yards ranks him just 28th in the league, while he has only downed two of his 14 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. 

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

Follow @Dan_Hope