NFL Week 5 Rookie Rankings: Surveying Rookie Class Post-Week 4

With the first month of the 2014 NFL season in the books, every team has had a chance to evaluate how its roster stacks up and where its rookies can fit into game plans as first-year players.

Some rookies, like Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles, just started taking on bigger roles in Week 4. Others, like Baltimore Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley and Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, have been crucial players for their teams throughout the season’s first quadrant.

Each week here at Bleacher Report, I rank the top 50 rookies overall and top five at each position. The players are ranked based upon their cumulative performances for the regular season.

Not every rookie had an opportunity to play this past week, as six teams had their bye weeks. Players who did not play because their teams had the week off were not penalized in assembling the rankings, but might have moved up or down depending on how the players who were on the field performed in Week 4.

There will still be plenty of movement to come among the hierarchy of the rookie class, as we’re still at an early stage of the season where there’s a fine line to balance between quality of individual performances and the size of each player’s sample of games played.

For now, the players who have consistently performed at a high level through their first three or four games receive the most credit.

Top 50 Overall

David Richard/Associated Press

The Cleveland Browns did not play in Week 4, but rock-solid rookie left guard Joel Bitonio keeps the top spot in the rankings for a second week.

The big mover near the top of the board this week was Baltimore Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley, who posted an exceptional performance against the Carolina Panthers. After recording 11 total tackles and two passes defensed in Week 4, Mosley received a very high overall rating for the week of 7.1 from Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Outside of Mosley, many of the week’s most spectacular rookie performances came from first-year players who were previously outside the top 50.

The aforementioned Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles were both impressive in their first starts as NFL quarterbacks. One of Bridgewater’s teammates for the Minnesota Vikings, running back Jerick McKinnon, also makes his debut in the top 50 after rushing for 135 yards in a win over the Atlanta Falcons.

San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aaron Lynch, who dropped out of the top 50 last week, vaulted right back in this week after playing a key role as a pass-rusher down the stretch of a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Joel Bitonio	LG	Browns	2.3	1	Same
2	Anthony Barr	OLB	Vikings	1.9	2	Up
3	C.J. Mosley	ILB	Ravens	1.17	8	Up
4	Kelvin Benjamin	WR	Panthers	1.28	4	Same
5	Khalil Mack	OLB	Raiders	1.5	2	Down
6	Aaron Donald	DT	Rams	1.13	7	Up
7	Calvin Pryor	S	Jets	1.18	6	Down
8	Kyle Fuller	CB	Bears	1.14	5	Down
9	Jack Mewhort	LG	Colts	2.27	11	Up
10	Corey Linsley	C	Packers	5.21	10	Same
11	Allen Hurns	WR	Jaguars	N/A	23	Up
12	Brandin Cooks	WR	Saints	1.20	9	Down
13	Terrance West	RB	Browns	3.30	13	Same
14	Chandler Catanzaro	K	Cardinals	N/A	14	Same
15	Mike Evans	WR	Buccaneers	1.7	18	Up
16	Jason Verrett	CB	Chargers	1.25	12	Down
17	Zack Martin	RG	Cowboys	1.16	28	Up
18	Weston Richburg	LG	Giants	2.11	29	Up
19	Ryan Shazier	LB	Steelers	1.15	15	Down
20	John Brown	WR	Cardinals	3.27	17	Down
21	Ha Ha Clinton-Dix	S	Packers	1.21	31	Up
22	Cody Parkey	K	Eagles	N/A	19	Down
23	Ja'Wuan James	RT	Dolphins	1.19	24	Up
24	Bradley Roby	CB	Broncos	1.31	21	Down
25	E.J. Gaines	CB	Rams	6.12	22	Down
26	Seantrel Henderson	RT	Bills	7.22	20	Down
27	Sammy Watkins	WR	Bills	1.4	16	Down
28	Allen Robinson	WR	Jaguars	2.29	25	Down
29	Isaiah Crowell	RB	Browns	N/A	26	Down
30	Preston Brown	LB	Bills	3.9	37	Up
31	Russell Bodine	C	Bengals	4.11	32	Up
32	Jake Matthews	RT	Falcons	1.6	41	Up
33	Jeremy Hill	RB	Bengals	2.23	33	Same
34	Gabe Jackson	LG	Raiders	3.17	34	Same
35	Zach Kerr	DE	Colts	N/A	39	Up
36	Aaron Lynch	OLB	49ers	5.10	NR	Up
37	Justin Ellis	NT	Raiders	4.7	36	Down
38	Teddy Bridgewater	QB	Vikings	1.32	NR	Up
39	Jimmie Ward	CB	49ers	1.30	40	Up
40	Jace Amaro	TE	Jets	2.17	48	Up
41	Derek Carr	QB	Raiders	2.4	27	Down
42	Deone Bucannon	SS	Cardinals	1.27	35	Down
43	Prince Shembo	ILB	Falcons	4.39	NR	Up
44	Lorenzo Taliaferro	RB	Ravens	4.38	NR	Up
45	Blake Bortles	QB	Jaguars	1.3	NR	Up
46	Will Sutton	DT	Bears	3.18	46	Same
47	Ego Ferguson	DT	Bears	2.19	47	Same
48	Jerick McKinnon	RB	Vikings	3.32	NR	Up
49	Bene Benwikere	CB	Panthers	5.8	30	Down
50	T.J. Carrie	CB	Raiders	7.4	NR	Up

Dropouts from last week's top 50 were Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (No. 38), Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews (No. 42), Seattle Seahawks right tackle Justin Britt (No. 43), Carolina Panthers right guard Trai Turner (No. 44), New England Patriots defensive end Dominique Easley (No. 45), Washington Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland (No. 49) and Houston Texans running back Alfred Blue (No. 50).

Quarterbacks

Jim Mone/Associated Press

Quarterback Rankings

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

Against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Teddy Bridgewater became the first rookie quarterback to win a game this season, and just the fourth signal-caller since 1980 to be victorious and throw for more than 300 yards in his NFL debut, according to Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News.

Bridgewater displayed composure and the abilities to make plays both inside and outside the pocket as he completed 19 of 30 passes for 317 yards, with no interceptions, and had five rushing attempts for 27 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown.

The Bridgewater debut was the best performance so far this season by a rookie quarterback and it made it immediately clear that Bridgewater is an upgrade over previous Minnesota Vikings starter Matt Cassel. However, he was forced out of the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury, which leaves his status uncertain for the Vikings’ next game Thursday vs. the Green Bay Packers.

Blake Bortles also made his first start in Week 4 for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

By completing 29 of his 37 passing attempts, Bortles actually set the best completion percentage ever for a quarterback in his debut with at least 30 throws, according to ESPN. That said, most of those completions came on short, simple passes while he also threw interceptions in Jacksonville’s loss to the San Diego Chargers.

While Bridgewater and Bortles made their starting debuts this week, Jimmy Garoppolo made his playing debut near the end of the New England Patriots’ blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Although it’s tough to evaluate a quarterback on how he plays in garbage time, Garoppolo led one impressive touchdown drive and finished with six completions for 70 passing yards on seven attempts.

Derek Carr has started all four of the Oakland Raiders’ games this season but has yet to win a game. There are many other reasons beyond the quarterback’s play—he doesn’t have much talent around him—but he certainly hasn’t been spectacular, as he ranks 30th in the NFL in quarterback rating after four weeks.

Like Bridgewater, Carr was also forced out of his Week 4 game, against the Miami Dolphins in London, with a high ankle sprain and a MCL sprain. Fortunate that the Raiders have a bye in Week 5, Carr hopes to recover quickly enough to suit up for Oakland’s next game, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Running Backs

USA TODAY Sports

Running Back Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Terrance West	RB	Browns	3.30	1
2	Isaiah Crowell	RB	Browns	N/A	2
3	Jeremy Hill	RB	Bengals	2.23	3
4	Lorenzo Taliaferro	RB	Ravens	4.38	4
5	Jerick McKinnon	RB	Vikings	3.32	NR

 

The three rookie running backs in the state of Ohio have all had impressive starts to their inaugural seasons, and both Buckeye State teams had byes in Week 4. Terrance West leads all rookie running backs thus far with 68 rushing yards per game, while Isaiah Crowell ranks second with 47 per game and Jeremy Hill sits third with an average of 44.

Neither Lorenzo Taliaferro nor Jerick McKinnon saw significant playing time in their teams’ first two games, but the absences of Bernard Pierce of the Baltimore Ravens and Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings have led both players to increased opportunities that they have taken advantage of over the past two weeks.

By running for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 33 attempts in Baltimore’s past two games, Taliaferro has made a strong case to be the Ravens’ lead running back, or at least continue to take a share of the carries from Justin Forsett and/or Pierce upon his return from injury.

McKinnon’s 135 rushing yards against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday is the most by any rookie yet this season. With Peterson suspended for the foreseeable future, McKinnon should continue to split carries with Matt Asiata. McKinnon is an explosive runner with the speed and agility to continue posting big numbers as the year progresses, while he can also contribute as a pass-catcher (he had a 17-yard catch Sunday and has five receptions total this year).

Wide Receivers

Gail Burton/Associated Press

Wide Receiver Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Kelvin Benjamin	WR	Panthers	1.28	1
2	Allen Hurns	WR	Jaguars	N/A	6
3	Brandin Cooks	WR	Saints	1.20	2
4	Mike Evans	WR	Buccaneers	1.7	5
5	John Brown	WR	Cardinals	3.27	4

 

Kelvin Benjamin has been targeted far more than any other rookie receiver so far this season, but he has made those targets count.

A big wideout with evident big-play ability, Benjamin had another productive performance on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, in which he caught five receptions for 76 yards, including one for a 28-yard touchdown. While he’s made his share of rookie mistakes, he still ranks ninth in the NFL with 329 receiving yards.

While Benjamin has certainly exceeded expectations to this point, Allen Hurns has done so to an even greater degree.

The Jacksonville Jaguars undrafted rookie established that he should still be a key piece to the team’s offense going forward as he caught five passes for 68 yards on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. With a number of big plays already under his belt, Hurns has 254 receiving yards on just 12 receptions for the year.

No. 7 overall pick Mike Evans was also a standout of the highly talented rookie wide receiver group in Week 4. The big Texas A&M product caught four passes for 65 yards and a touchdown in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he was forced to leave the game early with a groin injury that is expected to sideline him for two to three weeks, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

The other wide receiver selected in the top 10 this year, Sammy Watkins of the Buffalo Bills, falls out of the top five after a disappointing week in which he caught four passes for 30 yards, including a five-yard touchdown, but also dropped three balls.

While Watkins’ 117-yard performance against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2 remains the most prolific for a rookie receiver this season, his other three performances this year have been pedestrian and he certainly has not lived up to the expectations set for him as a No. 4 overall pick the Bills traded up to draft.

Tight Ends

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

Tight End Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Jace Amaro	TE	Jets	2.17	1
2	Eric Ebron	TE	Lions	1.10	2
3	Austin Seferian-Jenkins	TE	Buccaneers	2.6	4
4	Richard Rodgers	TE	Packers	3.34	NR
5	C.J. Fiedorowicz	TE	Texans	3.1	3

 

After a slow start for the entire rookie class of tight ends in Weeks 1-3, there was a significant increase in production for the top players in the group in Week 4.

Jace Amaro has started to establish himself as a key player in the New York Jets passing offense and has caught eight passes for 112 receiving yards over the past two weeks. The Texas Tech product is not a great blocker, but he’s a skilled pass-catcher who knows how to get open and is seemingly playing better with each passing week.

Eric Ebron’s rookie season is off to a disappointing start for the No. 10 overall pick, but he showed his potential to be an impactful passing target for the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The athletic, highly movable playmaker caught three passes for 34 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown, against the Jets.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who had missed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ previous two games with an ankle injury, played every snap of the game in his Week 4 return vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Pro Football Focus. A player who has shown enough as both a receiver and blocker for the Buccaneers to already consider him a better player than veteran Brandon Myers, Seferian-Jenkins caught three passes for 44 yards on Sunday.

After being held catchless in each of the Green Bay Packers’ first three games, Richard Rodgers finally got on the board with two catches Sunday, including one for 43 yards, against the Chicago Bears. He has struggled as a run-blocker but so have C.J. Fiedorowicz and Troy Niklas, whom were drafted ahead of Rodgers but have less catches combined than Rodgers had Sunday.

Offensive Tackles

USA TODAY Sports

Offensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Ja'Wuan James	RT	Dolphins	1.19	2
2	Seantrel Henderson	RT	Bills	7.22	1
3	Jake Matthews	LT	Falcons	1.6	4
4	Justin Britt	RT	Seahawks	2.32	3
5	James Hurst	LT	Ravens	N/A	NR

 

Among the four rookies who are currently listed starters at offensive tackle on their teams' depth charts, Ja’Wuan James has been the most steady presence. Providing quality pass protection and making some impact as a run-blocker, James has been a significant upgrade at right tackle on a Miami Dolphins offensive line that had been the NFL’s worst in 2013.

Buffalo Bills right tackle Seantrel Henderson had the tough task of going up against Houston Texans superstar defensive end J.J. Watt on Sunday, and Henderson was predictably overmatched. The seventh-round pick allowed five quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, in a game in which Watt made his way into the Bills backfield with incredible consistency.

Seemingly back to full strength after suffering an ankle injury in the Atlanta Falcons’ season opener, Jake Matthews played his first full game of the season Sunday and was solid in his team’s losing effort against the Minnesota Vikings. He hasn’t quite performed to expectations thus far, but the No. 6 overall pick started to show his value as the left tackle on an injury-decimated Falcons offensive line in Week 4.

A far less heralded rookie, Baltimore Ravens undrafted free agent signee James Hurst, also started at left tackle in Week 4 in place of injured starter Eugene Monroe. Hurst had an impressive debut in which he allowed no quarterback pressures, according to PFF.

“I didn’t notice him so that’s got to be a good thing,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of Hurst’s performance following Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, according to Gerry Sandusky of WBAL-TV.

Offensive Guards

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

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	4
5	Gabe Jackson	LG	Raiders	3.17	5

 

The top overall rookie of the first three weeks of the NFL season, Cleveland Browns guard Joel Bitonio has been both dominant as a leading run-blocker and effective as a pass-blocker. His play has been as consistently strong as any first-year player so far this season, and he'll look to keep up the great work when the Browns return to action on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Jack Mewhort has also played consistently well, even if not at the same level of dominance as Bitonio. Both second-round picks look as though they should be fixtures at left guard on their teams' offensive lines for years to come.

Zack Martin has been solid all season as well, providing good pass protection while helping to lead the way for Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, who currently leads the NFL in rushing yards by a wide margin. He had a particularly strong performance against the New Orleans Saints in Dallas' Sunday Night Football win this week.

After some early struggles, Weston Richburg has seemingly improved every week and established himself as a strong starter for the New York Giants at left guard. Richburg's eventual home for the Giants might be at center, but he has filled in admirably after being asked to take over the starting position at LG when Geoff Schwartz went down with a toe injury.

The guard position has been one of the strongest thus far in this year's rookie class, as Gabe Jackson of the Oakland Raiders has also been a solid starting left guard, Jacksonville Jaguars right guard Brandon Linder is solidifying himself as a starter with improving play and Carolina Panthers right guard Trai Turner has been solid playing off the bench in a rotational capacity.

Centers

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

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	Travis Swanson	C	Lions	3.12	NR

 

Corey Linsley has taken some flak for a number of mistakes he has made early this season, including a touchdown-nullifying holding penalty against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, but overall the rookie center has been a solid anchor in the middle of the Green Bay Packers offensive line.

Russell Bodine, the only other center who has started all of his team's games this season, had a bye week with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4.

Luke Bowanko started his second consecutive game for the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. A grade of -5.2 from Pro Football Focus indicates that the sixth-round pick was overwhelmed in the Jaguars' defeat.

Bryan Stork received his first start as the New England Patriots continued to shuffle their offensive line combinations on Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. The blocking unit up front struggled as a whole in New England's blowout loss, but Stork did not make any particularly costly mistakes.

Travis Swanson has not seen any playing time at center yet for the Detroit Lions, but he was in for two snaps Sunday against the New York Jets as a sixth offensive lineman.

Defensive Ends

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Defensive End Rankings

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

 

The production from rookies classified as playing defensive end has been minimal so far this season, and that did not change in Week 4.

The one player who has performed consistently well in a rotational role off the bench has been Indianapolis Colts undrafted rookie Zach Kerr. A 3-4 defensive end who can also play nose tackle, Kerr creates disruption with both his size and quickness, and he had both a sack and a run stop on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Dominique Easley has flashed his explosive athleticism and potential at times this season to be a disruptive playmaker on the New England Patriots' defensive line, but it didn't show up as the Patriots got dominated in the trenches by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.

Still, Easley's two tackles were enough for him to remain the second-ranked defensive end (although he played mostly defensive tackle in 4-3 alignments on Monday), as no other rookie DE made a noticeable impact this past week. Cassius Marsh and the Seattle Seahawks and Kareem Martin and the Arizona Cardinals were both on bye weeks, while Baltimore Ravens defensive end Timmy Jernigan was inactive while continuing to recover from a meniscus injury.

Defensive Tackles

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Will Sutton (No. 93) and Ego Ferguson (No. 95) are both playing roles on the Chicago Bears' interior defensive line.

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
3	Will Sutton	DT	Bears	3.18	3
4	Ego Ferguson	DT	Bears	2.19	4
5	Shamar Stephen	DT	Vikings	7.5	5

 

Aaron Donald, who had a bye with the St. Louis Rams in Week 4, has been the clear standout of the rookie defensive tackle class so far this season. While Donald is not yet a starter, he makes a regular impact when he is in the game by penetrating into the backfield to blow up or redirect plays.

Justin Ellis, a massive yet quick interior defensive lineman at 6'2" and 334 pounds, has started consecutive games for the Oakland Raiders at nose tackle and provided a solid presence in the middle of their defensive front.

Second-day draft picks Will Sutton and Ego Ferguson have had steady production for the Chicago Bears over the past few weeks. Sutton has started the past two games for the Bears and has recorded three total tackles in each contest. Ferguson has seen less playing time off the bench, but has recorded two tackles and a sack in each of Chicago's past two games.

There isn't much depth to the rookie class of defensive tackles this year, but there is Shamar Stephen of the Minnesota Vikings, Beau Allen of the Philadelphia Eagles and Anthony Johnson of the Miami Dolphins, who have made some plays when called upon and will jockey for at least the fifth position in these rookie positional rankings each week.

Linebackers

Adam Bettcher/Getty Images

Linebacker Rankings

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

 

Overshadowed by teammates Teddy Bridgewater and Jerick McKinnon was another great performance by the Minnesota Vikings' top draft pick, No. 9 overall selection Anthony Barr, on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Looking to be one of the most polished players in the rookie class—which is not what was expected to be the case with him—Barr has been able to consistently put himself in the right position to make plays. His steady production continued in Week 4 as he recorded six total tackles, including a sack.

C.J. Mosley, as highlighted in the overall rankings slide, had his best game of an already-strong season to date as he made plays all over the field and led the Baltimore Ravens in total tackles in their win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Currently graded as the NFL's second-best inside linebacker by Pro Football Focus, Mosley has been an every-down staple on the Baltimore defense and should be for many years to come. He is a strong Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate.

Ranked by PFF as the second-best outside linebacker in 3-4 NFL defenses through four games, Khalil Mack has also been a quick sensation for the Oakland Raiders defense. He recorded five tackles against the Miami Dolphins in London on Saturday.

After a highly productive start to the season, Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Ryan Shazier missed his team's game Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a sprained MCL. Playing on a defense that became desperate enough this past week to bring back James Harrison out of retirement, Shazier's range to make plays all over the field was missed as the Steelers lost in Week 4.

Preston Brown was expected to be a backup for the Buffalo Bills defense this year, but a suspension to Nigel Bradham followed by injuries to Keith Rivers in Week 1 and Bradham on Sunday have led to his continuing to not only end up back in the lineup but seeing a great deal of playing time. Brown has taken advantage of his opportunities with high-level production; he led the Bills with nine total tackles against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Two other linebackers who made a push to be considered for the top five and deserve recognition: San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aaron Lynch, who had four quarterback pressures against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday according to Pro Football Focus, and Atlanta Falcons inside linebacker Prince Shembo, who has beaten out Joplo Bartu for a starting job and has been productive, especially Sunday, when he recorded eight total tackles vs. the Vikings.

Cornerbacks

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

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	3
4	E.J. Gaines	CB	Rams	6.12	4
5	Jimmie Ward	CB	49ers	1.30	6

 

After back-to-back outstanding performances in prime time, Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller was made to look more like a rookie in the Bears' loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. He was juked by Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb on a 46-yard catch-and-run and gave up a number of other catches in coverage.

Even with a more unspectacular performance in Week 4, Fuller remained the clear choice as the league's top rookie cornerback.

With Jason Verrett sidelined by a hamstring injury for the San Diego Chargers and Bradley Roby's Denver Broncos, Justin Gilbert's Cleveland Browns and Darqueze Dennard's Cincinnati Bengals with Week 4 byes, Fuller and Jimmie Ward were the only first-round cornerbacks in action this past week.

Ward had a solid performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, in which he allowed just three receptions on 17 yards, according to Pro Football Focus, and moved ahead of fellow slot cornerback Bene Benwikere, who has been shaky the past two weeks after a great start, in this week's rankings.

Sixth-round pick E.J. Gaines has been solid and had a bye with the St. Louis Rams in Week 4. Another late-round cornerback who worked his way onto the top 50 this week was Travis Carrie of the Oakland Raiders. Carrie picked off a pass by Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill on Sunday and returned it 28 years, all the while providing steady coverage off the bench and looking like a strong seventh-round pickup for Oakland.

Safeties

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

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	2
3	Deone Bucannon	SS	Cardinals	1.27	3
4	Dezmen Southward	FS	Falcons	3.4	NR
5	Terrence Brooks	FS	Ravens	3.15	NR

 

New York Jets safety Calvin Pryor recorded three assisted tackles against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, including one that was a half-sack, before suffering a thigh injury that currently leaves his status to be determined "day to day," according to ESPN.com's Jane McManus .

When healthy, Pryor has been a clear difference-maker in the middle of the New York Jets' defensive backfield. With a secondary that is subpar in many spots, Pryor is a player the Jets can ill afford to have miss any time.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix of the Green Bay Packers had a productive game in Week 4, recording five total tackles and a hit on Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler while allowing just one catch in 29 coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Clinton-Dix has not yet started a game, but he has been an impact player on the field who has displayed both his activity in run support and aptitude in coverage.

Outside of the three safeties drafted in the first round, no other rookies at the position have made significant impacts yet. That said, third-round picks Dezmen Southward and Terrence Brooks started to see increased playing time for their respective teams in Week 4, and their opportunities should only continue to grow as long as they play relatively well.

Specialists

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

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

 

There was not much activity needed from the four active rookie kicking specialists in Week 4. 

Chandler Catanzaro, who is a perfect nine-for-nine on field goal attempts this season, had a bye week with the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4.

Cody Parkey, who has made eight of nine field goal attempts this year, was not called upon to attempt any field goals in the Philadelphia Eagles' loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Meanwhile, Pat O'Donnell was also not needed as his Chicago Bears ended up in only the second game in NFL history where there were absolutely no punts from either team.

Only Cairo Santos was asked to kick a field goal attempt on Sunday, and both of his converted field goals came from within 31 yards.

Because there are only four rookie kicking specialists on NFL rosters following the Detroit Lions' release of Nate Freese last week, only four are ranked here.

 

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

Follow @Dan_Hope