NFL Week 13 Rookie Rankings: Surveying Rookie Class Post Week 12
No player has made a bigger or faster move up the NFL Rookie Rankings this year than New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has in the past four weeks.
Beckham's debut season got off to a slow start, as he missed the first four games with a hamstring injury then caught just 10 passes in his first three games played.
Over the past four weeks, on the other hand, Beckham has caught 31 passes for 503 yards. He has clearly established as New York's No. 1 wide receiver with Victor Cruz out for the season.
The coronation of Beckham's sudden stardom came Sunday night, when he sent a national audience into a frenzy with a ridiculous one-handed catch that will go down as one of the plays of the year across all sports. Perhaps the first member of his rookie class to "break the Internet," Beckham has made himself a prime Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate despite his lack of production through the Giants' first seven contests.
In the following slides, see where Beckham stacks up along with the rest of the NFL's top rookies, who are ranked each week by Bleacher Report based upon their cumulative performances for the year.
Top 50 Overall
1 of 14
The excellent seasons of rookie guards Joel Bitonio and Zack Martin continued in Week 12 as both proved that they deserve to be Pro Bowl selections this year.
Bitonio continued to excel in both pass protection and run blocking Sunday, while the Cleveland Browns lineman also made a crucial open-field tackle that stopped Devin Hester of the Atlanta Falcons from returning a missed field goal for a touchdown at the end of the first half.
Martin, whose Dallas Cowboys beat Odell Beckham Jr.'s Giants on Sunday night, played a key role per usual on an offensive line that provided excellent pass protection for quarterback Tony Romo—especially on the team's late, game-winning drive—and also led the way for running back DeMarco Murray to rush for 121 yards.
The greatness of Bitonio and Martin has been consistent but typically unnoticed by the masses this season. Thanks to Bitonio's impressive special teams play and Dallas' fabulous end-of-game offensive possession, both rookies received more of the positive attention they've garnered from these rankings all year long.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW | Moving |
| 1 | Joel Bitonio | LG | Browns | 2.3 | 1 | Same |
| 2 | Zack Martin | RG | Cowboys | 1.16 | 2 | Same |
| 3 | Khalil Mack | OLB | Raiders | 1.5 | 3 | Same |
| 4 | Aaron Donald | DT | Rams | 1.13 | 6 | Up |
| 5 | C.J. Mosley | ILB | Ravens | 1.17 | 5 | Same |
| 6 | Anthony Barr | OLB | Vikings | 1.9 | 4 | Down |
| 7 | Corey Linsley | C | Packers | 5.21 | 7 | Same |
| 8 | Mike Evans | WR | Buccaneers | 1.7 | 8 | Same |
| 9 | Odell Beckham Jr. | WR | Giants | 1.12 | 23 | Up |
| 10 | Kelvin Benjamin | WR | Panthers | 1.28 | 9 | Down |
| 11 | Ha Ha Clinton-Dix | FS | Packers | 1.21 | 17 | Up |
| 12 | Cody Parkey | K | Eagles | N/A | 13 | Up |
| 13 | E.J. Gaines | CB | Rams | 6.12 | 11 | Down |
| 14 | Sammy Watkins | WR | Bills | 1.4 | 10 | Down |
| 15 | Preston Brown | OLB | Bills | 3.9 | 15 | Same |
| 16 | Kyle Fuller | CB | Bears | 1.14 | 14 | Down |
| 17 | Ja'Wuan James | LT | Dolphins | 1.19 | 15 | Down |
| 18 | Deone Bucannon | SS | Cardinals | 1.27 | 21 | Up |
| 19 | Jeremy Hill | RB | Bengals | 2.23 | 27 | Up |
| 20 | Avery Williamson | ILB | Titans | 5.11 | 22 | Up |
| 21 | Jarvis Landry | WR | Dolphins | 2.31 | 24 | Up |
| 22 | Chandler Catanzaro | K | Cardinals | N/A | 12 | Down |
| 23 | Aaron Lynch | OLB | 49ers | 5.10 | 18 | Down |
| 24 | Jordan Matthews | WR | Eagles | 2.10 | 28 | Up |
| 25 | Russell Bodine | C | Bengals | 4.11 | 31 | Up |
| 26 | Chris Borland | ILB | 49ers | 3.13 | 26 | Same |
| 27 | Bradley Roby | CB | Broncos | 1.31 | 20 | Down |
| 28 | Brandin Cooks | WR | Saints | 1.20 | 19 | Down |
| 29 | Telvin Smith | LB | Jaguars | 5.4 | 34 | Up |
| 30 | Jack Mewhort | LG | Colts | 2.27 | 33 | Up |
| 31 | Justin Ellis | NT | Raiders | 4.7 | 25 | Down |
| 32 | Brandon Linder | RG | Jaguars | 3.29 | 30 | Down |
| 33 | Christian Kirksey | ILB | Browns | 3.7 | 35 | Up |
| 34 | Allen Robinson | WR | Jaguars | 2.29 | 29 | Down |
| 35 | John Brown | WR | Cardinals | 3.27 | 36 | Up |
| 36 | Jason Verrett | CB | Chargers | 1.25 | 32 | Down |
| 37 | Bashaud Breeland | CB | Redskins | 4.2 | 40 | Up |
| 38 | Cairo Santos | K | Chiefs | N/A | 43 | Up |
| 39 | Teddy Bridgewater | QB | Vikings | 1.32 | 44 | Up |
| 40 | Derek Carr | QB | Raiders | 2.4 | 47 | Up |
| 41 | Jerick McKinnon | RB | Vikings | 3.32 | 39 | Down |
| 42 | Seantrel Henderson | RT | Bills | 7.22 | 48 | Up |
| 43 | Taylor Lewan | LT | Titans | 1.11 | 37 | Down |
| 44 | Allen Hurns | WR | Jaguars | N/A | 41 | Down |
| 45 | Bryan Stork | C | Patriots | 4.5 | NR | Up |
| 46 | Trent Murphy | OLB | Redskins | 2.15 | NR | Up |
| 47 | Weston Richburg | LG | Giants | 2.11 | 38 | Down |
| 48 | Gabe Jackson | LG | Raiders | 3.17 | 41 | Down |
| 49 | Martavis Bryant | WR | Steelers | 4.18 | 45 | Down |
| 50 | K'Waun Williams | CB | Browns | N/A | NR | Up |
Players to drop out from last week's top 50 are New York Jets tight end Jace Amaro (No. 46), Indianapolis Colts defensive end Zach Kerr (No. 49) and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (No. 50).
Quarterbacks
2 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Teddy Bridgewater | QB | Vikings | 1.32 | 1 |
| 2 | Derek Carr | QB | Raiders | 2.4 | 2 |
| 3 | Blake Bortles | QB | Jaguars | 1.3 | 3 |
| 4 | Zach Mettenberger | QB | Titans | 6.2 | 4 |
| 5 | Jimmy Garoppolo | QB | Patriots | 2.30 | 5 |
Thursday night was big for Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders, who became the last team to win its first game of the season after Carr led a fourth-quarter, game-winning drive to lead a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs to kick off Week 12.
Carr was not great for the game as a whole, as he completed just 18 of 35 passing attempts for 174 yards. Although he was not intercepted, he had multiple passes broken up that could have been picked off. Yet the final drive, which Carr capped with a nine-yard touchdown throw to wide receiver James Jones, showed his ability to lead his team with the game on the line. It should bolster his confidence going forward.
The other three quarterbacks to start games Sunday all suffered losses.
Teddy Bridgewater has been more of a so-called game manager than a difference-maker, but he's been the steadiest of the rookie quarterbacks. He was intercepted once by the Green Bay Packers on Sunday but completed 21 of 37 passing attempts for 210 yards and two touchdowns and helped his team stay competitive in the game.
Blake Bortles continued to struggle against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday as he threw an interception—which he has done at least once in all nine of his appearances for the Jacksonville Jaguars so far—and completed just 15 of 27 passing attempts for 146 yards.
Zach Mettenberger has yet to win a game as the Tennessee Titans' starting quarterback and hasn't done enough to establish himself as the team's signal-caller of the future, but he's done some good things throwing the ball downfield. He completed 20 of 39 passing attempts for 345 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, but he also threw an interception, fumbled once and was sacked five times.
Running Backs
3 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Jeremy Hill | RB | Bengals | 2.23 | 1 |
| 2 | Jerick McKinnon | RB | Vikings | 3.32 | 2 |
| 3 | Branden Oliver | RB | Chargers | N/A | 3 |
| 4 | Isaiah Crowell | RB | Browns | N/A | NR |
| 5 | Tre Mason | RB | Rams | 3.11 | NR |
Stuck playing second fiddle to Giovani Bernard earlier in the season, Jeremy Hill was rewarded for a strong three weeks in Bernard's absence by getting an even split of carries with Bernard upon the second-year back's return from a hip injury in Week 12. Continuing to take advantage of his opportunities, Hill was the better back of the duo Sunday. He ran for 87 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, while Bernard had just 45 yards on 17 carries, in a Cincinnati Bengals win over the Houston Texans.
Hill, who leads all rookie running backs with 643 rushing yards on 131 attempts, has established himself as the top first-year player at his position at this point. A bigger, more powerful runner than Bernard, he should continue to be a big part of the Bengals offense going forward.
The only other rookie above 500 rushing yards is Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon. While Hill has looked like a blossoming star in recent weeks, McKinnon has been just decent; he ran for 54 yards on 15 carries against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. He also continued to struggle with pass protection, as he got beaten by blitzing Packers cornerback Micah Hyde for a sack.
The most impressive performance from a rookie running back in Week 12 came from Isaiah Crowell of the Cleveland Browns. Highlighted by an outstanding 26-yard cutback touchdown run in which he made multiple defenders miss, Crowell ran for 88 yards on 12 carries against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Crowell's playing time has been inconsistent, and he has had some issues with fumbling, but he leads all rookies (minimum 70 rushing attempts) with 4.96 yards per carry and seven rushing touchdowns. He made a strong case Sunday for continuing to be the Browns running back going forward.
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Wide Receivers
4 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Mike Evans | WR | Buccaneers | 1.7 | 1 |
| 2 | Odell Beckham Jr. | WR | Giants | 1.12 | 5 |
| 3 | Kelvin Benjamin | WR | Panthers | 1.28 | 2 |
| 4 | Sammy Watkins | WR | Bills | 1.4 | 3 |
| 5 | Jarvis Landry | WR | Dolphins | 2.31 | 6 |
| 6 | Jordan Matthews | WR | Eagles | 2.10 | 7 |
| 7 | Brandin Cooks | WR | Saints | 1.20 | 4 |
| 8 | Allen Robinson | WR | Jaguars | 2.29 | 8 |
| 9 | John Brown | WR | Cardinals | 3.27 | 9 |
| 10 | Allen Hurns | WR | Jaguars | N/A | 10 |
Early in the season, it looked as though Sammy Watkins and Kelvin Benjamin would be the top candidates for Offensive Rookie of the Year, assuming the award goes to a skill-position player as it always has. In recent weeks, however, the momentum toward that recognition has shifted to two of the other first-round receivers, Odell Beckham Jr. and Mike Evans.
Beckham was the clear star of the crop in Week 12, and he currently leads all rookies with 87 receiving yards per games played. That said, Evans has 84.1 receiving yards per game, has played three more games than Beckham, is tied with Benjamin for the rookie lead with eight receiving touchdowns and ranks fourth among first-year receivers with 49 receptions.
Evans had a disappointing performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 12. He had just 47 yards on a season-low three receptions, after catching seven passes for at least 124 yards in each of his previous three games. However, he extended his streak of games with at least one touchdown to four when he burned Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller, a fellow rookie, for a 19-yard touchdown.
Benjamin, whose Carolina Panthers had a Week 12 bye, still ranks among the top two rookies in receptions (52), receiving yards (768) and receiving touchdowns (eight), but he has also had issues with drops.
Watkins has looked great at times for the Buffalo Bills, but his production has been very inconsistent. He has just 10 receptions for 94 yards in his past three games combined and had two passes go off his hands Monday night against the New York Jets.
Second-round picks Jarvis Landry and Jordan Matthews haven't been quite as flashy as the top four receivers, but each has also consistently impressed, especially in recent weeks.
Landry, who leads all rookies with 1,281 all-purpose yards, led the Miami Dolphins with seven receptions for 50 yards and two touchdowns against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Matthews caught six passes for 77 yards against the Tennessee Titans to lead the Philadelphia Eagles in receiving for a second consecutive week.
Brandin Cooks and Allen Robinson rank among the top seven rookies in receptions and receiving yards for the season, but both are shelved for the rest of the year due to injuries. John Brown, who has made some big plays and has five touchdowns, ranks ninth among all rookies in receptions and receiving yards.
Tight Ends
5 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Jace Amaro | TE | Jets | 2.17 | 1 |
| 2 | Austin Seferian-Jenkins | TE | Buccaneers | 2.6 | 2 |
| 3 | Richard Rodgers | TE | Packers | 3.34 | 3 |
| 4 | Eric Ebron | TE | Lions | 1.10 | 4 |
| 5 | Crockett Gillmore | TE | Ravens | 3.35 | 5 |
The tight end group continued in Week 12 to produce the most disappointing results of any position of rookies this season.
For the second time in three weeks, Jace Amaro was not targeted once as a receiver in the New York Jets' Monday loss to the Buffalo Bills. His only noteworthy moment of the game came when he was beaten by Bills defensive end Mario Williams for a sack. Even still, he leads all first-year tight ends in receptions (34) and receiving yards (291).
Only three rookie tight ends caught passes in Week 12.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins had two receptions for 16 yards but was forced out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' game early with a back injury. Eric Ebron had two catches for 23 yards, but he also dropped a pass and was targeted seven times. Richard Rodgers' only catch of Sunday's Green Bay Packers game was a one-yard touchdown, his first career score.
Offensive Tackles
6 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Ja'Wuan James | LT | Dolphins | 1.19 | 1 |
| 2 | Seantrel Henderson | RT | Bills | 7.22 | 3 |
| 3 | Taylor Lewan | LT | Titans | 1.11 | 2 |
| 4 | Justin Britt | RT | Seahawks | 2.32 | 4 |
| 5 | Jake Matthews | LT | Falcons | 1.6 | 5 |
Sunday was a rough day for the top left tackles in this year's rookie class.
In his second start at left tackle since moving from the right side of the Miami Dolphins offensive line, Ja'Wuan James played well early in the game against the Denver Broncos but was knocked out of the game in the first half by a stinger.
Taylor Lewan had played well in his first five starts at left tackle for the Tennessee Titans, but Sunday's contest against the Philadelphia Eagles did not go well for him. He allowed two sacks and two additional hurries and committed two penalties, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), all before he suffered a high ankle sprain that not only ended his day but will likely force him to miss more games going forward.
Right tackles Seantrel Henderson and Justin Britt have had their ups and downs all year, and neither was great in Week 12, but each allowed only one quarterback pressure in Week 12, according to PFF.
The best rookie offensive tackle in Week 12 was actually Jake Matthews, who has had a very disappointing year as the left tackle for the Atlanta Falcons but had a solid outing against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. He allowed four quarterback pressures but received a positive grade for his game as a whole from PFF.
Offensive Guards
7 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Joel Bitonio | LG | Browns | 2.3 | 1 |
| 2 | Zack Martin | RG | Cowboys | 1.16 | 2 |
| 3 | Jack Mewhort | LG | Colts | 2.27 | 4 |
| 4 | Brandon Linder | RG | Jaguars | 3.29 | 3 |
| 5 | Weston Richburg | LG | Giants | 2.11 | 5 |
| 6 | Gabe Jackson | LG | Raiders | 3.17 | 6 |
As discussed earlier in the slideshow, Joel Bitonio and Zack Martin have been among the best guards in the NFL. While it's unlikely either will win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, both belong in the Pro Bowl.
Jack Mewhort and Brandon Linder have not been as dominant as Bitonio and Martin, but each has provided solid play as a rookie starter. In a game between their two teams on Sunday, Mewhort outplayed Linder, allowing just one pressure and receiving a positive 0.8 grade from Pro Football Focus, while Linder allowed two pressures, committed a penalty and got a minus-2.3 grade from PFF.
The New York Giants benched Weston Richburg, who had played poorly in some recent games, in favor of Adam Snyder at left guard on Sunday night. Richburg ended up playing at the end of the game when Snyder left with an injury, but the team is evidently dissatisfied with his performance.
Oakland Raiders left guard Gabe Jackson played adequately in his team's first eight games, but he has been inactive for the last three with a knee injury.
As Richburg was removed from the starting lineup, the only rookie guard other than Bitonio and Martin to start all of his team's games this year is Kansas City Chiefs' sixth-round pick Zach Fulton. His overall PFF grade is among the 10 worst for NFL guards this year, but he has played better in some recent games and could work his way up the rankings if he plays well down the stretch.
Centers
8 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Corey Linsley | C | Packers | 5.21 | 1 |
| 2 | Russell Bodine | C | Bengals | 4.11 | 2 |
| 3 | Bryan Stork | C | Patriots | 4.5 | 3 |
| 4 | Luke Bowanko | C | Jaguars | 6.29 | 4 |
| 5 | Jonotthan Harrison | C | Colts | N/A | NR |
Quietly a key component in the Green Bay Packers' emerging as one of the NFL's best teams, Corey Linsley has been consistently very good this season. Among centers who have played 50 percent or more of their teams' snaps this year, Corey Linsley is ranked as the second-best overall by Pro Football Focus. He deserves Pro Bowl consideration.
Since having a bad game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football in Week 10, Russell Bodine has had two of his best games of the year the past two weeks. The fourth-round pick hasn't gotten positive credit for his play this year, but he has played every single offensive snap of the Cincinnati Bengals' season and has been graded positively by PFF for each of his past two contests.
Like the Packers with Linsley, the Patriots' rise to elite status this year has been in part because of the success of their rookie center, Bryan Stork. Seemingly getting better by the week, he graded out positively for his efforts against a tough, Ndamukong Suh-led Detroit Lions defensive line.
Among the other four rookies currently starting for their teams as centers, Luke Bowanko has been the steadiest and has played the most. Jonotthan Harrison has been a downgrade for the Indianapolis Colts since replacing A.Q. Shipley in the lineup at center, but he had a solid outing against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. He has more positive games under his belt than San Francisco 49ers rookie Marcus Martin or Atlanta Falcons starter James Stone.
Defensive Ends
9 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Zach Kerr | DE/NT | Colts | N/A | 1 |
| 2 | Timmy Jernigan | DE | Ravens | 2.16 | 2 |
| 3 | Dominique Easley | DE | Patriots | 1.29 | 3 |
| 4 | Mike Pennel | DE | Packers | N/A | NR |
| 5 | Ed Stinson | DE | Cardinals | 5.20 | 4 |
Zach Kerr has been a solid contributor off the bench for the Indianapolis Colts all season, but he was inactive for the first time this year Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has played well enough to earn continued playing time, but it's unclear if the Colts will have a spot for him in their rotation going forward now that fellow defensive lineman Arthur Jones has returned from an ankle injury.
Kerr holds the top spot despite being a healthy scratch because no other player classified as a defensive end has had consistent production this year. The rookie most likely to unseat Kerr going forward is Timmy Jernigan, who like Kerr has come off the bench and made impacts in spurts, although he missed four games with a knee injury.
Jernigan recorded no tackles on Monday night but had two quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
In a week that Dominique Easley and Ed Stinson were also inactive due to injury, there were very few significant contributions from the rookie defensive end crop. Green Bay Packers defensive end Mike Pennel worked his way back into the top five after recording two quarterback pressures in just four pass-rush snaps against the Minnesota Vikings, according to PFF.
Defensive Tackles
10 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Aaron Donald | DT | Rams | 1.13 | 1 |
| 2 | Justin Ellis | NT | Raiders | 4.8 | 2 |
| 3 | Ra'Shede Hageman | DT/DE | Falcons | 2.5 | 5 |
| 4 | Ego Ferguson | DT | Bears | 2.19 | 3 |
| 5 | Will Sutton | DT | Bears | 3.18 | 4 |
Aaron Donald recorded a sack for his second straight game, this time against San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, on Sunday to increase his sack total on the year to five. After notching two tackles for loss and four total tackles, Donald continued to show his exceptional quickness and skill with his hands to be a terror as both an interior pass-rusher and explosive run-stopper.
Donald is another rookie who should be under serious Pro Bowl consideration, and he is among the top candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Justin Ellis hasn't blown up plays in the backfield on a weekly basis like Donald has, but he's been a solid nose tackle in the middle of the Oakland Raiders defensive line. He didn't make much impact against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, however, as he recorded no tackles or quarterback pressures despite being in his the starting lineup, per PFF.
Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton had some promising play early in the year for the Chicago Bears, but neither of them has had much production in recent weeks. Each of them had just one tackle and made little impact against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
One interior defensive lineman whose play has been on the rise in recent weeks is Atlanta Falcons second-round pick Ra'Shede Hageman.
A raw player as he entered the league, Hageman has looked more comfortable in recent games and has started to create more disruption when he gets opportunities for playing time on the Falcons defense. He recorded two tackles in 17 snaps against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Linebackers
11 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Khalil Mack | OLB | Raiders | 1.5 | 1 |
| 2 | C.J. Mosley | ILB | Ravens | 1.17 | 3 |
| 3 | Anthony Barr | OLB | Vikings | 1.9 | 2 |
| 4 | Preston Brown | OLB | Bills | 3.9 | 4 |
| 5 | Avery Williamson | ILB | Titans | 5.11 | 6 |
| 6 | Aaron Lynch | OLB | 49ers | 5.10 | 5 |
| 7 | Chris Borland | ILB | 49ers | 3.13 | 7 |
| 8 | Telvin Smith | ILB | Jaguars | 5.4 | 8 |
| 9 | Christian Kirksey | ILB | Browns | 3.7 | 9 |
| 10 | Trent Murphy | OLB | Redskins | 2.15 | 10 |
Aside from a horribly ill-timed celebration with teammate Sio Moore following a sack by Moore—a gaffe that could have cost the Oakland Raiders their first win of the season—Khalil Mack's play continued to be outstanding on Thursday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Although his statistics were unremarkable (three tackles, one quarterback hit), Mack brought pressure off the edge and redirected runs on many occasions throughout the game. He was often matched up against 2013 No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher and was the dominant player in that battle.
Currently graded as the second-best 3-4 outside linebacker in the entire NFL by Pro Football Focus, Mack has emerged as the top candidate to be this year's Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Another top candidate, Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker C.J. Mosley, continued his productive year Monday night as he recorded nine tackles, with three tackles for loss including his first career sack, against the New Orleans Saints. He had some issues in pass coverage Monday, however, as he had seven receptions for 64 yards against him, according to PFF.
One who might have played himself out of the top group contending for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award is Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Anthony Barr. Ranked as the No. 1 overall player in our Rookie Rankings just two weeks ago, Barr has had eight missed tackles in the past two weeks alone, according to PFF, while he has not made his usual impact in either run or pass defense.
Beyond the top trio, many other rookie linebackers have been functioning as solid starters this year. The biggest standout at the position in Week 12 was Telvin Smith, who led the Jacksonville Jaguars with 13 total tackles, including two for losses, and recovered two fumbles.
The star of the group from the previous two weeks, San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Chris Borland, also continued to be productive Sunday, recording eight tackles with two for loss, though he also had three missed tackles, per PFF.
Borland's teammate Aaron Lynch recorded his fourth sack of the year but otherwise made little impact, as he played just 21 snaps against the Washington Redskins, while Ahmad Brooks and Aldon Smith took the majority of work as starters.
Cornerbacks
12 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | E.J. Gaines | CB | Rams | 6.12 | 1 |
| 2 | Kyle Fuller | CB | Bears | 1.14 | 2 |
| 3 | Bradley Roby | CB | Broncos | 1.31 | 3 |
| 4 | Jason Verrett | CB | Chargers | 1.25 | 4 |
| 5 | Bashaud Breeland | CB | Redskins | 4.2 | 5 |
| 6 | K'Waun Williams | CB | Browns | N/A | NR |
No rookie cornerback has played better on the outside than E.J. Gaines of the St. Louis Rams, but he's been asked to play primarily in the slot for team's past two games, and it has not worked out so well. After giving up seven receptions for 92 yards in Week 11, Gaines gave up catches all eight times he was targeted by the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, for a total of 56 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
Gaines has still made some plays of significance, including five tackles in Sunday's game, but he has allowed more receiving yards in each of his past two games than he had, according to PFF's numbers, in any other contests this year.
Kyle Fuller has also struggled significantly more in recent weeks than he had when he had been emerging as a star early in the year. That's been in part because he is playing through injuries; he suffered another to his knee that forced him out of Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Before the injury, Fuller recorded six tackles but was also beaten for three receptions and 36 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown by Mike Evans, according to PFF.
Cornerback is a tough position to succeed at as a rookie, and all the first-year players at the position have had their issues.
Bradley Roby has had some flashy plays but has also given up big plays frequently, including touchdown receptions he was beaten on in each of the Denver Broncos' past two games. Bashaud Breeland has also suffered some bad beats this year, but he had a strong performance against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. He recorded five tackles and a pass deflection while only allowing two receptions for 34 yards on four targets, per PFF.
Jason Verrett, who was the most impressive cornerback of the rookie crop in the games he was able to play, is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
The most surprisingly impressive rookie cornerback has been undrafted K'Waun Williams of the Cleveland Browns. He's played well for the most part as the team's slot cornerback this year; he has seen more playing time than first-round pick Justin Gilbert while making impact plays in both coverage and in the box as a run-stopper/blitzer.
Safeties
13 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Ha Ha Clinton-Dix | FS | Packers | 1.21 | 1 |
| 2 | Deone Bucannon | SS | Cardinals | 1.27 | 2 |
| 3 | Calvin Pryor | FS | Jets | 1.18 | 3 |
| 4 | Dezmen Southward | FS | Falcons | 3.4 | 5 |
| 5 | Terrence Brooks | FS | Ravens | 3.15 | 4 |
The top two safeties in the rookie class have steadily developed over the course of their debut seasons to become very solid starters for their team's secondaries.
Playing mostly in deep coverage, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has been consistent in that area while he's also made his fair share of tackles for the Green Bay Packers. He had nine tackles and a pass defensed while only allowing two receptions for 22 yards, according to Pro Football Focus, in his team's win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Deone Bucannon is playing more as a hybrid linebacker/safety than as a true defensive back in his rookie year, but he's been productive in that role, making plays as a run defender while quickly improving against the pass. He had six tackles, including his second sack in three weeks, against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Among the other rookie safeties, none have been consistently playing more than limited roles for their teams in recent weeks.
Calvin Pryor started seven games for the New York Jets this year at free safety, but he is now in a backup role behind Jaiquawn Jarrett. He recorded two tackles coming downhill against the Buffalo Bills on Monday.
While Pryor has trended down in recent weeks, one who is trending up is Atlanta Falcons third-round pick Dezmen Southward. Off the bench for 23 snaps in Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, according to PFF, Southward recorded his first career interception and did not allow any receptions against his coverage for a second consecutive game.
Specialists
14 of 14
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Team | Pick | LW |
| 1 | Cody Parkey | K | Eagles | N/A | 2 |
| 2 | Chandler Catanzaro | K | Cardinals | N/A | 1 |
| 3 | Cairo Santos | K | Chiefs | N/A | 3 |
| 4 | Pat O'Donnell | P | Bears | 6.15 | 4 |
Cody Parkey and Chandler Catanzaro both missed 49-yard field goals for their teams on Sunday, but while Catanzaro's only made field goal against the Seattle Seahawks was a chip shot from 23 yards out, Parkey made five of six attempts from varying distances against the Tennessee Titans.
Parkey—who has made five more field goals this season than Catanzaro, while each kicker has missed two attempts—has taken the top spot from Catanzaro in the rookie kicker rankings as a result.
In terms of consecutive makes, the hottest kicker in the rookie class of late has actually been Cairo Santos, who has hit his past 13 attempts in a row after starting the year 2-of-4.
Santos remains behind Parkey and Catanzaro, however, because the other two have made more longer kicks and have been very good on kickoffs for their teams. Santos, meanwhile, is graded by Pro Football Focus as being the worst on kickoffs so far this season in the NFL.
All three kickers, nonetheless, look to have long futures ahead of them in the NFL. The same might not be true for Chicago Bears punter Pat O'Donnell, who continued to battle inconsistency Sunday as he shanked two punts in the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Having had just two of his nine punts downed inside the 20-yard line Sunday, O'Donnell's net punting average of 36.4 yards ranks 30th in the NFL for the year, and he hasn't improved much over the course of the season.
Dan Hope is an NFL/NFL Draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
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