NFL Week 16 Rookie Rankings: Surveying Rookie Class Post-Week 15

There are at least three rookies on each side of the ball with legitimate arguments to win the Rookie of the Year awards this year, but clear favorites have emerged both offensively and defensively thanks to continued great play in Week 15.

Although the St. Louis Rams lost to the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football, Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald recorded a sack for a fifth consecutive game as he continued to build upon a sensational first season that has made him the most worthy candidate for this year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Unless the Associated Press breaks precedent and gives the Offensive Rookie of the Year award to an offensive lineman for the first time ever, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has become the clear favorite to take home the trophy. Despite missing the first four games of the Giants’ season, Beckham became the leading receiver among all rookies Sunday when he caught 12 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns against the Washington Redskins.

With that said, three offensive linemen and three defensive players, all of whom have played excellently from Week 1 through the season’s stretch run, rank ahead of Beckham in the Bleacher Report rookie rankings.

See who those players are in the following slides. Players are ranked for their cumulative production as rookies, taking into account how they have impacted their teams—both positively and negatively—since the beginning of the regular season.

Note: All players included in the Rookie Rankings were eligible for the 2014 NFL draft. First-year players who spent time on preseason rosters in previous years, such as Washington Redskins punter Tress Way, are not considered to be rookies.

Top 50 Overall

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Aaron Donald has been strengthening his case as the NFL's best rookie this year with each passing week. Ranked as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the league by Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Donald has been as disruptive against both the run and pass as any player in the league at his position. He had one sack, three total tackles and four total quarterback pressures on Thursday.

Joel Bitonio's Cleveland Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in a 30-0 rout, while Zack Martin's Dallas Cowboys scored a big win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football, but both guards had strong performances in Week 15. Bitonio continues to be ranked by PFF as the NFL's second-best guard this year after achieving a 2.4 grade on Sunday. Martin suffered a couple of bad beats against Eagles defensive lineman Fletcher Cox but otherwise played a good game.

C.J. Mosley had another productive week, as he recorded seven total tackles and a sack in the Baltimore Ravens' 20-12 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Khalil Mack didn't make much impact as a pass-rusher in the Oakland Raiders' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but he did finish with six total tackles (including one for loss) and a pass deflection.

The Green Bay Packers suffered a surprising loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, but it was no fault of center Corey Linsley. The rookie more than held his own against two of the NFL's best defensive tackles, Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams. He received a strong grade of 3.0 from PFF for his efforts.

The top 50 is full of rookies who have made strong first-year impressions for their teams, but the top six have all done so with excellent consistency.

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Aaron Donald	DT	Rams	1.13	1	Same
2	Joel Bitonio	LG	Browns	2.3	2	Same
3	Zack Martin	RG	Cowboys	1.16	3	Same
4	C.J. Mosley	ILB	Ravens	1.17	4	Same
5	Khalil Mack	OLB	Raiders	1.5	5	Same
6	Corey Linsley	C	Packers	5.21	6	Same
7	Odell Beckham Jr.	WR	Giants	1.12	9	Up
8	Anthony Barr	OLB	Vikings	1.9	7	Down
9	Mike Evans	WR	Buccaneers	1.7	8	Down
10	Kelvin Benjamin	WR	Panthers	1.28	13	Up
11	Ha Ha Clinton-Dix	FS	Packers	1.21	10	Down
12	Jeremy Hill	RB	Bengals	2.23	16	Up
13	E.J. Gaines	CB	Rams	6.12	11	Down
14	Deone Bucannon	SS	Cardinals	1.27	12	Down
15	Cody Parkey	K	Eagles	N/A	15	Same
16	Chris Borland	ILB	49ers	3.13	19	Up
17	Preston Brown	OLB	Bills	3.9	17	Same
18	Brandon Linder	RG	Jaguars	3.29	21	Up
19	Jarvis Landry	WR	Dolphins	2.31	18	Down
20	Ja'Wuan James	LT	Dolphins	1.19	14	Down
21	Avery Williamson	ILB	Titans	5.11	22	Up
22	Sammy Watkins	WR	Bills	1.4	20	Down
23	Aaron Lynch	OLB	49ers	5.10	23	Same
24	Teddy Bridgewater	QB	Vikings	1.32	28	Up
25	Bradley Roby	CB	Broncos	1.31	25	Same
26	Seantrel Henderson	RT	Bills	7.22	30	Up
27	Justin Ellis	NT	Raiders	4.7	32	Up
28	Chandler Catanzaro	K	Cardinals	N/A	39	Up
29	Kyle Fuller	CB	Bears	1.14	26	Down
30	Telvin Smith	OLB	Jaguars	5.4	27	Down
31	Jack Mewhort	LG	Colts	2.27	29	Down
32	Jordan Matthews	WR	Eagles	2.10	24	Down
33	Christian Kirksey	ILB	Browns	3.7	34	Up
34	Derek Carr	QB	Raiders	2.4	31	Down
35	Bryan Stork	C	Patriots	4.5	42	Up
36	Russell Bodine	C	Bengals	4.11	33	Down
37	Devon Kennard	OLB	Giants	5.34	50	Up
38	Bashaud Breeland	CB	Redskins	4.2	37	Down
39	Phillip Gaines	CB	Chiefs	3.23	36	Down
40	Allen Hurns	WR	Jaguars	N/A	44	Up
41	Blake Bortles	QB	Jaguars	1.3	38	Down
42	Gabe Jackson	LG	Raiders	3.17	49	Up
43	Weston Richburg	LG	Giants	2.11	48	Up
44	Anthony Hitchens	OLB	Cowboys	4.19	NR	Up
45	Trent Murphy	OLB	Redskins	2.15	45	Same
46	Cairo Santos	K	Chiefs	N/A	35	Down
47	John Brown	WR	Cardinals	3.27	40	Down
48	Brandin Cooks	WR	Saints	1.20	41	Down
49	Tre Mason	RB	Rams	3.11	43	Down
50	Timmy Jernigan	DE	Ravens	2.16	NR	Up

Players who dropped out from last week's top 50 are Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant (No. 46) and Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Allen Robinson (No. 47).

Quarterbacks

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Quarterback Rankings

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	Johnny Manziel	QB	Browns	1.22	5

All four rookie quarterbacks that started games Sunday finished on the losing end with their teams, but Minnesota Vikings first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater continued to be the highest-performing member of the group.

He completed 31 of 41 passing attempts against the Detroit Lions on Sunday for 315 yards and one touchdown. For the most part, he played well. However, two interceptions thrown on back-to-back series each led to points for the Lions, which played a big part in the Vikings' 16-14 loss.

Derek Carr attempted 56 passes against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but he completed just 27 of them. He finished the game with only 222 passing yards for an average of four yards per attempt. Carr is in a tough spot, playing on an Oakland Raiders offense that features little talent around him, but this was a step back for the rookie quarterback after he played a great game in beating the San Francisco 49ers in Week 14.

Blake Bortles completed 21 of 37 passing attempts for 210 yards while being intercepted once, sacked eight times and suffering a foot injury, in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The Jacksonville Jaguars expect him to play Thursday, according to John Oehser of Jaguars.com, but potentially being less than 100 percent is not going to help Bortles find the groove he's been missing.

Perhaps the most anticipated game of the entire week was the Cleveland Browns' battle with the cross-state rival Cincinnati Bengals, only because it was the debut start for enigmatic rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel. It didn't go well: He completed just 10 of 18 passing attempts for 80 yards, while he was intercepted twice, which made it clear the dynamic dual-threat QB is still a project with a long way to go in his development.

Running Backs

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Running Back Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Jeremy Hill	RB	Bengals	2.23	1
2	Tre Mason	RB	Rams	3.11	2
3	Isaiah Crowell	RB	Browns	N/A	3
4	Jerick McKinnon	RB	Vikings	3.32	4
5	Branden Oliver	RB	Chargers	N/A	NR

 

Jeremy Hill all but locked up the rookie rushing title on Sunday, as he ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries in the Cincinnati Bengals' 30-0 win over the Cleveland Browns. No other rookie running back had more than 55 rushing yards or scored a rushing touchdown in Week 15.

Hill is up to 877 rushing yards for the year—216 more than Tre Mason, who has the second-most among rookies—on 177 attempts, while he is now tied with Isaiah Crowell for the lead among first-year players with eight rushing touchdowns.

Sunday wasn't all good for Hill—he put the ball on the ground with two fumbles, which has been an issue for him this season—but he's clearly established himself as Cincinnati's lead back, even with Giovani Bernard healthy. Hill could be among the league's toughest to stop for years to come.

The second-most rushing yards among rookies this week came from Carlos Hyde, who was drafted just two picks after Hill but only has 333 rushing yards on the year. Hyde's 55 yards Sunday came before he suffered an ankle and back injury on a third-quarter tackle, according to Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.

Mason had a quiet performance against the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night, gaining just 33 yards on 13 carries while also losing a fumble. Crowell had only 17 rushing yards on five carries and two receptions for 10 yards.

Wide Receivers

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Wide Receiver Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Odell Beckham Jr.	WR	Giants	1.12	2
2	Mike Evans	WR	Buccaneers	1.7	1
3	Kelvin Benjamin	WR	Panthers	1.28	3
4	Jarvis Landry	WR	Dolphins	2.31	4
5	Sammy Watkins	WR	Bills	1.4	5
6	Jordan Matthews	WR	Eagles	2.10	6
7	Allen Hurns	WR	Jaguars	N/A	9
8	John Brown	WR	Cardinals	3.27	7
9	Brandin Cooks	WR	Saints	1.20	8
10	Martavis Bryant	WR	Steelers	4.18	10

 

If the overall rookie rankings were based only upon the second half of the season, Odell Beckham Jr. would be No. 1. Fourth in the entire NFL in receiving yards per game, Beckham has been on an incredible run as of late, as he has now extended his rookie record to seven consecutive games with at least 90 receiving yards.

Beckham had one gaffe Sunday when he muffed a punt near the end of the game, but that came at a point when the Giants had already secured a win over the Washington Redskins. The 24-13 victory came about as a direct result of Beckham's three touchdown catches.

Mike Evans had an impressive, spinning grab while tightly covered by Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman for an eight-yard touchdown Sunday, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver only recorded one other catch, for just five yards, in his team's loss.

Another rookie receiver, Kelvin Benjamin, played a big role in the Panthers' win. He caught eight passes for 104 yards, his third-best performance of the season, despite playing with backup quarterback Derek Anderson while starter Cam Newton was sidelined with a back injury.

Jarvis Landry continued to rack up receptions Sunday—with eight catches for 99 yards, he is tied with Beckham for the most catches among rookies at 71. He fumbled at the end of one reception, however, marking the fifth time this year that Landry has put the ball on the ground on either a catch or on a kickoff/punt return.

Beyond the top four, the most notable receiving performance among rookies in Week 15 was that of Allen Hurns, who caught six passes for 70 yards in the Jacksonville Jaguars' loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Sammy Watkins, who has had four games with 100-plus receiving yards but also had nine games with 35 yards or less, was flagged for more penalties (two) than he had receptions (one) against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Jordan Matthews, one week removed from catching just two passes for 23 yards against the Seattle Seahawks, let a ball go right through his hands for a drop on his only target of Sunday's Philadelphia Eagles loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Tight Ends

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Tight End Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Jace Amaro	TE	Jets	2.17	1
2	Austin Seferian-Jenkins	TE	Buccaneers	2.6	2
3	Eric Ebron	TE	Lions	1.10	3
4	Crockett Gillmore	TE	Ravens	3.35	5
5	Richard Rodgers	TE	Packers	3.34	4

 

After missing two games with a concussion, Jace Amaro returned to catch his first pass in more than a month, for a 20-yard gain, in the New York Jets' win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. The second-round pick has been essentially a non-factor in the Jets offense in the second half of the season, but he still leads all rookie tight ends with 35 receptions and 311 receiving yards.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who ranks second among rookie tight ends in receiving yards and has perhaps been the best blocker among the group, was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

Eric Ebron has caught passes in five consecutive games—which is significant for a rookie tight end considering this group's lack of production—but he has yet to emerge as a dynamic weapon for the Detroit Lions. He had just one reception for 11 yards against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Crockett Gillmore, who has also had more success blocking than Amaro and Ebron, led the rookie tight end crop with two receptions for 37 yards in Week 15, but he also had a dropped pass.

Richard Rodgers has shown downfield playmaking ability at times for the Green Bay Packers this year. However, he has not caught a pass in either of the past two games. 

Offensive Tackles

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Offensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Ja'Wuan James	LT	Dolphins	1.19	1
2	Seantrel Henderson	RT	Bills	7.22	2
3	Jake Matthews	LT	Falcons	1.6	3
4	Taylor Lewan	LT	Titans	1.11	4
5	Greg Robinson	LT	Rams	1.2	NR

 

Ja'Wuan James has been the most consistent rookie offensive tackle who has played the entire season, but he has had considerable struggles since making the switch to left tackle from right tackle. Against a tough matchup, as Chandler Jones returned to action for the New England Patriots on Sunday, James had his worst game of the year in pass protection. He was beaten for two sacks and 11 total quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Two offensive tackles who have significantly raised their games in the past few weeks have been Buffalo Bills right tackle Seantrel Henderson and Atlanta Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews. While both players struggled through the first half of the year, especially in pass protection, each has made clear strides and provided much better blocking in recent games.

Another rookie whose game has been coming along nicely in recent weeks has been No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson. Like Matthews earlier in the year and James now, Robinson had significant issues in his first few starts at left tackle, especially in pass protection, but the St. Louis Rams lineman has been playing increasingly better by the week.

Out of the top five this week is Seattle Seahawks right tackle Justin Britt, who has started every game for the Seahawks this year but has failed to make significant strides in improving his pass blocking, which continues to be a problem.

Offensive Guards

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Offensive Guard Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Joel Bitonio	LG	Browns	2.3	1
2	Zack Martin	RG	Cowboys	1.16	2
3	Brandon Linder	RG	Jaguars	3.29	3
4	Jack Mewhort	LG	Colts	2.27	4
5	Gabe Jackson	LG	Raiders	3.17	6
6	Weston Richburg	LG	Giants	2.11	5

 

Much like the aforementioned Joel Bitonio and Zack Martin, Brandon Linder continued to provide solid play up front for the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15, as he has all year. On Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, he allowed just one quarterback hurry for the game, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). 

Jack Mewhort, on the other hand, had one of his worst games of the season. He was beaten for six total quarterback pressures, according to PFF, against the Houston Texans on Sunday. At times, Mewhort had the unenviable task of lining up against Texans superstar defensive end J.J. Watt, so it's unsurprising that he was overmatched on some plays.

Gabe Jackson and Weston Richburg each had performances Sunday that further reaffirmed their statuses as their teams' best options at left guard. Jackson received a positive grade of 2.5 from PFF for a game in which he run-blocked well and allowed just two quarterback pressures against the Kansas City Chiefs. Richburg received a slightly negative grade of minus-0.9 but allowed just one quarterback pressure while he was flagged for one holding penalty.

Another guard who has started all year and made a push to be ranked in the top 50 this week was Chiefs right guard Zach Fulton, who had his best game to date and did not allow any quarterback pressures, per PFF, against the Oakland Raiders.

Centers

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Center Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Corey Linsley	C	Packers	5.21	1
2	Bryan Stork	C	Patriots	4.5	3
3	Russell Bodine	C	Bengals	4.11	2
4	Luke Bowanko	C	Jaguars	6.29	4
5	Chris Watt	C	Chargers	3.25	NR

No other rookie center has played nearly as well over the course of the year as Corey Linsley has, but Bryan Stork has made a big impact in the middle of the New England Patriots offensive line.

It wasn't until Stork took over as the starting center in Week 4 that the Patriots found a front five that clicked, and he is coming off one of his best games of the year. He received a 1.8 grade from Pro Football Focus while allowing no quarterback pressures in his team's win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Russell Bodine has started every game at center for the Cincinnati Bengals this year, while Luke Bowanko has started 12 in a row for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they currently rank just 21st (Bowanko) and 22nd (Bodine) among the 28 centers who have played 50 percent or more of their teams' snaps this year, according to PFF.

A newcomer to the rankings this week is Chris Watt, who started the San Diego Chargers' past four games at center and did not allow any quarterback pressures against the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Defensive Ends

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Defensive End Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	Timmy Jernigan	DE	Ravens	2.16	1
2	Zach Kerr	DE/NT	Colts	N/A	2
3	Dominique Easley	DE	Patriots	1.29	3
4	Kony Ealy	DE	Panthers	2.28	4
5	Stephon Tuitt	DE	Steelers	2.14	5

Timmy Jernigan received his first career start for the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, and the second-round pick took advantage of the opportunity by recording two sacks, five total quarterback hits and four total tackles against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jernigan has been highly disruptive for the Ravens in a rotational capacity this season, especially in recent weeks. While he's only a starter now because Haloti Ngata is suspended, his play has suggested that he should continue to be in the lineup going forward.

In his first time active in four weeks, Zach Kerr showed what he had earlier in the year—that he can make plays and be a versatile defensive lineman coming off the bench for the Indianapolis Colts—as the undrafted rookie for Delaware recorded two tackles against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Dominique Easley has shown flashes of why he was a first-round pick at times this year, but he's been battling knee issues all season and has barely played in recent weeks; he was inactive Sunday.

Kony Ealy has only had moderate success as a situational pass-rusher this year, but the Carolina Panthers second-rounder recorded his second sack of the year Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Another second-round pick, Stephon Tuitt, got his second consecutive start for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday; he recorded three total tackles and one quarterback hurry.

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

 

As mentioned before, Aaron Donald has been so effective as an interior penetrator that he has arguably been the NFL's best defensive tackle. He deserves to not only be the Defensive Rookie of the Year but also a Pro Bowler.

The only other rookie defensive tackle who has made a consistent impact has been Oakland Raiders nose tackle Justin Ellis. For the second consecutive week, he recorded three tackles against the run—unusual production for him as a player who typically occupies blockers to free up other defenders rather than making the plays himself—in the Oakland Raiders' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Will Sutton, Ego Ferguson and Shamar Stephen have all been regular rotational pieces in the interior defensive line, but they've been pushed around as much as they've actually made plays.

Sutton and Ferguson, who typically play relatively equal snaps off the Chicago Bears bench, each recorded one tackle Sunday. Stephen, who had been coming off his best game of the year as he recorded three tackles in Week 14, had no tackles in a disappointing effort against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

On a per-snap basis, Ra'Shede Hageman of the Atlanta Falcons has been more productive than Sutton, Ferguson and Stephen have been, but he has only seen more than 20 defensive plays in one game this season.

Linebackers

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Linebacker Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	C.J. Mosley	ILB	Ravens	1.17	1
2	Khalil Mack	OLB	Raiders	1.5	2
3	Anthony Barr	OLB	Vikings	1.9	3
4	Chris Borland	ILB	49ers	3.13	5
5	Preston Brown	OLB	Bills	3.9	4
6	Avery Williamson	ILB	Titans	5.11	6
7	Aaron Lynch	OLB	49ers	5.10	7
8	Telvin Smith	ILB	Jaguars	5.4	8
9	Christian Kirksey	ILB	Browns	3.7	9
10	Devon Kennard	OLB	Giants	5.34	NR

While C.J. Mosley and Khalil Mack have not been as spectacular as Aaron Donald, either one of them could end up winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award still, especially if one of them finishes strong in the final two weeks. The Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker and Oakland Raiders outside linebacker have been productive week in and week out.

Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Anthony Barr was in the Defensive Rookie of the Year race, but he too needs a strong finish to the season. Having missed the Vikings' past two games with a knee injury, he's likely out of the running for the annual award.

A player who would have been in the running for the award all along, had he received significant playing time in the first half of the season, is San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Chris Borland.

A tackling machine for the 49ers since becoming a starter in Week 7, Borland continued to impress in Week 15 against the Seattle Seahawks, as he recorded six tackles in just 35 snaps. An ankle injury, however, forced the rookie linebacker out of Sunday's game early; 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Tuesday that "it would be a stretch" for Borland to play again this year, according to Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee.

Another rookie linebacker who has had a Borland-esque rise to prominence since becoming a starter is Devon Kennard of the New York Giants. He has recorded 4.5 sacks in the past three weeks. In Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins, he had two tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a batted pass and seven total tackles.

Had Kennard played significant minutes prior to Week 11, when he entered the Giants' starting lineup, he'd likely be higher in these rankings. He's made as much impact as any rookie linebacker in the past three weeks. 

Another NFC East rookie who didn't crack the top 10 this week but did move up into the top 50 is Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens. A nine-game starter for Dallas this year, he had five tackles in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

Cornerbacks

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Cornerback Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW
1	E.J. Gaines	CB	Rams	6.12	1
2	Bradley Roby	CB	Broncos	1.31	3
3	Kyle Fuller	CB	Bears	1.14	3
4	Bashaud Breeland	CB	Redskins	4.2	5
5	Phillip Gaines	CB	Chiefs	3.23	4

 

E.J. Gaines was used primarily in the slot on Thursday night in the St. Louis Rams' loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He's made a bigger impact when he's played outside, but he recorded seven tackles while allowing five receptions for 18 yards, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), in Week 15.

Bradley Roby, who has been playing in the slot all year for the Denver Broncos, had four tackles and gave up four catches for 31 yards on five targets against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. He was also flagged for two penalties—once for illegal contact and once for defensive holding.

Kyle Fuller, who was viewed by many as a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate early in the season, has had some tough matchups in recent weeks and been badly overmatched. On Monday Night Football, as the Chicago Bears got embarrassed by the New Orleans Saints, Fuller was targeted eight times and allowed seven catches for 110 yards, including three receptions for 56 yards to Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, per PFF.

Facing off against Odell Beckham Jr. on Sunday, Bashaud Breeland had an up-and-down game in the Washington Redskins' loss to the New York Giants. He recorded three passes defensed, and though he allowed five receptions for 56 yards on 10 total targets, he held his own against Beckham better than teammates David Amerson and E.J. Biggers did.

That said, Breeland was also flagged for a whopping five penalties, including one for a post-play personal foul and one for taunting (on a play that he had already been flagged for defensive holding).

Phillip Gaines, another rookie cornerback who has been starting on a regular basis, was unable to suit up for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday due to a concussion.

Safeties

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Safety Rankings

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	SS	Jets	1.18	3
4	Tre Boston	FS	Panthers	4.28	4
5	Pierre Warren	FS	Saints	N/A	NR

 

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix played an active role, as he lined up in the box more than usual, with a team-leading 13 tackles for the Green Bay Packers in their loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. He also had multiple missed tackles, so it was not his best performance, but it was nonetheless another example of the rookie being a crucial factor in the secondary.

Deone Bucannon had six tackles, including one for loss, and allowed three receptions for 21 yards in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), in 48 snaps played in the Arizona Cardinals' win over the St. Louis Rams on Thursday night.

Calvin Pryor started his second consecutive game for the New York Jets at strong safety; the role fits his skill set better than the center field free safety role the rookie was placed into for the first half of the year. He hasn't had as much coverage responsibility but has had more opportunities to make plays closer to the line of scrimmage. He had five tackles and a quarterback pressure against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Tre Boston started his second consecutive game for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The safety led his team with six total tackles and was not charged by PFF with allowing any receptions.

Pierre Warren, who has started the New Orleans Saints' last four games at free safety, had a breakout performance on Monday Night Football, as he intercepted Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler twice in the Saints' 31-15 victory. The undrafted rookie from Jacksonville State has played the most snaps of any Saints safety in their past two games, even though he was just added back to the roster in November.

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	Cairo Santos	K	Chiefs	N/A	2
4	Pat O'Donnell	P	Bears	6.15	4

Cody Parkey continued to be as reliable as any kicker in the NFL, as he made field goals from 47 and 43 yards out for the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. With 29 makes on 31 field-goal attempts this year, Parkey ranks fourth in the NFL with a field-goal percentage of 93.5.

One week after going just 3-of-5 against the Kansas City Chiefs, with two misses from inside 36 yards, Chandler Catanzaro shattered his slump against the St. Louis Rams on Thursday night. The Arizona Cardinals kicker made field goals from 23, 44, 51 and 46 yards out—without any misses—to improve his field-goal percentage for the year to 86.7 (26-of-30). He provided all 12 of the Cardinals' points in their win.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Chiefs kicker Cairo Santos' streak of consecutive field goals made came to an end at 14 when he missed a 44-yard attempt against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. He went just 1-of-3 in Sunday's game, as he made a 41-yard kick but later missed from 47 yards out.

Although the Chicago Bears had a horrible night overall on Monday, rookie punter Pat O'Donnell had a great performance. He averaged 49.8 yards per punt, with three of his six punts downed inside the 20-yard line, and finished the game with a net punting average of 46.3—his best mark of the season.

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

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