NFL Week 17 Rookie Rankings: Surveying Rookie Class, Post-Week 16

We have just one game remaining in the 2015 NFL regular season. Our rookie rankings look dramatically different than what we started with. The last half of the year has opened doors for more first-year players to see the field and flash their talent.

Whether due to injuries or beating out their peers, the 2015 rookie class has taken advantage of whatever playing time they’ve earned. We have several deep positions throughout our rankings. Our top-50 board is filled with quality rookies, and that still doesn’t cover all the players who have had impressive moments throughout the year.

The outlook is bright for this rookie class. Let’s take a look at the top players at each position from Week 1 through Week 16. Make sure you leave your thoughts and rankings in the comments section below.

Top 50 Overall

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Week 16 was not an overly productive week for the offensive rookies. We saw breakout performances from Cardinals’ running back David Johnson and Dolphins’ receiver DeVante Parker, and solid days from Todd Gurley and Jeremy Langford. Several offensive linemen showed some progress as well, which was much-needed for their outlook.

The defensive rookies continue to star, though. This class looks like a defense-heavy group that will push out several major contributors. Thirteen of our top 20 are defensive players, and the case can be made that more deserve to be there.

By encompassing a mixture of statistics, production per snaps and what I’ve seen on the field, below are the 2015 class' 50 best rookies to this point. Injured rookies may move around a little bit based on what their healthy counterparts have been doing in the meantime. Check out the changes to our top 50 below.

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Jameis Winston	QB	Buccaneers	1.1	1	Same
2	Marcus Mariota	QB	Titans	1.2	2	Same
3	Marcus Peters	CB	Chiefs	1.18	3	Same
4	Leonard Williams	DE	Jets	1.6	4	Same
5	Todd Gurley	RB	Rams	1.10	6	Up
6	Amari Cooper	WR	Raiders	1.4	5	Down
7	Mario Edwards Jr.	DE	Raiders	2.3	7	Same
8	Vic Beasley	DE	Falcons	1.8	9	Up
9	Dorial Green-Beckham	WR	Titans	2.8	8	Down
10	Ronald Darby	CB	Bills	2.18	10	Same
11	Jordan Hicks	LB	Eagles	3.20	11	Same
12	Eddie Goldman	DT	Bears	2.7	12	Same
13	Thomas Rawls	RB	Seahawks	UDFA	13	Same
14	Damarious Randall	CB	Packers	1.30	14	Same
15	Arik Armstead	DE	49ers	1.17	15	Same
16	Eric Kendricks	LB	Vikings	2.23	16	Same
17	Tyler Lockett	WR	Seahawks	3.5	17	Same
18	David Johnson	RB	Cardinals	3.22	N/A	Up
19	Kevin Johnson	CB	Texans	1.16	19	Same
20	Ali Marpet	OG	Buccaneers	2.29	23	Same
21	Mitch Morse	OC	Chiefs	2.17	21	Same
22	Quandre Diggs	CB	Lions	6.24	N/A	Same
23	Markus Golden	LB	Cardinals	2.26	18	Down
24	Brandon Scherff	OG	Redskins	1.5	24	Same
25	Adrian Amos	SAF	Bears	5.6	25	Same
26	La'el Collins	OG	Cowboys	UDFA	20	Down
27	Shaq Thompson	LB	Panthers	1.25	35	Up
28	Malcom Brown	DT	Patriots	1.32	28	Same
29	Denzel Perryman	LB	Chargers	2.16	29	Same
30	T.J. Yeldon	RB	Jaguars	2.4	30	Same
31	Quinten Rollins	CB	Packers	2.30	31	Same
32	Byron Jones	SAF	Cowboys	1.27	26	Down
33	Rob Havenstein	OT	Rams	2.25	33	Same
34	Danielle Hunter	DE	Vikings	3.24	34	Same
35	Preston Smith	LB	Redskins	2.4	N/A	Up
36	Benardrick McKinney	LB	Texans	2.11	27	Down
37	Stephone Anthony	LB	Saints	1.30	37	Same
38	Henry Anderson	DE	Colts	2.11	38	Same
39	DeVante Parker	WR	Dolphins	1.14	39	Same
40	Frank Clark	DE	Seahawks	2.31	40	Same
41	Stefon Diggs	WR	Vikings	5.10	41	Same
42	Kwon Alexander	LB	Buccaneers	4.25	42	Same
43	Clive Walford	TE	Raiders	3.4	43	Same
44	Devin Funchess	WR	Panthers	2.9	44	Same
45	Jamison Crowder	WR	Redskins	6.4	45	Same
46	Rodney Gunter	DT	Cardinals	4.17	N/A	Up
47	Landon Collins	SAF	Giants	2.14	50	Up
48	Ameer Abdullah	RB	Lions	2.22	48	Same
49	Will Tye	TE	Giants	UDFA	49	Same
50	Anthony Harris	SAF	Giants	2.14	35	Down

Quarterbacks

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Only one quarterback played in Week 16, and that was Jameis Winston. Winston had an up-and-down performance, completing just 15 of his 29 attempts. He did have two touchdowns and an interception and an impressive 10.2 yards per passing attempts. That’s enough to keep him as the top quarterback on our rankings.

Titans’ quarterback Marcus Mariota missed Week 16 after being limited with a knee injury. The Titans should probably play it safe and keep him out for the season finale as well, since they have nothing to gain by playing Mariota. Plus, another loss will ensure they earn the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL draft.

Quarterback Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Jameis Winston	QB	Buccaneers	1.1	1	Same
2	Marcus Mariota	QB	Titans	1.2	2	Same
3	Brett Hundley	QB	Packers	5.11	3	Same
4	Garrett Grayson	QB	Saints	3.11	4	Same
5	Bryce Petty	QB	Jets	4.4	5	Same

Running Backs

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

In terms of per-snap production, the rookie running backs had one of their best weeks of any. Of the seven rookie running backs who received at least eight carries, six averaged at least 4.3 yards per carry. Cleveland’s Duke Johnson had a long of 11 yards, but his 3.3 yards per carry was the lowest of any rookie back.

Todd Gurley continues remain atop our rookie running back rankings. He’s one of just three running backs over 1,000 rushing yards on the season. That’s a special feat, especially when considering he’s done it in just 13 games.

Cardinals rookie David Johnson is a marvelous player because of his unique skill set. He’s a better receiver than running back, and the Cardinals have done well to maximize his strengths. His 423 receiving yards is second among rookie backs and leads the rookies with four touchdowns.

Running Back Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Todd Gurley	RB	Rams	1.10	1	Same
2	Thomas Rawls	RB	Seahawks	UDFA	2	Same
3	David Johnson	RB	Cardinals	3.22	3	Same
4	T.J. Yeldon	RB	Jaguars	2.4	4	Same
5	Ameer Abdullah	RB	Lions	2.22	5	Same

Wide Receivers

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

After a couple of hot weeks for the rookie receivers, injuries have greatly slowed this group, whether it be injuries to the player or their quarterback. Our two top receivers, Amari Cooper and Dorial Green-Beckham, barely produced last week. While Cooper is dealing with a foot injury, Green-Beckham is clearly not on the same page with Titans backup quarterback Zach Mettenberger.

Green-Beckham had zero catches on his two targets, which is kind of shocking. It’s the first game with less than four targets since Week 10 against Carolina. Tennessee should go back to featuring the massive rookie to help his development.

Parker’s 93 yards on four receptions highlighted his peaks and valleys. He’s a bad route-runner right now, but his physical gifts are good enough to trump his flaws. He might end up being the most improved receiver from this class in 2016 if he can work on the nuances of the position this offseason.

Wide Receiver Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Amari Cooper	WR	Raiders	1.4	1	Same
2	Dorial Green-Beckham	WR	Titans	2.8	2	Same
3	Tyler Lockett	WR	Seahawks	3.5	3	Same
4	DeVante Parker	WR	Dolphins	1.14	4	Same
5	Stefon Diggs	WR	Vikings	5.10	5	Same

Tight Ends

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

Tyler Eifert's absence for the Bengals has allowed rookie Tyler Kroft to step into the spotlight. Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron clearly has some chemistry with the former Rutgers player, as they connected four times to total 46 yards. Those aren’t groundbreaking numbers, but a sign that his increased role in the offense is justified regardless of injury.

Other than Kroft, the rookie tight ends went back to being a quiet bunch. The only other tight end with more than two catches in Week 16 was Will Tye. He had a paltry 28 yards on three catches. With that, the only movement comes via Kroft ascending.

Tight End Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Clive Walford	TE	Raiders	3.4	1	Same
2	Will Tye	TE	Giants	UDFA	2	Same
3	Maxx Williams	TE	Ravens	2.23	3	Same
4	Tyler Kroft	TE	Bengals	3.21	5	Up
5	Nick Boyle	TE	Ravens	5.35	4	Down

Offensive Tackles

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The rookie offensive tackles have certainly struggled this year. Even just working with small sample sizes, two of our top five tackles have less than 220 snaps in 2015. That includes one injured tackle, Ty Sambrailo, and a newcomer to the list—Andrus Peat.

The general bar for offensive tackle play across the league is very low. Injuries and the difference in athleticism between blockers and defenders have created a large void of quality talent at the position. Then factor that every team needs at least two playable tackles and it’s fair to say that offensive line play has the most to improve.

That leaves us with really just one rookie tackle playing at an acceptable level. Rob Havenstein for St. Louis isn’t aesthetically pleasing to watch, but he has been getting the job done. According to Pro Football Focus, he hasn’t allowed a sack all season long.

Offensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Rob Havenstein	OT	Rams	2.25	1	Same
2	Donovan Smith	OT	Buccaneers	2.2	5	Up
3	Ty Sambrailo	OT	Broncos	2.27	3	Same
4	T.J. Clemmings	OT	Vikings	4.11	4	Same
5	Andrus Peat	OT	Saints	1.13	N/A	Up

Offensive Guards

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

There’s really not much of a comparison between the rookie tackles and the guards. While the tackles have been bad as a group, we have a deeper crop of guards to choose from for our top five. Another quality player has emerged in recent weeks—Cody Wichmann.

Wichmann was a sixth-round pick for the Rams, and he’s stepped in without missing a beat. He ascends to fifth on our ranking after a strong week against a top defensive front from Seattle.

The rest of our list stands pat for the time being. Ali Marpet and Brandon Scherff have certainly put impressive film out during the last stretch of the season. Their respective teams should be quite happy with their return on investment.

Offensive Guard Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Ali Marpet	G	Buccaneers	2.29	1	Same
2	La'el Collins	G	Cowboys	UDFA	2	Same
3	Brandon Scherff	G	Redskins	1.5	3	Same
4	A.J. Cann	G	Jaguars	3.3	4	Same
5	Cody Wichmann	G	Rams	6.39	N/A	Up

Centers

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

We saw some progress from the rookie centers last week that played. Neither Hroniss Grasu, Mitch Morse nor Jamil Douglas allowed a sack. Patriots’ center David Andrews and Titans’ center Andy Gallik did not play. Andrews drops since his playing time has been inconsistent.

Douglas never played center prior to the last four games, but he has been horrible. He may have cost the Dolphins a win by snapping the ball too early on the final play of the game, leading to a sack. Miami shouldn’t be using him at a spot where he is so clearly unprepared to play.

Center Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Mitch Morse	OC	Chiefs	2.17	1	Same
2	Hroniss Grasu	OC	Bears	3.7	3	Up
3	David Andrews	OC	Patriots	UDFA	2	Down
4	Andy Gallik	OC	Titans	6.32	4	Same
5	Jamil Douglas	OC	Dolphins	4.15	5	Same

Defensive Ends

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The rookie defensive ends continue to be a strong and deep group. Not only is our top-five still playing well, but others are also emerging. This week, it’s Colts rookie defensive end T.Y. McGill who logged an unexpected two sacks.

When there are random players popping up to be productive, it speaks to the quality of the class that a player like McGill went undrafted. McGill doesn’t crack our top five because of his competition, but he is a great example of why this class could be great.

Falcons defensive end Vic Beasley moves back into second with his play against the Panthers. He directly altered several passes from Cam Newton, and the Falcons won in large part due to his disruption. He’s ending the year on a very high note after suffering from a slower spell midseason.

Defensive End Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Leonard Williams	DE	Jets	1.6	1	Same
2	Vic Beasley	DE	Falcons	1.8	3	Up
3	Mario Edwards Jr.	DE	Raiders	2.3	2	Down
4	Arik Armstead	DE	49ers	1.17	4	Same
5	Danielle Hunter	DE	Vikings	3.24	5	Same

Defensive Tackles

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Another position that has collectively played well is the defensive tackle class. Injuries kept two of our top players, Eddie Goldman and Grady Jarrett, from participating this week. While Goldman has been the best rookie tackle regardless and will be staying put, Jarrett falls one spot. Indianapolis Colts tackle David Parry had a solid day against Miami, pushing him up.

Malcom Brown is a player who continues to be solid. Brown has certainly improved as a run defender throughout this season. He had three run stops against a physical Jets front.

Rodney Gunter also moves up after paying special attention to him last week. He doesn’t fill up the statbook, but he is impressively strong and active. Arizona has him eating gaps, and he’s done much better than expected, considering he was at Delaware State last season.

Defensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Eddie Goldman	DT	Bears	2.7	1	Same
2	Malcom Brown	DT	Patriots	1.32	2	Same
3	David Parry	DT	Colts	5.15	4	Up
4	Rodney Gunter	DT	Cardinals	4.17	5	Up
5	Grady Jarrett	DT	Falcons	5.1	3	Down

Linebackers

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Hands down, the linebackers have been the strongest positional group this year. It helps that we’re including all 3-4 and 4-3 linebackers into one set. Regardless, whether an edge-rusher or run-stuffer, this is an impressive group.

Preston Smith of the Redskins earned his way back into our top five after a tremendous three-sack performance in Week 16. Smith has been impactful all year, but his playing time has been inconsistent. His role should continue growing as the playoffs near.

Also shuffling is Shaq Thompson of the Panthers. Thompson’s return to the Panthers gives them another great athlete to drop into coverage. His reliability as a tackler has room for improvement, as he’s missed six this year, but he brings a special skill set to the position.

Linebacker Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Eric Kendricks	LB	Vikings	2.13	1	Same
2	Markus Golden	LB	Cardinals	2.26	2	Same
3	Shaq Thompson	LB	Panthers	1.25	5	Down
4	Preston Smith	LB	Redskins	2.6	N/A	Up
5	Denzel Perryman	LB	Chargers	2.16	4	Down

Cornerbacks

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

While the linebacker group may be the best positional group, the cornerbacks have been nothing to write off. Led by a superstar-in-the-making, Marcus Peters, the level of play seen from all five of these corners is impressive. Peters has been good enough to deserve Defensive Rookie of the Year.

With eight interceptions on the season, Peters has lived up to his predraft billing of being a playmaker at the position. He also leads the NFL with 18 pass breakups. He’s a terrific player already, which is a scary thought for future opponents.

One change in our list this week comes with Quandre Diggs. The slot specialist continues to be a lockdown player. He moves up to third in our positional rankings.

Cornerback Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Marcus Peters	CB	Chiefs	1.18	1	Same
2	Ronald Darby	CB	Bills	2.18	2	Same
3	Quandre Diggs	CB	Lions	6.24	4	Up
4	Damarious Randall	CB	Packers	1.30	3	Down
5	Kevin Johnson	CB	Texans	1.16	5	Same

Safeties

Brian Blanco/Associated Press

With Minnesota safety Anthony Harris' playing time diminishing due to players returning from injury, we have some changes with our safety rankings. Landon Collins' positive week and Jaquiski Tartt's rocky one directly impact their spots. Collins jumps over Tartt and Harris for the production and snap-count aspect.

No rookie safety had an interception this week, yet again. Collins and Tartt each have one on the season, but that is not a good thing for this class. These rookies need to find a way to force offenses to account for their presence. This position needs a major leap moving forward.

Safety Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Adrian Amos	SAF	Bears	5.6	1	Same
2	Byron Jones	SAF	Cowboys	1.27	2	Same
3	Landon Collins	SAF	Giants	2.1	5	Up
4	Jaquiski Tartt	SAF	49ers	2.14	4	Same
5	Anthony Harris	SAF	Vikings	UDFA	3	Down

Specialists

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Our specialists group has changed, as we inject the top rookie kicker into the fold. Miami has the league's best rookie kicker and punter duo. Andrew Franks has hit 91.7 percent of his kicks, which is by far No. 1 among rookies.

The return specialists we have listed have each provided a spark to their respective teams. Quan Bray, Lucky Whitehead and Keith Mumphery are the top kick returners who only play special teams. They’ve done well to sacrifice for their team and do some of the necessary dirty work.

Specialist Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Matt Darr	P	Dolphins	UDFA	1	Same
2	Quan Bray	KR	Colts	UDFA	2	Same
3	Lucky Whitehead	KR	Cowboys	UDFA	3	Same
4	Keith Mumphery	KR	Texans	5.39	4	Same
5	Andrew Franks	K	Dolphins	UDFA	N/A	Up

All stats used are from Pro-Football-Reference.com and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. 

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