• Ravens CB Nate Wiggins looks the part: The Ravens cornerback forced three pass breakups from six targets against the Eagles.
• Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy delivers in extended action: The Vikings rookie gave fans plenty of reason for optimism with some big plays in his debut, although he is now set to undergo knee surgery.
• Dominate fantasy football season with promo code PFF25: Unlock all of PFF's fantasy content and tools, including full access to the fantasy football mock draft simulator, for 25% off using promo code PFF25.
Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
The first week of the 2024 NFL preseason provided the first look at most of the 2024 NFL Draft class.
It’s too early to make any definitive statements about these players, but that won't stop us from analyzing their debuts.
Here were the 10 highest-graded rookies to play at least 25 snaps in the opening week of the preseason.
To dig deeper into every game, including snap counts and grades for every player, subscribe to PFF+ for 25% using code PFF25.
1. CB Micah Abraham, Indianapolis Colts
Preseason Week 1 Snaps: 35
PFF Grade: 92.2
A sixth-round pick out of Marshall, Abraham allowed just one reception for 10 yards from 16 coverage snaps, but it was a huge play against the run that led to this elite grade. On second-and-1 with 7:09 left in the third quarter, Abraham ripped the ball loose, recovered the fumble himself and then proceeded to return it for a touchdown.
2. CB Rico Payton, New Orleans Saints
Preseason Week 1 Snaps: 33
PFF Grade: 91.7
Payton saw 24 snaps in coverage this week and was targeted heavily. Six passes went his way, and he allowed just one catch. It did result in a touchdown, but he also broke up three other passes.
3. LB Maema Njongmeta, Cincinnati Bengals
Preseason Week 1 Snaps: 45
PFF Grade: 91.4
Undrafted out of Wisconsin, Njongmeta stood out on tape in the Bengals' preseason opener this week with some big plays in coverage, against the run and as a blitzer. He finished the game with a pass breakup, a batted pass, a quarterback hurry and three tackles resulting in a defensive stop.
4. CB Josh Newton, Cincinnati Bengals
Preseason Week 1 Snaps: 25
PFF Grade: 90.5
Newton put together a strong first impression, with the fifth-round pick out of TCU earning a 90.9 PFF coverage grade. On the field for 15 passing snaps, he allowed two receptions for 25 yards and came away with an interception.
5. G Duke Clemens, Detroit Lions
Preseason Week 1 Snaps: 30
PFF Grade: 90.0
Clemens, an undrafted free agent out of UCLA, played 30 snaps in his preseason debut, all of which came at left guard. He earned a 77.7 PFF pass-blocking grade, with one pressure allowed from 22 pass-blocking snaps, and was even better as a run-blocker, earning an 89.8 grade in that facet.
6. LB Tyrice Knight, Seattle Seahawks
Preseason Week 1 Snaps: 30
PFF Grade: 89.9
Knight started the Seahawks' preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers and excelled both against the run and in coverage. All three of his tackles resulted in a defensive stop, and he allowed just one reception for four yards in coverage.
7. CB Nate Wiggins, Baltimore Ravens
Preseason Week 1 Snaps: 43
PFF Grade: 89.2
The Ravens’ first-round draft pick was dominant in his first action for the team, earning a 90.2 PFF coverage grade. Targeted six times in coverage, he allowed just two receptions for eight yards and recorded three pass breakups.
8. TE Ben Sinnott, Washington Commanders
Preseason Week 1 Snaps: 26
PFF Grade: 87.2
Sinnott averaged 4.75 yards per route run in his first runout for the Commanders. The second-round draft pick out of Kansas State caught all three of his targets for 57 yards and averaged 13.7 yards per reception despite having an average depth of target of just 5.3 yards.
9. LB Omar Speights, Los Angeles Rams
Preseason Week 1 Snaps: 40
PFF Grade: 85.5
Speights, undrafted out of LSU, made an impact for the Rams with an impressive performance in coverage, against the run and as a blitzer. He finished the game with a pair of hurries and three tackles resulting in a defensive stop. While he did allow three receptions in coverage, they totaled just three yards.
10. QB J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Preseason Week 1 Snaps: 30
PFF Grade: 84.9
The 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft had a big debut for the Vikings, going 11-of-17 for 188 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception. He finished the game with a big-time throw, a turnover-worthy play and a 10.0-yard average depth of target.
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