• Jayden Daniels retains the top spot: The Commanders' rookie quarterback has earned an 88.8 PFF grade this season.
• Jared Verse continues to impress: Verse has registered 68 total pressures through 16 weeks.
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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
After 16 weeks of NFL action, the league's rookies are making their mark with standout performances. Among the top-graded first-year players are a mix of highly touted first-round picks and impressive Day 3 selections, showcasing talent from across the draft spectrum.
Here are the highest-graded first-year players after 16 weeks of action.
1. QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
PFF Grade: 88.8
Daniels delivered three big-time throws in the Commanders' come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday and is starting to build a reputation for his performances in clutch moments. The rookie quarterback has been remarkably consistent this season, as he's finished with a single-game grade below 65.0 just three times.
2. RB Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PFF Grade: 87.8
Irving is just 80 yards shy of a 1,000-yard rushing season as a rookie, having forced 47 missed tackles on 168 carries. He’s also been a dangerous weapon in the passing game, earning an impressive 90.4 PFF receiving grade through 16 weeks.
3. EDGE Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams
PFF Grade: 86.2
Verse remains the highest-graded rookie defender this season and is just two pressures away from hitting 70 on the season. Of his 68 total pressures, 20 have been sacks or quarterback hits. However, a missed tackle rate of 27.0% has been a significant blemish on his otherwise stellar rookie campaign and a key factor keeping him from the top spot on this list.
4. TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
PFF Grade: 85.8
Bowers returned to form in dominant fashion after a pair of quieter outings in Weeks 14 and 15. Against the Jaguars, he averaged an impressive 2.54 yards per route run and has maintained a stellar 2.9% drop rate on catchable passes this season.
5. G Dominick Puni, San Francisco 49ers
PFF Grade: 83.3
Puni has been reliable in pass protection this season, earning a 68.3 PFF pass-blocking grade while allowing 30 total pressures. However, he’s been even more impressive in the run game, boasting an 84.4 PFF run-blocking grade through 16 weeks.
6. WR Malik Nabers, New York Giants
PFF Grade: 82.9
Nabers is just 31 yards shy of reaching 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie after another strong performance in the Giants' loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He has been remarkably consistent, having put up just two single-game grades below 65.0, and he has averaged an impressive 1.90 yards per route run through 16 weeks.
7. CB Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia Eagles
PFF Grade: 80.9
Through 16 weeks, DeJean has allowed an average of just 7.4 yards per catch and has excelled both in coverage and against the run. Thriving near the line of scrimmage, he has recorded 19 defensive stops this season.
8. WR Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
PFF Grade: 79.8
Thomas set a career-high with 132 receiving yards on Sunday in the Jaguars' loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The rookie has been a dynamic playmaker, averaging 2.36 yards per route run and an impressive 14.9 yards per reception. He has already surpassed 1,000 receiving yards on the season.
9. WR Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
PFF Grade: 79.5
McConkey is on the verge of surpassing 1,000 receiving yards, needing just 40 more to reach the milestone. He has averaged 2.32 yards per route run and has recorded 12 contested catches through the first 16 weeks of the season.
10. T Joe Alt, Los Angeles Chargers
PFF Grade: 78.5
Alt has been an NFL-ready pass blocker since taking the field in Week 1 and has allowed 19 total pressures from 515 pass-blocking snaps. He has earned PFF grades above 75.0 as both a pass-blocker and a run-blocker.
11. CB Andru Phillips, New York Giants
PFF Grade: 77.8
Phillips struggled in the Giants' loss to the Falcons on Sunday but has had an impressive rookie campaign. Earning PFF grades above 74.0 both against the run and in coverage, he has registered 29 defensive stops.
12. CB Tarheeb Still, Los Angeles Chargers
PFF Grade: 77.4
Like Phillips, Still had a tough outing this past week but continues to impress overall in his rookie season. He has earned a 77.5 PFF coverage grade, allowing 37 receptions on 61 targets while recording four interceptions and four pass breakups.
13. WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
PFF Grade: 76.3
Harrison has had an up-and-down rookie season but averages 1.57 yards per route run. He has been targeted on 36 contested throws through 16 weeks, securing 15 of them, and has dropped just 1.9% of his catchable targets.
14. LB Payton Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
PFF Grade: 76.2
Wilson has stood out in coverage for the Steelers as a rookie, earning a 76.3 PFF coverage grade through 16 weeks. He has allowed just 23 receptions across 261 snaps in coverage and has recorded 21 defensive stops.
15. C Zach Frazier, Pittsburgh Steelers
PFF Grade: 75.5
Frazier has been steady, if unspectacular, as a pass blocker this season, allowing 11 pressures and earning a 63.5 PFF pass-blocking grade. However, he has excelled in the run game, posting a 78.1 PFF run-blocking grade through 16 weeks.
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