NFL Rookie Rankings: 10 highest-graded rookies through Week 16

Just one week remains in the 2020 NFL regular season, and our top offensive and defensive rookies have pretty much been decided. The race for the No. 2 spot on both sides of the ball is a tight one, though.

With the help of PFF Premium Stats 2.0, we present to you the 10 highest-graded rookies in the NFL through Week 16 of the 2020 NFL season.

1. WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON, MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Week 16 proved to be yet another productive outing for Jefferson. Against New Orleans on Christmas day, the 22nd overall picked up over two yards per route run, produced four first downs and averaged over eight yards after the catch.

Marshon Lattimore did lock him up in press-man coverage a few times, but the rookie wideout managed a strong 76.1 PFF grade for the game. That kept his season mark above 90.0. Jefferson is on pace to be just one of two rookie wide receivers in the past 15 years to produce a season-long PFF grade above 90.0 (Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014).

It isn’t out of the question for Jefferson to beat out Beckham for the rookie record PFF grade, as he sits half a grading point below the former New York Giant’s mark. Still, it’s going to take a monstrous Week 17.

The good news is that Jefferson will face off against the Detroit Lions — who rank dead last in the NFL in team coverage grade, expected points added allowed per pass and successful pass rate allowed — to close out his rookie campaign.