• Jalen Carter remains at No. 1: Carter possesses top-five marks in pass-rush grade (87.9) and win rate (19.1%). He is similarly impressive against the run, having earned a positive grade on 28.9% of his run-defense snaps.
• C.J. Stroud looks like the answer in Houston: Stroud has earned an incredible 90.5 passing grade over the past two weeks, the second-highest mark in the NFL, having totaled eight big-time throws and a league-best 826 yards through the air.
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Members of the 2023 draft class are primed and ready to face down the bright lights of the NFL stage. Whether they were drafted first or 259th, the best will rise to the top when the games are played.
These are the 15 highest-graded rookies after NFL Week 10.
1. DI Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles: 90.6
Carter has more than proved to be among the league’s premier defenders just eight games into his rookie campaign. His incredible ability to rush the passer is well documented, as he possesses top-five marks in pass-rush grade (87.9) and win rate (19.1%). He is similarly impressive against the run, having earned a positive grade on 28.9% of his run-defense snaps.
2. WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams: 82.6
With Nacua and the Rams on bye in Week 10, the league’s top-graded first-year offensive player was absent from the slate this week.
The fifth-rounder has racked up 22 plays of 15 or more yards, the sixth-most at the position, while his 2.52 yards per route run ranks 11th among 103 qualifying players at the position.
3. QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans: 81.7
Another fantastic week from Stroud has him pressing for the top spot among offensive rookies. He has earned an incredible 90.5 passing grade over the past two weeks, the second-highest mark in the NFL, having totaled eight big-time throws and a league-best 826 yards through the air. Stroud continues to attack down the field and leads the league in the percentage of attempts thrown past the sticks (49.4%).
4. CB Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks: 81.5
This past week, Witherspoon recorded his 10th forced incompletion, the most in the class, pushing his coverage grade to an impressive 77.7. But he didn’t stop there, as he also forced his first turnover in the run game with a late strip on QB Sam Howell.
5. CB Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots: 80.8
Gonzalez (shoulder) continues to qualify for this list after going down in Week 4, solely because of his fantastic play in September. He managed to force three incompletions and allow just a 67.5 passer rating on throws into his coverage.
6. WR Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs: 79.4
Even with the Chiefs on bye in Week 10, Rice retained his spot on this list due to his prolonged consistency as a receiver since entering the league. This season, Rice has averaged 2.28 yards per route run and generated a 129.0 passer rating when targeted, both of which rank in the top 15 at the position.
7. WR Jake Bobo, Seattle Seahawks: 78.7
Bobo has produced sound grades in the receiving game and as a run-blocker, standing as the only first-year receiver to surpass a 70.0 grade in both facets.
8. EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans: 78.1
The top-three pick has been hitting his stride as a pass-rusher in recent weeks. After racking up three more pressures this past week, Anderson has pushed himself up to 31 on the season, tying the league lead among rookie defenders. His 16.3% pass-rush win rate now leads first-year edge defenders and stands behind only Jalen Carter in the class.
9. WR Demario Douglas, New England Patriots: 77.3
With the injury to Kendrick Bourne (knee) in Week 8, this Pats passing offense has shifted greatly toward Douglas, who has risen to the occasion. Over that span, his 16 receptions and 164 yards paces this offense. He has now been targeted on 24.2% of his routes, the second-highest rate among first-year receivers.
10. WR Tank Dell, Houston Texans: 76.3
The Dell-Stroud connection has been hitting on all cylinders in recent weeks, and it has been paying off massively. Dell’s 25 targets, six receptions of 15-plus yards and three scores over the last two weeks rank among the league’s best, with the latter leading the NFL.
After nine games, the third-rounder has emerged as the Texans' top target. He's been targeted on 23.6% of his routes run, the highest rate on the team.
11. WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts: 75.5
Even after dealing with an injury leading up to Week 10, Downs impressed in his limited workload. On just 13 snaps, he caught two of passes, both of which converted on late downs, with his second catch displaying his impressive range as he laid out to secure a 28-yard strike. That marks his 10th play of 15 or more yards this season, the most by any Colts player.
12. CB Mekhi Blackmon, Minnesota Vikings: 74.6
Blackmon makes his debut on this list off the back of a fantastic stretch of grading over his last three outings. His 89.2 coverage grade over that span ranks eighth among corners. This past week, he secured his first career interception to go along with his six forced incompletions on the season, fifth among rookie corners.
13. LB Ivan Pace Jr., Minnesota Vikings: 74.0
The undrafted rookie continues to take strides in coverage over recent weeks. This past week, he recorded a pair of stops in coverage, bringing his season total to six. More impressively, though, Pace possesses the highest pass-rush win rate among all rookie defenders (26.7%), more than seven percentage points higher than the next player.
13. RB Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans: 74.0
Every week is a new opportunity for Spears to show off another facet of his game. That showed up in the receiving game this week, where Spears earned his third single-game grade above 76.0. He totaled 53 yards after the catch and forced four missed tackles, bringing his total to 17 missed tackles forced on receptions, a mark that ties the league lead among backs.
13. TE Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions: 74.0
LaPorta finds his way back into the top 15 after a pair of quality outings in his last two games. Coming off a bye in Week 9, LaPorta recorded his fourth single-game receiving grade of over 74.0 this past week. His 78.5 receiving grade since Week 8 is the highest among all first-year players over that span.
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