NFL Power Rankings Week 4: Early-impact rookie edition

Without a normal off-season or actual pre-season games, the pressure was on the NFL’s current crop of rookies to figure things out on the fly. And while some have stumbled out of the gate, many of them have handled the situation better than any of us should’ve reasonably expected.

For the latest edition of the NFL power rankings, our expert panel has picked one standout rookie for each team.

This week, the panel includes editors Geoff Lowe and Craig Battle, and staff writers Mike Johnston and Emily Sadler.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

2020 record: 3-0
Last week: 1
Early-impact rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB

He took over the No. 1 RB job after Damien Williams opted out of the season, and the Chiefs haven’t missed a beat. Edwards-Helaire leads all rookies in rushing yards and sits in the top 10 overall. (CB)

2. Seattle Seahawks

2020 record: 3-0
Last week: 3
Early-impact rookie Damien Lewis, G

No, not the guy from Homeland. According to Pro Football Focus, Lewis was the league's third-highest-rated run blocker at guard through two weeks, but he left Week 3 early with an ankle injury. The good news for the Seahawks is he could return for Week 4. (CB)

3. Green Bay Packers

2020 record: 3-0
Last week: 4
Early-impact rookie Jordan Love, QB (er, sort of)

If his presence is responsible for lighting the fire beneath an undefeated Aaron Rodgers, Packers fans should be thanking GM Brian Gutekunst for his questionable draft strategy. (ES)

4. Baltimore Ravens

2020 record: 2-1
Last week: 2
Early-impact rookie J.K. Dobbins, RB

He was quiet in Monday night's lop-sided loss to the Chiefs, but Dobbins has been a revelation at running back for the Ravens, who were already one of the best run teams before they drafted him in the second round back in April. (ES)

5. Buffalo Bills

2020 record: 3-0
Last week: 5
Early-impact rookie Gabriel Davis, WR

Already loaded at receiver, the 3-0 Bills appear to have found a legitimate fourth option for Josh Allen in this fourth-rounder from Central Florida. Davis broke out in Week 3 with four receptions for 81 yards against the Rams following his first career TD the week before against Miami. Davis has also caught every pass thrown his way so far this season. (GL)

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

2020 record: 3-0
Last week: 8
Early-impact rookie Chase Claypool, WR

Just three games into his career, the Canuck — he was born and raised in Abbotsford, B.C. — is already making a name for himself as a big-play receiver and is looking like Big Ben's next big weapon. (ES)

7. Tennessee Titans

2020 record: 3-0
Last week: 9
Early-impact rookie Kristian Fulton, DB

Tennessee’s 3-0 record is somewhat misleading considering they’ve been bailed out by timely kicking, haven’t won by more than a field goal, and the combined record of their opponents is a mere 1-8. Regardless of that, they should be encouraged with the play of Fulton, who earned his first career sack against the Vikings one week after he picked up his first NFL interception. (MJ)

8. New England Patriots

2020 record: 2-1
Last week: 10
Early-impact rookie J.J. Taylor, RB

Despite the roster turnover in New England this off-season, Bill Belichick isn’t leaning on many rookies so far this season. Safety Kyle Dugger, the Patriots’ top pick this spring at No. 37, has played 36 per cent of defensive snaps and his impact has been limited as a result. So we’re going with the undrafted Taylor, who also hasn’t had a huge impact thus far either, but carried the ball 11 times for 43 yards Sunday against the Raiders. Keep an eye out for more touches from the five-foot-six back. (GL)

9. Arizona Cardinals

2020 record: 2-1
Last week:
Early-impact rookie Isaiah Simmons, LB

This is by default. The Cardinals may be led by a 23-year-old QB, but they’re the league’s ninth-oldest team, and none of their rookies has made an impact. That said, with injuries mounting, Arizona will likely need to lean on linebacker Simmons — he has five tackles through three weeks — and are apparently even exploring using him at safety. (CB)

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2020 record: 2-1
Last week: 12
Early-impact rookie Tristan Wirfs, RT

The Bucs drafted Wirfs 13th overall in the spring with the purpose of protecting new quarterback Tom Brady. He has done an admirable job thus far. Wirfs has allowed just two QB pressures his first three games. (MJ)

11. Los Angeles Rams

2020 record: 2-1
Last week: 11
Early-impact rookie Jordan Fuller, S

Just a couple weeks back, most would have put good money on Cam Akers appearing here. But he got injured in the second week of the season, was out Sunday, and has a tricky path to touches when he returns to full health due to the emergence of Darrell Henderson Jr. So we'll give the nod to safety Fuller, who played a major run-stopping role in Week 2. (Though he left the Bills game with a shoulder injury as well.) (CB)

12. San Francisco 49ers

2020 record: 2-1
Last week: 13
Early-impact rookie Brandon Aiyuk, WR

After missing Week 1 while recovering from a hamstring injury, Aiyuk has made a name for himself in just the past two games. A major breakout on Sunday — 101 combined yards from scrimmage and a touchdown — hint at big things to come. (CB)

13. New Orleans Saints

2020 record: 1-2
Last week: 7
Early-impact rookie Cesar Ruiz, C/G

Ruiz played the first meaningful snaps of his NFL career in a Sunday night showdown with the Packers. Taken with the 24th overall pick in 2020, the offensive lineman is the most important rookie on this experienced Saints roster. (MJ)

14. Chicago Bears

2020 record: 3-0
Last week: 17
Early-impact rookie Jaylon Johnson, CB

The Bears got themselves a lockdown cornerback in Johnson, drafted 50th overall as the seventh corner taken in his class. So far, he's outshining the top picks. He’s been one of the highest-rated defensive rookies early in the season, is already Chicago's leader in tackles and passes defended, and is earning top-billing matchups against opponents’ best weapons. (ES)

15. Cleveland Browns

2020 record: 2-1
Last week: 18
Early-impact rookie Jedrick Wills Jr., OT

Facing Montez Sweat and Chase Young in Week 3, Wills had his work cut out for him -- and yes, at times, he looked like a rookie. But his upside, of which we've already seen plenty, means Baker Mayfield finally has the protection he needs in what has been a porous offensive line. (ES)

16. Dallas Cowboys

2020 record: 1-2
Last week: 16
Early-impact rookie Trevon Diggs, CB

CeeDee Lamb is the biggest name here, but if we’re talking most impactful rookie it’s tough to ignore Diggs. The rookie corner out of Alabama has played every defensive snap for the Cowboys so far, and fans know well that there’s been good and bad from the 51st-overall pick.

Take Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, for example: Diggs was the one who made the heads-up play to punch the ball out of DK Metcalf’s hands to save a TD, but has struggled in pass coverage and contributed to the early struggles of the Dallas secondary. (GL)

17. Indianapolis Colts

2020 record: 2-1
Last week: 19
Early-impact rookie Jonathan Taylor, RB

After a bewildering Week 1 loss to the Jaguars, the Colts have bounced back nicely with dominant wins over the Vikings and Jets. Taylor has taken over from Marlon Mack, who went down with a season-ending Achilles injury, and averaged 80 rushing yards and a touchdown in the two games he has started. (MJ)

18. Las Vegas Raiders

2020 record: 2-1
Last week: 14
Early-impact rookie Bryan Edwards, WR

In a rough year for Raiders rookie injuries, Edwards gets the edge over fellow rookie receiver Henry Ruggs III. Both got knocked out of Vegas’s Week 3 game, but before his exit Edwards had accumulated had amassed five catches on six targets for 99 yards on the young season. (CB)

19. Los Angeles Chargers

2020 record: 1-2
Last week: 15
Early-impact rookie Justin Herbert, QB

He wasn’t supposed to play anywhere near this early, but here we are. Herbert made a surprise start when Tyrod Taylor became unavailable for Week 2, and now he’s already got two 300-yard passing games under his belt. (CB)

20. Miami Dolphins

2020 record: 1-2
Last week: 27
Early-impact rookie Noah Igbinoghene, CB

The injury to big-money free-agent signing Byron Jones means Igbinoghene has been thrown into the fire earlier than the Dolphins would’ve liked, and the team has seen mixed results from the 30th-overall pick. Igbinoghene struggled mightily against Stefon Diggs in Week 2, but fared better in coverage this past Thursday in a win over the Jags. (GL)

21. Minnesota Vikings

2020 record: 0-3
Last week: 23
Early-impact rookie Justin Jefferson, WR

He was relatively quiet through the first two weeks, but we heard him loud and clear against the Titans in Week 3 with seven catches for 175 yards and a stunning 71-yard touchdown catch. With his lights-out performance, Jefferson became the first rookie to tally 100 receiving yards in a half since some guy named Randy Moss did it on Thanksgiving in 1998. (ES)

22. Houston Texans

2020 record: 0-3
Last week: 21
Early-impact rookie Ross Blacklock, DL

Facing the Chiefs, Ravens and Steelers to kick off the season has been frustrating for the Texans. That frustration boiled over for Blacklock in Week 2 when he was ejected for throwing a punch at a Ravens player. The second-rounder out of TCU was subsequently scratched by head coach Bill O’Brien in Week 3. Blacklock was drafted to help clog things up at the line of scrimmage. He can’t help his team if he’s not on the field. (MJ)

23. Detroit Lions

2020 record: 1-2
Last week: 28
Early-impact rookie Jonah Jackson, G

Cornerback Jeff Okudah's first interception — Sunday, against Kyler Murray — was a beauty, but the reviews are still generally mixed on the third-overall pick. Right guard Jonah Jackson doesn't have the highlight-reel potential of his rookie teammate, but he's been a bright spot for the Lions early in this season. (ES)

24. Carolina Panthers

2020 record: 1-2
Last week: 30
Early-impact rookie Jeremy Chinn, S

No Christian McCaffrey, no problem. The Panthers beat the Chargers thanks to a bend-but-don’t-break defensive effort that saw Carolina force four turnovers. Chinn, a second-round pickup out of Southern Illinois, had another strong outing. He has 27 combined tackles through three games, which is currently tied for 11th most in the NFL. (MJ)

25. Atlanta Falcons

2020 record: 0-3
Last week: 22
Early-impact rookie Mykal Walker, LB

This Falcons team has the potential to be maybe the best worst team of all time. Regardless of all the elite talent on the roster, specifically on offence, they seemingly find new and historic ways to lose games each week. This past Sunday, as the Falcons allowed the Bears to score 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, Walker made his NFL debut with tackles and one forced fumble, and was strong in coverage. A positive debut for the 2020 fourth-round pick. (MJ)

26. Jacksonville Jaguars

2020 record: 1-2
Last week: 20
Early-impact rookie James Robinson, RB

Parting ways with Leonard Fournette prior to the season raised some eyebrows, but the undrafted Robinson has been Jacksonville’s most productive skill player with 439 total yards and three touchdowns through three weeks. He scored two of those TDs in Thursday’s loss to the Dolphins. (MJ)

27. Washington Football Team

2020 record: 1-2
Last week: 24
Early-impact rookie Chase Young, DE

Dubbed the best player in the 2020 draft from the get-go, the second-overall pick is living up the hype. Young has been the catalyst for a much-improved defensive line in Washington, and already has 2.5 sacks, a couple of forced fumbles and is PFF’s 10th-best edge defender through three weeks. Unfortunately for Football Team fans, Young left Sunday’s loss to Cleveland with a groin injury. (GL)

28. Philadelphia Eagles

2020 record: 0-2-1
Last week: 25
Early-impact rookie Jalen Reagor, WR

The 21st-overall pick’s impact is in his absence, as the Eagles desperately lack weapons at the position – a problem amplified even more now with injuries to DeSean Jackson and Dallas Goedert this past week. Reagor’s availability may not matter given the way Carson Wentz is playing, but his big-play potential would give Doug Pederson more room to get creative than he has now. (GL)

29. Cincinnati Bengals

2020 record: 0-2-1
Last week: 31
Early-impact rookie Joe Burrow, QB

He's thrown for over 300 yards in back-to-back games, has five touchdown passes to his name, and has tossed just a single interception so far while making countless clutch plays in tight situations. And he's done all this behind just a whisper of an offensive line. (ES)

30. Denver Broncos

2020 record: 0-3
Last week: 26
Early-impact rookie Jerry Jeudy, WR

While he didn’t break out in the absence of No. 1 receiver Courtland Sutton on Sunday, Jeudy has led all Broncos pass catchers in targets and first downs. A breakout seems inevitable. (CB)

31. New York Giants

2020 record: 0-3
Last week: 29
Early-impact rookie Andrew Thomas, LT

No Giants rookie has played more snaps than the fourth-overall pick and, like most of the team, he has struggled through three games so far in 2020. Thomas has allowed the second-most QB pressures in the NFL with 13 and is having the worst start to his career of the four tackles taken in the top half of the 2020 draft. (GL)

32. New York Jets

2020 record: 0-3
Last week: 32
Early-impact rookie Mekhi Becton, LT

As bad as the first three weeks of the season have gone for the Jets, the early play of the 11th-overall pick is the lone bright spot for this dismal squad. Becton ranks as the 15th-best tackle through three games by Pro Football Focus, but left New York’s lopsided Week 3 loss to the Colts with a shoulder injury — because, ya know, the Jets. (GL)

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