The NFL’s 5 Best Rookies Heading into Week 3

Two weeks of NFL football are in the books, with the Kansas City Chiefs unabashedly leading the way with an unblemished record and the Carolina Panthers remaining in the cellar.

The NFL’s 5 Best Rookies Heading into Week 3

And per usual, oodles of new rookies have stood off the page, although quarterbacks not named Jayden Daniels have struggled out the gate. And, yes, that means Caleb Williams and Bo Nix.

The following five players represent the league’s top five rookies through the end of Week 2, ranked in ascending order, according to Pro Football Focus.

5. Andru Phillips (CB)

Team: New York Giants
PFF Grade: 77.5

This 3rd-Rounder is making an immediate impact, starting one game for the Giants and playing in both so far. Of course, his team isn’t good, though New York looked slightly better in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders than in Week 1 versus the Minnesota Vikings.

Phillips has produced an 83.3 passer-rating-against in two games, a terrific introduction to the NFL. Now, it’s up to him to determine if these are just “a couple of good games.” Because that happens.

4. Brock Bowers (TE)

Team: Las Vegas Raiders
PFF Grade: 78.4

Bowers has banked 15 receptions for 156 yards through two games, helping the Raiders split the season’s first two games. He obviously doesn’t have an elite quarterback play alongside him in Year No. 1, but it doesn’t matter. He’s that NFL-ready.

The electric young tight end is on pace for 1,326 receiving yards as a rookie. He’s also a trustworthy and stable fantasy asset — vital for fantasy managers early in a season when Travis Kelce and Marc Andrews have mostly disappointed.

3. Joe Alt (OT)

Team: Los Angeles Chargers
PFF Grade: 78.5

Everyone knew Alt was a no-doubter to thrive in the NFL, and two weeks into the experiment, the masses were right. The guy’s a gamer, and the NFL looks good on him right away.

Watch out for the Chargers in 2024 and beyond: they employ a Top 10 quarterback, two elite offensive tackles, and the defense ranks as one the best in the business through two games.

Alt ranks 11th among all offensive tackles — vets and rookies — per PFF through two games. He’ll be around for a decade-plus.

2. Jared Verse (EDGE)

Team: Los Angeles Rams
PFF Grade: 78.7

If PFF didn’t exist, Verse would be classified as the league’s best rookie entering Week 3 — hands down. A day-one starter in Tinseltown, Verse has notched 11 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 QB hits, and a sack. He’s also registered 9 quarterback pressures in two games. Wowzers.

His team is utterly banged up and may not make much of the 2024 campaign, but Verse is in the driver’s seat for DROY contention.

1. Kamari Lassiter (CB)

Team: Houston Texans
PFF Grade: 80.0

Opposing quarterbacks have targeted Lassiter 10 times, hoping to exploit him because Derek Stingley Jr. covers everything on his side of the field. Those quarterbacks have a 0.0 passer rating while targeting the 2nd-Rounder.

He also leads all rookies per PFF grade. Houston has another defensive back, Calen Bullock, who is performing well, too. The Texans might’ve nailed the 2024 NFL Draft.

We shall see if Lassiter gets tested by Justin Jefferson at all in Week 3. That might lower his grade.

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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His NFL obsession dates back to 1989. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.