Offense
Quarterback: C.J. Stroud, Houston
Honorable mention: Bryce Young, Carolina; Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis
What more needs to be said about C.J. Stroud. Just an absolute superstar in the making, proved the doubters wrong, led the Texans to the playoffs. He’s a franchise guy and will only get better.
Young had a very disappointing rookie season as the No. 1 overall pick, but he was on a dysfunctional Panthers team that hops to rebuild their coaching staff and roster in 2024. An exciting start to Richardson’s career ended early with injury, but I’m excited to see what he can bring to the league.
Running back: Jahmyr Gibbs, Seattle
Running back: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
Honorable mention: De’Von Achane, Miami
After getting limited action, Gibbs finally broke out in Week 7 with a two touchdown game, and has been electric in every game, even with David Montgomery back from injury. He’s the fastest RB I’ve seen in a while, and every touch looks like a big play.
Robinson looks so good every time he touches the ball, it’s just he doesn’t get to touch the ball much because Arthur Smith hates feeding his star players. With Smith gone, let’s hope he’s unlocked in 2024.
Achane had those three electric games in Weeks 3-5, then missed four games with a knee injury. He came back midseason, but wasn’t as effective.
Wide receiver: Puka Nacua, LA Rams
Wide receiver: Houston Rashee Rice, Kansas City
Honorable mention: Tank Dell, Houston; Jordan Addison, Minnesota; Zay Flowers, Baltimore; Jayden Reed, Green Bay
What a rookie season for Puka Nacua. Setting so many rookie reception and receiving yard records and being Matthew Stafford’s favorite target all season. His production was thought to be reduced with Cooper Kupp coming back, but he reemerged and took over as the new WR1. He’s not just the best rookie wide receiver, he’s among the best receivers period.
Rashee Rice emerged as the WR1 in KC down the stretch and finished second among rookies in receiving and had seven touchdowns. With all the other receivers just failing at their job, Rice was consistent, not perfect, but earned Mahomes trust.
Tank Dell is anything but a tank at 5′-10″ 160 lbs, but his production would say otherwise. The success of likely OPOY C.J. Stroud is nothing without his fellow rookie classman. The third-rounder has four touchdowns in the last three games and has been a go-to clutch player for Stroud, and a future star in this league. His season was cut short due to injury and likely would’ve taken the other spot.
Jordan Addison had a very good rookie season, leading all rookies in touchdown catches. Zay Flowers is emerging as a future star in Baltimore, same for Jayden Reed in Green Bay, and both became favored targets among their QBs.
Tight end: Sam LaPorta, Detroit
Honorable mention: Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo
LaPorta is well deserving of this honor. Entering the draft, this class was described as one of the best all time, and while the other rookies have flashed, including the honorable mention Dalton Kincaid, no one has been as consistent as LaPorta. Who would’ve thought, an Iowa tight end being the best of his class?
Center: Joe Tippmann, NY Jets
Guard: Steve Avila, LA Rams
Guard: O’Cyrus Torrence, Buffalo
Tackle: Darnell Wright, Chicago
Tackle: Paris Johnson Jr., Arizona
Honorable mention: G Matthew Bergeron, Atlanta; T Anton Harrison, Jacksonville; T Broderick Jones, Pittsburgh; G Cody Mauch, Tampa Bay; G Sidy Sow, New England; C John Michael Schmitz, NY Giants
Offensive line play by the rookies has not been good this year. This list is really is just taking a guess with who has started the most games and who doesn’t have a horrendous PFF grade.
At center, it’s a true tossup between John Michael Schmitz and Joe Tippman. Schmitz started all 13 of his games at center, but was graded as the worst center in the league. Tippmann is the top rookie center, ahead of the Texans’ Jarrett Patterson, but is ranked 22nd, and only started 10 games at center with four at right guard. Both drafted in the second round, Tippmann 14 spots ahead, so for that I’m going Tippmann.
At guard, both Steve Avila and O’Cyrus Torrence have the same accolades: second-round picks, started every game, led their teams with 100% snaps, were on playoff teams, and had decent PFF grades. That’s all you really need. Sidy Sow actually had the highest rookie guard grade, but he was on a very bad Patriots team and won’t get the recognition.
At tackle, both Darnell Wright and Paris Johnson started every game and had the highest PFF grades among those that did, edging out Anton Harrison of the Jaguars. Broderick Jones took over at right tackle for the Steelers in Week 9 and didn’t give it up while playing very well, but lack of starts hurts him. I find it odd there were no full-time rookie left tackles, only a few spot starts by late-rounders, but the rookies almost exclusively played right tackle.
Defense
Defensive line: Jalen Carter, Philadelphia
Defensive line: Kobie Turner, LA Rams
Defensive line: Will Anderson, Houston
Defensive line: Calijah Kancey, Tampa Bay
Honorable mention: Keeanu Benton, Pittsburgh
Lot of good rookie defensive linemen this year. Not a lot of high sack numbers, but they were disruptive and made headlines.
Jalen Carter was a stud from the jump on a good Eagles line, but started to fade as the season wore on, which allowed Kobie Turner to get some love. He finished as the rookie leader with nine sacks and all defensive linemen in tackles. Calijah Kancey was also a monster in the middle despite missing a few games with injury. Will Anderson was a stud off the edge in a 4-3 defense, which qualifies him in this category. All four will garner DROY votes.
Linebacker: Ivan Pace, Minnesota
Linebacker: Jack Campbell, Detroit
Linebacker: Byron Young, LA Rams
Honorable mention: YaYa Diaby, Tampa Bay; Tuli Tuipolotu, LA Chargers; Henry To’oTo’o, Houston
I love it when undrafted rookies make the list. Ivan Pace led all rookies in tackles and was a contributor day one. He didn’t come in due to an injury, he earned the starting job, gotta love that. Jack Campbell was a first-round pick and was similarly productive, finishing second in tackles, and was another highlight of this Lions rookie class.
Byron Young is the lone edge rusher/outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, barely beating out YaYa Diaby, finishing second among rookies with eight sacks behind his teammate Kobie Turner.
Cornerback: Devon Witherspoon, Seattle
Cornerback: Joey Porter Jr., Pittsburgh
Honorable mention: Christian Gonzalez, New England; Deonte Banks, NY Giants; Tyrique Stevenson, Chicago; JuJu Brents, Indianapolis; Emmanuel Forbes, Washington
Despite some early fluctuation, the two spots became clear rather quickly, and stayed that way all season. Witherspoon, the #5 pick in the draft, was an instant superstar and playmaker, kicked off by his primetime performance in Week 4. Despite a slow start, Porter earned the starting job in Week 8 and played great the rest of the way.
Christian Gonzalez was off to a hot start, but a Week 4 injury cost him his promising rookie season. Deonte Banks and Tyrique Stevenson were both full-time starters that were deserving of spots. JuJu Brents missed a lot of time but was a full-time starter, and Emmanuel Forbes flashed early, but got picked on a ton and lost the starting job
Safety: Brian Branch, Detroit
Safety: Jordan Battle, Cincinnati
Honorable mention: Jordan Howden, New Orleans Saints; Sydney Brown, Philadelphia
Brian Branch is a stud. Makes plays everywhere, no defined position, just a playmaker that once again highlights this Lions rookie class.
No other safety really stood out, but third-rounder Jordan Battle became a starter in Week 12 and was the ninth-ranked safety.
Fifth-rounder Jordan Howden started seven games for the Saints and could be a player in this league, along with Sydney Brown, a second-rounder for the Eagles.
Special Teams
Placekicker: Brandon Aubrey, Dallas
Punter: Bryce Baringer, New England
Kick returner: Marvin Mims, Denver
Punt returner: Derius Davis, LA Chargers
Special teamer: Josh Hayes, Tampa Bay
Honorable mention: Xavier Gipson, NY Jets
Brandon Aubrey missed two kicks all year, and both came in the final game of the regular season. The Pro Bowler and First-team All-Pro at the very least makes an all-rookie team.
Bryce Baringer was a fine punter, and was second in punts and yardage, which makes sense for a bad Patriots offense.
Both returner spots were tough, and I unfortunately had to leave out Week 1 hero Xavier Gipson of the Jets. He was the leader for at least one of the spots, but Mims and Davis both had great seasons, and stood out among the individual categories, so they edge out Gipson.
Josh Hayes, a sixth-rounder for the Bucs, led all rookies in special teams tackles. That’s my only criteria, so congrats.
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