We're approaching the time of the season when we see the rookies who are making a consistent impact. Some are first-round picks, but a few are midround steals. It's time for an update of my rankings of the top rookies in the NFL. I'm going 30 deep on this one, and I'm including where each player landed on my final top 300 prospects list before the 2017 draft.
Here are the parameters (same as always):
This is a measure for all games played this season -- not just last week.
Total snap count matters. Staying on the field is a measure of value.
Positional value matters, but overall performance and impact on the team matter more.
Relative value matters. I ask: Would this player be a starter on most teams or on a good team?
1. Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Previously ranked: 1 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 82
It wasn't always going to be easy for Hunt, who had six total touchdowns in his first three games but hasn't scored in his past three. He's still on the fringe of the MVP race. Hunt leads the NFL in rushing yards (630) and is averaging 5.9 yards per carry, which ranks second in the league. What I liked about the third-round pick from Toledo is that he was involved in the passing game in college; he had 41 catches for 403 yards in 2016. He has 21 catches for 255 yards and two TDs in Kansas City. The Chiefs have a tough month ahead, with games at the Raiders, Cowboys and Giants, plus a divisional home game against the Broncos.
2. Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans
Previously ranked: 3 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 34
What, exactly, did Texans coach Bill O'Brien see in Tom Savage to start him Week 1? Watson has been electric since taking over for Savage at halftime of the opener. He ranks No. 1 in Total QBR (80.7) and leads the league in touchdown passes with 15. Watson had one of the best games of any quarterback this season in Houston's 57-14 win over the Titans in Week 4, with five total touchdowns (four passing) while completing 73.5 percent of his passes. He was constantly evading pressure, too. Watson did have one interception when he tried to force a throw into the end zone at the end of the first half, but he's young, and he's going to make some mistakes. I had a second-round grade on Watson because he could be erratic at times -- he has four interceptions in five starts -- and I had him going to the Texans at pick No. 57 in my two-round mock draft in April (he ended up the 12th overall pick). He has the potential to be a superstar, and he's keeping the Texans in the AFC South race.
3. Tre'Davious White, CB, Buffalo Bills
Previously ranked: 5 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 32
A four-year starter at LSU, White was one of the most consistent prospects I graded in the Class of 2017. He became Buffalo's No. 1 corner after Ronald Darby was traded to the Eagles, and he has played 99.1 percent of the Bills' defensive snaps so far. White has an interception and a fumble return for a touchdown that helped Buffalo upset Atlanta, and he has broken up eight passes, which is tied for the league lead. It has been a great start for the No. 27 overall pick.
4. Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans Saints
Previously ranked: 7 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 9
The Saints' defense is ... pretty good? Well, at least it has been the past three games. Lattimore is a huge part of that. After dealing with hamstring issues in college and in training camp, Lattimore missed the Saints' third game with a concussion. But he has been outstanding in coverage in his four starts. He was beaten on one over-the-top throw in the Week 2 loss to the Patriots, but every other completion he has allowed has been short. He returned in Week 4 and had five tackles and a forced fumble. Then he had a pick-six in the Saints' wild win over the Lions. Lattimore is a ridiculous athlete. He ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash and had a 38½-inch vertical and 11-foot broad jump at the combine. He also has a really high ceiling. Remember: He started only one season at Ohio State.
5. Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Previously ranked: 12 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 7
In my previous update, I noted that Fournette's longest run was only 17 yards but that he is an explosive athlete, and big runs will come in time. Well, those runs have come. Check out this 90-yard touchdown to close out the Jags' upset win over the Steelers. That's some serious breakaway speed for a 230-pound back. Fournette now leads the league in rushing touchdowns (6), and his yards per carry is up to 4.6 (a 90-yard run sure helps). He ranks second in the league in total carries (130) and rushing yards (596). He's also contributing in the passing game, with 15 catches and a touchdown. He had only 41 catches in his three seasons at LSU, where he looked like a first-round pick from the minute he stepped on the field as a freshman.
6. Carl Lawson, DE, Cincinnati Bengals
Previously ranked: 9 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 52
Lawson is still playing part time in the Bengals' pass-rushing rotation, but he has popped on tape. He had a fantastic game against the Packers in Week 3, with 2.5 sacks. The Packers couldn't block him off the edge. Cincinnati isn't asking Lawson to worry about much more than getting after the quarterback. A former five-star recruit, he missed a season-and-a-half at Auburn because of injuries and returned as a senior in 2016 with nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss. He could be a 10-sack-a-season guy if he stays healthy (which includes taking better care of his teeth).
7. T.J. Watt, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Previously ranked: 4 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 48
The younger Watt brother had a dynamic debut with two sacks and an interception against the Browns in Week 1. He missed most of the Steelers' Week 2 victory over the Vikings and all of the Week 3 loss to the Bears, but he has been disruptive in his return from a groin injury since, though he has only one more sack. Pittsburgh's defense has been one of the best in the league so far. I noted before the draft that Watt likely would start out as a situational pass-rusher in a 3-4 defense, but it has been tough to keep him off the field. He has 19 total tackles.
8. Jourdan Lewis, CB, Dallas Cowboys
Previously ranked: 14 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 49
Lewis had a slow start getting on the field because of a hamstring injury, but I like what I've seen since he missed the season opener. The Cowboys have had injury issues, thrusting Lewis into a role quickly. But he's sticky in coverage and doesn't allow many yards after the catch. He has an interception, three pass breakups and 22 tackles so far. Lewis is undersized at 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, but he plays bigger. He was my sixth-ranked cornerback in the class. The Cowboys staff likes Lewis so much that they cut Nolan Carroll and are rolling with the rookie over a vet.
9. Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns
Previously ranked: NR | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 1
The No. 1 overall pick has been great in limited action two games into his NFL career. A high ankle injury kept Garrett out for the Browns' first four games, but he has 3.0 sacks and three more quarterback hurries in only 51 snaps. That's fantastic, and his playing time is only going to increase for an 0-6 Cleveland team that needs playmakers. Garrett is an athletic specimen (4.64 40-yard dash and 41-inch vertical at 6-4, 272 pounds at the combine) who spent the entire 2016 season atop my Big Board. He was the No. 1 pass-rusher in a really good class of them -- he had 32.5 sacks in his three seasons at Texas A&M.
10. Kendell Beckwith, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Previously ranked: 10 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 77
The third-round pick out of LSU won a starting job in training camp and has played 98.2 percent of the Bucs' defensive snaps. He leads the team in tackles with 41 and is the top rookie tackler. Beckwith was a three-year starter for the Tigers who dropped in the draft because he tore his ACL last November. Kwon Alexander, another midround steal, and Lavonte David have each missed time, so Tampa Bay hasn't been at full strength at linebacker yet. That group has a lot of potential, though.
11. Solomon Thomas, DE, San Francisco 49ers
Previously ranked: 13 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 4
With Tank Carradine on injured reserve, Thomas has taken on a much bigger role. He didn't start until Carradine's injury, but he had a great game in Week 4 with a sack and five tackles, and he added another sack and nine tackles in Week 6. With Arik Armstead on injured reserve now, Thomas will have to play even more. He played like a veteran at Stanford in 2016, causing disruptions in both the running and passing games. He's also big enough that he can move to tackle in passing situations and get after quarterbacks.
12. Jonathan Allen, DL, Washington Redskins
Previously ranked: 15 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 2
I wrote in my last update that Allen could rise up this list soon. That's not going to happen, unfortunately. The No. 17 overall pick will miss the rest of the season after suffering a Lisfranc injury in his left foot. Allen was playing only part time, but he was seeing more snaps, some at tackle and some at end. He is a versatile disruptor who will make plays against the run and pass. He had 22.5 sacks in his final two seasons at Alabama and won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award (both given to the nation's best defensive player) and Ted Hendricks Award (best defensive end) in 2016.
13. Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, New York Giants
Previously ranked: 11 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 107
Tomlinson has been a reliable presence in the middle of the Giants' defense, playing next to Damon "Snacks" Harrison. What he does isn't going to show up on the stat sheet -- he's more of a plugger than a pass-rusher at 6-3, 317 pounds. But the second-round pick has 14 tackles while playing a little more than 50 percent of his team's snaps.
14. Deatrich Wise, DE, New England Patriots
Previously ranked: 6 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 189
Wise might be higher on this list if he were playing more in the first few games, but his snaps have steadily risen. He has 3.0 sacks and has held up against the run. The fourth-round pick is tied for third in the league with 12 quarterback knockdowns, too. Wise looks like an early steal for the Patriots, who have struggled massively on defense so far. Wise had 8.5 sacks as a junior at Arkansas before having a down 2016 season with 3.5 sacks.
15. Zach Cunningham, ILB, Houston Texans
Previously ranked: 16 | Final 2017 Big Board rank: 40
Cunningham has been thrown into the fire (with undrafted rookie Dylan Cole) earlier than expected due to the suspension of Brian Cushing. He has 31 total tackles -- including three on special teams -- and a forced fumble so far. My No. 3-ranked inside linebacker before the draft, Cunningham led the SEC with 125 total tackles and four fumble recoveries last season. He's an athletic tackling machine.
Best of the rest
16. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints: Adrian Peterson is gone, and Kamara is a big reason for that. He has 25 carries -- and 23 catches.
17. Garett Bolles, OT, Denver Broncos: Bolles was plugged into the Broncos' starting lineup at left tackle on Day 1 and has missed only a handful of snaps due to a leg injury.
18. Jarrad Davis, MLB, Detroit Lions: He has 31 total tackles and a sack but has missed two games.
19. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams: The third-round pick has 19 catches (only five in his past two games) and two touchdowns.
20. Ryan Ramczyk, OT, New Orleans Saints: Ramczyk hasn't missed a snap while filling in at the tackle spots.
21. Justin Evans, S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The second-round pick has 19 total tackles and an interception on a struggling defense.
22. Haason Reddick, LB, Arizona Cardinals: He has 21 total tackles while playing part time the past few weeks.
23. Jamal Adams, S, New York Jets: The No. 6 overall pick has started all six games, but he has been beaten a few times. He has 28 total tackles and a sack.
24. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers: My top-ranked running back is averaging only 2.7 yards per carry, but he does have 37 catches.
25. Evan Engram, TE, New York Giants: The Giants are down their top three pass-catchers, so Engram has to improve quickly. He has 24 catches and two touchdowns.
26. David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns: Njoku has one more touchdown than Engram but 10 fewer catches.
27. Marcus Maye, S, New York Jets: Maye has an interception and 29 total tackles while pairing with Adams in the back of the Jets' defense.
28. Eddie Jackson, S, Chicago Bears: The fourth-round pick has started all six games and has three pass breakups and 23 total tackles.
29. Pat Elflein, C, Minnesota Vikings: Elflein has played 99.7 percent of the snaps for an improved offensive line.
30. Malik Hooker, S, Indianapolis Colts: Hooker has three interceptions, but he has to get more physical as a tackler, and he has been beaten in coverage a few too many times.