Entering every season, there are high expectations for NFL rookies. And throughout the course of the season, some rookies break records and become starters, while others get injured or struggle once they get on the field. And some rookies aren't even good enough to get playing time in their first year. So how did this year's rookies -- drafted and undrafted -- pan out?
We're taking a look at all 32 rookie classes in the NFL and ranking the value of their contributions in 2023. We want to emphasize that this list is only based on how much production teams got out of these players in their first season. There may be great future contributions from injured rookies such as Anthony Richardson and Christian Gonzalez, but those players missed most of the 2023 season.
To rank the rookie classes, we started with Sports Info Solutions' Total Points metric. Based on game charting, Total Points takes every element of a play and uses that data to evaluate each player on a scale that allows you to compare between positions. In other words, how many points do we estimate that this player either earned for his offense or saved for his defense? You can read more about it here. We then adjusted some teams up or down based on the importance of certain positions or how well players did in ESPN tracking metrics and the DVOA ratings.
Our list is headed up by a team that received a lot of criticism for trading up and ending up with two of the top three picks in last year's draft. But those two picks had very strong rookie seasons.
Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
1. Houston Texans
The Texans are No. 1 for a simple reason: They found a franchise quarterback. C.J. Stroud had one of the top 10 rookie seasons of the past 25 years despite missing a couple of games with concussion symptoms. But the Texans didn't stop there.
Third overall selection Will Anderson Jr. finished the regular season with seven sacks and is a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. Third-round pick Tank Dell had 47 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns before suffering a broken leg in Week 12. And rookies held down the center position all year: At first it was sixth-round pick Jarrett Patterson, then second-round pick Juice Scruggs took over when healthy.
2. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams may not have had a first-round pick in last year's draft, but they did end up drafting 14 players. Every one of them appeared in at least five games for the Rams except fourth-round quarterback Stetson Bennett, who spent the year on the reserve/non-football illness list.
Obviously, the highlight here is fifth-round wide receiver Puka Nacua, who broke the all-time rookie NFL records for both receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486). However, the Rams also got eight sacks from edge rusher Byron Young and nine sacks from defensive tackle Kobie Turner. Both were taken in the third round. And second-round pick Steve Avila was the starter all year at left guard for a surprisingly capable offensive line. Seventh-round punter Ethan Evans is part of the terrible Rams special teams unit, but his numbers are just a little below average. The real problem is the punt coverage after Evans boots the ball downfield, not Evans himself.
Other Rams picks who had some value include fifth-round tight end Davis Allen and seventh-round defensive lineman Desjuan Johnson. All this rookie value has been a big change for the Rams, who ranked 31st in this ranking in 2022.
3. Green Bay Packers
Green Bay's 2023 rookie class is more about quantity than quality. Wide receiver Jayden Reed is the only real breakout star, but there are a ton of useful rookies playing important roles. The Packers had 13 draft picks, and 10 of those players appeared in at least 10 games this season. (One of the other three is backup quarterback Sean Clifford, who played in two games.)
The Packers are the only team where six different rookies are worth at least 10 Total Points, but they don't have a single rookie worth more than 20.
The effect of the Packers' rookies is felt most in the passing game, with three rookie wide receivers and three rookie tight ends. Second-round pick Reed led the team with 10 touchdowns (eight receiving and two rushing) to go with 64 receptions for 793 receiving yards.
Fifth-round pick Dontayvion Wicks had 39 catches for 581 yards and four touchdowns. He isn't used as much as Reed but was very efficient, ranking third in the league in receiving DVOA among qualifying wideouts. The Packers also had solid play from undrafted free agent Malik Heath. At tight end, the Packers used both second-round pick Luke Musgrave and third-round pick Tucker Kraft, plus undrafted free agent Ben Sims, who is more of a blocker.
Then we turn to the defense, where first-round pick Lukas Van Ness was a bit of a disappointment based on expectations (three sacks), but still has a lot of potential. Meanwhile, seventh-round cornerback Carrington Valentine became a regular starter early on in the season. Seventh-round safety Anthony Johnson started four games as an injury replacement. Sixth-round nose tackle Karl Brooks was an important part of the defensive line rotation all season, and fourth-round five-technique Colby Wooden played as well. Finally, the Packers' sixth-round pick, kicker Anders Carlson, made 81.8% of his field goals.
4. Detroit Lions
The Lions' two first-round picks and two second-round picks all performed well this season. We'll start in the second round, because that's where the Lions found tight end Sam LaPorta and safety/slot cornerback Brian Branch. LaPorta had 86 receptions (a new rookie tight end record) for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. Branch is essentially a starter on defense, playing 78% of snaps in the games where he was active. He allowed just 5.8 yards per target in coverage with 74 combined tackles, ranking as the No. 1 defensive rookie in the league in Total Points.
In the first round, the Lions took running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who had 945 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns with 5.2 yards per carry. They also grabbed linebacker Jack Campbell, who started 12 games and had 95 tackles. The Lions also had two third-round picks, but defensive tackle Brodric Martin didn't play much and quarterback Hendon Hooker missed the season with a knee injury he suffered in college. The Lions did get three starts out of fifth-round guard Colby Sorsdal, though.
5. Chicago Bears
The Bears' rookie class started with the 10th overall pick, right tackle Darnell Wright. He started every game of his rookie season and ranks 25th among qualified tackles in pass block win rate (89.4%). He had an above-average run block win rate as well.
Then we have the two cornerbacks, second-round pick Tyrique Stevenson and fifth-round pick Terell Smith. Stevenson started all season and really struggled early in the year. From Weeks 1 to 9, he put up 63% DVOA in coverage, one of the worst figures in the league. (Remember, a negative DVOA is better because you're stopping offensive success.) However, Stevenson completely turned things around in the second half of the year. His minus-60% DVOA in coverage since Week 10 was one of the best figures in the league. As for Smith, he had three starts and some play in nickel packages with a quality minus-15% DVOA allowed in coverage.
Finally, a few other rookies added value. Undrafted quarterback Tyson Bagent wasn't particularly good (51.4 QBR) but he did give the Bears four starts in the middle of the season when Justin Fields was hurt. Second-round defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. played 40% of defensive snaps with 2.5 sacks and 20 combined tackles. Fourth-round running back Roschon Johnson had 81 carries for 352 yards and two touchdowns, plus an additional 34 catches for 209 receiving yards. And undrafted safety Quindell Johnson and fifth-round linebacker Noah Sewell played important roles on special teams.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Christian Izien was Tampa Bay's main nickelback since the start of the season and was the most valuable undrafted rookie of 2023 by Total Points. But he's not the only undrafted player that the Buccaneers received solid play from. Safety Kaevon Merriweather played significant snaps over the second half of the season.
Of course, the Buccaneers' drafted rookies also stood out. First-round defensive lineman Calijah Kancey was a regular starter and Pro Football Reference lists him with 13 pressures to go with four sacks and 26 combined tackles. Second-round pick Cody Mauch started every game at right guard although he was near the bottom of the league in pass block win rate. Third-round edge rusher Yaya Diaby had 7.5 sacks to go with 38 combined tackles. And sixth-round wide receiver Trey Palmer had 39 catches for 385 yards and three touchdowns, though he was near the bottom of the league in receiving DVOA.
7. Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks' two first-round picks were their two most valuable rookies in 2023. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon ranked as the No. 2 defensive rookie in Total Points behind Branch of the Lions. He had a better than average minus-12% DVOA in coverage plus three sacks and a pick-six on his way to the Pro Bowl. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 63 catches for 628 yards and four touchdowns, though he graded out as slightly below average in receiving DVOA.
Beyond the first-rounders, second-round running back Zach Charbonnet had 108 carries for 462 yards and a touchdown backing up Kenneth Walker III. Undrafted wide receiver Jake Bobo had 19 catches for 196 yards and two touchdowns. Fourth-round pick Anthony Bradford started much of the year at right guard, although he ranked second to last among qualifying guards in pass block win rate (85.5%). Fifth-round center Olu Oluwatimi played some as well.
One disappointment was second-round edge rusher Derick Hall, who had no sacks and only five pressures while playing roughly 25% of Seattle's defensive snaps. But this was the second straight strong rookie class for the Seahawks, who were the top-ranked team in this piece a year ago.
8. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons saw significant playing time from five rookies, but just three of those players garnered more than 20 Total Points each. First-round running back Bijan Robinson wasn't quite the fantasy football force that many predicted before the season, but he ended the year with 214 carries for 976 yards and four touchdowns, plus 58 receptions for 487 yards and another four touchdowns.
Second-round pick Matthew Bergeron started the entire season at left guard, ranking 39th in pass block win rate (90.9%) among 64 qualifying guards. And fourth-round cornerback Clark Phillips III played nearly 100% of snaps since Week 13, allowing just 5.4 yards per target in coverage.
The other two Falcons rookies were seventh-round pick DeMarcco Hellams, who started over the final few weeks at strong safety and had 40 combined tackles, and 5-tech defensive end Zach Harrison, a third-round pick who had three sacks while playing about 32% of defensive snaps.
9. Arizona Cardinals
Much like the Packers, the Cardinals had many rookies playing important roles but no rookie with more than 20 Total Points. The Cardinals' top pick was also their top rookie in Total Points, with Paris Johnson Jr. starting the entire season at right tackle. However, Johnson was only 63rd out of 69 qualifying tackles in pass block win rate (81.6%) and was average in run block win rate.
Third-round wide receiver Michael Wilson played less but had better advanced metrics. Wilson had 38 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns and ranked 13th among qualifying wide receivers in DVOA. Then we get to the Cardinals' secondary, where the Cardinals started three rookie cornerbacks together in Week 12. Third-round pick Garrett Williams was coming off a college ACL tear he suffered at Syracuse and missed the first six weeks of the season, but he was a starter in most of the games since joining the lineup and had an impressive minus-20% DVOA allowed in coverage.
Sixth-round pick Kei'Trel Clark was a starter early in the season, playing in Williams' stead, and had an average DVOA in coverage. Undrafted cornerback Starling Thomas V started games in the second half of the season but with a poor 37% DVOA in coverage.
But, wait ... we're not done! Second-round edge rusher BJ Ojulari had four sacks and 40 combined tackles while playing roughly 20% of defensive snaps in the first half of the season and half the defensive snaps from Week 10 on. Sixth-round defensive tackle Dante Stills started eight games and had 3.5 sacks and 47 combined tackles. Fifth-round quarterback Clayton Tune had to start against Cleveland back in Week 9. Plus, the Cardinals also had contributions from backup running back Emari Demercado (undrafted) and tight end Elijah Higgins (originally a Dolphins draft pick in the sixth round).
10. Pittsburgh Steelers
The big rookie star for the Steelers was second-round pick Joey Porter Jr., who had 10 passes defensed and minus-2% DVOA in coverage. He should hold down the No. 1 cornerback spot for years to come. The Steelers hope the same is true of first-round pick Broderick Jones and the left tackle spot, but Jones lost a camp battle to veteran Dan Moore Jr. and played only one game at left tackle (Week 5). He became the starting right tackle in Week 9 and ranked 62nd among 69 qualifying tackles in pass block win rate (81.9%).
Second-round nose tackle Keeanu Benton played roughly 40% of the defensive snaps with 36 combined tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles. Third-round tight end Darnell Washington had only seven catches for 61 yards but contributed much more of a blocker. Fourth-round edge rusher Nick Herbig played an important role on special teams while managing three sacks and two forced fumbles on defense.
11. Philadelphia Eagles
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the ninth overall pick, was the real star here. He's the ESPN BET odds-on favorite to be named Defensive Rookie of the Year. Carter is a powerful run-stopper but also had six sacks, 18 pressures and two forced fumbles despite facing numerous double-teams. The other first-round pick, linebacker Nolan Smith, was more of a special teamer as a rookie while playing only 13% of Philadelphia's defensive snaps.
Third-round safety Sydney Brown played significant snaps after midseason, with six starts and 45 combined tackles. The Eagles also saw value from cornerbacks Kelee Ringo (fourth round) and Eli Ricks (undrafted).
12. New England Patriots
Here's another rookie class that was more about quantity, but oh what might have been if not for an injury to first-round cornerback Christian Gonzalez. He finished third among Patriots rookies in Total Points despite playing only four games before suffering a torn labrum.
Otherwise, the star rookie was sixth-round receiver DeMario "Pop" Douglas, whose 49 receptions for 561 yards represent the most catches ever for a rookie wideout under Bill Belichick. Fourth-round pick Sidy Sow was the Patriots' starting right guard from Week 1, although he was just 59th among 64 qualifying guards in pass block win rate (87.5%). Fifth-round pick Atonio Mafi also started five games at left guard.
On defense, second-round edge rusher Keion White had just one sack but 13 pressures, while third-round safety/linebacker hybrid Marte Mapu played about 20% of the defensive snaps. And the Patriots drafted both a rookie kicker and a rookie punter. Chad Ryland (Round 4) was one of the worst kickers in the league, hitting only 16 of 25 field goals, while punter Bryce Baringer (Round 6) was average in my gross punt values.
13. Indianapolis Colts
Of course, we wish we could have seen a full season from fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson, who had only a 44.9 QBR but showed plenty of fantasy football value in his four starts. But the Colts also saw their second-round pick, cornerback JuJu Brents, miss half the season. He was excellent when he did play, with a minus-12% DVOA allowed in coverage and six passes defensed plus a pick and a forced fumble.
Indianapolis did get a full year from wide receiver Josh Downs, however. The third-round pick caught 68 passes for 771 yards and two touchdowns, rating as roughly league-average in DVOA. Seventh-round cornerback Jaylon Jones was surprisingly good after entering the starting lineup in Week 5, with minus-4% DVOA allowed in coverage. And fourth-round pick Blake Freeland started two games at left tackle and seven games at right tackle, although he ranked 68th out of 69 qualifying tackles in pass block win rate (76.9%).
14. Las Vegas Raiders
The story of the Raiders' rookie class is lots of potential, unimpressive numbers. The Raiders always knew that edge rusher Tyree Wilson, taken seventh overall, would need help to develop. Wilson didn't start a single game this year and had just 3.5 sacks and 11 pressures.
Instead, the breakout rookie for the Raiders was fourth-round quarterback Aidan O'Connell. O'Connell first started in Week 4 and then was named the starter for good when the Raiders benched Jimmy Garoppolo after head coach Josh McDaniels was fired after Week 8. The rookie finished the year with only 40.3 QBR, but may be the starting quarterback of the Raiders again in 2024.
Neither of the Raiders quarterbacks threw very often to the tight ends, but second-round pick Michael Mayer still managed 27 receptions for 304 yards and two touchdowns. Third-round receiver Tre Tucker caught 19 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns while adding nine carries for 66 yards. Fourth-round cornerback Jakorian Bennett was originally a starter but lost his job after four weeks; he allowed a poor 32% DVOA in coverage this season (8.3 yards per target).
15. Tennessee Titans
The biggest name was quarterback Will Levis, a second-round pick who finished the year with nine starts. Despite a poor 33.3 QBR, he will go into 2024 as the Titans' starting quarterback.
Levis was protected by 11th overall selection Peter Skoronski, who spent most of the season as a starting left guard and was below average in both pass block and run block win rates. Third-round running back Tyjae Spears had 100 carries for 453 yards plus 385 receiving yards and three combined touchdowns. He might be the heir apparent to Derrick Henry if the Titans move on from Henry this offseason.
The Titans saw unexpected value from undrafted cornerback Eric Garror out of Louisiana, who returned punts but also started four games on defense and allowed an excellent minus-33% DVOA in coverage. Other rookie contributors included fifth-round tight end Josh Whyle, defensive tackle Keondre Coburn (originally drafted by Kansas City) and punter Ty Zentner.
16. New York Giants
First-round pick Deonte Banks started right from Week 1 and held down the right cornerback spot until a late-season shoulder injury. His metrics are an interesting mix. He had two picks and 11 passes defensed and allowed 6.3 yards per target in coverage. However, because he was targeted often, he had a poor 24% DVOA allowed in coverage.
The other starter who came out of the 2023 draft was second-round center John Michael Schmitz Jr., who started 13 games but was below average in both pass block and run block win rates. Of course, we have not yet mentioned undrafted quarterback Tommy DeVito, who became a New Jersey folk hero by leading the Giants to three straight wins in November and December before losing the job to Tyrod Taylor. DeVito finished the season with a poor 23.5 QBR.
And we should mention wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, a third-round pick who started seven games. He finished the season with 23 catches for 373 yards but no touchdowns. That's a pretty good 16.2 yards per reception average. Perhaps the Giants should have thrown to him a bit more often.
17. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore's rookie class is mostly two guys. First-round receiver Zay Flowers has become Lamar Jackson's top target. He finished with 77 catches for 858 yards and five touchdowns, although that worked out to only an average DVOA.
The other was undrafted running back Keaton Mitchell. Mitchell had 47 carries for 396 yards and two touchdowns before a torn ACL ended his season. That's 8.4 yards per carry! Mitchell's rushing DVOA of 60.1% is the highest ever in a partial season with at least 40 carries. (De'Von Achane's 49.1%, also this season, ranks second.)
However, the Ravens saw very little from their other rookies. Third-round inside linebacker Trenton Simpson played primarily on special teams until Week 18, and fourth-round edge rusher Tavius Robinson had a single sack.
18. Buffalo Bills
I noted above that Baltimore's rookie class was mostly just two guys. Well, Buffalo's rookie class was exactly three guys. That's it. But two of those players were pretty valuable. First-round tight end Dalton Kincaid caught 73 passes for 673 yards and two touchdowns. Second-round pick O'Cyrus Torrence started the entire year at right guard, ranking 33rd in pass block win rate among guards (91.3%).
After that, you have linebacker Dorian Williams, who started a couple of games at midseason due to injuries but otherwise played mostly special teams. And then ... nothing. Fourth-round pick Justin Shorter was on injured reserve all season. Seventh-round picks Nick Broeker and Alex Austin are now with Houston and New England, respectively. And no undrafted rookies played roles for the Bills.
19. Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati's first-round pick, edge rusher Myles Murphy, was a bit of a disappointment. He played roughly 25% of the Bengals' defensive snaps with just three sacks and six pressures. Instead, the Bengals saw value out of their secondary picks.
Second-round cornerback DJ Turner started most of the season with an average DVOA in coverage. Third-round pick Jordan Battle took over at strong safety in the second half of the season and finished with 71 combined tackles. The Bengals saw a combined 22 catches for 180 yards and four touchdowns from wide receivers Charlie Jones (fourth round) and Andrei Iosivas (sixth round). Backup running back Chase Brown (fifth round) had 44 carries for 179 yards to go with 156 receiving yards. Sixth-round punter Brad Robbins finished near the bottom of the league in my gross punting values.
20. Kansas City Chiefs
Most of the value here comes from second-rounder Rashee Rice, who was easily the best Chiefs wide receiver this season. Rice had 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns, ranking 19th in the NFL with 15.3% DVOA. Sure he dropped eight passes, but who wasn't dropping passes in Kansas City this year?
Third-round pick Wanya Morris subbed in for the injured Donovan Smith at left tackle beginning in Week 13 and had an above-average pass block win rate of 91.8%. Fourth-round safety Chamarri Conner somehow started seven games even though he played fewer than 30% of the Chiefs' defensive snaps. He did manage 36 tackles. First-round edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah mostly took a redshirt year, playing fewer than 20% of defensive snaps and getting only half a sack.
21. Jacksonville Jaguars
First-round pick Anton Harrison started at right tackle immediately, although he ranked just 67th out of 69 qualifying tackles in pass block win rate (80.2%). Fifth-round safety Antonio Johnson saw more playing time after Week 13; he had two interceptions and a sack to go with 17 tackles.
Third-round running back Tank Bigsby finished the regular season with 50 carries for 132 yards and two touchdowns, while sixth-round wide receiver Parker Washington came on late to catch 16 balls for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Second-round tight end Brenton Strange was mostly used as a blocker but did have four starts. Fourth-round defensive lineman Tyler Lacy played about 15% of defensive snaps.
22. Cleveland Browns
The Browns didn't pick until the third round, so even a rank this low suggests more value than would have been expected from their rookie class. It helps that undrafted rookie safety Ronnie Hickman started four games, tallying a pick and 25 tackles. Another undrafted rookie, cornerback Kahlef Hailassie, saw playing time around midseason on both defense and special teams.
As for the drafted players: Fourth-round pick Dawand Jones subbed at right tackle for much of the season, replacing the injured Jack Conklin until Jones himself suffered a knee injury in Week 14. He was roughly average in both pass block and run block win rates. Third-round wide receiver Cedric Tillman caught just 21 passes for 224 yards with no touchdowns. And fifth-round quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was one of Cleveland's five starting quarterbacks this season, putting up a 35.0 QBR with three starts.
23. New Orleans Saints
First-round defensive tackle Bryan Bresee didn't start a game but played an important role in the rotation, playing nearly half the defensive snaps. He totaled 4.5 sacks and 13 pressures. Fifth-round safety Jordan Howden started seven games and had five passes defensed, a forced fumble and 43 tackles.
Third-round running back Kendre Miller had 41 carries for 156 yards as a backup to Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams, while sixth-round wide receiver A.T. Perry caught only 12 passes but was a deep threat with 246 yards and four touchdown catches. Second-round defensive end Isaiah Foskey saw a few snaps early in the season but struggled with a quadriceps injury. The Saints also had two undrafted specialists -- kicker Blake Grupe is near the bottom of the league in field goal value, and punter Lou Hedley is dead last in my gross punting value metric.
24. New York Jets
The Jets are stacked at edge rusher, so first-round pick Will McDonald IV didn't play much. Instead, the breakout rookie here is second-round pick Joe Tippmann, who first started at right guard in Week 3 and then became the starting center in Week 9. His 88.5% pass block win rate was a bit below the NFL average. The Jets had five starts out of fourth-round pick Carter Warren, at both left and right tackle.
As for skill players, fifth-round running back Israel Abanikanda had just 19 carries for 64 yards. But undrafted receiver Xavier Gipson finished with 21 catches for 229 yards plus a rushing touchdown and that walk-off punt return touchdown that beat the Bills in Week 1.
25. Minnesota Vikings
The most important rookies for the Vikings were a first-round pick and an undrafted player. The undrafted player is linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., who took over for an injured Jordan Hicks and became the green-dot defensive playcaller. He started 11 games and had 102 tackles with 2.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.
The first-round pick is wide receiver Jordan Addison. He finished the season with 70 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns, ranking 28th in DVOA among wide receivers. The Vikings saw a lot of play from third-round cornerback Mekhi Blackmon, who played about 40% of the defensive snaps and had a 9% DVOA in coverage, close to league average.
Fifth-round quarterback Jaren Hall started two games but was pulled out of the second one and ended up with a terrible 5.1 QBR. Fifth-round defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy played about 12% of the defensive snaps, while fourth-round safety Jay Ward primarily played on special teams.
26. Los Angeles Chargers
Most of the Chargers' value from rookies came from one player, second-round edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu. Tuipulotu started 11 games after Joey Bosa suffered an injury, tallying 53 tackles with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
First-round rookie wide receiver Quentin Johnston disappointed, unable to make up for injuries to stars Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Johnston had 38 catches for 431 yards and two touchdowns but is only worth 1 Total Point in the SIS system. He had a low 57% catch rate and ranked 61st out of 81 qualifying receivers in DVOA.
Fourth-round receiver/gadget player Derius Davis had 15 catches but only 66 yards. He had more yards (101) on 14 rushing attempts. Third-round linebacker Daiyan Henley played mostly on special teams, but sixth-round defensive tackle Scott Matlock was part of the defensive line rotation all season. Fifth-round guard Jordan McFadden started his first game in Week 17.
27. Washington Commanders
The good news about the Washington draft class is that rookie struggles don't necessarily prevent a player from having a good career. That's important because first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes was a big reason the Washington pass defense was so bad in 2023. Forbes played significant snaps in roughly half the games and had 59% DVOA in coverage, second worst for any corner with at least 200 coverage snaps.
The Commanders also took safety Jartavius Martin in the second round and he became a starter in the last few games of the season. He had 46 tackles to go with a sack and an interception. Fifth-round edge rusher KJ Henry became part of the defensive line rotation once the Commanders traded away Montez Sweat and Chase Young.
Sixth-round running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. had 51 carries for 247 yards and two touchdowns. However, third-round offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg played in only four games, and fourth-rounder Braeden Daniels spent the year on injured reserve.
28. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins had only four draft picks in 2023 and one of them, seventh-round offensive lineman Ryan Hayes, is on the practice squad. But one of the three picks who did make the team was running back De'Von Achane. All he did was set a record (which dated to 1981) for rushing DVOA by a running back with at least 100 carries. Achane had 800 yards on 103 carries for a ridiculous 7.8 yards per carry average. He also had 197 receiving yards and scored 11 combined touchdowns.
The Dolphins saw some value out of undrafted tight end Julian Hill and sixth-round receiver Elijah Higgins. However, their top pick, second-round cornerback Cam Smith, played almost entirely on special teams and had only one game with more than five defensive snaps.
29. Carolina Panthers
What do you do with a rookie quarterback when that rookie started for most of the season, but was historically terrible? Do we count the Panthers as getting production out of Bryce Young, or not? With a minus-1,078 passing DYAR, Young put up one of the five worst quarterback seasons since 1981. Young completed fewer than 60% of his passes with a bleak 4.1 net yards per attempt that included 62 sacks taken.
And the Panthers didn't get a ton of production out of the rest of their rookies, either. Jonathan Mingo set a new record for the worst DYAR season by a rookie wide receiver, averaging fewer than 10 yards per reception with no touchdowns. The only other rookie who might count as a regular starter is fourth-round left guard Chandler Zavala, who started seven games when he wasn't dealing with various injuries.
Third-round linebacker Jammie Robinson had three midseason starts due to injuries to other players but otherwise barely played. Undrafted safety Alex Cook had a couple of starts but mostly played special teams. Carolina ranked dead last in this ranking when we did it a year ago and don't have a first-round pick in the upcoming draft because of the Young trade. The future in Charlotte is not looking bright right now, but there's always a chance Young could turn things around in his second season.
30. San Francisco 49ers
The big rookie find for the 49ers is third-round safety Ji'Ayir Brown, who played well after taking over for an injured Talanoa Hufanga in Week 11. Sixth-round linebacker Dee Winters played a handful of defensive snaps but is an important part of special teams. Seventh-round receiver Ronnie Bell had a handful of catches and some good punt returns. Kicker Jake Moody was average on field goals and below average on kickoff distance. There's some value there, but not anything you want to be spending a third-round pick on. Other 49ers rookies played a few games but were mostly taking redshirt years.
31. Denver Broncos
The Broncos already knew that they wouldn't get much out of this rookie class; after all, they had only three draft picks in the first five rounds. Receiver Marvin Mims Jr. was a very good return man but had only 22 catches for 377 yards. Undrafted running back Jaleel McLaughlin became an important part of the offense with 410 rushing yards and another 377 receiving yards (plus two total touchdowns).
Third-round linebacker Drew Sanders had a couple of early starts due to injury, then went back to special teams until he finally started playing regularly on defense around Week 12. Third-round cornerback Riley Moss didn't play more than a couple snaps per game on defense. Sixth-round safety JL Skinner appeared in only one game.
32. Dallas Cowboys
Based on Total Points, the best Cowboys rookies were undrafted guard T.J. Bass, who occasionally played when veterans were injured, and undrafted fullback Hunter Luepke. First-round defensive tackle Mazi Smith played as part of the defensive line rotation in every game but disappointed by not being as stalwart against the run as advertised. Second-round tight end Luke Schoonmaker had only eight catches for 65 yards.
Meanwhile, third-round linebacker DeMarvion Overshown missed the entire season with a torn ACL and fourth-round edge rusher Viliami Fehoko didn't play a single snap, spending half the season as a healthy scratch and the other half on injured reserve with a knee issue.
Note: We did not count first-year kicker (and first-team All-Pro) Brandon Aubrey as a rookie in this ranking because he had previously played in the USFL.
Note: Alex Vigderman from Sports Info Solutions contributed to this story.