The list for this week was a tough one as there were not too many deserving players. None of the rookie quarterbacks had impressive games. Roughly half of the players listed below have made the cut the last few weeks. There are two nice surprises rounding out the order. Let’s take a look at the 10 best rookies in the Week 4 NFL Rookie Rankings.
10. Michael Carter II, CB, New York Jets
Despite a forgettable performance from the Jets Sunday, Michael Carter had another impressive game. Entering the season, the Jets cornerbacks were by far the biggest concern. So far, they have been surprisingly good. Carter has a lot to do with that. He has started in the slot. In run support, he has done a good job. His overall tackling has been very solid. In coverage, Carter has been great. This week, he earned the best grade out of all rookie cornerbacks for Pro Football Focus. Carter is a key young piece to the Jets.
9. Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, Carolina Panthers
Terrace Marshall had a steady game for the Panthers. He helped the team get to a 3-0 start. Marshall recorded four catches for 48 yards. He made one impressive, tough catch over the middle on a third down. Marshall has been productive from the slot for the Panthers. Going forward, his role will likely continue to expand. Marshall is a gifted talent at receiver.
8. Jackson Carman, OG, Cincinnati Bengals
Out of nowhere, Jackson Carman had a fantastic game for the Bengals in their big win. He made his first NFL start against a division opponent and did a great job. Although the Steelers had a ton of injuries up front defensively, Carman should still be credited as the Bengals’ offensive line has had well-documented struggles. In this game, Carman did not even allow a pressure. The Bengals will need this level of play from Carman going forward.
7. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
Jaylen Waddle recorded an impressive 12 catches on 13 targets for the Dolphins in Week 3. Unfortunately, this was not enough to help his team win. The longest reception Waddle had in this game was only for nine yards. Although he had no big plays down the field vertically or many yards after the catch he is showing early on he can be relied on underneath with his quickness. Hopefully, some explosives come from Waddle for the Dolphins soon.
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6. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Even though the Steelers had a disappointing home loss, Najee Harris showed up. On 28 total touches, Harris recorded 142 scrimmage yards. He led the Steelers in receiving. Harris had an impressive 14 catches and was targeted 19 times. He had 20 yard plays in the running and passing game. Despite a lackluster offensive line, Harris has done his job very well so far.
5. Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas Cowboys
Micah Parsons had another noteworthy performance filling out the stat sheet. He had four total tackles, one tackle for loss, half a sack, and one pass deflection. Once again, he made plays for the Cowboys’ defense everywhere. His impact has been felt in a big way early on. He has a unique size and speed combination that enables him to be utilized in a variety of ways.
4. Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Los Angeles Chargers
It was just another week of making plays on the football for Asante Samuel in the Chargers huge road win. He had one interception, one pass deflection, and two total tackles. His interception was an impressive play that made a key impact on the outcome of the game. Early on, he has been one of the best rookies. Samuel is a playmaker who will continue to grow into a core player for the Chargers.
3. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Cleveland Browns
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah had his first dominant game in the NFL Sunday. He recorded four total tackles, one tackle for loss, half a sack, and two pass deflections. The Browns defense had by far their best game yet and he was a big reason why. Owusu-Koramoah proved his all-around talent. He is a gifted athlete who can make impact plays all over the field. Expect Owusu-Koramoah to keep building on this performance.
2. Rashawn Slater, OT, Los Angeles Chargers
Rashawn Slater continued his utter dominance on the edge Sunday helping the Chargers. In their big win, Slater did not allow a sack and only had one pressure given up. He has been utterly dominant early on in his rookie year. Slater is a big part of the improvement the Chargers offensive line has made. He has been the best rookie offensive lineman this season.
1. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Making another appearance in the top spot, Ja’Marr Chase was big for the Bengals in their third game. He helped the team get an important road win. In this one, Chase had four catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns. He made one big play winning vertically for a touchdown, showing his ability to separate with speed. Chase has done a great job of putting all doubt surrounding him away. Chase is already very fun to watch.
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Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
