• De'Von Achane at the top: The electric first-year back averaged 7.6 yards per carry and racked up 70 yards after contact in Week 17. His 5.1 yards after contact per rush this season betters all but four other running backs' total per-carry average.
• Puka Nacua in a world of his own: Nacua notched his third 100-yard receiving game of December in Week 17. Over that span, the explosive first-year receiver totaled 14 receptions of 15 or more yards, the most in the NFL.
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Members of the 2023 draft class are primed and ready to face down the bright lights of the NFL stage. Whether they were drafted first or 259th, the best will rise to the top when the games are played.
Here are the 15 highest-graded rookies after NFL Week 17.
1. RB De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins: 92.8
With Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle) out of the lineup for Week 17, Achane took over the backfield workload for Miami. The electric first-year back averaged 7.6 yards per carry and racked up 70 yards after contact. His 5.1 yards after contact per rush this season betters all but four other running backs' total per-carry average.
2. S Ronnie Hickman Jr., Cleveland Browns: 90.2
Hickman catapulted up this list to take over as PFF’s top-graded first-year defender after an incredible day in coverage. The undrafted safety out of Ohio State earned the highest grade from any defender (92.6) in Week 17 after securing his first career pick-six.
Since taking on a starting role in Week 14, Hickman has earned a phenomenal 91.0 overall grade, 7.0 grading points above the next-closest safety.
3. DI Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles: 88.7
Carter produced his seventh sack of the season this past week, the second-most among rookie interior defenders. His 22.2% pass-rush win rate was his highest single-game mark since Week 7. That helped push his season pass-rush win rate to 16.9%, the highest among first-year interior defenders.
4. WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams: 88.6
Nacua notched his third 100-yard receiving game of December in Week 17. Over that span, the explosive first-year receiver totaled 14 receptions of 15 or more yards, the most in the NFL, while averaging over 3.06 yards per route run, the third-highest mark at the position.
5. WR Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs: 85.4
Rice also had an incredible December, earning the 11th-best receiving grade at the position (81.0). Since Week 13, Rice has racked up 299 yards after the catch, most in the NFL in that span, averaging over 8.5 yards after the catch per reception. In that time, Rice has also secured 35 receptions without recording a drop, a league-high figure.
6. DI Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams: 84.6
Turner erupted in Week 17 for his best performance as a pro, earning a 92.2 overall grade. He was nearly unblockable, winning 30.9% of his pass-rush snaps and totaling 10 pressures, including three sacks. Against the run, he tallied his seventh tackle at or behind the line of scrimmage and didn't earn a single negative grade.
7. EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans: 84.1
Anderson had a big game as a pass rusher in his return from injury, earning the highest grade of his young career (90.8). Although he was limited to just 11 snaps, he produced a 45.5% pass-rush win rate while notching a pair of sacks to push his season total to seven, a Texans rookie franchise record.
8. WR Tank Dell, Houston Texans: 83.4
Dell suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 13, but he maintains his spot on this list due to his incredible playmaking ability over the first three-quarters of the season.
The Texans' 2023 third-rounder averaged 2.22 yards per route run and hauled in 21 receptions of 15 or more yards, both of which ranked top-20 at the position through Week 13.
9. QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans: 81.4
Stroud was able to clear concussion protocol and return to the lineup to mixed results. In his return, Stroud managed the game well, producing just his fourth outing with zero turnover-worthy plays and his second-highest adjusted completion percentage (80.7%) of the season.
9. CB Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks: 81.4
While Witherspoon had a tough outing in his return from injury, his spot on this list is secure due to his quality play in all defensive facets all year long. Through Week 17, no other rookie defender has earned a 75.0-plus grade in coverage (77.2), run defense (76.0) and pass rush (91.3).
11. S Jordan Battle, Cincinnati Bengals: 78.1
Battle continues to pile up run stops and now has 14 on the season — more than twice as many as the next-closest first-year safety. Since Week 11, when Battle’s role increased, he’s earned an 83.0 run-defense grade, the fifth-highest at the position.
12. S Ji’Ayir Brown, San Francisco 49ers: 77.9
Brown (knee) was able to suit up this week due to injury. The third-rounder has earned three single-game grades above 73.0 since Week 11. He has two forced incompletions and two interceptions on the season and has graded above 70.0 in coverage and as a run defender.
13. DI Keeanu Benton, Pittsburgh Steelers: 77.6
While Benton’s sack numbers don’t jump off the page, he is undoubtedly producing as a pass-rusher. His 77.0 pass-rush grade ranks third in the class, and he has racked up 21 total pressures, including eight combined sacks and hits.
14. CB Brian Branch, Detroit Lions: 77.3
After last featuring on this list back in Week 9, Branch returned to the top 15 with a fantastic recent stretch of games. Over the last month, Branch has been a ballhawk in coverage, securing a pair of interceptions and five forced incompletions.
15. WR Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers: 77.2
Wicks (chest/ankle) was out this week due to injury but found his way into the top 15 off some incredible play in December. Over that span, Wicks has produced seven receptions of 15 or more yards, accounting for more than half of his total receptions (13).
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