Last week I looked at a dynamic player for each team. This week I wanted to focus on a dynamic rookie, but a lot of teams don't have any rookies with real playing time, so I had to come up with the very creative "rookie watch".
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1. Seattle Seahawks (4-0)
Previous Power Ranking: 1
Week 4 Result: Defeated Houston Texans 23-20
Week 5 Matchup: @ Indianapolis Colts (3-1)
Rookie Watch: TE Luke Wilson. 5 rec, 76 yards. Drafted in 5th round, 25th pick. Like most great, deep teams, the Seahawks have not had to rely on rookies thus far. Christine Michael should be the guy to follow if Marshawn Lynch ever gets injured. Wilson had a nice 5 catch, 76 yard game in garbage time against the helpless Jaguars and could take over for Zach Miller in a year or two.
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Previous Power Ranking: 1
Week 4 Result: Defeated Houston Texans 23-20
Week 5 Matchup: @ Indianapolis Colts (3-1)
Rookie Watch: TE Luke Wilson. 5 rec, 76 yards. Drafted in 5th round, 25th pick. Like most great, deep teams, the Seahawks have not had to rely on rookies thus far. Christine Michael should be the guy to follow if Marshawn Lynch ever gets injured. Wilson had a nice 5 catch, 76 yard game in garbage time against the helpless Jaguars and could take over for Zach Miller in a year or two.
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Previous Power Ranking: 2
Week 4 Result: Defeated Philadelphia Eagles 52-20
Week 5 Matchup: @ Dallas Cowboys (2-2)
Rookie Watch: RB Montee Ball. 123 yards, 0 TD. Drafted in 2nd round, 26th pick. I was not really a fan of Montee Ball coming out of Wisconsin. He had that Big 10 speed, meaning, not much of it. He has fallen to third on the depth chart for a Denver running attack that uses all of it's players. He is only averaging 3.2 YPC and has already fumbled twice.
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Previous Power Ranking: 3
Week 4 Result: Defeated Miami Dolphins 38-17
Week 5 Matchup: @ Chicago Bears (3-1)
Rookie Watch: DT John Jenkins. 9 tackles. Drafted in 3rd round, 20th pick. Jenkins has started the last three games in place of Brodrick Bunkley, and has held his own quite well. He is a 6'4, 360 pound monster that should eventually become a solid, full time starter at nose tackle in the Saints new 3-4 defense.
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Previous Power Ranking: 6
Week 4 Result: Defeated New York Giants 31-7
Week 5 Matchup: @ Tennessee Titans (3-1)
Rookie Watch: OT Eric Fisher. Drafted in 1st round, 1st pick. Eric Fisher has really struggled to begin his career. He has struggled to adjust to the right side and the speed of the NFL, which is understandable coming from the MAC. He should continue to improve with more playing time. Fortunately the Chiefs are 4-0 as Fisher works through his struggles.
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Previous Power Ranking: 8
Week 4 Result: Defeated Atlanta Falcons 30-23
Week 5 Matchup: @ Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)
Rookie Watch: WR Kenbrell Thompkins. 15 rec, 257 yards, 3 TD. Undrafted rookie free agent. Thompkins had a nightmare first game of his career, but may have had his coming out party against the Falcons. He notched 6 receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown. Tom Brady has been waiting for Thompkins to break out like this, and he could be a major factor moving on.
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Previous Power Ranking: 9
Week 4 Result: Defeated St. Louis Rams 35-11
Week 5 Matchup: vs. Houston Texans (2-2)
Rookie Watch: S Eric Reid. 16 tackles, 2 INT. Drafted in round 1, 18th pick. The safety class was loaded in the draft, and so far, Eric Reid has looked like the best. He has picked off a pass in the last two games, and has shown to be a strong run defender as well. He looks like the complete package.
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Previous Power Ranking: 4
Week 4 Result: Lost to Detroit Lions 40-32
Week 5 Matchup: vs. New Orleans Saints (4-0)
Rookie Watch: OT Jordan Mills. Drafted in 5th round, 30th pick. The Bears offensive line has been a sore spot for years, but they have been playing pretty well this year. That is an accomplishment considering two rookies are starting on the right side in RG Kyle Long and RT Jordan Mills. Jay Cutler has only been sacked six times this year, and Matt Forte is averaging almost 5 yards per carry.
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Previous Power Ranking: 10
Week 4 Result: Bye
Week 5 Matchup: vs. Detroit Lions (3-1)
Rookie Watch: OT David Bakhtiari. Drafted in 4th round, 12th pick. Injuries have forced fourth round pick Bakhtiari, who played right tackle in college and stands 6'4 and 300 pounds, to guard the blind side of Aaron Rodgers. Well, Rodgers isn't dead yet so Bakhtiari has done better then expected.
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Previous Power Ranking: 14
Week 4 Result: Defeated Jacksonville Jaguars 37-3
Week 5 Matchup: vs. Seattle Seahawks (4-0)
Rookie Watch: OLB Bjoern Werner. 5 tackles. 0.5 sacks. Drafted in 1st round, 24th pick. Colts rookies have had zero impact thus far. Werner had a half a sack as a situational pass rusher before being injured.
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10. Baltimore Ravens (2-2)Previous Power Ranking: 5
Week 4 Result: Lost to Buffalo Bills 23-20
Week 5 Matchup: @ Miami Dolphins (3-1)
Rookie Watch: WR Marlon Brown. 14 rec, 150 yards, 3 TD. Undrafted rookie free agent. Brown has proven to be a solid possession receiver, and his 6'5 frame is an inviting red zone target for Joe Flacco. He has already hauled in three touchdowns on the season. Brown could develop into a very solid second receiver across from Torrey Smith.
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Previous Power Ranking: 12
Week 4 Result: Lost to Seattle Seahawks 23-20
Week 5 Matchup: @ San Francisco 49ers (2-2)
Rookie Watch: WR DeAndre Hopkins. 20 rec, 270 yards, 1 TD. Drafted in 1st round, 27th pick. I said in my 2013 NFL Mock Drafts that I thought Hopkins was the best receiver in this class. Playing across Andre Johnson has helped, but Hopkins looks like the real deal. With a strong frame and quick feet, Hopkins has the look of a future number one wideout.
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Previous Power Ranking: 7
Week 4 Result: Lost to Cleveland Browns 17-6
Week 5 Matchup: vs. New England Patriots (4-0)
Rookie Watch: RB Giovani Bernard. 147 yards, 2 TD, 12 rec, 122 yards, 1 TD. Drafted in round 2, 5th pick. Bernard has been getting more touches every week, and it should not be long before he overtakes BenJarvus Green-Ellis as the lead back. He is quicker and a superior pass catcher. Bernard has serious potential if his slight frame can avoid injury.
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Previous Power Ranking: 11
Week 4 Result: Lost to San Diego Chargers 30-21
Week 5 Matchup: vs. Denver Broncos (4-0)
Rookie Watch: C Travis Frederick. Drafted in 1st round, 31st pick. Many people thought the Cowboys reached for Frederick late in the first round, but he has opened the season as the Cowboys starting center and has done a good job of opening up holes for DeMarco Murray.
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Previous Power Ranking: 13
Week 4 Result: Lost to New Orleans Saints 38-17
Week 5 Matchup: vs. Baltimore Ravens (2-2)
Rookie Watch: DE Dion Jordan. 6 tackles, 1 sack. Drafted in 1st round, 3rd overall. Most of the Dolphins top draft choices have been buried on the depth chart. Jordan's workload has been increasing each week and it should not be long before he is in the starting lineup. His potential is simply too good to keep on the bench.
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Previous Power Ranking: 16
Week 4 Result: Defeated New York Jets 38-13
Week 5 Matchup: vs. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0)
Rookie Watch: OG Chance Warmack. Drafted in 1st round, 10th pick. Chris Johnson continues to dance his way to three yards per carry, but that is not the fault of Warmack. He is off to a fantastic start to his career and should have some All Pro appearances in his future.
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Previous Power Ranking: 18
Week 4 Result: Defeated Chicago Bears 40-32
Week 5 Matchup: @ Green Bay Packers (1-2)
Rookie Watch: DE Ziggy Ansah. 12 tackles, 2.5 sacks. Drafted in 1st round, 5th pick. Ansah has been as good as advertised so far. He terrorized Robert Griffin III, getting to him twice. The scary thing is Ansah is still learning how to play football. He could be one of the best pass rushers in football pretty quickly.
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Previous Power Ranking: 15
Week 4 Result: Lost to New England Patriots 30-23
Week 5 Matchup: vs. New York Jets (2-2)
Rookie Watch: CB Desmond Trufant. 18 tackles. Drafted in 1st round, 22nd pick. Trufant has been picked on quite a bit as offenses have chosen to leave Asante Samuel alone. Trufant has 18 tackles and 4 passes deflected and should be a solid cornerback.
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Previous Power Ranking: 19
Week 4 Result: Bye
Week 5 Matchup: @ Arizona Cardinals (1-3)
Rookie Watch: DT Star Lotulelei. 9 tackles, 1 sack. Drafted in 1st round, 13th pick. The Panthers are 7th in the NFL against the run, thanks in part to Lotulelei. He earned his reputation as a stout run defender and is off to a great start in that department. If he can develop some pass rushing moves, he could have Pro Bowl's in his future.
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Previous Power Ranking: 22
Week 4 Result: Defeated Dallas Cowboys 30-21
Week 5 Matchup: @ Oakland Raiders (1-3)
Rookie Watch: OT DJ Fluker. Drafted in 1st round, 12th pick. Fluker may have been the most impressive of the first round tackles before going down with a concussion. Philip Rivers is off to a tremendous start, and the offensive line has surprisingly played pretty well.
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Previous Power Ranking: 26
Week 4 Result: Defeated Cincinnati Bengals 17-6
Week 5 Matchup: vs. Buffalo Bills (2-2)
Rookie Watch: OLB Barkevious Mingo. 10 tackles, 3 sacks. Drafted in 1st round, 7th overall. Mingo started this season behind Quentin Groves, but moved up when Groves got hurt. All he has done is notch a sack in each of the three games he has played. Mingo will be a situational pass rusher for now behind Paul Kruger and Jabaal Sheard, but he is giving Cleveland exactly what they asked for.
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Previous Power Ranking: 17
Week 4 Result: Lost to Tennessee Titans 38-13
Week 5 Matchup: @ Atlanta Falcons (1-3)
Rookie Watch: DE/DT Sheldon Richardson. 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks. Drafted in 1st round, 13th pick. Richardson has been one of the best rookies so far this season. He has made a nice transition to a 3-4 end, and has really held his own against the run and the pass. The Jets have all sorts of issues on offense, but the defense has the potential to be very good thanks to good draft picks like Richardson.
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Previous Power Ranking: 25
Week 4 Result: Defeated Baltimore Ravens 23-20
Week 5 Matchup: @ Cleveland Browns (2-2)
Rookie Watch: LB Kiko Alonso. 23 tackles, 1 sack, 4 INT. Drafted in 2nd round, 14th pick The Bills are one of a few teams who have a few rookies playing big roles, but none is playing better then Alonso. He is all over the place and among the league leaders in tackles, and is only the second rookie linebacker to grab four interceptions in his first four games.
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Previous Power Ranking: 23
Week 4 Result: Defeated Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13-10
Week 5 Matchup: vs. Carolina Panthers (1-2)
Rookie Watch: S Tyrann Mathieu. 29 tackles, 1 INT. Drafted in 3rd round, 7th pick. Mathieu was in my dynamic performer spotlight last week. He is a big time play maker who flies all over the field to make tackles. If he can stay out of trouble, he will be one of the better draft day steals in recent memory.
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Previous Power Ranking: 24
Week 4 Result: Defeated Pittsburgh Steelers 34-27
Week 5 Matchup: Bye
Rookie Watch: WR Cordarrelle Patterson. 6 rec, 82 yards, 1 TD. Drafted in 1st round, 29th pick. Patterson has not been used much on offense, but with the Vikings at 1-3, it is time they give their prized receiver more looks on offense. He is still making his marks on the games as a kick returner, however. He leads the NFL with over 32 yards per kickoff return.
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Previous Power Ranking: 20
Week 4 Result: Lost to San Francisco 49ers 35-11
Week 5 Matchup: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4)
Rookie Watch: LB Alec Ogletree. 32 tackles. Drafted in 1st round, 30th pick. The Rams are struggling on both sides of the ball, but they have to like what they have gotten from rookies Ogletree and TJ McDonald on defense. Ogletree has 29 solo tackles and 2 forced fumbles, and could be a late first round steal if he can avoid off the field troubles.
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Previous Power Ranking: 21
Week 4 Result: Lost to Denver Broncos 52-20
Week 5 Matchup: @ New York Giants (0-4)
Rookie Watch: OT Lane Johnson. Drafted in 1st round, 4th pick. Like Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel, Johnson is off to a very rough start this year. Like the other two, he has also had to transition to the right side, and is struggling to keep up with the talented NFL pass rushers. He is athletic and smart, and should pick the game up eventually.
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Previous Power Ranking: 27
Week 4 Result: Lost to Arizona Cardinals 13-10
Week 5 Matchup: Bye
Rookie Watch: CB Johnthan Banks. 10 tackles, 1 INT. Drafted in 2nd round, 11th pick. Banks is the nickel corner in Tampa, and will be tested quite often since teams aren't going to throw to Revis Island. He had a great interception against the Cardinals and should take over for Leonard Johnson before long.
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Previous Power Ranking: 29
Week 4 Result: Lost to Minnesota Vikings 34-27
Week 5 Matchup: Bye
Rookie Watch: RB Le'Veon Bell. 57 yards, 2 TD. Drafted in 2nd round, 16th pick. It was only one game, and Bell couldn't crack 4 yards per carry, but he gave the stale Pittsburgh offense some juice. Pittsburgh has been completely unable to run the ball since Willie Parker's hey day.
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Previous Power Ranking: 30
Week 4 Result: Defeated Oakland Raiders 24-14
Week 5 Matchup: Bye
Rookie Watch: TE Jordan Reed. 13 rec, 106 yards, 1 TD. Drafted in 3rd round, 23rd pick. The Redskins only had a few draft picks, so there is not a lot of recognition to go around. Reed had overtaken Fred Davis before his injury. He has not shown much explosiveness after the catch but has had sure hands. He should be Washington's starting tight end in the next year or two, if not sooner.
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Previous Power Ranking: 20
Week 4 Result: Lost to Kansas City Chiefs 31-7
Week 5 Matchup: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3)
Rookie Watch: OT Justin Pugh. Drafted in 1st round, 19th pick. Eli Manning has been getting sacked and throwing picks left and right. Pugh has been thrust into the starting right tackle spot, and as the season goes on he should improve. He is one of five first round picks who are starting on the right side of the line.
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Previous Power Ranking: 31
Week 4 Result: Lost to Washington Redskins 24-14
Week 5 Matchup: vs. San Diego Chargers (2-2)
Rookie Watch: CB DJ Hayden. 10 tackles. Drafted in 1st round, 12th pick. The Raiders have got next to nothing out of their few draft picks. Hayden is working behind Mike Jenkins and Tracy Porter right now, but should get more work as the Raiders fall out of contention.
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Previous Power Ranking: 32
Week 4 Result: Lost to Indianapolis Colts 37-3
Week 5 Matchup: @ St. Louis Rams (1-3)
Rookie Watch: S Jonathan Cyprien. 23 tackles, 1 sack. Drafted in 2nd round, 1st pick. The Jaguars are getting blown out on a weekly basis, so it is hard to give dues to any defensive player. Cyprien looks like he could be a good one. Like I said earlier, this is was a loaded safety class and a lot of those players are already playing big roles for their respective clubs.
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