Four weeks into the 2026 NFL season, rookie linebackers have produced the strongest early returns, while the quarterback class has barely reached the field. The first-year All-Rookie picture remains fluid, but several players have already established themselves as immediate contributors on both sides of the ball.
Quick facts
- Giants linebacker Arvell Reese leads the entire NFL with 27 solo tackles.
- Brownies receiver Denzel Boston is the rookie receiving-yardage leader with 284.
- Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love leads first-year backs with 223 rushing yards.
- Raiders cornerback Hezekiah Masses is tied for the league lead with three interceptions.
- Undrafted Giants kicker Dominic Zvada has not missed a kick, going 9-for-9 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points.
Linebackers set the rookie standard
Reese strengthened his case as the early defensive rookie leader with a dominant Week 4 performance against Arizona. He recorded nine solo tackles, a tackle for loss, three passes defensed and his first NFL interception.
The No. 5 overall pick is the only non-defensive back in the league with at least four pass breakups and an interception. Miami’s Jacob Rodriguez joins him on the first team after climbing to second in the NFL in total tackles, one behind Denver’s Alex Singleton.
Rodriguez is also the league’s only player with at least 35 tackles, three tackles for loss and an interception. Washington’s Sonny Styles, Tampa Bay’s Josiah Trotter and Tennessee’s Anthony Hill Jr. form the second unit at a deep position.
Styles has handled the green-dot communication duties well and was central to Washington’s Week 3 win over Seattle. Trotter is averaging 11.3 tackles per game despite missing one contest and already has a pick-six, while Hill’s 42 tackles rank third in the NFL.
Other linebackers making an early impression include Dallas’ Jaishawn Barham, Atlanta’s Harold Perkins Jr. and Kendal Daniels, San Francisco’s Jaden Dugger, Indianapolis’ Bryce Boettcher, New England’s Namdi Obiazor and Minnesota’s Jake Golday.
Boston, Tate headline rookie receiver group
Cleveland has received major production from Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion during its surprising opening month. Boston leads all rookies with 284 receiving yards and is one of only two NFL players, along with Zay Flowers, with multiple catches of at least 50 yards this season.
Boston has converted 76.9 percent of his receptions into either a first down or touchdown, fifth-best in the league. Tennessee’s Carnell Tate rounds out the first-team receiver trio after leading rookies with 22 catches.
Tate posted nine receptions for 145 yards against Baltimore in Week 4, Tennessee’s highest single-game receiving total since A.J. Brown in 2021. He also had two drops and lost a fumble, but remains unbeaten on six contested targets.
Tampa Bay’s Ted Hurst, Jacksonville’s Josh Cameron and Washington’s Antonio Williams make the second team. Cameron has only five receptions, although three moved the chains and two went for touchdowns; Williams’ output has declined since Jayden Daniels was injured.
New York Giants receiver Malachi Fields, Miami’s Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas, Philadelphia’s Makai Lemon, and Pittsburgh’s Germie Bernard are among the other rookie wideouts on the radar.
Quarterback opportunities remain limited
Tampa Bay’s undrafted Jalon Daniels is the first-team rookie quarterback largely because he is the only member of the class to start a game. His extended action against Green Bay brought more turnovers than touchdowns in a game the winless Buccaneers had a chance to win.
Daniels still showed useful mobility, extending plays and creating his lone touchdown pass. He finished with 14 first downs, including 12 through the air and two on the ground, in his first real exposure to NFL game speed.
Washington seventh-rounder Athan Kaliakmanis stepped in after Marcus Mariota was injured and flashed a willingness to attack downfield. He attempted six throws traveling 30 or more yards, completing two, including a touchdown, with both among the better deep completions of Week 4.
Atlanta’s undrafted Jack Strand is also in the early quarterback mix.
Love leads a steady backfield class
Arizona’s Jeremiyah Love has been a productive piece of the Cardinals’ committee, leading rookies with 223 rushing yards while topping rookie running backs with 11 catches. The third overall selection has not yet found many explosive gains, however: only two of his first 55 carries gained more than 10 yards, and none surpassed 20.
Las Vegas fourth-rounder Mike Washington Jr. earns the second-team spot. One of only three rookie backs with a touchdown, he leads the group at 5.0 yards per carry and has taken a meaningful share of the workload from Ashton Jeanty.
Kansas City’s Emmett Johnson, Seattle’s Jadarian Price, San Francisco’s Kaelon Black and Denver’s Jonah Coleman also have early-season cases.
Rookie linemen settle into new roles
Detroit left tackle Blake Miller and Cleveland left tackle Spencer Fano are the first-team selections outside. Miller has faced the extra attention that comes with playing opposite Penei Sewell and has generally held up, while Fano’s athletic recovery ability has helped him overcome concerns about his length and power anchor.
Fano was especially strong in Week 4. Kansas City’s undrafted Kahlil Benson and Pittsburgh’s Max Iheanachor take the second-team tackle places; Benson has benefited from assistance in the Chiefs’ protection plan but has looked capable, while Iheanachor has shown high-end natural traits despite his inexperience.
Carolina’s Monroe Freeling, Philadelphia’s Markel Bell and New England’s Caleb Lomu are additional tackle candidates.
Cleveland’s Austin Barber, Baltimore’s Vega Ioane and Chargers center Jake Slaughter make up the top interior line. Barber’s shift from college tackle to guard has reduced issues that showed up in space, and his run blocking against Pittsburgh stood out.
Ioane was drafted as a guard but has performed well after moving to center, including after Lamar Jackson left Sunday’s game injured. Slaughter was also selected as a guard, though injuries pushed him to center, a position that suits his background.
Jacksonville guard Emmanuel Pregnon, Miami’s Kadyn Proctor and Tennessee’s Fernando Carmona are the second-team choices. Carmona has since gone on injured reserve with an ankle sprain. New York Giants lineman Francis Mauigoa, Houston’s Keylan Rutledge, Los Angeles Chargers rookie Logan Taylor, Seattle’s Beau Stephens and Washington’s Matt Gulbin also merit mention.
Pass rushers begin to emerge
Jets edge rusher David Bailey leads rookie defenders with two sacks and 11 pressures. The No. 2 overall pick has been solid against the run as well, though his disruptive impact has not yet consistently matched expectations for such a high selection.
Kansas City’s R Mason Thomas joins Bailey on the first unit despite not starting. Thomas owns an 18.2 percent pass-rush win rate, best among rookies and inside the NFL’s top 10, making him a valuable passing-down option for Steve Spagnuolo.
New England’s Gabe Jacas and Chargers edge defender Akheem Mesidor each have 1.5 sacks. Both registered notable wins against Buffalo Pro Bowl left tackle Dion Dawkins: Jacas drove Dawkins backward into Josh Allen’s lap for a near safety Sunday, while Mesidor used an outside chop to sack Allen in Week 3.
Cincinnati’s Cashius Howell, Dallas’ Malachi Lawrence, Green Bay’s Dani Dennis-Sutton, San Francisco’s Romello Height, Baltimore’s Zion Young, Tennessee’s Keldric Faulk and Indianapolis’ Caden Curry are further edge-rush contenders.
Detroit sixth-rounder Skyler Gill-Howard and Carolina’s Lee Hunter headline the interior defensive line. Former Texas Tech teammates who helped the Red Raiders win the Big 12 title last season, Gill-Howard has a rookie-best 11 pressures from inside while Hunter has brought size and power to the Panthers’ run defense.
Carolina undrafted tackle Aaron Hall has reached double figures in tackles, and Kansas City first-rounder Peter Woods has repeatedly created disruption even without major box-score totals. San Francisco’s Gracen Halton, Green Bay’s Chris McClellan, Jets rookie Darrell Jackson Jr., Minnesota’s Caleb Banks and Dallas’ LT Overton remain in contention.
Defensive backs deliver playmaking
Masses has made himself one of the draft’s best early value picks for Las Vegas. The fifth-rounder has three interceptions, six passes defensed and has allowed completions on fewer than half of the passes thrown his way, although his past two games were less convincing.
Kansas City’s Mansoor Delane is the other first-team outside corner. Delane intercepted a pass in his NFL debut and, in three games after missing one with a shoulder injury, has not surrendered a touchdown or drawn a penalty. He has also been a dependable tackler.
Carolina’s Will Lee III and Buffalo’s Davison Igbinosun made their first starts in Week 4. Lee has stepped up amid injuries to Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, recording four pass breakups without allowing a touchdown. Igbinosun yielded a score Sunday, but only after a remarkable catch by Efton Chism.
Miami’s Chris Johnson, Green Bay’s Brandon Cisse, Giants corner Colton Hood and Pittsburgh’s Daylen Everette are also in the conversation.
Tampa Bay nickelback Keionte Scott has been particularly effective attacking downhill, using his closing speed and physicality to make plays such as his sack of Deshaun Watson. Scott gave up his first touchdown Sunday, to Matthew Golden, but has otherwise held up in coverage.
Chicago’s Malik Muhammad is the second-team nickel after shifting inside despite playing almost exclusively on the boundary in college. He has allowed a 44.4 percent completion rate when targeted. Atlanta’s Avieon Terrell, Baltimore’s Chandler Rivers and Jets defensive back D’Angelo Ponds are other options.
Chicago safety Dillon Thieneman leads rookie defensive backs with 30 tackles and has led the Bears in tackles in all four games. His end-zone interception of Andy Dalton in Week 3 was a major momentum swing.
Dallas’ Caleb Downs has quickly become a versatile coverage piece and reliable tackler. He is still awaiting his first interception, but his three forced fumbles lead all rookies.
Chargers safety Genesis Smith and Cleveland’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren land on the second team. Smith had two interceptions against Buffalo in Week 3, while McNeil-Warren’s role has expanded each week; he broke up a pass intended for DK Metcalf last Thursday and has not missed a tackle against the run.
Carolina’s Zakee Wheatley, Miami’s Michael Taaffe, Indianapolis’ A.J. Haulcy, Las Vegas’ Treydan Stukes, Pittsburgh’s Robert Spears-Jennings and undrafted Chiefs safety Xavier Nwankpa round out the notable group.
Sadiq paces tight ends and specialists stay perfect
Jets first-rounder Kenyon Sadiq has separated himself from the rookie tight end field with 12 catches and 143 yards, more than twice the totals of any other first-year tight end. He did not record a reception against Chicago on Sunday as New York’s offense stalled, but he blocked well.
Baltimore’s Matthew Hibner has five catches for 70 yards, including a touchdown against Dallas and a key 25-yard reception versus Tennessee. He has also been a reliable blocker. New England’s Eli Raridon, Jacksonville’s Nate Boerkircher, Chicago’s Sam Roush and Miami’s Will Kacmarek are other tight ends to watch.
Zvada has been flawless for the Giants, converting all nine field-goal attempts and all five extra points. Three of his field goals have come from beyond 50 yards, including two in Sunday’s victory.
Green Bay’s Trey Smack is 7-for-8 on field goals. His 58-yard conversion against Tampa Bay proved decisive in the Packers’ win.
Buffalo seventh-round punter Tommy Doman leads rookie punters at 48.6 yards per kick and a 45.0 net average, both in the top half of the NFL. Baltimore’s Ryan Eckley has been consistent when needed and has provided steady work as Tyler Loop’s field-goal holder.
