NFL Week 4 Rookie Power Rankings: Sauce Gardner, Jalen Pitre rise after impressive outings

Rookies rose to the occasion in Week 3 making for a more competitive list

A week ago, the bottom of the list was stuffed with players that may have been unconvincing. Rookies rose to the occasion in Week 3 and made compilation of the list difficult and competitive. There were some really good players that fell short and those will be discussed prior to the actual list. 

Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen looked fantastic in both zone and man coverage Sunday. He baited Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota on a throw and intercepted a pass intended for Drake London. Jets edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II was destructive against the Bengals. He may not have delivered the big play but was effective in the run game and close to padding his sack stats. Jets running back Breece Hall was a problem for Cincinnati in the pass game. Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez continues to be consistent. Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs has earned the trust of Aaron Rodgers through crisp route-running. Green Bay has been manufacturing touches for him. The Saints used wide receiver Chris Olave as a deep threat in the first two games and then kept him in as the underneath option in Week 3. It is possible to use pass catchers in multiple roles in the same game, New Orleans. Finally, the Bears have two good, young defenders in edge rusher Dominique Robinson and safety Jaquan Brisker. Brisker has always been a playmaker but played a cleaner game in regards to missed tackles.

These rankings are not based on statistical performance but rather overall play. Without further ado, here are the cumulative regular season rookie rankings following Week 3 action:

Week 4 Rookie Rankings

1	Drake London Atlanta Falcons WR
London has been the target on 31.6% of Marcus Mariota's pass attempts this season. His size and speed represent a comparable advantage to that of Kyle Pitts in the pass game.
2	Garrett Wilson New York Jets WR
Wilson took a massive shot in the first half but did return to the game. Cincinnati did a better job of limiting the big plays Wilson was able to make in this game.
3	Sauce Gardner New York Jets CB
Gardner was a nuisance for the Cincinnati receivers. He raked out a few balls at the catch point.
4	Jalen Pitre Houston Texans FS
There is a lot of value in a player that always finds himself around the football and that is Pitre. He is just as likely to be making plays in the backfield as he is in coverage. He was one broken tackle away from taking his first career interception to the house.
5	Derek Stingley Jr. Houston Texans CB
Stingley projects a lot of confidence on the field and has the makings of a lockdown NFL cornerback. There were moments he could have shown better awareness in zone coverage but the arrow is pointing up.
6	Jahan Dotson Washington Commanders WR
Dotson had a statistically subpar outing relative to his previous two games. However, his opportunities downfield were limited by the Philadelphia rush and Carson Wentz's play as a result of it. The Penn State product was no less of a crisp route-runner today than he had been at other points in the season.
7	Travon Walker Jacksonville Jaguars OLB
Jacksonville is 2-1 and sitting at the top of the AFC South. A big reason for their rise has been the defense. The front seven is playing really well right now with Josh Allen and Walker creating confusion off the edge.
8	Abraham Lucas Seattle Seahawks OT
Lucas had some rough moments last week against Nick Bosa but, who doesn't? The San Francisco game was sandwiched between two great performances by the rookie right tackle from Washington State. He has certainly outperformed first-round left tackle selection Charles Cross thus far.
9	Aidan Hutchinson Detroit Lions DE
Hutchinson showed multiple ways to win against Minnesota. The Vikings threw some double teams his way and he did a nice job of holding his gap in the run game. His quickness created problems for the offensive line on stunts.
10	Devin Lloyd Jacksonville Jaguars OLB
Lloyd's range and versatility is evident. Earlier, the Jacksonville defense was discussed as a reason for the team's success and Lloyd is a big part of that. He can play down the line and make plays or drop into coverage clouding pass lanes.
11	Jordan Davis Philadelphia Eagles DT
Davis was an animal against the Washington front line. He was consistently collapsing the pocket and not just with his strength or sheer mass. The ex-Bulldog showed quick hands to get off blocks and fill gaps to stifle the Commanders offense. A man of his size should not be able to move the way he does.
12	Martin Emerson Cleveland Browns CB
Emerson had been solid in the first two games but he played at a higher level against the division rival. He gave up the absurd catch to George Pickens but there was not much anyone could do about that grab. Emerson shows good awareness in zone coverage and is willing to play downhill. Greg Newsome was consistently on this list a year ago but he has played more in the slot with Greedy Williams on Injured Reserve. It will be interesting to see how Williams' return impacts Emerson.
13	Zion Johnson Los Angeles Chargers OG
The Los Angels offensive line is in shambles following an injury to Rashawn Slater. They were already without Corey Linsley and now a lot of pressure falls on the rookie. Will he be able to continue his string of solid play or will the circumstances around him cause him to lose focus?
14	Braxton Jones Chicago Bears OT
Similar to Lucas, Jones did not have the best Week 2 showing but the other two games have been impressive. He is a good fit for that blocking scheme, which allows him to move and play angles in space.
15	Kader Kohou Miami Dolphins CB
Isaiah McKenzie got the rookie on one play across the field but it had to be a good throw from Josh Allen. A year ago, Paulson Adebo was impressive in Week 1 because he played with confidence of a veteran. Kohou is showing a similar confidence in addition to an ability to play inside out.