Early opportunities
NFL rookies making most of playing time
These days, NFL rookies are contributing as much as — or more than — ever.
Just look at the statistics: With players such as running backs Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints and Kareem Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs, quarterback Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans (until a knee injury ended his season) and cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore of the Saints and Adoree’ Jackson of the Tennessee Titans making immediate impacts — to name a handful of examples — this season’s class ranks among the strongest since 2000.
Based on data from Sportradar through the 10th week of each NFL season in that span — before additional rookies get extra snaps as a result of injuries to veterans or because eliminated clubs want to figure out what they might have for the future — the 2017 crew shows up as No. 1 in rushing yards, No. 2 in touchdowns, No. 3 in receiving yards and No. 4 in tackles.
“Rookies are being asked to do more right away than they used to be,” said Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, a seventh-year pro. “Teams are wanting to get more out of you sooner.”
That’s true, and it’s part of a larger shift: More than 55 percent of all snaps are now taken by players 26 or younger, at least in part due to seeking relatively cheap labor. But the rookie trends are not simply a reflection of more playing time, because the total number of games started by rookies through Week 10 this year was the lowest since 2010.
It’s that they’re making the most of their chances.
Still, teams need to be wary of just how much they rely on the very youngest members of their locker rooms: An examination of the past 10 seasons by The Associated Press showed the worst clubs inordinately rely on newcomers. The five teams with the most games started by rookies since the start of the 2008 season all ranked among the eight withtthe fewest victories: the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills.
Cleveland, with the fewest victories in that stretch, used by far the most rookies with 114 (no other team had more than 92 appear in a game) and let them make by far the most starts with 247 (no other team had more than 214).
This season, the teams with the fewest number of rookies who made an appearance in a game through Week 10 were the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, with only four apiece. They happen to be tied atop the AFC with matching 10-2 records. At the other end of the standings, the San Francisco 49ers (2-10) were leading the league with 18 rookies, followed by the Indianapolis Colts (3-9) with 13.
The Browns (0-12) are part of the group that used a dozen rookies each. So are the Saints, who are 9-4 and lead the NFC South standings despite posting a league-high 31 rookie starts through Week 10.
“I don’t know that there is a hard-and-fast rule that says, ‘If you start four or five rookies, you’re not going to have a chance,’” former Dallas Cowboys front-office executive Gil Brandt said.
Kamara, Lattimore, safety Marcus Williams and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk all are integral elements for New Orleans. Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who has been in the league since 2001, sees a difference.
“Guys seem to come in even more prepared now than they ever have,” he said.
While that is not necessarily the case among offensive linemen, where the techniques required in the pros are quite different from the spread-dominated college game, rookies are excelling at skill positions.
Kamara leads all nonkickers in scoring. He and the Carolina Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey rank in the top 15 in catches. Hunt and Leonard Fournette of the Jaguars are among the league’s top seven rushers. Hunt, Kamara and Fournette are among the top 15 in total yards from scrimmage. Evan Engram of the New York Giants is tied for seventh among tight ends with 51 catches.
Among players with at least 15 punt returns, Jackson and Jamal Agnew of the Detroit Lions, another rookie cornerback, are ranked in the top seven in average yardage. A quartet of rookies, including Lattimore and Tre’Davious White of the Bills, are tied for 11th in interceptions. Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson is tied for 21st with 7.5 sacks.
So the question becomes: Why? “Kids are coming into the league better than the previous generation was,” said the 29-yearold Kerrigan said. “And they’re coming into college more prepared. Watching a high school kid pass-rush now, versus when I passrushed, it’s like, ‘Wow, that kid already knows how to do this?’ ”