Week 7: Rookie Ranking in the NFL: New Year's Rookies, Candidates and Sleepers

There remains a lot of football to play in 2018, but as the half of the NFL season approaches, it's not difficult to identify some of the league's top talent, especially considering four of the top five quarter-rounds are already on the field as starters.

Which recruits stand out above all, though?

Glad you asked. Not speci fi c to rewards like Offensive and Defensive Recruit of the Year, we ranked here the top 15 first-year players, ranking them as forerunners, contenders, sleepers and deep sleepers with about half of 2018 in the books.

Two notable omissions: quarterbacks Josh Allen and Josh Rosen, two interlocutors in the first round of this year's repechage. Allen has made elite athletics among ugly numbers and is now set aside with an injury. Rosen, although undermined by Arizona's incompetence, struggled to do much in three starts.

Apart from troubled Joshes, there are many other novice talents to admire:

runners

RB Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

Statistics of the season: 6 games, 438 rushing yards (5.2 per race), 40 catches, 373 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns

The Giants are not doing very well, especially in attack, but they would be downright atrocious without Barkley. This guy is the only reason New York is observable right now, and he is a joy to watch – a physical specimen that defines the cliché "size and speed" and gives the G-Men a great chance to fight each time he touches the ball.

LB Darius Leonard, Colts of Indianapolis

Statistics of the season: 5 games, 63 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 2 deviations per pass, 2 forced fumbles

The record of the Colts may not be pretty, but Leonard's statistics sheet is certainly. And the man is watching the party too. If you want a modern linebacker able to take back a match himself, you do not have to look much further than him. He has led the NFL in tackling with just five starts so far, and it's so rare when he's not at work.

competitors

CB Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns

Statistics of the season: 6 games, 28 tackles, 6 deflections, 3 INTs, 1 forced fumble

You wonder if Ward got a boost because a lot of people thought it was a fourth choice, but then you see his numbers and the impact he's had on the often stingy defense from Cleveland, and it has all it takes to be a Grade- A building block.

FS Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers

Statistics of the season: 6 matches, 36 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 6 deflections per pass, 1 INT

There are no crazy business numbers, but James did a little bit of everything in LA Not only did he respond to the Chargers' need for help with security, but he did it. has done well and at a historic pace. That's one reason the team is 4-2 and is on the rise.

QB Sam Darnold, New York Jets

Statistics of the season: 6 games, 1.346 yards (completion percentage 59.8), 9 touchdowns, 7 INTs, 83.7 points

QBs are a risky debate because they are worth much more than any other job. Still, guys like Ward and James clearly have better numbers at their respective positions than Darnold does at the center. Still, Sam is cool, and that means a lot to New York, where he is ready to make about 25 touchdowns and keep the Jets in a difficult position.

WR Calvin Ridley, Falcons of Atlanta

Statistics of the season: 6 games, 22 catches, 349 yards (15.9 per shot), 6 touchdowns

So much for his late stock slide suggesting that he's not what it takes. Ridley had a good start to the game, but if his season ended halfway through the year, he would still have a respectable number because of his impressive touch.

LB Tremaine Edmunds, Buffalo Bills

Statistics of the season: 6 games, 47 tackles, 1.0 sack, 5 deflections per pass, 2 forced fumbles

If he continues, he will be on the charts and the defensive Bills seems to have worked well. There seems to be a good chance for that. The 20-year-old has just played a nine-shot penalty and has just the right tools to move from one line to the other.

Sleepers

RB Sony Michel, patriots of New England

Statistics of the season: 5 games, 400 rushing yards (4.4 per run), 3 catches, 18 receiving yards, 4 touchdowns

His last three games: 316 yards and four scores. Suddenly, the Georgia product is an integral part of the New England offensive and its ability to find space has opened up all sorts of possibilities for Tom Brady and the rest of the team.

CB Donte Jackson, Carolina Panthers

Statistics of the season: 5 games, 28 tackles, 5 deflections, 3 INTs, 1 forced fumble

He was a positive point in a defense of the Carolina pass that is otherwise porous, especially because of the takeaway. In fact, his numbers are almost identical to those of Denzel Ward. Keep an eye on him when the Panthers go out.

RB Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos

Statistics of the season: 6 games, 346 yards rushing (5.7 per race), 14 catches, 113 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns

He's stuck a bit in time-sharing with fellow rookie Royce Freeman, but there's no denying that when Colorado's untrained kid is on the field with the ball in his hands, there's a piece to play. It has a lot of multi-purpose potential.

QB Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

Statistics of the season: 4 games, 1,076 yards (completion percentage of 55.6), 4 touchdowns, 5 steals, 72.8 points

The statistics are not very good, but consider his worst game (2 INT against Chargers Sunday) may have been at least partially caused by injury. It must be smarter, but its zipper and pocket movement is so open for the Cleveland offensive.

FS Jessie Bates, Cincinnati Bengals

Statistics of the season: 6 games, 41 tackles, 2 deflections, 2 INT

The Bengal defense has yielded a lot, but Bates seems to be comfortable in the role of "center", staying in the center of the ball and ranked among the best defenders of Pro Football Focus. Cincy hopes that he is not too mistreated.

Deep sleepers

OL Bradley Chubb, Denver Broncos

Statistics of the season: 6 games, 17 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 1-pass deflection

Three of his 4.5 sacks were played in one match. It's hard to predict his prowess for the full-season passes, but the first player has a chance to climb the rankings by the end of the year, especially if Denver gives priority to playing his youth.

RB Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions

Statistics of the season: 5 games, 286 yards rushing (5.7 per race), 13 catches, 68 receiving yards, 1 TD

It is far from Saquon Barkley's production, in part because of the Lions committee's approach to the backfield. But when he receives the keys, he puts the work. His average yards per run proves that he's able to play big.

RB Nyheim Hines, Colts of Indianapolis

Statistics of the season: 6 games, 113 rushing yards (3.1 per race), 31 catches, 185 yards, 3 touchdowns

These are boring distance totals, huh? Welcome to the colts offensive. But you can not deny these catches – it's been on the pace for over 80! This is called establishing yourself as the safety valve of Andrew Luck. With more help around it, it can be a change of pace weapon.