Setting an NFL rookie record for most receiving yards through the first seven games is an enormous feat and would make it quite easy to believe such a rookie would no doubt be the best rookie at the moment.
Well, as Lee Corso likes to say to the others on ESPN College Gameday, “Not so fast, my friend.”
Pro Football Focus released their current top 15 highest-graded rookies through Week 7. And if you can believe it, they have not one, not two, but three rookies graded better than Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase.
Chase has an overall grade of 83.5 through seven weeks:
In a season of stellar performances, Sunday was Chase’s magnum opus. Eight catches, 201 yards, a touchdown. Five catches and 165 yards came against one of the league’s best corners in Marlon Humphrey. He’s on pace to shatter the rookie receiving yards record, with 754 yards and six scores so far.
It does go without saying that he is the highest-graded rookie wide receiver to this point, but fourth overall among rookies.
The highest-graded rookie so far from PFF is the player that was taken right before Chase in April’s draft, Falcons TE Kyle Pitts at 85.2, who has set a record of his own already with the most yards by a tight end through their first six games in NFL history with 471.
Most 15+ yd receptions by a rookie in a game vs press coverage on the outside in the last decade (per @PFF)
t1. Kyle Pitts, Falcons (2021 W7) – 4
t1. Ja'Marr Chase, Falcons (2021 W7) – 4
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3. 11 tied w/ 3pic.twitter.com/DpnpQ5BtoT— Anthony Treash (@PFF_Anthony) October 25, 2021
Sandwiched between Pitts and Chase, tied for second at 84.4, are Bears RB Khalil Herbert and Chiefs C Creed Humphrey.
So it’s not like Chase is far behind any of the rookies ahead of him and there is still a long way to go this season. But as PFF notes in the article, the race for Rookie of the Year starts with Chase and Pitts.
