Five games into the season, Washington’s rookie class looks a whole lot different than it did when the last rankings were published. The order has shifted, the sample size has grown, and one player from the previous list is already gone. That leaves a clearer picture of who is helping right now - and who still has work to do.
Sonny Styles has pushed himself to the front of the conversation. Three games ago, it was harder to place him above Williams.
Not anymore. Styles won NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors against Seattle after posting five tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, and two passes defensed.
He followed that with eight tackles against Indianapolis and 13 more against the Giants. Through five games, he has 33 tackles, a sack, an interception, a forced fumble, and three passes defensed in 308 defensive snaps.
Washington has kept asking him to wear the green dot when needed, and his PFF overall grade has jumped from 50.8 in the last update to 71.6, which ranks 15th among 72 qualifying linebackers. His coverage work has been especially strong, with a 75.1 grade that sits sixth, though the run defense still lags behind at 59.7, and he has seven missed tackles.
NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice even put him first among defensive rookies, writing, "At this point, I’m not sure what Styles can’t do."
Antonio Williams has also become a much bigger part of the offense, even if the production hasn’t matched the early-season highs. Injuries at receiver have opened the door for more snaps, and his usage has climbed from 37% in the opener to 69% against Indianapolis and 68% against the Giants.
Over the last three games, though, he has managed only 67 receiving yards. For the season, Williams has 15 catches for 155 yards and a touchdown, along with a 72.8 PFF overall grade that ranks 34th among 86 qualifying receivers.
He still hasn’t been charged with a drop.
Drew Stevens has steadied things, at least on field goals. He missed enough early to make every kick feel like an event, but he has not missed one since the last rankings.
Stevens has made two field goals in each of the last three games, including a 57-yarder against Seattle that set Washington’s rookie record. That leaves him at 9-of-11 on field goals overall.
The extra-point issues have not disappeared, though. A blocked kick in Philadelphia and misses against Seattle and the Giants have him sitting at 8-of-11 on PATs, or 72.7%.
Matt Gulbin’s role has changed in a hurry. He went from being evaluated on four offensive snaps to starting at right guard in London when Washington needed help in place of Cosmi.
Gulbin played every one of the 64 offensive snaps in that game, then returned to the bench when Cosmi came back against the Giants. In 72 offensive snaps, Gulbin has a 63.2 PFF overall grade, including 62.7 as a pass blocker and 60.9 in run blocking.
He has allowed two pressures, one sack, and one quarterback hit, and he has not been flagged.
Athan Kaliakmanis finally got his first regular-season action, though the circumstances were rough. Daniels was already out, and Mariota hurt his knee in London, forcing Washington to turn to the rookie for 54 offensive snaps.
There were some bright moments and some rough ones, with PFF crediting him for two big-time throws and two turnover-worthy plays. Against Indianapolis, he went 15-for-33 for 186 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
With Daniels back, Kaliakmanis slots in fifth after getting that first game behind him.
Joshua Josephs has not created the pass-rush buzz he showed in the preseason. Washington has gradually increased his workload, moving him from 15 defensive snaps against Seattle to 18 against Indianapolis and 20 against the Giants.
He has now played 73 defensive snaps in all, with six solo tackles and three defensive stops. PFF has him at 49.0 overall, with a 73.7 run-defense grade and a 55.8 mark as a pass rusher.
On 27 pass-rush snaps, he has just one quarterback hurry.
There still isn’t much to say about Tanoa Togiai beyond the fact that Washington has kept him around. The undrafted rookie made the team, but he has not played an offensive snap in five games and was inactive against the Giants.
Kaytron Allen is the one name no longer on the roster, and that makes his spot the hardest to evaluate. Washington wanted him to clear waivers so it could bring him back to the practice squad, but Miami claimed him after he rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown in the preseason. Allen played in four games for Washington, carrying 12 times for 41 yards in 25 snaps and adding 29 snaps on special teams.
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