Through the first six weeks of the 2024 NFL season, rookies were finding their way. They still are, of course. But some are starting to settle into a groove, which reflects in the stabilization of the Bleacher Report's Rookie Rankings.

Aside from injuries or bye weeks, the cumulative performances from a handful of first-year performers have elevated their status over the rest of the class.

As an example, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels played so well to start his NFL career that the injury which prevented him from playing in most of Sunday's contest didn't affect his status (at least not yet).

Similarly, the Chicago Bears and Caleb Williams enjoyed their bye this past weekend. The quarterback's growing comfort level in his offense doesn't diminish because of scheduling.

Conversely, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has been on the field and growing into an elite performer. Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. bounced back from a weak showing. New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers found himself in the lineup after missing games due to injury.

All of these names, plus more, comprise B/R's Week 7 rankings.

Who Missed the Cut

Off the List

OG Dominick Puni, San Francisco 49ers: Puni has been bouncing back and forth from being on the list to falling off it depending on his performance. The offensive tackle convert stacked three strong games together only to falter a little against the Kansas City Chiefs. He is right on the fringe of these rankings and could easily become entrenched by another strong stretch of games.

RB Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Irving needed just 45 rushing yards during Monday Night Football to surpass Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels as the rookie rushing leader. He managed just 23 at 2.6 yards per carry against the Baltimore Ravens. Instead, Rachaad White proved to be the more effective option this week.

Names to Watch

WR Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills: Amari Cooper provided significant juice during his first appearance with the Bills. Not only did he catch for passes for 66 yards and a touchdown, but his presence also created a ripple effect throughout Buffalo's passing game. Coleman benefited by posting 125 receiving yards. In truth, quarterback Josh Allen has been looking more and more toward the rookie over the last few weeks.

CB Beanie Bishop Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers: When a young defensive back dreams of the NFL, he can only fantasize about his first interception and which quarterback he picks. In Bishop's case, his first two interceptions came at the expense of future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. He earned his spot as the Steelers nickel corner despite being an undrafted free agent. He continues to shine despite being overlooked.

TE Ja'Tavion Sanders, Carolina Panthers: In what already looks like a lost season where the Panthers basically moved on from the 2023 No. 1 overall pick a year-and-a-half after making the selection, the organization is looking for potential building blocks. Tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders appears to be a keeper. He set career highs in back-to-back weeks, including six catches for 61 yards Sunday against the Washington Commanders.

OG Mason McCormick, Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers invested heavily in their offensive line during April's draft. First-rounder Troy Fautanu has played in only one game because of injury. The organization chose center Zach Frazier in the second round, and he's excelled. McCormick joined the class as a fourth-round pick and became a starter due to injury. He already looks like a long-term solution at right guard. His play isn't perfect, but his physicality, energy and solid pass-blocking more than make up for other shortcomings.

OC Beaux Limmer, Los Angeles Rams: Limmer is quietly improving after being thrust into the Rams' lineup due to injuries. Even when Limmer is healthy, he could stick as the starter since he's a natural center. The Rams had experimented with Steven Avila and Jonah Jackson playing the position previously. Both are natural guards. The sixth rounder may be exactly what the Rams need for the entire unit to eventually gel.

10. CB Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia Eagles

DeJean is settling nicely into the Philadelphia Eagles' nickel corner role.

Philadelphia's coaching staff slow-played his usage this season because of a hamstring injury he suffered prior to the start of training camp. The coaches liked what they saw during the team's bye week and the Iowa product took over the slot, where he's excelled in coverage.

The versatile defensive back started the last two games and he doesn't look like he'll be relinquishing the role anytime soon.

Fellow rookie Quinyon Mitchell has been a staple on these rankings. But the Eagles knew they had to revamp their secondary, which general manager Howie Roseman addressed with back-to-back draft picks to start their 2024 class.

"Those are looking like two really, really good draft picks that are helping our defense grow," head coach Nick Sirianni said of Mitchell and DeJean.

DeJean, whom Philadelphia chose with the 40th overall pick, also serves as the Eagles' punt returner, where he ranks fifth in return average among those with nine or more attempts.

9. S Evan Williams, Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers have fully embraced their big nickel defense, with safeties Xavier McKinney, Javon Bullard and Evan Williams all receiving full-time roles.

A week ago, Williams took a slight step back in usage, though he still graded as Pro Football Focus' top rookie defender.

His performance Sunday against the Houston Texans didn't have the same limitation. The 23-year-old was all over the field with a team-leading nine tackles.

The first-year safety didn't perform quite as well in coverage, but his all-around play has quickly changed Green Bay's defensive approach.

"He's a very intelligent player, he's a very intelligent person," defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley told reporters. "I think one of the biggest things he's done to put himself in the situation that he's in now and having a bigger role is he's starting to learn how to study the game more and he's starting to understand how serious you need to take it."

McKinney said: "It hasn't been perfect for him, but knowing that, he's still like, 'Alright, let me figure out how I can do this better.' That's what's really impressed me and I expect him to keep being him."

8. C Zach Frazier, Pittsburgh Steelers

An injury derailed the regular season of the NFL's best rookie offensive lineman.

Pittsburgh Steelers center Zach Frazier is now week-to-week with an ankle injury that prevented him from playing this past weekend.

According to Penn Live's Nick Farabaugh, the team expects the second-round pick to return to the lineup after its bye week, which places the snapper back against the Washington Commanders for Week 10.

Prior to the injury, Frazier already looked like the Steelers' long-term solution at center. He played with good leverage, strength, agility and tenacity. As the season progresses, especially with Russell Wilson now in the lineup, the rookie will grow when it comes to making calls and reading what his quarterback is seeing presnap.

From a macro point of view, the Steelers seemingly have a home run rookie class, with the West Virginia product leading the way. Their offensive line will receive a major facelift once Frazier, Mason McCormick and Troy Fautanu are all in the lineup

Pittsburgh's front office understood the assignment and rebuilt the offense's foundation. As a result, the on-field product has improved, even with the injuries.

7. WR Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

Anytime a young player catches the fancy of an NFL owner, he's usually something special.

Owners have a different point of view. They're looking for stars and individuals to represent their franchise. They want something to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack.

The Jacksonville Jaguars appear to have one of those young standouts in wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

"I think he's a star," owner Shad Khan told Demetrius Harvey of the Florida Times-Union. "Fastest guy in the NFL now. I love his attitude and the confidence he has. So, (it) tells me that our draft process obviously has been very good and we've gotten great players. He's talented, but I (also) think he represents the city well."

To meld Khan's initial point with the second, Thomas is the first player since Ryan Moss (read that again) to produce 500 or more receiving yards with 30 or fewer yards in his first seven professional contests, according to CBS Sports' Doug Clawson.

"We try to find ways to put the ball in his hands. We'll try to find unique ways to get him the football where he can run it, but obviously, he's better down the field," head coach Doug Pederson said.

6. QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams received a slight bump in this week's rankings despite being on the team's bye week, because others slid down slightly.

Prior to the off week, the growth from Williams and the Bears offense can be easily seen.

"The biggest lesson that I've seen and tried to implement in each one of these things, from the learning process of what we saw early on to what it was with Geno [Smith] to what's here now is just not skipping any steps," former Seahawks and current Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron told The Athletic's Adam Jahns.

"Whether it's a rookie quarterback or a veteran quarterback, it still comes back to great fundamentals, great understanding of defensive structure and building it from the ground up with each stop. So that when you get into the games, everyone's on the same page."

Each week is another building block for Williams, as seen recently with three straight games with a quarterback rating over 100. The entire offensive scheme is coming together, with plenty of room to grow for this year's No. 1 overall pick.

"When we're calling the game, they're anticipating the next call because we've already talked through all the basics and the premise of how we're getting certain calls," Waldron said. "And then that's really where we're at right now is building towards that with Caleb, whether we're within a drive or we're at certain points in the game, it's just that connectivity through all the work you put in at the ground level."

5. Malik Nabers, New York Giants

Malik Nabers returned to the New York Giants lineup after missing the previous two contests while going through the concussion protocol. Upon his return, he immediately led the team with 41 receiving yards.

Though the number indicates how poorly New York played against the Philadelphia Eagles, with this year's sixth overall draft pick coming across as unhappy with his usage.

"Watch the target tape," Nabers told reporters after the 28-3 loss. "That was it. I was open."

Both the Eagles and fellow rookie Quinyon Mitchell deserve credit for how they played (more on that in a bit).

Time missed, coupled with a downturn in production, will start forcing Nabers down the board when compared to the rest of this class. He's also in a poor situation playing for a 2-5 squad with offensive-line and quarterback issues.

Still, Nabers remains tied for seventh overall with 37 receptions. His earlier work this season is really keeping him where he's currently ranked, but that same explosive target needs to return to remain among the league's elite rookies.

Complaints about needing the ball more mean nothing when others are performing well and actually producing.

4. CB Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles aren't afraid to challenge rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and place him on an opponent's best receiver. He responds by competing at a high level.

The first-year defensive back isn't going to win every matchup, of course. That's just the nature of the beast when playing in a pass-first, offensive-driven league. Yet the 23-year-old has done quite well for himself.

According to The Score's Brenden Deeg, this year's 22nd overall pick ranks first in passer rating allowed among all defensive backs targeted at least 33 times. SportsRadio 94 WIP also noted that he hasn't allowed a touchdown despite playing 97 percent of Philadelphia's defensive snaps.

This past weekend, Mitchell allowed two catches for 15 yards against the New York Giants, per Victor Williams of The Philly Pod. Malik Nabers may believe he was open and should have been targeted more, but Mitchell's performance says otherwise.

The Eagles secondary is really finding its footing with Mitchell at one spot opposite Darius Slay, while fellow rookie Cooper DeJean excels while working from the slot.

With safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship both being 26 or under, Philadelphia turned what was an aging secondary into burgeoning young group, with Mitchell leading the way.

3. Edge Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams

Presence matters. In a league where consistent excellence is difficult to achieve, the Los Angeles Rams' Jared Verse is already reaching for that status, even if he still falls just a bit short.

The idea that a player is completely judged by traditional statistics undermines how much of an impact an individual can create. This discussion came to a head last year when one side strongly supported the Pittsburgh Steelers' T.J. Watt over the Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

The latter won because of an understanding that extends beyond simple metrics.

Verse finds himself on a similar path, while working toward the possibility of becoming the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year. This year's 19th overall pick has registered one sack so far. The entire draft class is failing to bring down opposing quarterbacks.

However, the Rams edge-defender ranks fourth in the NFL with a 27 percent pass-rush win rate, according to ESPN's Seth Walder. He is coming off his best game with nine pressures, which ties for the most in a single game among rookies this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

Also, Verse's six tackles for loss lead all rookies. Eventually, sacks will come. Despite that particular number, no other first-year defender is playing better or more consistently.

2. TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers might as well be carrying the entire Las Vegas Raiders offense by himself. He basically is already.

The Raiders rank among the bottom eight in total offense, and the Georgia product is the unit's only real threat.

As a result, Bowers leads the league with 47 receptions through seven games, which is a rookie record. He's also on pace to shatter the position's single-season rookie record of 86 catches.

The 21-year-old could also topple the overall rookie receptions record set just last season by Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams. He even has an outside shot at Zach Ertz's record of 116 grabs by a tight end in one campaign.

His 10-catch, 93-yard performance on Sunday dwarfed any other target in the Raiders offense. Wide receiver Tre Tucker finished the day with three catches for 31 yards.

As stated in B/R's previous rankings, keep in mind that Bowers is doing all of this despite no consistency whatsoever from the quarterback position.

At 2-5, Bowers is the Raiders' primary bright spot. He's everything the team hoped he'd be after selecting him with the 13th overall pick. But the most exciting aspect of the tight end's play is what he can eventually provide once the Raiders actually have a long-term investment behind center.

This level of performance is merely the beginning.

1. QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels' appearance this past weekend proved to be brief since the Washington Commanders quarterback played one series before leaving Sunday's contest against the Carolina Panthers with a rib injury.

The current favorite to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year completed two passes for six yards in the game. After medical personnel evaluated the No. 2 overall pick at halftime, the Commanders ruled him out of the game. They didn't need their rising star in the lineup, though.

Washington built a 27-0 halftime lead with backup Marcus Mariota leading the way. Daniels returned to the sideline in sweats and seemed to be in good spirits. His mother even tweeted that "he's fine."

Initial tests showed no fractures, according to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports. The rookie's availability for Week 8 has yet to be determined.

Even with the situation as it is, Daniels had built a substantial lead as the league's best rookie. He leads the league with a 75.6 completion percentage. His 73.8 QBR ranks second overall. The QB came out of the weekend's action as the league's leading rookie rusher.

However, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has closed the gap as of late with how he's played.

Otherwise, Daniels' injury status will be something to watch in the coming days and weeks to see if it affects his play or causes him to miss any games. If so, a shakeup could be forthcoming at the top of B/R's rookie rankings.