New for the 2025 NFL season, PFSN is grading players at every position with our series of Impact Grades. These metrics are crafted for each position and seek to measure how a player’s individual contributions impacted the game.
Using a traditional grading system scale, players are ranked at their position based on a weighted average in a series of position-specific metrics. An exactly average performance will get a 75 overall grade, which translates to a C on the grading scale.
Each week, PFSN will present the highest-graded rookie at each position with analysis on why that player excelled. Below we take a look at the first-year players who led the way in Week 5.
QB: Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
71.2, C-
It’s been a struggle for the first overall pick, but Cam Ward is showing signs of turning a corner. Sunday brought his first career win in the Tennessee Titans’ mind-boggling comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals, along with a season-best 71.2 QB Impact Grade.
Ward developed a reputation for clutch play at Miami, a perception he delivered on this week. Ward averaged 0.47 EPA per dropback when the game was within one score in the fourth quarter, the fifth-best close game EPA/dropback average this week. He also set a season-high with 6.4 net yards per attempt, well above his prior high of 5.2.
RB: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
90.4, A-
If the first five games of his career are any indication, seventh-rounder Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt will go down as one of the biggest NFL Draft steals in recent memory. The Washington Commanders’ rookie recorded the highest RB Impact grade for the second time this season after also doing so in Week 1 vs. the Giants.
Against the Chargers, Croskey-Merritt had a 71.4% rushing success rate, tied with Kareem Hunt for the highest by any player this week. He also ranked third in both average yards before contact (2.64) and yards after contact (5.29).
Which RBs (AND THEIR O-LINES) are generating explosive plays and avoiding being stuffed?
– Jacorey Croskey-Merritt is balling!
– Rico Dowdle brought an explosive element that Chuba Hubbard hasn’t
– Etienne and Dobbins are playing so well@FantasyPtsData pic.twitter.com/N2kcJodmJn
— Ryan Heath (@RyanJ_Heath) October 8, 2025
Croskey-Merritt has the highest RBi grade for the whole season at 94.2. That’s currently the highest season-long grade for a rookie RB since 2013, just ahead of De’Von Achane (93.3) in 2023.
WR: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
85.3, B
Until Stefon Diggs’ terrific Sunday night game, Emeka Egbuka was tracking to have the highest WR Impact score this week. His 85.3 in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ comeback win was the highest of his impressive rookie season to date.
Egbuka could have had 200 against Seattle. He was constantly open. This is just from the 2nd half.
Watch how he uses head fakes and footwork to get open against off coverage. Freezes people constantly. pic.twitter.com/4pbz1n3kiS
— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) October 8, 2025
Egbuka will have to settle for the highest rookie WRi score for the third straight week, and now ranks eighth overall with an 87.5 season-long grade. He’s averaging 11.7 yards per target, fourth-best in the NFL and most by a player through his first five career games since 2021 Ja’Marr Chase (13.0).
TE: Mason Taylor, New York Jets
78.4, C+
New York Jets rookie Mason Taylor has been remarkably consistent early on. Taylor has had a C-level grade in all five games this year, with his 78.4 mark in Week 5 representing a new high-water mark.
Taylor’s targets have increased in every game this season, peaking with 12 on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Taylor ranks ninth among all tight ends with 20 receptions this year, a welcome change after Jets tight ends collectively ranked 20th in receptions and 26th in receiving yards during the 2024 season.
OL: Torricelli Simpkins III, New Orleans Saints
77.1, C+
An undrafted rookie from South Carolina, Toricelli Simpkins III made his first start at right guard in place of the injured Cesar Ruiz. Simpkins started Week 3 at left guard and had an extremely rough 67.4 grade against the Seahawks, but improved greatly in his second start on the other side of the line.
Simpkins wasn’t perfect by any means, allowing six pressures in the win over the Giants. However, three of those were long pressures, meaning ones that arrived three or more seconds after the snap.
It wasn’t a standout week for rookie linemen, as Simpkins ranked 45th among all offensive linemen in Week 5. Still, the Saints will take this level of play from an undrafted rookie forced into an unexpectedly large role right away.
EDGE: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Dallas Cowboys
81.9, B-
Although he’s still searching for his first career sack, second-rounder Donovan Ezeiruaku broke out with his best game to date in Week 5. Ezeiruaku has had his two highest grades in the last two weeks, peaking with his first B-level grade in the Dallas Cowboys’ win over the Jets.
Even without a sack, Ezeiruaku ranked seventh among all EDGE defenders this week. He generated four pressures, as many as he had in his first four games combined. Two of those were quick pressures (within 2.5 seconds), which is double the number Ezeiruaku had over the first four weeks. Finally, he made three tackles in the run game that limited the Jets to 2.0 yards per carry.
DT: Darius Alexander, New York Giants
79.5, C+
Playing a limited role in a deep defensive line group, Darius Alexander hasn’t had many opportunities to stand out just yet. However, the Toledo product made the most of his 24 snaps in Week 5, recording his highest DT Impact Grade to date.
Alexander had multiple pressures for the first time this year, while also recording his first tackle for loss. One of his pressures also resulted in his first quick defensive pressure, as he got to Spencer Rattler in 2.3 seconds on a second quarter pass rush.
LB: Teddye Buchanan, Baltimore Ravens
89.1, B+
One of the only bright spots in the Baltimore Ravens’ Week 5 debacle was rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan. The fourth-rounder has been a starter since Week 2, but had easily his highest LBi grade this week and ranked second at the position overall behind Nate Landman.
Buchanan led all linebackers with 15 tackles this week, including nine in the run game. Those nine run game tackles limited the Houston Texans to 3.3 yards per rush. His coverage wasn’t quite as effective (102.5 passer rating allowed on five targets), but that early down work was enough to make Buchanan one of the top linebackers in Week 5.
CB: Will Johnson, Arizona Cardinals
82.0, B-
A surprising draft day slide due to a foot injury, Will Johnson looks like he’ll be a massive steal if he stays healthy. The Arizona Cardinals rookie finished seventh in CBi this week, and has the top overall grade on the season (99.6).
The Michigan product has been a ballhawk with six forced incompletions on 18 targets this season. Sunday against the Titans, Johnson had a pass breakup and gave up only eight yards on four targets. For the season, his 6.5 yards per reception ranks fifth-best among CBs with 10+ targets.
S: Kitan Crawford, Arizona Cardinals
80.7, B-
Johnson’s defensive back teammate also stood out as the top rookie at his position in Week 5. Kitan Crawford ranked eighth in Safety Impact Grade this week, getting his first meaningful playing time after seeing the field for just 12 snaps the first four games combined.
The cutoff threshold to qualify for our safety rankings is 10 coverage snaps, which Crawford just barely cleared with 16 coverage snaps. In that limited time, he had a pass breakup and allowed one catch for three yards. The Cardinals are set at safety with Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson, and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, but the seventh-round rookie flashed when given a glimpse and made a case for more playing time.
