Say hello to Around The NFL's "Rookie Watch" series, a week-by-week journey ranking this year's promising collection of first-year players.Rookies bring hope to all 32 teams. In recent years, we've seen and immediately shake up the landscape on offense, while draft picks spent on and turned vanilla defenses into horror shows for opponents.Between now and the end of the regular season, we'll chart this year's rookie cla s in an effort to predict which first-year players have the best chance at long careers in our nation's finest sport.Here's where we stand after Week 1:1. , wide receiver:Perhaps the draft's most versatile offensive weapon, Cooks was used all over the field as a wideout against the . He also lined up beside in two-back Pistol sets that unleashed both players as options in the screen game. Cooks returned punts, took a reverse 18 yards and with cover men. His 4.33 speed and route running are exceptional. After and raved about the rookie's ability to absorb the offense, their trust in Cooks was evident in .2. , wide receiver: The physical differences between Cooks and Benjamin show how varied the receiver position has become in today's NFL. Projected by some as a boom-or-bust experiment, the rookie's Dustin May Jersey 6-foot-5 stature makes him game-ready. Benjamin's fourth-quarter put his raw physical gifts on display as he went over the back of to haul in this rope from :3. , wide receiver: His big preseason was no fluke. The undrafted wideout from Miami made an immediate impact for the , hauling in four pa ses for 110 yards and . Seeing snaps in Jacksonville's injury-riddled receiving corps, Hurns helped get off to a fast start before the attack went cold. 4. , running back: Replacing an injured , the third-rounder was fourth among all runners with 66 yards after contact during his 16-carry, 100-yard outing in . Leading all rookie backs in attempts and yardage, West's burst and tackle-breaking ability helped him earn an outrageous Elusive Rating of 154.7 from Pro Football Focus, second only to .5. , running back: Hyde is surprisingly light on his feet considering his 235-pound frame. Excellent lateral movement and a make him the ideal foil to . Hyde's seven carries to Gore's 16 against the felt like a blueprint for how tilts will unfold on the ground this season.6. , linebacker: Barr's 62 snaps ranked sixth among all 4-3 outside linebackers. Emerging as one of Minnesota's surest tacklers against St. Louis, the rookie has won the trust of . Look for the to increasingly unleash Barr as a pa s rusher.7. , linebacker: As the first defensive rookie to start an opener for the since Kendrell Bell, Shazier's ceiling plays hint at a long career. His closing speed and dynamic ability in coverage allow coordinator to use him more like a hybrid safety than a traditional inside linebacker. West :8. , cornerback: The rookie allowed just three grabs for 25 yards against Arizona's deep cast of wideouts. receivers also managed just two yards after the catch against Verrett, who exited as the NFL's second-best corner, per Pro Football Focus.9. , quarterback: Carr was no fireball against the . Throwing mostly dumpoffs and screens, , whiletwo of his attempts should have been picked. I'm putting Carr here, though, based on his August body of work. His strong arm gives this wandering organization hope at the game's most important position.10. , receiver: Our capped Arizona's win over the with dart from . Seeing the second most targets on the night, Brown is set for a major role. I'd argue he's shiftier than .Unsung play of the week: rookie defensive lineman drops a megaton bomb on . :On the cusp:, , , , , , Roby seven tackles and three pa ses defensed in Denver's over the . ... Attaochu was a force against the with a sack, forced fumble and . ... With against Pittsburgh, Crowell's tape reveals an urgent, one-cut runner who might have more raw talent than Tate or West. ... Facing Philly, Lee chalked up 62 yards off six grabs as Jacksonville's No. 2 threat. ... Watkins might be top-three on this list if was throwing to him. ... Bitonio's been a steady starting presence since May. ... Evans is a monster with breakout potential.Keep an eye on:, , , , , , Part of Atlanta's committee backfield, Freeman's energy on the ground should earn him a bigger role in time. ... loves Pryor, an immediate plug-and-play starter at the safety slot. ... ... Miami's McCain recorded a sack and against the . ... Sankey showed burst against the , but still looks like just a guy to me. ... Mack picked up two hurries and a quarterback hit, but disappeared for stretches. ... We barely saw Hill on Sunday, but his stock could rise as ups his carries. ... Kirksey is a poor-man's Shazier with speed to burn and strong pa s-coverage skills.Slow starters:, , , Riding the pine:, , The latest covers the ' and action. Brent Honeywell Jersey