The best rookie on all 16 NFC teams

Through Week 11, some NFC teams are reaping the rewards of an outstanding draft class. The Detroit Lions immediately come to mind. Other teams, however, have received little return so far from their rookies. We're looking at you, Carolina Panthers.

Here is the top rookie on each NFC team as determined by Yardbarker NFL writers.

NFC East

DALLAS COWBOYS | Kicker Brandon Aubrey (undrafted free agent): Thanks to Aubrey, Dallas is one of only two teams without a missed field goal. He has missed two extra points, but after watching Brett Maher go 1-for-6 on extra points in last season's playoffs, the Cowboys couldn’t be happier with the undrafted free agent from Notre Dame.

NEW YORK GIANTS | Cornerback Deonte Banks (first round): Banks has appeared in every game, playing 83% of the defensive snaps, and the former Maryland star leads New York with nine passes defended. In a Week 11 win over Washington, he couldn’t wait to mock the Commanders on social media after holding wide receiver Terry McLaurin to five catches for 43 yards.  

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | Defensive tackle Jalen Carter (first round): Carter is widely considered the second-best player to come from the 2023 NFL Draft after Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. Carter (four sacks) doesn’t have the sack numbers of his predecessor in Philadelphia, Javon Hargrave, but only the Rams’ Aaron Donald has received a higher grade from Pro Football Focus among interior defenders.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS | Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes (first round): After a disastrous outing against A.J. Brown and the Eagles in Week 4, Forbes was benched in Week 5 and played only 10 snaps over the next three games. He has since recovered with five passes defended in his past two games and looks to be the best pick from an underwhelming draft class for Washington. — Bruce Ewing

NFC West

ARIZONA CARDINALS | Offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (first round): The Cardinals, who desperately needed to address their offensive line in the offseason, landed the top tackle prospect in the draft. Although Johnson Jr. is transitioning to a new position (right tackle) and has had issues with penalties, he still looks the part of a franchise tackle.

LOS ANGELES RAMS | Wide receiver Puka Nacua (fifth round): Nacua (69 passes for 897 yards and three touchdowns) has proved to be one of the biggest steals in the 2023 NFL Draft class. He not only leads all rookie pass-catchers in receptions and yards, but he is ninth among all players in receptions and sixth in yards.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | Kicker Jake Moody (third round): If you are going to pick a kicker high in the draft, you must get it right, and it seems the 49ers have. Moody is perfect on extra points (33-for-33) through 10 games and 16-of-19 on field goals, making him by far the most productive and impactful rookie from the team's draft class.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | Cornerback Devon Witherspoon (first round): Witherspoon already looks like a lockdown corner in one of the best young secondaries in the NFL. Through 10 games (nine played), he has one interception (returned 97 yards for a TD), 13 passes defensed, a forced fumble, three sacks and three tackles for a loss. — Adam Gretz

NFC North 

CHICAGO BEARS | Offensive tackle Darnell Wright (first round): The decision to pass on stud DT Jalen Carter and trade down for Wright at No. 10 wasn't popular with Bears fans, but the rookie offensive lineman looks like a cornerstone piece. Despite battling through a shoulder injury and bouts of inconsistent play, Wright has the fourth-highest Pro Football Focus grade among rookie O-linemen (60.8).

DETROIT LIONS | RB Jahmyr Gibbs (first round): The Lions have several rookie standouts to choose from (safety Brian Branch, TE Sam LaPorta, LB Jack Campbell), but the versatile Gibbs has emerged as one of the league's best young backs. In September, Gibbs told ESPN he may top 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving. He's behind that schedule thanks in part to missing time (512 yards rushing, 259 receiving) but is picking up steam.

GREEN BAY PACKERS | Wide receiver Jayden Reed (second round): The sixth receiver selected in April's draft, Reed has quietly made a significant impact and arguably is the team's best receiver. Heading into Week 12, Reed leads the Packers in receiving yards (463) and targets (51), and his five total touchdowns are second only to WR Romeo Doubs (seven).

MINNESOTA VIKINGS | Wide receiver Jordan Addison (first round): The final WR taken in the first round has outshined those wideouts taken before him, ranking first on the Vikings in touchdown grabs (seven) and second in receiving yards (647) and receptions (48). Meanwhile, he has produced with and without injured All-Pro Justin Jefferson, posting 29 catches for 398 yards and four touchdowns in six games the star wideout has missed with an injury. — Mike Santa Barbara

NFC South

ATLANTA FALCONS | Running back Bijan Robinson (first round): Atlanta bucked conventional wisdom by spending a top-10 pick on a running back, and Robinson (612 yards rushing on 125 carries) was worth the investment — when he has been given an opportunity, that is. His inconsistent usage has rankled many, but that’s an indictment of head coach Arthur Smith and the coaching staff, not Robinson.

CAROLINA PANTHERS | None: Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick, is one of the worst quarterbacks in the league, second-round wide receiver Jonathan Mingo is averaging only 9.4 yards per reception, and fourth-rounder Chandler Zavala has allowed six sacks and is by far the worst-graded pass-blocker among guards with at least 118 pass-block opportunities, per Pro Football Focus. Carolina’s 2023 draft class is so dreadful it may set the franchise back years.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee (first round): Bresee is making the most of his limited playing time (47 percent of the team's defensive snaps), ranking third among rookie defensive tackles in tackles for loss (four). He has shown a penchant for blocking passes (five), a good sign for a D-lineman.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS | Defensive end YaYa Diaby (third round): Four sacks in his past four games have propelled Diaby to the top of the team's rookie class. His best performance came in Week 11 against the 49ers, when he sacked QB Brock Purdy twice. — Eric Smithling