• Phillips blocks his opponents: HOURHe allowed only 11 receptions for 46 yards and a position-leading 4.2 yards per reception. Newbie has yet to pass for a single touchdown this season, while in his coverage he has only given up two first downs, both of which are league-best.
• Of course there is room for improvement: He has yet to record an interception or an incompletion and is one of three qualifying defensive backs who can say so in Week 7.
• Unleash your benefits with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all of our seasonal fantasy tools, including weekly ratings, WR/CB Matchup Schedules, weekly forecasts, Launch and squat optimizer and much more. Register now!
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
2024 has not been kind to New York Giants.
They are 2-5, tied for second in the league in points with the Patriots, and the rest of the teams in their division look very well positioned for the near future.
One thing, Giants fans. Maybe you care about the early return of their 2024 NFL Draft class. First round receiver Malik Nabers started very hot, and in the second round Tyler Nubin showed why he was considered the best defender in this class. But it’s a third round defenseman. Andru Phillips which is perhaps the most outstanding.
Taken No. 70 overall by Kentucky, Phillips hit the ground running in his debut against the Vikings, posting an 84.3 PPG and 90.9 CPR in just 16 snaps. The soon-to-be 23-year-old isn’t looking back after such a strong start, as he has yet to record an overall PFF grade or coverage grade below 60.0 in a single game all season. Through Week 7, Phillips has a PFF overall grade of 83.3, a PFF run defense grade of 74.4, a PFF tackle of 78.2, a PFF pass rush of 80.6, and a PFF coverage of 81.4, all ranking in the top seven. the best among defensive players. newcomers this season.
Rookie cornerbacks with highest grades in Week 7
Based on more traditional numbers, Phillips looks even better, as he has only allowed 11 receptions (five of which came in Week 2 against the Commanders) for 46 yards and leads the position at 4.2 yards per reception. Only Samuel Womack III The Colts allowed fewer yards. Phillips has yet to throw a touchdown pass this season and has only thrown two first downs in his history, both of which are league-best.
Even when Phillips allows a reception, he starts the play quickly. He made a stop (a single tackle resulting in an offensive lapse) nine times in coverage, ranking seventh in the NFL. Teams also don’t test the rookie cornerback because he averages just 1.7 yards per depth, the lowest in the NFL among qualifying cornerbacks.
PFF WAR indicates that Phillips was the sixth-best rookie defenseman (0.09 wins above replacement) this season, not far behind first place. Quinion Mitchell Orlov – 0.12. However, all of the defenders ahead of him played at least 50 more snaps, which impacts WAR.
Andru Phillips’ 2024 Game Log
The only thing that can be said against Phillips is that he wasn’t very opportunistic on defense. He has yet to record an interception or an incompletion and is one of three qualifying defensive backs who can say so in Week 7.
As a result, the rookie remains under the radar of most NFL fans. However, he does all the little things very well. He isn’t used as much as many others, as his 193 snaps this season rank only 12th on the Giants, but it may be a mistake New York needs to correct. Given how productive Phillips has started his career, the Giants may have found another gem in what is already looking like a home run draft class.
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