LaDainian Tomlinson is the NFL's second-leading rusher with 486 yards.

As part of ESPN.com's first-quarter report cards we decided to take a look at how some of the NFL's class of rookies have fared so far.

While there have been a number of standout performances from rookies in the early part of the season, the play of three particular players stands out. Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson is a virtual lock to run away with Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. His presence has immediately given the Chargers the running game they've sorely lacked.

On the defensive side of the ball, Steelers linebacker Kendrell Bell and Rams safety Adam Archuleta have moved to the head of the class. Both have started every game for their teams this season.

Each Tuesday from the rest of the regular season, ESPN.com will hand out its report card on how the new kids are doing. Here's our report on how some of the NFL's most intriguing rookies have fared so far.

High Honors
Rd./No.	Player	Skinny
1 (20)	S Adam Archuleta	Archuleta has been as good as advertised in his first five NFL games. The former Arizona State linebacker has made the move to safety with little difficulty and helped revamp a Rams' defense that has gone from giving up 29.4 points per game last year to 13.4 per game this year. He's fourth on the Rams with 24 tackles and has one sack.
2 (39)	LB Kendrell Bell	Bell has been the real deal on one of the NFL's early-season surprises. The Steelers are winning with one of the NFL's best defenses and Bell has been a big part of it. The former Georgia standout has started all four games, recording 21 tackles and three sacks.
1 (5)	RB LaDainian Tomlinson	The Chargers passed on their quarterback of the future (Michael Vick) and landed their running back of the future. Tomlinson is second in the NFL with 486 yards rushing and tied for first with seven rushing touchdowns. If there's a negative, it's his four fumbles.

Dean's List
Rd./No.	Player	Skinny
1 (2)	OG Leonard Davis	Davis has firmly established himself as the Cardinals' starter at right guard. The massive lineman from Texas has started all four of the team's games.
2 (36)	WR Chad Johnson	Johnson's early success will be put on hold for a while. The former Oregon State star will miss four to six weeks after suffering a broken collar bone last weekend in the Bengals' win over the Browns. Johnson had five catches for 68 yards on the day, his best game as a pro.
1 (4)	DE Justin Smith	Smith, the last first-round pick to sign, will get his first start of the season Sunday against the Bears, moving ahead of Reinard Wilson at defensive end. The Missouri standout has two sacks while seeing part-time duty in four of the Bengals' first five games.
3 (74)	WR Steve Smith	Smith has been one of the best return men in the NFL through five games. He's averaged 25.6 yards per kickoff return and 11.7 per punt return for the Panthers. He's also returned one punt and one kickoff for a touchdown.
2 (45)	CB Fred Smoot	There have been few bright spots in D.C. this season, but Smoot's been one of them. The brash Mississippi State alum has started all five of the Redskins' games, recording three interceptions. On a down note, Smoot injured his knee and lower leg Monday and could miss time.
2 (34)	DE Kyle Vanden Bosch	The Nebraska product has had an immediate impact on the Cardinals' defensive line. In three games, he has 13 tackles and one sack. He's also been praised for his work ethic and desire on the field. However, after missing the Cardinals' last game with an ankle injury, Vanden Bosch will now be out for eight weeks after suffering a torn MCL in his right knee during practice.
1 (3)	DT Gerard Warren	The No. 3 overall pick has started all five games for the Browns, registering 17 tackles and one sack. He's helped offset the loss of defensive end Courtney Brown, who has yet to play this season.
4 (106)	QB Chris Weinke	Weinke has been pretty successful early in his NFL career. The former Heismann Trophy winner has started all of Carolina's games, completing over 60 percent of his passes.

Academic Probation
Rd./No.	Player	Skinny
1 (27)	RB Michael Bennett	The preseason talk surrounding the Vikings was that Bennett was going to jump right into the spot created by the retired Robert Smith. It hasn't been quite that easy. The first five games of Bennett's career have been a struggle, with the Vikings ranking 20th in the NFL in rushing yards per game. Bennett suffered a sprained ankle which could keep him out of action. It's unfair to put all the rushing woes on Bennett, but he hasn't performed like a No. 1 running back.
1 (9)	WR Koren Robinson	The Seahawks need more from Robinson. After missing out on free agents like Jerry Rice, the Seahawks were forced to go with a young receiving corps. The results have been mixed. In five games -- four as a starter -- Robinson has only 13 receptions for 184 yards. Seattle will need more production out of Robinson if it is going to make a playoff run.
1 (8)	WR David Terrell	Rookie receivers typically struggle. But Chicago fans had to be expecting more than six catches after four games. In Terrell's defense, the Bears really haven't made an effort to get him involved in the offense. If the Bears weren't winning, Terrell's lack of production would be harder to swallow.

Incomplete
Rd./No.	Player	Skinny
1 (25)	WR Freddie Mitchell	Mitchell's season never really had a chance to get off the ground. The confident receiver from UCLA was hampered early by a hamstring injury and has been unable to wrestle any playing time away from second-year wideout Todd Pinkston. As Mitchell becomes more comfortable with the offense, he should see his playing time increase.
1 (16)	WR Santana Moss	Moss' first NFL season got off to a bad start when he injured his knee in training camp. Word out of New York was that the speedster from Miami (Fla.) was very impressive prior to the injury. While Moss might make it back on the field this season, don't expect him to have that much of an impact.
1 (10)	DE Jamal Reynolds	The defensive end from Florida State has yet to play a down in the regular season. Reynolds suffered a knee injury that limited him to one preseason game and has hampered his progress. While he has been cleared to play, he has yet to be in uniform. Reports on Reynolds indicate that he doesn't play the run very well and was a disappointment even when healthy. However, we'll cut him a little slack for now.
1 (6)	DT Richard Seymour	After spending nearly month getting his right hamstring back to normal, Seymour tweaked his left one Sunday against the Chargers. The injury isn't serious, but it means that Seymour will remain at less than 100 percent. Seymour has shown flashes, but the rookie from Georgia hasn't been able to firmly establish a spot in the lineup due to his nagging injuries.
1 (1)	QB Michael Vick	Vick's first taste of NFL life has gone as expected. Some flashes of brilliance and also plenty of mistakes. The potential is definitely there, but it's way too early to make any judgments about where his career will end up.

Peter Lawrence-Riddell is the assistant NFL editor for ESPN.com.