Top 5 Contenders For NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
With the Thanksgiving holiday now done, that means the NFL Playoffs are right around the corner. That also means the race for some NFL hardware is reaching a fever pitch, even including this year’s race for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Let’s examine who the five best contenders are for that award and see what kind of case they have for it.
1. Emeka Egbuka
With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dealing with a wide swath of injuries to the team’s receiving corps this season, it’s a good thing they got another outstanding receiver this past draft. Egbuka is currently the only rookie wideout to rank in both the top 10 in receiving yards and touchdowns league-wide.
The Ohio State product is on pace to finish the year with 75 catches for 1,279 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Buckeyes program has become something of a receiver factory over the years, and Egbuka may perhaps be the best one yet.
2. Tyler Warren
The Indianapolis Colts have the top offense in the entire NFL this season, and a lot of that has to do with the latest weapon they acquired in the draft, Tyler Warren. While it may be a long shot for the former Penn State standout, Warren could very well snag All-Pro honors if the rookie tight end can finish the season strong.
Warren’s stats also back up his All-Pro case, as the Colts’ rookie has 55 catches for 662 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season. Although Arizona Cardinals star Tight End Trey McBride will more than likely take All-Pro honors this season, it doesn’t mean Warren might not walk away empty-handed in his stellar rookie campaign.
3. Tetairoa McMillan
For someone who was as heavily scrutinized and picked apart in the pre-draft process, McMillan has more than lived up to his draft position with the Panthers this season. The former Arizona Wildcat has shown he is more than capable of being an X receiver in the NFL, even in an offense as shallow as the Panthers. McMillan has 56 catches to go along with 783 yards and 5 touchdowns.
While the two rookies ahead of McMillan have the luxury of playing with very capable quarterbacks, the fact that McMillan has been able to produce with Bryce Young throwing him the ball should give him a little boost in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race.
4. Jaxson Dart
If it weren’t for the Giants, for some reason, putting their faith in Russell Wilson at the beginning of the season, or for injuries to both his supporting cast and himself, Dart may very well be the front-runner for this award. The Ole Miss star has been both efficient in his limited playing time on the field and an infectious personality off of it.
Dart, in just 7 games started this season, has thrown for 1,417 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also posting a respectable 93.5 passer rating. If the Giants address their dysfunction in both the front office and coaching ranks, Dart could be the quarterback they’ve been searching for since Eli Manning’s retirement.
5. Quinshon Judkins
If you don’t recognize this name right off the bat because you don’t watch Cleveland Browns football games, then allow me to introduce you to a future star in the making. After the departure of Nick Chubb this past offseason, the Browns were expected to take a step back in the rushing department; thankfully for them, Quinshon Judkins fell to them.
Another Ohio State product, Judkins, has been the lone bright spot on one of the worst offenses in the NFL, with over 667 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns on 4 yards per attempt. While Judkins has the misfortune to play for the Browns, which limits his overall exposure to NFL fans outside Cleveland, he is one of the more entertaining runners in the league as a rookie.
Final Thoughts
This list is not only a look at the rookies that have been the best on offense this season, but also could be giving us a glimpse at future NFL superstars in the making. The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year could be the first of many awards these players could take home for years to come.
