Fan Fuel: Top 10 NFL rookies this season

BY DEREK CARSON – FAN FUEL BLOGGER



Hi there ladies and gents. With the second half of the NFL season about to get underway, I think it’s a good time to have a look at some of the rookies who are making waves in the league. Here you’ll find my Top 10 List of the rookies who are having the biggest impact on their teams and on the league.



10. Randall Cobb – Wide Receiver – Green Bay Packers
Cobb is pretty low on the receiver depth chart in Green Bay but he’s kicking butt and taking names on the kick return. He leads all rookies and is 5th in the league in kick return yards. He also tied the NFL’s longest kick return in history with a 108 yard TD return in week one against the Saints. He’s small in stature but he’s big on heart. Look for #18 to develop his special teams’ skills and become an invaluable part of the Packer’s attack.

9. Julio Jones – Wide Receiver – Atlanta Falcons
The only thing holding back Jones is a hurt hamstring that’s kept him out of two games already this year. Tony Gonzales, the Falcon’s future Hall-of-Famer tight end, has said that this kid is the most talented receiver he’s ever played with and could one day be the best receiver in the league. That’s some high praise! Jones is 2nd for rookies in receiving yards and he only has 28 receptions on the year. Watch for #11 as he makes some great catches for tons of yards.

8. Ryan Kerrigan – Outside Linebacker – Washington Redskins
Kerrigan is a beast of a defender. This mid-first round pick has 35 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and an interception he returned for a touchdown against the New York Giants. By all accounts he will be a force to be reckoned with in this league as he develops and matures. Washington is having a bad year but it’s not their defence’s fault, ranked 7th in the league in points allowed per game. Watch for #91 to be a dominating force on the field against the rush and the pass.

7. Von Miller – Outside Linebacker – Denver Broncos
Denver has a lot of work to do if they want to make the playoffs, but they can count on Miller, their 2nd overall pick, to help them out along the way. Miller leads all rookies and is tied for 8th in the league with 6.5 sacks on the year. In addition, he has 31 tackles and two forced fumbles. If you’re watching the Broncos, forget about Tebow. Watch for #58 make the big plays to keep his team in the game.

6. Dan Bailey – Kicker – Dallas Cowboys
That’s right, a kicker in the top 10. Bailey has won not just one, but two games for the Cowboys this year. He’s only missed one field goal and that was in a game where he ended up kicking the tying field goal from 48 yards out to send the game to overtime and then later kicked the winner. In week three, Dallas didn’t score one touchdown, but Bailey kicked six field goals for a Cowboys’ victory. This kid’s the real deal.

5. DeMarco Murray – Running Back – Dallas Cowboys
Two Cowboys’ players made the list, and Dallas is going to need these guys going forward. Murray leads all rookies and is 13th in the league in rushing yards. Murray’s 80 rushing attempts are at least 30 touches below the next guy above him yards. This guy is a game-breaker and is going to be a force in the league. Next time you’re watching a Cowboys game, look for #29 as he marches down the field.

4. Torrey Smith – Wide Receiver – Baltimore Ravens
Smith had a huge night against the Steelers last Sunday, catching the game-winning touchdown pass from Joe Flacco in a twisting, amazing fashion. His first catch of his career was a 74 yard touchdown and he’s only a 2nd round pick! He has 4 touchdowns on the year and is becoming a big part of the Ravens’ offence. Look for #82 the next time you catch a Ravens game.

3. A.J. Green – Wide Receiver – Cincinnati Bengals
Green is kicking butt and taking names. He has the most receptions, most yards and most touchdowns of all the rookies. He’s 13th in the league in receiving yards and is combining with Andy Dalton, the Bengals rookie QB, to help Cincinnati lead the AFC North division. He was picked 4th overall and he’s showing the league why. Next time you watch the Bengals look for #18 to make the big plays.

2. Cam Newton – Quarterback – Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton is number two? Too bad. While he’s been crushing the league in personal stats, he hasn’t helped the Panthers win many games. This guy is a great quarterback. His passing yards and passer rating are good for 6th and 12th in the league respectively. If the Panthers had any kind of defence, Newton may have topped my list. But the fact remains, you’ve got to win the games to be the best. If you’re watching the Panthers game, look for #1 to be the best QB on the field, however, it will be in a losing effort.

1. Andy Dalton – Quarterback – Cincinnati Bengal
Andy Dalton is the big winner! This rookie, while not putting up the same numbers as Cam Newton, is leading in the most important statistic: wins. Dalton helped make it possible for the Bengals to feel good about trading Palmer, for whom they got a first and second round pick. Dalton has set up the Bengals for a great present and future. This team is lucky to have him and football fans are lucky to watch the best rookie in the league lead his team to victory.