Rookie of the Year Meter Week Seven Rookie of the Year Meter Jet takes off; former leader takes nosedive By Court E. Mann Oct. 25, 2006 With four of our top 10 nominees enjoying some time off in Week Seven, this week?s Rookie of the Year Meter is perhaps our most stable to date. Our front-runner took a step back by the Bay, a hard-hitting familiar face returns, and a Jet launches himself into rarified air. [Note: This feature is designed to handicap the race for the Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards. It takes into account both past performance and future potential. Thus, occasionally, you may find players who rank ahead of others despite relatively less production at that point. For example, Leinart was on our ROY radar even before he took over for Kurt Warner because his debut and level of success was very much anticipated.] The top nominees 1. Saints WR Marques Colston Season stats: 27 catches, 414 yards, four TDs Week Seven stats: On bye Last week?s ranking: 2 Stock: STEADY Despite the Saints? off week, Colston remains atop the rookie leaderboard in receiving yards and receiving TDs and second in receptions to his flashy teammate heading into Week Eight. If he maintains his team lead in all significant receiving categories, for a squad that has captured the NFL spotlight, the seventh-rounder will have his fair share of votes. 2. Patriots RB Laurence Maroney Season stats: 86 rushes, 361 yards, three TDs; seven catches, 77 yards Week Seven stats: eight rushes, 29 yards; one catch, one yard Last week?s ranking: 3 Stock: STEADY In the Patriots? two-headed backfield, it was Corey Dillon?s turn in Week Seven. While Dillon scored two TDs to open another New England win, Maroney gained only 29 yards on a season-low eight carries. He has fewer than 38 rushing yards in three of his last four tilts, and yet he still leads all first-years in rushing. 3. Saints RB Reggie Bush Season stats: 65 rushes, 195 yards; 38 catches, 285 yards Week Six stats: On bye Last week?s ranking: 4 Stock: STEADY Regardless of his bottom-line digits, it?s going to be tough to keep Bush down in the voting, not only based on his reputation but also because of the Saints? remarkable turnaround. However, it would be helpful if he had one stat to hang his hat on. With the off week, he fell from tops in the NFL in receptions to No. 8 overall. 4. Cardinals QB Matt Leinart Season stats: 65-of-118, 742 passing yards, four TDs, four INTs Week Seven stats: 13-for-32, 203 yards, two INTs Last week?s ranking: 1 Stock: FALLING In the crazy world of the NFL, Leinart can go from shining against the suffocating Bears to struggling vs. the porous Raiders in the span on just six days. Of course, rookie QBs are notorious for their ups and downs, and the former Heisman Trophy winner certainly promises to have plenty of ROY moments with a presumed nine starts in front of him the rest of this season. Green Bay?s NFL-worst pass defense offers one of those opportunities this week. 5. Bears DE Mark Anderson Season stats: 11 tackles, 6? sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one pass defended Week Seven stats: On bye Last week?s ranking: 5 Stock: STEADY Like Colston, Anderson held on to his lofty stature among the sack leaders despite not playing in Week Seven. He remains first among all rookies and in a tie for third in the league overall behind perennial Pro Bowlers Julius Peppers and Jason Taylor. Anderson?s playing time may dwindle a bit upon the return of starter Adewale Ogunleye, who has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. 6. Buccaneers QB Bruce Gradkowski Season stats: 60-of-107, 533 yards, four TDs, one INT Week Seven stats: 13-for-26, 104 yards, zero TD, zero INT Last week?s ranking: 7 Stock: STEADY In his third NFL start, Gradkowski didn?t do much to win the game, but perhaps more significantly, he didn?t do anything to lose it, either. The Toledo product has fewer passing yards than Leinart, but he leads the higher-profile passer in wins and QB rating and has just as many passing scores. 7. Lions LB Ernie Sims Season stats: 59 tackles (43 solo, 13 assists), one pass defended, one forced fumble Week Seven stats: 10 tackles (nine solo, one assist) Last week?s ranking: Honorable mention Stock: RISING Week Six saw Sims drop out of the top 10 because of an elbow injury that looked serious on the field. Yet the Florida State product demonstrated his toughness and dedication by slapping a brace on and suiting up for practice at the very next opportunity. Sure enough, there he was on game day, recording his third double-digit-tackle outing of the year. 8. Packers WR Greg Jennings Season stats: 21 catches, 378 yards, three TDs Week Seven stats: one catch, 14 yards Last week?s ranking: 6 Stock: STEADY After three TDs in four games, Jennings was finally slowed on Sunday, perhaps more by a sprained ankle than by the opposing defense. The second-round stud will be questionable at best for Sunday?s game vs. Arizona, and any missed time will hurt his candidacy. However, the Packers desperately need him, given their decimated WR corps. 9. Titans QB Vince Young Season stats: 47-of-99, 512 yards, three TDs, four INTs; 20 rushes, 80 yards, one TD Week Seven stats: On bye Last week?s ranking: 9 Stock: STEADY Fresh off the first win of Young?s career and of the Titans? season, the third overall pick in the draft has a ripe opportunity to build on that success against a Texans defense that cedes 386 yards and nearly 26 points per game. The emergence of Travis Henry and the Tennessee running game will help Young going forward. 10. Jets RB Leon Washington Season stats: 71 rushes, 346 yards, two TDs; five catches, 76 yards Week Seven stats: 20 rushes, 129 yards, two TD Last week?s ranking: Unranked Stock: RISING On the strength of two 100-yard games in the last three weeks, Washington has skyrocketed up the ROY Meter after recording a mere eight carries in his first three games. The Jets? fourth-round pick out of Florida State established a single-season best for a rookie, rolling up 129 yards on the Lions last Sunday. He is suddenly just 15 yards behind Maroney for the rookie rushing lead. Honorable mention (in no particular order) Texans LB DeMeco Ryans: Second among all rookies in tackles. Broncos DL Elvis Dumervil: Five sacks in his last two games. Bears PR Devin Hester: You may have seen his return TD vs. the Cardinals. Colts RB Joseph Addai: Second among rooks in rushing after career-best 85 yards. Bills SS Donte Whitner: He?s sliding based on Bills? collapse on ?D.? Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew: Leads all rookies with five total touchdowns. Chargers OLT Marcus McNeill: Philip Rivers? uniform was a bit dirtier last week in K.C. Colts S Antoine Bethea: Mike Doss? ACL tear ensures more playing time for Bethea. Panthers CB Richard Marshall: Another five tackles, another pass defended. Falcons RB Jerious Norwood: First among all NFL backs with 7.6 yards per carry. Chiefs DE Tamba Hali: Three forced fumbles, one recovery and 3? sacks could net monthly honor. Texans DE Mario Williams: Recorded a sack and recovered a fumble in upset win. Browns DE Kamerion Wimbley: Season-high five tackles vs. Broncos. Bears S Danieal Manning: Must play a more significant role with Mike Brown on I.R. Patriots ORT Ryan O?Callaghan: Pats allowed an uncharacteristic four sacks in win over Bills. Titans DB Cortland Finnegan: Earned first start of the season before Week Seven bye. Jets OLT D?Brickashaw Ferguson: Keeping Jets leader Chad Pennington on the field. Jets C Nick Mangold: Three straight triple-digit rushing efforts for Gang Green. Best of the rest (in no particular order) Saints OG Jahri Evans Bills FS Ko Simpson Bills LB Keith Ellison Niners OLB Manny Lawson Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams Broncos RB Mike Bell Lions OT Jonathan Scott Packers LB A.J. Hawk Texans TE Owen Daniels Jets WR Brad Smith Dolphins WR Derek Hagan Bills DT Kyle Williams Steelers WR Santonio Holmes Rams TE Joe Klopfenstein Niners RB Michael Robinson Seahawks DE Darryl Tapp Raiders SS Michael Huff Raiders LB Thomas Howard Broncos QB Jay Cutler Texans RB Wali Lundy Patriots PK Stephen Gostkowski Bengals LB Rashad Jeanty Ravens DT Haloti Ngata Bengals DT Domata Peko Browns LB D?Qwell Jackson Saints S Roman Harper Rams CB Tye Hill Eagles DT Broderick Bunkley Seahawks P Ryan Plackemeier Dolphins CB Jason Allen Cowboys LB Bobby Carpenter Chargers CB Antonio Cromartie Buccaneers OG Davin Joseph Bengals CB Johnathan Joseph Jaguars TE Marcedes Lewis Giants DE Mathias Kiwanuka Lions S Daniel Bullocks Giants WR Sinorice Moss Titans RB LenDale White Browns RB Jerome Harrison Packers OG Jason Spitz Packers OG Tony Moll Packers OG Daryn Colledge Broncos TE Tony Scheffler Jets QB Kellen Clemens Lions RB Brian Calhoun Raiders OL Paul McQuistan Cowboys OL Pat McQuistan Eagles WR Hank Baskett Cowboys TE Anthony Fasano Cowboys FS Pat Watkins Giants NT Barry Cofield Cardinals TE Leonard Pope Texans OT Charles Spencer Saints P Steven Weatherford Ravens P Sam Koch Ravens CB Ronnie Prude Vikings S Greg Blue 49ers TE Vernon Davis Patriots WR Chad Jackson http://profootballweekly.com/PFW/Features/Rookie+of+the+Year+Meter/2006/roy102506.htm
There was absolutely no need to put a best of the rest list. What have Clemens and Cutler done to deserve anything? I laughed at that. I don't know how Leinart go to #1 after 2 weeks of playing. Leon could definitely pass Bush, Gradkowski, Young, Jennings, and Sims with a big week this week. Hell, if Leinart struggles again, Leon could pass him or Anderson. It's not that big a deal, but it would be fun to see Leon win ROY.
I would have included Mangold on the top 10 but atleast he made it on the Honorable Mention list:jets: :jets:
The reason why some guys are on this list, who have not done anything yet, is because HYPE is factored into it as much as production. Guys may not have taken a snap, but the hype/potential they come with puts them on the list. Not saying it makes sense, but that's how they put it.
There was absolutely no need to put a best of the rest list. What have Clemens and Cutler done to deserve anything? I laughed at that. I don't know how Leinart go to #1 after 2 weeks of playing. Leon could definitely pass Bush, Gradkowski, Young, Jennings, and Sims with a big week this week. Hell, if Leinart struggles again, Leon could pass him or Anderson. It's not that big a deal, but it would be fun to see Leon win ROY he wins roy means the jets make he playoffs,because that would mean he continues to run the way he has been for the past 2 games... that mean play-offs baby!!!!!!
Unfortunately, I think Bush will win because of the Saints turnaround. I actually think that Leon may have a better year than Bush when all is said and done, but Bush will get the hype.
Bush has been mediocre at best. His large amount of receptions really means nothing. Sean Payton likes to dump to backs. If he were to win rookie of the year while averaging 3 yards a carry, we'd know that the hype machine was functioning in full force. -X-
