Rookie of the Year Prospects This Season

This year’s first round of the draft saw only ten offensive players selected. Among them is quarterback Ty Simpson from the Los Angeles Rams, who will likely be warming the bench while Matthew Stafford, the reigning MVP, takes the lead.

All eyes are on the top ten picks in this season’s Rookie of the Year race, especially Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiah Love, who starts off with odds of +320. He’s expected to be the key player in Arizona’s revamped offense.

However, there are concerns about Love’s chances. The Cardinals have a shaky quarterback situation and a newly constructed offensive line, which complicates things. It’s worth noting that no running back has clinched the Rookie of the Year title since Saquon Barkley did back in 2018, despite seven rookie running backs surpassing 1,000 rushing yards since then. Recent trends suggest Love may need to put up outstanding numbers to catch the attention of AP voters.

Trailing Love is Fernando Mendoza at +380. He’s the top pick for the Las Vegas Raiders and is positioned to be the only rookie starting quarterback likely to see a full season of play.

Mendoza, while set to play early on, still needs to deliver solid performance. Last season, Cam Ward, who was the top pick for the Tennessee Titans, almost completed a full season but suffered due to a weak support team. He didn’t make the top five in the AP rankings. Still, with four of the last seven Rookie of the Year awards going to quarterbacks, Mendoza has a fighting chance if he can adapt quickly.

Then there are Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate and New Orleans Saints’ Jordyn Tyson, who are both seen as solid secondary candidates, with odds of +650 and +750, respectively. Interestingly, wide receivers have snagged three of the last seven Rookie of the Year titles, including Tatairoa McMillan, who shone last season for the Carolina Panthers despite starting off as the No. 4 option.

Tate and Tyson both find themselves in situations where they can make an immediate impact, particularly Tate, who could become the main target for Ward in Tennessee.

Switching gears, Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarrian Price, with odds at +1000, seeks to fill the shoes of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, but the question remains—will he get enough touches to compete with Love and the others?

Finally, there’s Makai Lemon from the Philadelphia Eagles, watching the scenario closely. If the team decides to trade away their disgruntled star, AJ Brown, Lemon could see a boost in targets. But even with Brown possibly out, the receiver situation in Philadelphia could still limit Lemon’s early opportunities.