Rookie Hot List (Rookie Watch): Is Von Miller Challenging Cam Newton?
5. Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Dalton was on this list earlier in the year, but then he stumbled a bit, but on Sunday he showed his grittiness and I gained a ton of respect for his game. After going into halftime trailing the Buffalo Bills pretty big the Bengals came roaring back behind an awesome performance of Andy Dalton. The Buffalo Bills don’t have a great defense, but nothing makes a team believe in you more than fouth quarter comebacks. What was also impressive was the Bengals defense which shut down the Bills which had been the best second half offense in the entire league.
4. Von Miller, Denver Broncos
Miller is really rising every week. He’s showing that elite first step that made him a top five draft pick in this most recent draft. The Broncos drafted him to play outside in the 4-3 (which a lot of people didn’t like) and what they are doing a lot of now is lining Miller on the outside of the RT and letting him use his excellent speed to run by the Right tackle (usually bigger players) to apply pressure on the quarterback. And it’s working. The Broncos have a lot of problems, but their first round pick from the 2011 N.F.L. draft is not one of them. The Broncos defense has a whole has been terrible and Miller has room for improvement in the run game, but great showing early this year for Von Miller. He hasn’t been able to jump the others for the first spot behind Newton yet, but look at Newton he’s coming for you.
3. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati
If Dalton has looked pretty good, Green has looked great. Unfortunately, I made a bad gaffe when I wrote that A.J. Green hadn’t gotten into the end-zone this year when I was previewing the Bills and Bengals game. He has been in the end-zone. Rookie WR Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons is the first round WR who has yet to find the end-zone. He has 312 yards on the season with two touchdowns (with a rookie quarterback).
2. Ryan Kerrigan, OLB, Washington Redskins
Another sack and a fine season for Ryan Kerrigan. The Redskins defense has looked very good early this year and Kerrigan is a big reason for that. With the young and talented Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo rushing the passer for the next decade the Redskins are set up pretty well for the future. He has 2.5 sacks, 4 passes defensed, an INT, and a touchdown.
1. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers
He’s starting to throw more picks than the Panthers would like to see, and he is probably throwing the ball more than you’d ideally like from any quarterback (He’s throw the ball 163 times through four games, which is an average of nearly 41). Not coincidentally the one game he threw the least amount of passes is the only game they won. But his production has been phenomenal. he has 5 Touchdown passes and another 4 rushing touchdowns for a total of 9 touchdowns and five interceptions. His 1,386 yards passing is currently third in the league.
Just missed the cut: Tyron Smith. I want to get him back in here, he’s been very good for the most part this year.
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