As a new crop of players get ready to try and put points on the board, which 2019 first-year performers are in line to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year?
As training camps get underway throughout the league, all 32 NFL teams are looking toward their 2019 draft picks to help them have a successful season. Even if the teams aren’t successful, the rookies are looking to make a name for themselves.
On the offensive side of the ball, there are a few players who’ll receive greater opportunities to make an impact than others. The question is, who will be holding the trophy as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year at the end of the 2019 season?
While we won’t know the answer to that until the award season, we can take what we do know currently and project. So, just like with the defensive rookies, it’s time to pick out the best candidates for Offensive Rookie of the Year from each division.
AFC East: Devin Singletary, RB, Buffalo Bills
This was a tossup that saw new Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary narrowly edge out Patriots wideout N’Keal Harry. There’s no one blanket answer as to why but the usage rate for Singletary in addition to the offense he joins ultimately gives him the edge.
The knock on Singletary coming into the league is his lack of elite burst. However, it doesn’t mean he can’t make things happen in the open field. In fact, his ability to dominate one-on-one is an elite trait in itself. With Frank Gore and LeSean McCoy being on the older side, there’s no guarantee that they’ll finish the season healthy.
Regardless of health, though, Josh Allen targeted running backs more than 80 times last season in the passing game. Gore isn’t a big threat in that department but Singletary can be. As a young quarterback, Allen will need a safety blanket.
Part of what makes Singletary a top candidate is his ability to exploit creases. He understands how to get skinny and uses cut back lanes. He’s not going to carry the load, but he’ll make do with the opportunities hell see in Buffalo’s offense, putting him in the award mix.