Rookie Report: Two Rookies who Could Win Offensive Rookie of the Year and Two Rookies who Could Have
C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
Photo Credit: Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports
C.J. Stroud has continued his impressive regular-season success into the postseason, routing the Cleveland Browns 45-14 while passing for 274 yards and three touchdowns.
Stroud passed for 4,108 yards in the regular season, which, according to StatMuse, is the third-best passing yard total by a rookie in NFL history. His 23 passing touchdowns ranks sixth among rookie quarterbacks in NFL history. Additionally, Stroud set the single-regular-game rookie passing yard record with 470 passing yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stroud led the Texans to a 10-7 regular-season record, which is a clear improvement from the team’s 3-13-1 mark in 2022. Stroud is clearly the frontrunner to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, and his earning of the award would be well-deserved.
Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
Photo Credit: Ryan Kang, Getty Images
Sam LaPorta, Iowa’s most recent star tight end, has been an integral piece of the Lions’ offense through the regular and postseason.
Among rookie tight ends this season, LaPorta ranks first in receiving yards with 889, 216 yards above the next-highest tight end, Dalton Kincaid, according to StatMuse. Those 889 receiving yards ranks fourth in NFL history among rookie tight ends.
While LaPorta took a backseat during the Lions’ first playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers(catching three passes for 14 yards), his immense regular-season success as a rookie cannot be overlooked when determining the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts OR Tank Dell, WR, Houston Texans
Antony Richardson and Tank Dell, while all but ineligible for the award, had both early-and-late season success before injuries cut their rookie seasons short.
Photo Credit: Matt Rourke, The Associated Press
Richardson, in the four regular-season games he played, passed for 577 yards with three passing touchdowns, while rushing for 136 yards and 4 touchdowns, according to ESPN. In his regular-season duel with C.J. Stroud, Richardson rushed for two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter alone before leaving the game with a concussion, according to the Associated Press. Though he was unable to complete his rookie season due to a season-ending surgery on his shoulder(according to FOX Sports), his talent was evident and will be a critical factor in determining the winner of the AFC South next season.
Photo Credit: Gary McCullough, The Associated Press
Tank Dell, like Richardson, had his rookie campaign demolished by injuries. Although Dell only played in 11 of the Texans’ 17 regular-season games, through those games Dell racked up 709 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, developing a chemistry with Stroud that will only grow stronger in the coming years. Additionally, Dell had zero fumbles and 75 targets over his 11-game span, according to ESPN, which only validates his argument for one of the NFL’s next great receivers.
