Five NFL Players Who Should Be in Their First Pro Bowls This Season: AFC Offense

Yesterday I wrote an article on five NFC offensive players that should be in their first Pro Bowls this season and mentioned that I would also do one on the AFC offense, AFC defense, and NFC defense. Here is the one for the AFC offense.

The Pro Bowl is a very important memorable achievement in an NFL player's career. An NFL player's first Pro Bowl is an unknown thing for the player, and it is great to see that first-time Pro Bowler play well.

I feel these five guys should be in their first Pro Bowls this season, and I bet most of you do also.

All readers of this article, please vote for these players on your AFC Pro Bowl ballot. The players are very deserving and some of the best players in the NFL at their respective positions.

Even if these players do not make it into their first Pro Bowls this season, I expect to see them in one in the near future.

Without further ado, here are five AFC offensive players that should be in their first Pro Bowls this season.

WR Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars

Sims-Walker has had his breakout NFL year this season. Though Jacksonville has not had a great season this year, I also think David Garrard should be considered to be in his first Pro Bowl this year, but he is not on this list.

Sims-Walker, currently in his third NFL season, was originally drafted by Jacksonville in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. At Central Florida, Sims-Walker was First-Team All-Conference USA in 2007.

Before this season, Sims-Walker suffered injuries frequently and did not play very commonly. In his rookie year he did not even play in a game. Last season,Sims-Walker had a total of only 217 receiving yards in nine games with zero touchdowns.

This season, his game has certainly changed. This season, Sims-Walker is quite high among the NFL's receivers in receiving yards with 694 and six touchdowns and has started in all but one game.

TE Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers

Miller has become one of the top tight ends in the AFC this season. Along with his teammate Rashard Mendenhall, he should be considered for his first Pro Bowl season this year.

Miller, a former first-round pick and two-time Super Bowl champ as a member of the Steelers, has had his breakout year in the NFL this season. Since being drafted, Miller has started in all but three of the Steelers' games.

Before this season, Miller was a solid NFL tight end, having around 400 receiving yards and five touchdowns each season. This season, in only 10 games, Miller is less then 100 yards away from his career high and only two touchdowns away from his career high.

This season, Miller currently has five touchdowns with 492 receiving yards.

WR Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers

Jackson has become one of the NFL's elite wide receivers this season due to his great chemistry with Philip Rivers, who is having a great season.

Jackson was originally drafted with a second-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Chargers. In Jackson's first NFL season he suffered some injuries. In his second year, Jackson played in all 16 games and started in seven of them, but in 2007 Jackson was given the full-time starting job.

Jackson has played very well for the Chargers, having over 1,000 receiving yards last season with seven touchdowns. This season, he ranks among the NFL's top receivers in receiving yards with 788 and seven touchdown, which is tied for his career high.

RB Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

Ray Rice was given the Ravens' starting running back job this season and has became an elite NFL running back.

Rice was originally drafted with a second-round pick in last season's NFL Draft. The small but mighty Rice was a backup to veteran running back Willis McGahee in his rookie season last year.

This preseason, Rice was named the Ravens' starting running back. This season, Rice and McGahee have both played very well at RB for the Ravens and have become quite a tandem.

Last season, Rice had four rushing touchdowns with 454 rushing yards. This season, Rice has started in all but one game and has ranked among the top 10 running backs in the NFL with 733 rushing yards and also has six rushing touchdowns along with 515 receiving yards.

QB Matt Schaub, Houston Texans

Schaub has had an unbelievable breakout year for the Texans this season and without question should be a Pro Bowler for the first time this season.

Schaub was originally drafted in the third round by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2004 NFL Draft. Schaub was a member of the Falcons until 2006 before being traded to the Texans just a day after the Texans released the quarterback who they thought would be the future of the team, David Carr.

As a Falcon, Schaub only started in two games and threw for six touchdowns along with six interceptions.

In 2007, Schaub was named the Texans' starting quarterback and has been ever since. The past two season Schaub only played in 11 games due to injuries but this season he has started in all 10 games.

This season, Schaub already has topped his career high in touchdowns with 19 and is third out of NFL quarterbacks in passing yards with 2,958.