Following Week Three of the NFL season, I wrote about the top 10 NFL rookies at that time. If you want to check out that list, it can be seen here.
As you can see from the previous list, hailed by commenters for its accuracy, things have drastically changed over the past 12 weeks. Guys like Darren McFadden and Felix Jones got off to hot starts but have seen their production drop, due to injury or other factors.
Matt Ryan, the best rookie QB since Ben Roethlisberger, was ranked sixth in the early going but now has his team on the verge of a playoff spot.
Here are the top 10 rookies this year, as I see it.
One note: I will stick to skill position players, since I have not had the opportunity to analyze the play of linemen and all the other defensive players. If I was including defense, Jerod Mayo would certainly still be on this list.
Honorable Mention: Leodis McKelvin, KR, Bills
McKelvin has already established himself as one of the best game-breaking kick returners in the league. His 29.3-yard average is tops among kick returners and he is tied for second with seven returns of 40 or more yards. He's also a pretty good cornerback.
No. 10: Kevin Smith, RB, Lions
Smith ranks fourth among rookie runners with 773 rushing yards and is one of the lone brights spots for the winless Lions. He finally became the feature back in Week Nine and has rushed for 86 yards or more four times in the past six weeks, including 112 yards Week 11 in Carolina.
No. 9: John Carlson, TE, Seahawks
Carlson ranks eighth among NFL tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards and is one of only five TEs to have 10 catches for 20 or more yards. He hit his stride in the season's second half, grabbing 31 of his 51 catches in the past seven games. He has converted 19 first downs in those seven games.
No. 8: DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles
Jackson has 53 catches and ranks second among rookies with 775 receiving yards. He is tied for ninth among all NFL players with 14 receptions of over 20 yards. In addition to providing a big play threat on offense, Jackson has been the punt returner the Eagles desperately needed.
No. 7: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers
Stewart has teamed up with DeAngelo Williams to form one of the NFL's best backfield tandems. Although he averages just 11 carries a game, he has plowed his way to 751 rushing yards, and ranks second among rookies with nine rushing TDs.
No. 6: Eddie Royal, WR, Broncos
Royal has been a consistent producer for Denver all season. He ranks ninth in the NFL with 75 catches and leads all rookies with 847 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. His 34 catches for first downs rank second only to Jackson among rookies.
No. 5: Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens
Flacco has exceeded all expectations as the Ravens' rookie starter, and this team once seemed to be on the decline heading into this year. He has led the team to a 9-5 record and a chance for a playoff spot.
In the last eight weeks, he has thrown 12 touchdown passes versus five interceptions and has had a 95.0 or better QB rating five times.
No. 4: Chris Johnson, RB, Titans
The top four is jam-packed, as in any other year any one of these guys may have been the top rookie.
Johnson is tops among rookies and sixth in the NFL with 1,159 rushing yards. Even though LenDale White gets the bulk of the goal-line carries, Johnson has still run for eight TDs. He has three games of 125 or more rushing yards.
No. 3: Matt Forte, RB, Bears
Forte, who was No. 1 on my list after three weeks, has done little to prove himself undeserving of the accolades. He has been a workhorse for Chicago, carrying the ball 280 times for 1,115 yards while also catching 58 passes for another 424. His 11 total touchdowns is tops among rookies.
No. 2: Steve Slaton, RB, Texans
Slaton didn't make the list after Week Three but has recently burst onto the scene. He is seventh in the NFL with 1,124 rushing yards and has run for eight scores. He also has 40 catches for another 305 yards. Slaton has five 100-yard games overall, including four in the past five weeks, where he has averaged an astounding 116 yards per game.
No. 1: Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons
I will be shocked if Ryan, who plays one of the most demanding positions in professional sports, does not win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He has a 90.0 QB rating, just percentage points below Peyton Manning's 90.3 mark.
Ryan has thrown for more yards than Brett Favre and Eli Manning. He has thrown for over 300 yards twice and has done more than owner Arthur Blank could have hoped in allowing Falcons fans to forget Michael Vick.
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