NFL Rankings: Top 5 Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year Candidates 2.0

The post-lockout free agent frenzy has made my original Top 5 Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year projection obsolete. The shuffling has made for some rookie quarterbacks to see the bench and allowed other notable rookies to break into the list.

I'll be updating this list periodically throughout the season. For the time being, here is how the race for offensive and defensive rookie of the year honors will shake out.

5. Jonathan Baldwin (Offense)

Jonathan Baldwin was the perfect pickup for the Chiefs. He is a great complement to Dwayne Bowe and provides a huge red zone target for Matt Cassel. 

Baldwin is 6'5". Guys with his build and athleticism are rare. The Chiefs added Steve Breaston and have a dangerous run game that is going to force defenses to play honestly. That is going to be lethal for Baldwin when the Chiefs get into the red zone.

Do not be surprised to see this guy turn into the next Plaxico Burress. The Chiefs lost Charlie Weis. Somehow I think they will manage.

5. Marcel Dareus (Defense)

Marcel Dareus is going to be a great addition to Buffalo. He and Kyle Williams give the Bills a defensive core to build around in the future. The combination will be the foundation of the run defense, but will Dareus be able to put up the numbers necessary to win the award?

It is hard to imagine him having the same type of season we saw last year from Ndamukong Suh. Even if he is highly productive, he could get overlooked. It is a crime that Williams is not a household name, but that is one of the downfalls of playing for a team who gets snubbed too often by the media.

4. AJ Green (Offense)

AJ Green is the best receiver to come out of this class, but all the question marks on offense are going to create a serious hurdle for him to climb if he wants to take home ROY honors. He has got everything you could ever want in a receiver, but with a shaky situation around him, he could struggle to put up numbers.

Jonathan Baldwin could have a better chance at winning this award than Green because of the situation he fell into.

4. JJ Watt (Defense)

JJ Watt is joining a front seven that is flat-out ridiculous. He joins Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing, Connor Barwin and fellow rookie Brooks Reed in a star-studded core of young talent.

Wade Phillips is going to have a lot to work with. Now that the Texans have a legitimate corner in newly acquired Jonathan Joseph, they could be a top-5 defense this year.

Watt is the prototypical defensive end for the scheme. The only hold up here is that Watt's numbers may not be impressive enough to beat out his competition.

3. Cam Newton (Offense)

The Rookie of the Year award takes win differential into account. The Panthers were the worst team in the league last season. If Cam Newton can come into Carolina and get them six or seven wins, it is going to do wonders for his chances to bring home the award.

He is a dual threat quarterback who is going to be a crowd pleaser and accrue serious numbers on the ground. Sam Bradford did not have a stellar QB rating, but he still managed to put up big numbers and took the Rams from the worst team in the league to the brink of the playoffs. Newton is obviously seeking to do the same.

3. Von Miller (Defense)

Von Miller is an incredibly talented linebacker, but he might be in the wrong system. If he were in a 3-4, he could justify the top spot on this list.

He is still a guy who could drop the ball carrier ten times a game. John Fox will undoubtedly incorporate him into the pass rush, but like Aaron Curry in Seattle, 4-3 outside linebackers often get lost in the system.

It will be interesting to see how Miller is utilized. There is a huge chance he skyrockets to the top of this list a few games into the season.

2. Mark Ingram (Offense)

Mark Ingram is being inserted into a great offense. He is poised to become the feature back in the offense, which in itself is reason enough for him to break onto this list.

The Saints have a pass happy offense, which is going to make it impossible for teams to load up the box. After winning the Heisman, SEC defenses accounted for Ingram on every play. Teams may underestimate the immediate impact he is could have.

The 1st-round pick they expended on him suggests the Saints will be utilizing him heavily from the get-go.

2. Nick Fairley (Defense)

Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh are going to be impossible to block next season. Suh is hit by two, sometimes three guys on nearly every play. Still, he managed to rack up double-digit sacks and ran away with the award last season.

With all the attention on Suh, Fairley will likely be left in one-on-one situations frequently. He has got the raw pass-rush ability to put up big numbers and a mean streak that makes the Lions' interior line the most ferocious in the league.

1. Julio Jones (Offense)

Julio Jones is a game breaker. He is going to one of the best offenses in the league and playing opposite Roddy White. He has got Matt Ryan throwing him the ball and will routinely be single covered.

Jones has blazing speed and a huge frame. His physicality should translate well to the next level. Atlanta gave up a lot to get Jones. He is going to have a huge role in the offense and seems to be on his way to a standout rookie year.

1. Patrick Peterson (Defense)

Patrick Peterson has the rare polish that only comes around every so often. He is a play maker and has the ability to return to boot.

The Cardinals passed on quarterbacks in the draft and managed to lure Kevin Kolb to Arizona without dealing away a 1st-round pick. Teams are going to throw at Peterson, which would actually help him close in on this award.

Peterson will likely see the sort of action many rookies see. Like DB's Eric Berry and Jairus Byrd, he could make them pay dearly, even taking his picks the other way.