Last season saw C.J. Stroud win NFL Rookie of the Year on offense. Teammate Will Anderson earned the NFL Rookie of the Year award on defense.
With the 2024 NFL season in full swing, there are obvious favorites to come away with the hardware. That includes rookie No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels. On defense, it’s a much bigger guessing game. After all, the top 14 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft were offensive players. This makes the DROY race very interesting to start with.
Without further ado, let’s check in on our top NFL Rookie of the Year candidates in Week 16.
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2024 NFL Rookie of the Year candidates (offense)
Honorable mention
- Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
- Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
- Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
5. Brian Thomas, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 5)
Ranking second in receiving yards among rookies despite losing his starting quarterback due to injury, Brian Thomas already looks like a future star, helping Jaguars fans quickly move on from Calvin Ridley. Not only will Thomas easily eclipse 1,000 yards as a rookie, he also has eight touchdowns, showing his ability to make plays in all areas of the field.
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4. Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears (LW: 4)
Even though he’s not the OROTY frontrunner, Caleb Williams is showing positive signs of developing into the Chicago Bears’ franchise quarterback. We’d still like to see more touchdowns and more consistency with his accuracy, but Williams could have a stronger finish after Chicago made a coordinator change.
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3. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 3)
Leading all rookies in receiving yardage, Brock Bowers is having a historical rookie season for a tight end. Bowers already has 968 receiving yards and four touchdowns while playing for a Raiders offense that ranks 29th in scoring. But he’s not catching up to the quarterbacks.
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2. Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos (LW: 2)
Bo Nix is doing just enough to help the Denver Broncos avoid losing. Of course, Denver having a top-five defense has helped too. Suddenly, Nix has 27 touchdowns compared to just 11 interceptions, making him an outside candidate to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he’s not too far away from catching up to Jayden Daniels.
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1. Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders (LW: 1)
As a dual-threat weapon, Jayden Daniels is a favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. He’s off to the best start among his fellow rookie quarterbacks, both through the air and on the ground. If Daniels can continue helping the Commanders get into the win column more often while still putting up impressive stats, there’s no reason why he can’t win Rookie of the Year. Having a 70.5% completion rate to go along with 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions makes him a heavy favorite.
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2024 NFL Rookie of the Year candidates (defense)
Honorable mention
- Tarheeb Still, CB, Los Angeles Chargers
- Cooper DeJean, DB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Laiatu Latu, EDGE, Indianapolis Colts
- Kamari Lassiter, CB, Houston Texans
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5. Calen Bullock, S, Houston Texans (LW: 4)
The latest member of the Houston Texans’ rookie class to take the league by storm is a third-round pick, safety Calen Bullock. At 6-foot-3, the 21-year-old has great size, even for safety, and as opponents are quickly learning, he also has a strong nose for the football.
Bullock leads all rookies with five interceptions and also has 44 tackles plus ten pass deflections and a fumble recovery. Clearly, DeMeco Ryans is having a hard time keeping him off the field. Seventy-seven players were selected before him, but Bullock’s proving that those NFL GMs made a mistake.
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4. Chop Robinson, EDGE, Miami Dolphins (LW: Honorable mention)
He’s started just one game, but the star potential is easy to see with Chop Robinson. He’s tallied five sacks, which has included two games with 1.5 sacks. Otherwise, Robinson has just 21 tackles on the season, but that’s also included six tackles for loss plus two pass deflections.
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3. Braden Fiske, DL, Los Angeles Rams (LW: 3)
The Rams hit home runs with both of their first two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Jared Verse is a leading candidate to win the DROTY award, but his teammate Braden Fiske isn’t far behind. The 39th overall pick in the draft leads all rookies with six sacks but has also compiled 38 tackles (8 TFL) and two forced fumbles in what’s been a very impressive debut season.
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2. Jared Verse, EDGE, Los Angeles Rams (LW: 1)
Aaron Donald’s retirement creates an urgent need for more pass-rush help on the Los Angeles Rams. But Jared Verse is ready to fit the bill. The Florida State edge rusher has been a fixture in the starting lineup, where he’s already tallied 58 tackles (11 TFL), two forced fumbles, and 4.5 sacks. So far, Verse is one of the early frontrunners to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, but Mitchell may have the edge for now.
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1. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 2)
Since being selected 22nd overall, Quinyon Mitchell has started every game for the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense. The 23-year-old has already recorded 41 tackles and ten pass deflections, but the more impressive stat is the fact that he hasn’t allowed a touchdown yet this season. Though, Mitchell is still seeking his first career NFL interception.
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Past NFL Rookie of the Year winners
- 2023: C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson
- 2022: Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner
- 2021: Ja’Marr Chase, Micah Parsons
- 2020: Justin Herbert, Chase Young
- 2019: Kyler Murray, Nick Bosa
- 2018: Saquon Barkley, Shaquille Leonard
- 2017: Alvin Kamara, Marshon Lattimore
- 2016: Dak Prescott, Joey Bosa
- 2015: Todd Gurley, Marcus Peters
- 2014: Odell Beckham Jr., Aaron Donald
When is the NFL Rookie of the Year announced?
The 2024-25 NFL Rookie of the Year will be announced during the league’s annual awards show on the weekend of the Super Bowl, February 8.
Who will emerge as the early ROTY candidates during the 2024 NFL season?
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