X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

RotoBaller Writer Predictions: 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year

This is the fourth installment of our series where RotoBaller's football writers give you their predictions for the upcoming NFL and fantasy football season.

In this article, we will get the predictions on who will be win Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including Draft Kit + DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through October. Premium DFS lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more - seven days a week. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year Predictions

 

Laremy Tunsil, Dolphins OL

Joey Christopoulos (Tudddyguy)

Ezekiel Elliott is everyone's presumable choice, but I'm going to go with Laremy Tunsil. That's right, Ol' Gas-mask himself. Despite falling in the draft, Tunsil is still a supreme talent. The work that new Dolphins head coach Adam Gase did last year with Chicago's offense has Bears fans gushing about the future potential of former 7th round pick Charles Leno Jr. A year under Gase alongside a Ryan Tannenhill resurgence and a stud on the offensive line like Tunsil could finally cast the Dolphins off on the right course.

 

Sterling Shepard, Giants WR

Andrew Bua (@Andrew_Bua)

I’m rolling with an upset for this award. With the way Ezekiel Elliot is being heralded, one would think he not only has Offensive Rookie of the Year locked up, but has a spot in Canton as well. While there’s little doubt Elliot will be a star, the burden that he is expected to carry in his rookie season could end up being too great. Playing a position where he won’t get as beat up as Elliot, having Odell Beckham Jr. on the other side to draw multiple defenders on every play, as well as having bombs-away Eli Manning as his QB, puts Sterling Shepard in an excellent position to put up some serious numbers from an early standpoint.

Joe Sorensen

Even though Shepard is not one of the obvious choices, since he was not a first-round pick, he is in a situation that fits his skill set perfectly. Shepard should start the season lining up opposite one of the most explosive wide receivers in the game, Odell Beckham Jr., which will allow Shepard to see single coverage most of the time. In college and during training camp, Shepard has consistently shown the ability to get open and read defenses. With Eli Manning throwing the ball around in Bob McAdoo’s pass-happy offense, Shepard should see plenty of opportunities this season.

Nate Williams (@FFCatalyst)

The obvious choice here is Ezekiel Elliot, however, you should also look for Sterling Shepherd to catch a ton of passes from Eli Manning. Playing opposite of Odell Beckham Jr., it will be hard for defenses to contain both of these play makers, leaving Shepherd as very likely to prosper.

 

Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys RB

Pierre Camus (@Pfunk00)

I was tempted to zig here because I know everyone else will zag, but it's too hard to deny Elliott's potential. There is good reason that the rookie RB is unanimously being selected in the first round, even in re-draft leagues. The Cowboys still boast the top offensive line in the league, and having a promising young quarterback in Dak Prescott should solidify the offense as a solid unit. The only thing that could hold Elliott back is injury, but he showed no signs of fragility in college. To pick against him would be...unwise.

Bryan Levin

Coming into a strong, established offense with arguably the NFL's best offensive line, the former Buckeye is the no-brainer choice for Offensive Rookie of the Year this season. Look for the Cowboys to rely heavily on the fourth overall selection in this year's draft to bring back the strong running game that DeMarco Murray supplied during the 2014 season.

Andrew C. Lovell (@Andrew_Lovell)

Elliott is an easy choice, but sometimes, the obvious pick is the right one. The supremely talented Elliott will get a full workload behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Recent history is also on his side -- two of the last three Offensive Rookies of the Year have been running backs (Todd Gurley, Eddie Lacy).

Ben Ruppert (@Ben_Ruppert_21)

Ezekiel Elliot will win this award and it won’t be close. No rookie will ever come into the NFL better set up for instant success than Elliot is this season. He is behind the best offensive line in the league, and has the ability to be a three-down back due to his excellent receiving and pass-blocking skills. He is poised to be the Offensive ROY in the NFL and in fantasy, as his draft stock would indicate. This kid isn’t going to bust; the skill is off the charts and the situation is just too perfect.   

Cliff Clinton (@CliffClinton)

2015 was the Dallas Cowboys “worst-case scenario” season; what if your quarterback breaks down, and your wide receivers break down, and the only thing we can do is run the ball with Darren McFadden and Joseph Randle? So the Cowboys, despite all conventional drafting advice, went early in the draft to get their guy when nearly anyone would have benefited from running behind the league’s best offensive line. Nope, the Cowboys gave the golden ticket to the guy any other team would’ve drafted to compensate for their terrible line. Preseason has shown us what we wanted to know for sure; yes, Ezekiel Elliott is the rookie with the clearest path to being the best offensive player on his team from the start, the most consistent work, and the role of Offensive Rookie of the Year.

 

Derrick Henry, Titans RB

Tyger McGuiggan (@Tyger_McG)

In order for the Titans to improve on their win total from last year, they will need to improve their running game. If that happens,  I expect Henry to be a big part of it. Running backs with a lot of mileage rarely age gracefully, so don’t be surprised to see Henry overtake DeMarco Murray as the lead back sometime during the year. If that happens, then an improved Titans win total will largely be credited to Henry and Marcus Mariota.

 

Tyler Boyd, Bengals WR

Nathan Powell (@NPowellFF)

This selection may be on the bolder side of things, but Tyler Boyd was one of the best wide-receiver prospects in the 2016 NFL draft. Boyd landed in an ideal situation as the #2 for the Bengals opposite of A.J. Green. The Bengals will be able to use Boyd as a Swiss Army knife-type asset in their offense, getting him involved in the rushing and passing game. Boyd will have a big year in the Bengals offense and earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Tarik Skubal25 mins ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Paul George37 mins ago

Exits Game On Wednesday, Hyperextends Left Knee Again
Scoot Henderson1 hour ago

Leaves Game On Wednesday, Won't Return
Jalen Johnson2 hours ago

Active On Wednesday Night
Zach Collins2 hours ago

Uncertain To Play On Thursday
Austin Eckroat2 hours ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English2 hours ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin2 hours ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy2 hours ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Patrick Williams2 hours ago

Likely To Miss At Least One Week
Kyle Anderson2 hours ago

Available For Matchup With Hawks
Victor Wembanyama2 hours ago

Out Again On Thursday
Jusuf Nurkic3 hours ago

Available On Wednesday
Stephen Curry3 hours ago

Will Play Against Atlanta
De'Anthony Melton3 hours ago

To Undergo Season-Ending ACL Surgery
Tre Mann3 hours ago

Probable For Thursday Night Matchup Against Detroit
Mike Conley3 hours ago

Appears On Injury Report For Thursday With Toe Injury
Donte DiVincenzo3 hours ago

Questionable Heading Into Thursday
Josh Jacobs3 hours ago

Limited With Multiple Injuries
DeVonta Smith3 hours ago

Misses Practice On Wednesday
Isaiah Hartenstein3 hours ago

To Make Season Debut On Wednesday
Tyrese Maxey4 hours ago

Active On Wednesday
Jarace Walker4 hours ago

Available On Wednesday
Ben Sheppard4 hours ago

Ruled Out For Wednesday
Myles Turner4 hours ago

To Play On Wednesday
Jalen Green4 hours ago

Available On Wednesday
Vince Williams Jr.5 hours ago

Out Versus 76ers
Wendell Carter Jr.5 hours ago

Unavailable Versus Clippers
Seth Jones5 hours ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold5 hours ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Max Domi5 hours ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Jalen Hurts6 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Connor Ingram6 hours ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Jake Ferguson6 hours ago

Picks Up A DNP On Wednesday
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen6 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
CeeDee Lamb6 hours ago

Listed As Limited, Dealing With Two Injuries
Alex Tuch6 hours ago

Available Wednesday
Tage Thompson6 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta6 hours ago

Practicing In Full
Jordan Eberle6 hours ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
George Kittle6 hours ago

Will Play In Week 12
Ludvig Aberg6 hours ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Ladd McConkey6 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Si Woo Kim6 hours ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy6 hours ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole6 hours ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
San Francisco 49ers7 hours ago

Nick Bosa Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Christian McCaffrey7 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
George Kittle7 hours ago

Limited During Wednesday's Practice
Brock Purdy7 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Alexander Mattison8 hours ago

Zamir White Not Practicing On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta8 hours ago

Trending Towards Playing In Week 12
Calvin Ridley10 hours ago

Out Wednesday With Illness
Isiah Pacheco10 hours ago

To Practice On Wednesday
D'Andre Swift10 hours ago

Won't Practice On Wednesday
Brandin Cooks11 hours ago

Cowboys Open Brandin Cooks' Practice Window
Mike Evans11 hours ago

Practicing Again On Wednesday
Connor Bedard14 hours ago

Ends Drought With Two Assists
Sam Reinhart14 hours ago

Pushes Point Streak To 11 Games
Mark Scheifele15 hours ago

Celebrates Ninth Career Hat Trick
Evan Bouchard15 hours ago

Rocks Senators With Three-Point Period
Connor McDavid15 hours ago

Nets Two Goals During Three-Point Night
TB15 hours ago

Nicholas Paul Exits Early With Injury Tuesday
Zach Hyman15 hours ago

Sits Out Third Period Versus Senators
22 hours ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers23 hours ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
Jonas Brodin1 day ago

Returns To Action
Joel Eriksson Ek1 day ago

Returns To Wild Lineup
1 day ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Robert Thomas1 day ago

Back For Blues Tuesday
Jose Siri1 day ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
Alexander Romanov1 day ago

Rejoins Islanders Lineup
Brayden Point1 day ago

Ready To Return Versus Penguins
Conor Garland1 day ago

A Game-Time Call Tuesday
J.T. Miller1 day ago

Takes Indefinite Leave For Personal Reasons
Jake Ferguson1 day ago

"Will Be Hard-Pressed" To Play In Week 12
1 day ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
1 day ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
1 day ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
1 day ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
1 day ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil2 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes2 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer2 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
2 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
2 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira2 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler2 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva2 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo2 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy2 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
Nick Martinez3 days ago

Signs Qualifying Offer With Reds
3 days ago

Luis Severino Likely To Decline Qualifying Offer From Mets
James Llontop3 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig4 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal4 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic4 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones4 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title
Grayson Rodriguez5 days ago

Orioles Optimistic Grayson Rodriguez Will Have A Full Spring Training
5 days ago

Red Sox Have Productive Meeting With Juan Soto
Michael Chandler6 days ago

Set For A Rematch At UFC 309
Charles Oliveira6 days ago

A Favorite At UFC 309
Viviane Araujo6 days ago

An Underdog At UFC 309
Karine Silva6 days ago

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy6 days ago

Looks For His Second UFC Win

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Bo Nix - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Fantasy Football Matchups We Love - Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Week 12 Include Bo Nix, De'Von Achane, Quentin Johnston, Calvin Ridley, more

It seems as though fantasy managers were either incredibly disappointed or incredibly excited in Week 11. The output was modest for most players. However, if you had a monopoly on a select few players such as Cooper Kupp, Taysom Hill, or the Detroit Lions, you likely won your week. With the fantasy playoffs roughly three weeks […]


Brian Thomas Jr - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Rookie Report for Week 12 - Searching for League Winners

We're getting awfully close to the fantasy football playoffs, and it's been an interesting year for rookies. Unfortunately, even some that seemed cemented into league-winner status have had huge drop-offs in production, but yet others have emerged. Extracting value wherever you can is vitally important. Unfortunately, there's an upcoming squeeze. With trade deadlines nearing in […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

NFL DFS Lineup Picks For FanDuel, DraftKings - Steelers vs. Browns TNF Showdown (Week 12)

Welcome back, RotoBallers! This will be an interesting matchup between stout AFC North defenses. The Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) are traveling to take on the Cleveland Browns (2-8). We have no players of significance on the injury report for this game, therefore everyone is on the table! We have been pretty successful so far with these […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Jonnu Smith Fantasy Football Outlook - Was His Big Game Legit or a Fluke?

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith had his first big game in Week 7, but he broke out in an even bigger way in Week 11 in a win against the Las Vegas Raiders. He caught six of his eight targets for 101 yards and a touchdown in the 34-19 win. His biggest play came […]


Patrick Mahomes - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Injury News

NFL Pick'em Pool Picks (Week 12) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pick'em Contests (2024)

There will be six teams on a bye for Week 12. The good news is, we still have some great matchups. That includes the Chargers hosting the Ravens and the Rams taking on the Eagles. Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks for each game and rank their selections for those who […]


Jake Bates - Fantasy Football Rankings, Kicker Waiver Wire Pickups, Streamers

Week 12 Fantasy Football Kicker Rankings: Kicker Updates Include Justin Tucker, Chris Boswell, Austin Siebert, Cameron Dicker, Wil Lutz, Chase McLaughlin

If you're one of the many fantasy managers who have struggled to get production out of your fantasy kicker spot, be sure to use our Week 12 fantasy football kicker rankings for 2024 to guide you in setting optimal lineups. The kicker position has always been challenging to predict and project, so we're here to […]


Isiah Pacheco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Running Backs

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections: Running Backs (Half-PPR) - Chubba Hubbard, Isiah Pacheco, Tyrone Tracy, JK Dobbins, Kareem Hunt, Tony Pollard

Somehow, only three weeks of the fantasy football regular season remain in most leagues. Whether you're hoping to hold onto a top seed or need to stack a few wins together to qualify for the playoffs, our initial Week 12 fantasy football running back projections for the 2024 NFL season will help you understand where […]


Xavier Worthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections: Wide Receivers (Half-PPR) - Xavier Worthy, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jayden Reed, DeAndre Hopkins, Tank Dell

The fantasy football playoffs begin in Week 15, so needless to say, time is running out if you need wins to qualify. If you're in a must-win spot down the stretch, it's critical to read our Week 12 fantasy football wide receiver projections for the 2024 NFL season. Ahead of the all-important slate, let's dig […]


David Njoku - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections: Tight Ends (Half-PPR) - George Kittle, Hunter Henry, Zach Ertz, David Njoku, Tucker Kraft, Mark Andrews, more

We're back for another week of fantasy football coverage, and while rankings are a great place to start your weekly start-or-sit preparation, you can use our Week 12 fantasy football tight end projections for the 2024 NFL season for further assistance. Ahead of the Week 12 slate, let's navigate the numbers and see the projected […]


Bo Nix - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections Quarterbacks: Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, Jared Goff, C.J. Stroud, Sam Darnold, Jordan Love, Jayden Daniels

It's make-or-break time for many fantasy managers, so it's time to lock in and set optimal lineups. Our Week 12 fantasy football quarterback projections for the 2024 NFL season are here to assist. Check the projections below to see how key Week 12 QBs such as Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, Patrick Mahomes, Jordan Love, Jared […]


Houston Texans Defense D/ST Streamers, Rankings, Waiver Wire - Derek Stingley Fantasy Football IDP

D/ST Strength of Schedule: Best Fantasy Football Defense Streamers and Matchups (Weeks 12-17)

Ahh, the good old Defense/Special Teams (DST) position in fantasy football. It is a controversial inclusion in fantasy lineups for some fantasy players, but strategizing around DSTs is one of my favorite aspects of the in-season fantasy football experience. In the article below, I will present the strength of schedule (SOS) for the fantasy Defense/Special […]


Video: Week 12 Must-Start Defense (D/ST) Streamers - 2024 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Analysis

We're back and dropping fire content for Week 12! Check out our top 2024 fantasy football must-start Defenses (D/ST) and be prepared to dominate your matchups! LaQuan Jones discusses his top "Must Start" Defense (D/ST) streamers that have the potential to be game-changers in Week 12, as well as some defenses that you might want […]


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Fantasy Football Trade Targets - Buy/Sell For Week 12 Including Josh Downs, T.J. Hockenson, Bucky Irving, D'Andre Swift

For many fantasy football gamers, the end of Week 11 marked the last opportunity to make trades ahead of the fantasy playoffs. However, there are plenty of leagues that have a later deadline and some that have no deadline at all. This is especially true of dynasty leagues, and while this week's column will still […]